Thread: Rifle for NZ

You need something that will be easy to get ammo for and possibly resell in Europe, so 7mm08 and maybe 7mm Rem Mag won't be so good. 7x64 is rare in NZ so don't go there. .308 is universal but you can do better ballistically. I would suggest .3006 or 6.5x55SE both are reasonably common here, specially .3006 can be bought in virtually any shop. Actually you're best to go to a shop in a big city where you can choose from a variety of factory ammo and buy enough in one lot for your trip, preferably a bullet type and brand you are happy with. Personally, I'd spare no expense and get top of the range stuff from Remington, Federal, Winchester or Hornady. Unfortunately it will be hard to find enough boxes of Norma in one shop. It's more a matter of which caliber will a shop have 60 or 80 rounds in 3 different brands ? .3006 with 150 gr is very versatile in NZ. 6.5 may be a little light if you decide to hunt for tahr or wapiti when you get here.

For a scope, if you haven't got real definite hunting plans yet, you need 3-4x at the lower end (certainy no higher) and 7 to 12x at the top. A wide zoom range is nice to have if you can afford it in a top brand but 3-9 is plenty. NZ hunting is rough on gear and toughness and waterproofness are the key things. So steer clear of cheaper high spec scopes Vortex, Tasco, Nikko Stirling and ones intended for target shooting like March. Leupold scopes are very popular here due to their lifetime warranty and they seldom fail even with real abuse. The VX-3 series is a good price point, even if not that highly regarded in Europe. Higher end European scope like Swaro, Zeiss, Kahles and the SuB Zenith will all be fine. In my opinion, special calibrated reticles, illumination and parallax aren't needed. Try to get small compact turrets. Low light performance is well worthwhile so go for a 40-50mm objective. All scopes in NZ are mounted with rings, so if you want flexibility to change scopes here don't bring a rail mount.

Most of our countryside and wind is unfavourable for Long range shooting and it is a fascinating novelty in NZ. I would say that less than 1% of animals are shot beyond 300m. But every time someone is successful they will write about it and post a story. The stories are true and the shooters are very skilled. just not representative. It's pretty boring to say: "The shot was 120m, longer than my usual. I had to try hard and I'm pleased I got it." So, don't go for a heavy, long rifle or tactical long range scope. A 20 or 22" barrel in medium contour is fine. LIghtweight rifles are also an interesting fashion but don't go to extremes.

Among European brands, the sako 85 SS and finnlite are very well suited to NZ. Synthetic stocks tend to be better for our conditions too. Wood stocks are beautiful but need to be stripped, sealed, and oil finished fully floated and bedded before they are stable enough to use here. Not sure about laminates, perhaps some else can comment ...

IIRC with 150gr bullets there is bugger all difference in velocity (maybe 100fps) between the 308 and 30-06, its not until over 165gr that the 30-06 gets a significant advantage from the extra powder and recoil.

Thanks for the answers.
At the present I own a wooden stocked Browning European in 7x64, with a Leupold Vari X-3 , 2,5-8x36 scope. The wooden stock is O.K, but to travel, I think, a synthetic stock is more reliable. Less prone to get broken. The A bolts are replaced in Europe by the X bolt. Why they are still available, I think trading in the 7x64 and get a 223 and a 30-06 composite stalker A-bolt. These two rifles should cover up a wide variety of game. They only weight about 2.8 to 2.9 kg. Topped up with a good scope and bipod, they will make a nice deerstalking combination I hope.
As I noticed, on photo's, that NZ deer seem to be heavy, I feared that rifles in the 270/30-06 class might have bee a bit light.

While Sako and Tikka seem to be very popular in the UK and NZ, you almost don't see them here. Never seen a second hand one in many years, and never seen one in use in the field.

Scopes. Indeed, Leupold never seem to have been accepted here. Compared in very low light they don't seem to be in the same class as the European scopes. A brand that gets very popular here is Meopta. These czech scopes are tremendous. As good in low light as the others and decent priced. They have a nice 3-12x50 with and without illumination ,but also a 4-16x44 tactical with mildot reticle.

ABolt 30 06 with 3x12x50
perfect.

30 06 and that scope you have would be fine, but put it on a set of quick detach mounts and put a red dot on another set. Job done. Close heavy bush and ad rain and the very last thing you want is a scope so on with the red dot.

I've been thinking about your question and I reckon all these guys suggestions are wrong

You should buy a Blaser R8 in Europe and bring it with you. Something nice, like an attaché with at least grade 8 wood. Get a 6.5x55 or 6.5x284 barrel or whatever floats your boat/needs. Then get one of the new Kahles 3-12x50's and put it in a QD mount to swap between barrels. You should be able to get it for a decent price, unlike the mental prices the local agent tries to sell them for.

Then either sell it before you leave or take it with you. Job done. Hell, if you get the above combo I would probably buy it and I already have an R8.

watch this : SAUER 202 - Hunter video - YouTube

Proudkiwi, at about 28/29 sec Franz Albrecht gets in action. Would this Sauer 202 with an 8 shot magazine suit you. Only in 270 with 130 grain RWS H-Mantle ammo, but devastating on boar. Maybe we change the scope . LOL.

Good rifles those, and they like Fiordland.

Just like rabbiting Hales

Yeah, like Wirehunt says, the Sauer's are quite nice but they still ain't a R8 Attaché with 8+ wood

Also, don't bring a rifle with a mag that extends WAY past the bottom of the stock like the one in the video to NZ. It will ruin your life unless all you plan on doing is blasting pests like rabbits/goats.

Originally Posted by Rushy

I like this calibre.

My brother and I always all about the best all-round caliber and we can never move away from the 270. Mine was a gem to my old man and has been a gem for me since he's passed it down. I'll never be without a 270

300 wsm mate

You already own a rifle and scope that would be very good for NZ big game hunting. The most economical way would be to bring that over in a hard case and make arrangements to have some 7x64 ammo waiting here for you, if you can't easily bring it over with you. Finding 7x64 ammo in NZ could be easier said than done but it's worth investigating. Seal and bed the stock and sight it in before you come.

To get ammo, try emailing to one of the "Hunting and Fishing" chain of stores and they can deliver it to almost any shop in the country. CR Pain is the importer for Norma ammo and would probably be able to import just what you prefer, if you can order it 6 months ahead. PM me if you need his email / phone. Alternatively, if you put a post in the reloading section of a forum someone might offer to load some up for you. Someone might like a challenge or would be keen to help out if they already use an unusual caliber. or they might know of some sitting on a shelf somewhere that could be put aside for you.

Another alternative would be to get a .3006 barrel put on it before you come.

Don't count on selling a European rifle or scope here at a profit. They are overpriced there and competitive here.

.270 is a great caliber, I use it on deer and other animals in the UK and here in NZ with no complaints and its readily available in just about any hunting store the world over.
Certainly not under-powered on any of the NZ animals out to around 400 meters with decent bullets and shot placement.
Took my first pig with it too :-)
Put a decent variable powered scope on it up to around 9 or 12x power and with practice you have a very versatile rifle.

Belmont ammo list 7x64mm for sale.
Ammo