Alright.  I have always hunted white tail with a semi.  I have recently started making hunting trips to PA, and they are not allowed to hunt with semis in Pennsylvania.  Soooo, I need to buy a bolt action (and I'm kind of excited about it, too).  I'm looking at a Remington 700 and a Winchester Model 70.

Questions:

Range:  I may be shooting deer at ranges up to 300 yards.  This is the extent of the 30-06.  Is a .270 much better?  Or should I just go for the .300 Win?

Scopes:  If I go with the .270, what size scope is ideal?  I have been looking at 3-9x.  (please keep the scope suggestions at under $150.  I know that's cheap, but I can't stretch any further.)

Other opinions:  The 700s and 70s are going for about 500-540 bucks; for a walnut and blued gun.  (what I prefer, anyway).  Should I go with another rifle?  Savages go for about 250, which is much better than 500, but I don't know about the quality.  Also, are the Ruger rifles any good?

Thanks for any help.

I don't quite agree with your range extents. I've shot elk at 400 yards with a .270 and elk are definatly not as small as deer. Speaking of, if you are just shootring deer why not buy the .270? It shoots flatter faster and you don't need a 30 caliber bullet to knock down a white tail.

Now the business of a rifle. I wouldn't buy the winchester. Just a personal thing, I do own one, but have not desire for another.

I have used my ruger every year to hunt all big game. It is a MKII all weather with a stainless 21 or 22 inch barrel chambered for the .270win. At 100 yards it will shoot sub MOA with a $90 simmons scope on it. Also a ruger will not break easy, they are very reliable.

Sacages are very very good rifles for the price. I have never shot one, but I have heard all good things about them for the price.

For a scope I would stick to 3-9X. Personally I see no need for a larger magnification. Espesiaclly when those thee hundred yards shots are far and few betweeen. Who needs 18 power in the trees. For under $150 you could get a simmons or a tasco. Personally for a cheap scope they don't have that much of a paralax problem, which impresses me.

Hope some of this helps.

Stubbs,

  Been a gun and hunting nut since I was 8 and I'm 50 now. I have gone the route from high velocity back  to standard cartridges and back again...maybe three times. We all have our personal  likes and dislikes.
  For what you describe either the Rem or the Win 70 is a great rifle to use as a start point. An 06 is a great do it all cartridge for north America. Then again so is the .270 Win and .280 Rem as well.
  In my experience....Rem 700's; currently crappy triggers that need to be replaced or a competant Smith readjust. Generally VERY accurate right out of the box. Round receiver bottom that is easily bedded and is generaly bedded OK from the factory. An absolute plethora of aftermarket stocks and triggers available. RARELY feeding or extraction problems. STRONG actions. Decent stock designs. And generally discounted heavily. Tons of used Leupold/Refield scopes and bases available at gun shows...Cheap.
 Winchester M-70, current controlled round feed style (CRF)...... The new LT models have a near perfect stock design from David Miller a premier stock maker, very comfortable and manage recoil VERY well. Flat bottomed receiver than generally should be rebedded for best results,though that is cheap. Probably the best and most easily adjusted triggers. Unchanged for many years, very reliable. CRF is anice feature, debatable if its needed but nice nne the less. Picks the round up from the mag, and holds it until its in the chamber, plus a tremendous amount of extraction area on the bolt.

  Either / Or !!   I suggest mounting and carrying each model in a store or shoot at a range if possible. See which one feels best.

  Scopes and mounts.....TWO piece bases,e asier to get into the action than a 1 piecer. I am a loyal LEUPOLD scope user at least for the past 35years anyway. LIFETIME guarantee. I 110% suggest getting ANY Leupold even a used one in 4X or a 2-7, 3-9 or my personal favorite for a light or medium rifle the new 2.5-8X models.

  Both Savages and Rugers are good quality. I do not like Rugers for personal reasons, though have owned a bunch of them.

  Now to really screw you up.....on both of my African hunts I took two rifles, one a M70 and the other a Rem 700. Tough to pick between the two!!  Here at home for antelope, deer and elk, I take the Rem 700 for a few days then grab one of the model 70's for a few more. Both are fine.

   Good Luck....... Frank N.

stubbs: the guys are right the 06 or 270 will do fine, but what if you see this really big big buck far far away, get the 300 mag.

Maryland is flatland - PA is not

Very few 300 yard shots !

( And yes.... I have taken a few Bucks in PA )
 
 [:D]

Where I hunt in PA, there is a chance of a 300 yarder.  I guess that's rare.

Thanks for the input guys.

