Thread: Advice for first centrefire rifle

Originally Posted by gonetropo

Howa, cheaper than a tikka but just as good. more money for optics and a suppressor too

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Originally Posted by GravelBen

Or Savage (not Axis though), also cheaper but just as good. Tikka do seem to have the best marketing though.

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@simpson9 has a good tikka 308 for 850 with a suppressor on it for sale I think. Would be a good start

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

So a day at the range spent learning swiftly gets expensive. If you shoot 40 rounds of 7mm08, it will set you back $80-$160.

40 rounds?! My last day at the range I went thru 130 rounds I don't wanna work out what that cost me...

A light 308 can kick quite a bit, personally I have never noticed it firing at an animal but do notice it at the range. You will never be undergunned with a 308 in NZ, but you could probably say the same for a lot of smaller calibres too.
I have never had a suppressor on a centrefire rifle, they aren't essential and could be added later, but always use hearing protection at the range or on goat bomb-ups, and any other shots where you have time to put plugs in or muffs on.

Cheers for the support guys! I appreciate all of your comments and inputs!.

Good choice for your first centre fire, there plenty to choose from, but a Tikka will usually shoot and shoot accurately. And if money is tight the Tikka rings work fine, possibly for years to come. Most calibres will work for you, but dont get all flustered with the hype and hoopla over the various choices, a 308 will take most anything you want to shoot in NZ. But do spend your money wisely on your scope, spend as much as you possibly can, and then some. Keep the posts coming, we're keen to see how you get on, and to see young fella's having fun hunting.

And another thing.....pisstaking over people's choice of calibers is kind of a sport here.

I own a 7mm08 and am told to go find tofu and a soy latte from time to time. (WTF is tofu?)

If somebody slags you off for choosing a 308, smile, flip the middle finger at the computer screen, and carry on.

I would always suggest the following.
223 goats and fallow which are both common in the taranaki Wanganui areas. My sons both got their first deer down that way with a 223.
They just spent Saturday out at their old college with a teacher doing some pest control and nailing clays out to 250 mtr with a steyr 223.

I sort of lean towards something in the 308 family, 243, 260, or 7m08. as noted above a light weight 308 can induce flinching if your technique is not good.
But hard to argue against anything in the 6, 6.5 or 7mm family of short/medium length cartridges provided it is one that's going to be stocked commonly around the country.
Not such a fan of the longer action or magnum calibers unless you really want to get into shooting past 4-500 meters. then that's a whole new set of kit, range finder, scope, stock, hand loading etc.

Buy this and put the money saved into a decent scope to go on top.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....08-sale-45038/

Personally I would buy something for the same money that's a better rifle second hand. Find an old Sako or a Winchester 70. And forget all about the suppressor and get a better scope.

Tikka is a good choice.
Howa is heavy and people have trouble with the stock being flexible. Has a reputation of shooting well (as does the Tikka).

The .22LR is for technique practice. Trajectory doesn't matter. JW15 is fine. For serious rabbit hare possum hunting the 17HMR or .223 are better depending on the type of country. Forte of the .22LR is it can be silenced, can be used on indoor ranges and ammo is quite cheap so you can fire 1000 rounds a year to practice. As a rough guide you should be able to consistently shoot 1" off a rest, 2" prone and sitting and 4" standing with your .22 at 25 m before you take your 308 out for animals.

Don't go for .223 or Grendel at this stage even for goats or fallow. They are lower power rounds for experienced shooters. .308 is a good all round choice. A beginner needs plenty of power. .3006 and 270 are even better to start with in my opinion. The same tikka action can take those longer cartridges OK.

I agree with the idea of using the doubtful alloy rings, no picatinny rail and no suppressor to start with. Upgrade later. Always use protection on the range and for goat bomb ups.

To be specific about the scope, I'd recommend a Leupold VX1 at the minimum but VX3 is preferable. Limit power to 7x or 9x top end. Burris, weaver, redfield and vortex do make good scopes but you need to start above the entry level grades, not go for the cheapest model. Sharp glass and bright transmission are not the most important features: you need strength, waterproofness, accurate adjustments, good simple reticle and a top notch warranty. This is assuming you don't have more than $1000 to spend. If you do, then post another thread asking about "first scope for centerfire" and you will get even more advice !

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Buy this and put the money saved into a decent scope to go on top.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....08-sale-45038/

As VC suggests buy the Savage. The vendor says the scope is fine so leave it on for a start and get out hunting. When most people start hunting they fall over bash their scope, gark the stock, scrape their knee etc while getting used to carrying a rifle and learning how to walk the hills. So leave the scope on it for now and when you fall over it wont be a big deal. At that price you will get your money back if you want to sell. Esp if you advertise it just before the Roar.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

As VC suggests buy the Savage. The vendor says the scope is fine so leave it on for a start and get out hunting. When most people start hunting they fall over bash their scope, gark the stock, scrape their knee etc while getting used to carrying a rifle and learning how to walk the hills. So leave the scope on it for now and when you fall over it wont be a big deal. At that price you will get your money back if you want to sell. Esp if you advertise it just before the Roar.

+

Being a Gamo scope is is designed to cope with a springer air rifle, which is generally a lot tougher on a scope than a 308. That set up will get you out doing it.

nothing is harder on the scope than spring air guns and crossbows.

A thought on 22LR. I bought mine a few years before my first centrefire. Really had to work at getting good groups, as in clover leaf patterns at 50 metres. If I went straight to centrefire, this would have been a frustrating and expensive process. You only need to be accurate enough to hit an animal in the kill zone at your chosen distance, but it's nice knowing what you and your rifle can do.