Thread: New hunter - Advice on first rifle

Hi Team, big fisho here who's moved rural and now 200m away from Kaimai bush. I've always wanted to get into hunting and have now applied for my Fire arms license. Looking forward to learning but this is a whole new world to me so pretty overwhelming. Mainly going to be bush hunting with trips down to central north island. Ive got a 2k budget for my first rifle. From reading some thread it sounds like good glass is key. My mates told me buy secondhand .308 and buy a good Leupold scope. Sound like the right idea? Thanks in advance. Nathan

yip spot on with that..there was a great howa under that on here yesterday at really good price.

Good advice. Be patient and wait for a second hand deal to come up.

The advice is good. The danger is salesmen who'll do their damest to sell you what they have "in the shop" - hang out for the right bits that fit the advice.

Mint thanks guys! Any brands in particular I should be looking out for?

Good rifles come up on here pretty regularly..

Originally Posted by Nathanhough

Mint thanks guys! Any brands in particular I should be looking out for?

yes - early sakos and Tikkas would be my first choice - both generally shoot very well and were well made with good triggers - some now may have had a lot of use so you will need someone with nous to make sure your barrel has life left and not shot out - next earlier Remington's Winchesters and Rugers - many of the earlier Remingtons shot extremly well especially a model called the 788 - made as a budget rifle it shot well above its lowly appearance -but all well made and reliable -parts generally available and saleable - now I know I will get howls of protest but early BSA Parker Hale Midland while readily available some were lacking in the accuracy department and now getting a bit long in the tooth - parts could be an issue - but many have been well looked after and had accuracy work done or even a new barrel so worth a look - also worth a look Savage Marlin Bergara all shoot well - there are some nice home builds out there to especially those based on the Mauser 98 actions well tried and tested action - most modern rifles shoot better than most NZ hunters in truth - its just that some are up a level in quality especially Sako and Tikka - but I will say that modern Sako are way over priced in my opinion - at the end of the day its what that rifle does on a target that counts - buying here on the forum you could get a test target with the rifle and get looked after by someone who is not trying to rip you of and many on here are bargains compared with our two big gun chain stores - take your time and use it so it becomes familiar to you - what to avoid - well as a new hunter I would avoid lever action for now -why well bush stalking you need to carry it with a round in breach as just two noisy to load if an animal is close -

Legend thanks for the info Barry

When my wife found out that there were rifles that could be unloaded without taking the safety off (either through a bolt unlock button or a 3 position safety), that pretty much ruled out Tikkas and a few other brands (but not Sako!).


Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

- what to avoid - well as a new hunter I would avoid lever action for now -why well bush stalking you need to carry it with a round in breach as just two noisy to load if an animal is close -

Barry,Barry,Barry....my good man...... really enjoyed your speil and agreed with it right up till you typed this really weird bit.... I take it by you typing that,that you have never hunted with a lever action?????
one of the very reasons people use them for bush stalking is the ABILITY to carry it SAFELY with a round chambered and hammer down on half cock....it CANNOT fire until fully cocked and trigger depressed no matter what tricks you try...animal is sighted,identified beyond all doubt rifle is raised to shoulder and cocked with thumb as sights come to eye,bang flop knifework time. yo ucan even do it silently if your CAREFUL and hold trigger back,pull hammer right back and release trigger THEN release hammer...TRY IT UNLOADED MANYTIMES to get hang of it first. rifle is then cocked and ready to fire.... its the reason single shot break open rifles and shotguns are so popular too for young folks under supervision.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Barry,Barry,Barry....my good man...... really enjoyed your speil and agreed with it right up till you typed this really weird bit.... I take it by you typing that,that you have never hunted with a lever action?????
one of the very reasons people use them for bush stalking is the ABILITY to carry it SAFELY with a round chambered and hammer down on half cock....it CANNOT fire until fully cocked and trigger depressed no matter what tricks you try...animal is sighted,identified beyond all doubt rifle is raised to shoulder and cocked with thumb as sights come to eye,bang flop knifework time. yo ucan even do it silently if your CAREFUL and hold trigger back,pull hammer right back and release trigger THEN release hammer...TRY IT UNLOADED MANYTIMES to get hang of it first. rifle is then cocked and ready to fire.... its the reason single shot break open rifles and shotguns are so popular too for young folks under supervision.

okay take ya word for it most I have seen there was a distinct click as they were cocked

Tikka T3 in stainless/synthetic, -suppress it later

A 308 will be perfect and feed it quality factory ammo 150g or heavier

A Leupold VX-3HD in 3.5-10x40 at $1099 will last a lifetime and suit the light/nimble Tikka

You could use that rig anywhere in NZ and thoroughly enjoy yourself

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

okay take ya word for it most I have seen there was a distinct click as they were cocked

yip agree 100% thus the trick mentioned ...learnt it as a 10 year old stalking rabbits with winchester external hammer single barrel .410....pretty much doing the opposite as what you do to uncock it if the shot doesnt happen.

Originally Posted by Nathanhough

. My mates told me buy secondhand .308 and buy a good Leupold scope. Sound like the right idea? Thanks in advance. Nathan

yes.....
so now the the calibre is (rightly)sorted dont be shy about going into h&f or broncos (i see your in tauranga ) and go see your wise mates and try out as many different makes as you can , do this with no money in your pocket .
feel and fit, LOP, weight will all be factors..... as far as quality anything in your budget will be comparable once you know what feels right and shoulders well for you , you know what to look for..... the synthetic vs wood is a trade off personally i prefer a wood stock and put up with the weight because some synthetics make a distinctly unnatural noise when you bang it against a tree in the thick stuff like you get in kaimai.......
the lever vs bolt action thing .....my 30/30 weighs around a kilo more than my bolt action (wood stock)

If a rifle fits nice you should be able to look at a dot on the wall of shop and lift rifle to your shoulder nice and quick and the crosshairs should be on the dot without moving your head around. My rifle doesn't fit me properly but I've learnt to get my head on the stock in the right place to turn deer into meat.