I've taken out groundhogs at 400 yds. with a .30/06.  I prefer .3o's because I handload and there is a tremendously wide selection of bullets in .30.  You didn't mention a ,308.  It'll get the job done at 500 yds. or more, a RARE shot here in Pa.
 My choice?  I don't much like Remington, but I'd buy a M700 PSS in a Kevlar stock.  These things shoot like nothing I've ever seen, 1/2 MOA is common right out of the box.  Get a one piece mount for your scope, and buy a decent scope.  My favorites are Mauser and old-style Model 70, the only reason I suggest Remington is that all accessories are readily available, which can't be said about Mauser and M70 CRN. I've seen too many miserably inaccurate Rugers to recommend the brand, unless I could shoot the rifle first.  Savage uses a sintered iron receiver, which I don't trust either.  The firearms industry is very competitive, and you get what you pay for.  Firearms in general and precision rifles in particular are no place to eeconomize.  Where are you going in Pa. to hunt?  [sniper]

I, unfortunately, have to economize.  It is a fact of life.  I am looking for the best bolt action at under 600 bucks.

Oh, BTW, I hunt about 60 miles south-east of Pittsburgh.

Stubbs, get yourself a Howa!

Try Savage, their rifles keep getting better and better.  Personaly I am a Remington fan.  Remingtons are more expensive than Savages, and for the money savage seems to have the upper hand.  I bleed remington green so I won't bad mouth'em, but if you are on a budget look into the Savage a little deaper, the difference in price will allow you to get nicer glass for it.

I would go for the .308 instead of the .270 or even the .300.  Both the military and police agencies use this round for long range shooting, so there is more data to learn from.  The .300 rules as far as Ballistics goes, but bigger isn't always better when you are on a budget.[sniper]  

I went to Wal Mart today and saw Remington 700 ADL's in both .30-06 and .270 for $374.95.... I'm no expert but it seemed like a bargain to me.
Isaac

stubbs-
If you've been using autoloaders, what were they?  If they were Remingtons, you've got some great alternatives.
I got the 7400 Synthetic Carbine (only comes in .30-06, so it's perfect...).
The Remington 7600 comes in the .30-06 Synthetic Carbine, also.  Being a PUMP-action rifle, it would operate like the 7400/597/870; it also has a free floating bbl.; they are relatively inexpensive, too.
Even if you were using a Browning BAR, the safety is in the same place as the Remingtons...
If the pump-action doesn't appeal to you, I'd recommend the Remington Model 7 in .308 with the new enhanced power ammo to close the gap in power on the .30-06.  You'd still have a handy sized rifle with some serious power on tap.
The scope can be a Redfield/Weaver/Burris, used if you trust the seller, to keep the cost down.
If you wanted to, you could try the new Tasco EXP scopes.
Good Hunting.  Tell us what you've got and what you're going to get.

You're probably aware, bolt actions have considerably sharper recoil than the semi-autos you're used to. I have never hunted deer at all, but I can tell you I find it a lot easier to shoot well with a .270 than a .300 Magnum. And a .243, 6mm, or .250-3000 is easier yet, if you don't plan on hunting larger game. Though I admit those last ones might be starting to fizzle out at 300 yards, if you really think that's a realistic range.

I have no qualms about recommending a Savage rifle. I have a 10FP Tac. in .308 that ive had for almost a year now and i love it. It shoots sub-moa right out of the box, all ive done is lighten the trigger. They are very good rifles that shoot well and leave you enough money to get some good optics. Folks complain about the "Mattel" stock they come with, but it still shoots like a banshee!

What part over the mountains east of Frederick? [:D}  Where I grew up in western Maryland it was rather hilly.. [;)]

The 270 is one of the world's flattest longe range shooters.. The 06 is a big hammer with the 200 grainers..

So I was always torn between the 270 and the 06.
So back in 1975, I bought a 7mm Mag. Flat(ter) as the 270 and hits harder than the 06..
Now I have a 300 also... [;D]

However when speaking of calibers that are legends, past personal opinions?? Any will satisfy you.. [}:D]


Your quarry ends up behind the [8] with any of them...

As far as rifles? Again only my opinion, but I prefer the older rem's to the newer, same with winchester... I am right pleased with a Savage 112FVSS in 300, but too heavy to hump hunting..  [8D]

Sounds like you are off to a good start.  I picked up a standard savage in 30 06 not so long ago and it is sweet....Of course savage also offers many different configurations if you like (ie. different stocks, barrels, etc). You would most likely be happy with one of these.  One shot one Kill.