Thread: Looking for a New Hunting rifle

I have a tikka M695 in 270 winchester and a T3 in 7mm rem mag. Love them both for what they are. Certainly not top of the line, but well made and they do what they are built to do well.

Something to keep in mind for your first rifle is that you want something that allows you to learn. The aftermarket support out there for tikkas or rem 700 style actions (bergara) is huge. You can develop the rifle as you learn over time easily. When I got my m695 I wanted a lighter stock, but really struggled to find aftermarket options for it, unlike the T3 which I have had for a year now.

Also consider a cartridge that will allow you to hunt in multiple situations an 'all rounder' if you will (270win, 308, etc.). This will allow you to hunt in more situations while you build your rifle up or think about procuring a new one if or when you find your preferred hunting style.