Beginner rifle recommendations

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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Quality like Bushnell should be quite enough, both in binoculars as scope.

Everything is relative, but personally I prefer to spend more on a gun, and less on a scope. I have destroyed quite a few scopes during my 30+ years, but only one gun. Well selected a gun can and should last a lifetime, unless you shoot it in competitions and range practice.

I think Arya deserves a Ruger.
 
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abilou

Tenderfoot
Jan 5, 2010
61
16
maidstone
Tikka T3 lite in 6.5 x55 based upon your location. 223/5.56 would be OK for Roe but marginal on Reindeer I suspect I would probably look at a Vortex scope as they have a good replacement policy in event of a fault. Lots of hunting rifles are over scoped so something light and fixed power would be fine. Alternative scopes Sworovkski or Schmidt and Bender in 6x42. A good secondhand one in the UK is around £350. Alternatively look at Sako, perhaps a Finnlight if you can find a used one. Contrary to others opinions which are of course very valid, I would avoid anything from the USA. There are bargains in the U.K. but exporting to Norway is expensive in my experience.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
I kind of agree with your statement to avoid US made guns, Their general quality is below Europe, but as they are cheaper, they still make for a good quality, good price beginners gun.

Exporting between countries in Europe is quite easy, I imported a shotgun from Norway to UK, but it is really not worth it for a used gun or a gun in the lower price range. And unless Arya travels to Uk for a week to visit some gunshops, she would be buying a used gun unseen. But that exercise would cost her quite a lot of money, maybe the cost difference between a Tikka and a Sako!
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
If/when bird hunting might become an activity, I suggest you avoid the Russian Baikal shotguns. I have an o/u 12 and a s/s 20. Terrible choke tubes, all replaced.
They are the only shotguns that I have ever owned where I need to carry tools and screwdrivers for the parts that fall off. My other 10 shotguns never did that.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
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Florida
......Everything is relative, but personally I prefer to spend more on a gun, and less on a scope. I have destroyed quite a few scopes during my 30+ years, but only one gun. Well selected a gun can and should last a lifetime, unless you shoot it in competitions and range practice.

I think Arya deserves a Ruger.

A lifetime? Only a single lifetime? I hunted with my grandfather's hand-me-down shotgun as a teenager.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
I have owned a Soviet Baikal shotgun, a Soviet rifle ( forgot name) and a Soviet .22 semi auto pistol.
POS. Horrible steel, horrible springs. Used to use the Red Loctite but screws still worked loose.

Now, I was thinking to buy a Vepr 12 Semiauto shotgun but bought a Beretta with Jamaican style magazine extention.

I "need" it for our 3-gun comps. (well, not really, I just want it for fun.....)

I am now planning a rifle, as we are moving the range away from the airport, so we will get a 500 yard rifle range.
Thinking the new Ruger Presision or the Uk made Arctic Warfare.

(I love guns. I am a gun perv. Married to a gun lover. But she is much better shot than I am.)
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
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Florida
Ruger is indeed a fine choice. Personally I'd choose a Model 77 but that would be more expensive than the Ruger American Janne suggested. Remington used to be a very good choice but like many companies their quality took a hit a few years ago (there are still some great older ones available; here at least) I've never shot a CZ rifle but they have a good reputation here and I know firsthand that their handguns are great.

308 will be a fine choice as long as ammo is readily available and affordable there. It's not quite as versatile as a 30-06 but it's not far behind (a 30-06 can be loaded down with the 55 grain sabots RV mentioned for long range varmints and bunnies or loaded up above 200 grains for grizzlies. The 308 can be loaded down just as far but I wouldn't go much bigger than elk or moose at the upper end.

Your stated budget is actually quite substantial! For that much money I could but two, possibly even three such rifles and scope here and get change.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
I was thinking CZ too, but have no experience from their rifles. famous barell steel though, they are subcontractors for several ( very expensive) German rifle manufacturers.

I shoot a 9mm Cz Czechmate and wifey has just ordered a 9mm CZ something Orange. Fantastic handguns.

Do Ruger still make the 77?
 

Hibrion

Maker
Jan 11, 2012
1,230
7
Ireland
Your stated budget is actually quite substantial! For that much money I could but two, possibly even three such rifles and scope here and get change.

It would make you quite sick to see the price difference between the US and over here. I was going to buy a new mossberg 500 for rough shooting and it came in at 600 euro new!
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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The Mossberg is about $350 in the US.

Ruger American in 308W in blued steel, no sights, is around 7000 Norska Kroner.
Ruger 77 about 13 000 NOK
 
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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
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Florida
The Mossberg is about $350 in the US.

Ruger American in 308W in blued steel, no sights, is around 7000 Norska Kroner.
Ruger 77 about 13 000 NOK


Ruger American is around $490 to $560 here; often, but not always, with scope included.
Ruger 77 is around $650 to $750 without scope. Maybe over $800 in some shops.
I've seen the Mossberg in the upper #300s but usually into the $400s now.
 
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Countryman

Native
Jun 26, 2013
1,652
74
North Dorset
There is some good advice in this thread.

Sako or Tikka or Cz. BMW Volvo or Skoda. Remington is your Ford and Ruger is Crysler/Opel. Buy as far up the chain as you can afford and someone will be more likely to want to buy it from you should you want to change.

They all do the same job but some do it with a little more class and style.

US Scopes aren't generally the quality of Swarovski, Schmidt or Zeiss but the upper end is pretty close, more affordable and typically comes with a lifetime transferable no nonsense warranty that the European brands don't offer.

Calibre is always a difficult choice. Depends on your tolerance of recoil which is affected by the weight of your rifle. Base it on what you want to shoot. A.243 is a solid choice for Roe. Flat shooting, low recoil and causes little meat spoilage. Not suitable for elk though. A .308 is a solid hunting calibre for larger deer and elk and you can buy a wide range of bullet weights to do different jobs. 30.06 is arguably a better round for hunting but a bit more expensive. Most places stock it. Personally I'm a lover of the .300 Win Mag which is another cartridge with similar availability to the .30-06 but you are now talking probably twice the cost of the .243 for ammunition. Really you need to shoot different calibres and find out what you can tolerate and manage. I had to fit a muzzle break to the .300 Win Mag. The other thing to bear in mind on a UK forum is that British shooters tend to shoot using a moderator which massively impacts the recoil and sound of a shot. In most of Europe Moderators are not allowed.

I started out with an unmoderated 25-06. In honesty, looking back, it was too much gun for me. I could never achieve that pinpoint accuracy that gives confidence. I grew into it and with a moderator it's lovely to shoot.

Second hand. Well there are some rubbish guns out there to buy second hand. Equally I've bought second hand rifles that have only shot a few deer. I bought a Ruger 10/22 that the seller discribed as well worn having shot 1000 rabbits. I did a trigger job on it and it's now my competition rifle. I probably put another 1000 rounds through it in the first month after purchase.

Don't be put off buying second hand but condition is everything. Get help from someone you trust at your club if you are not sure.

Finally in Norway like many other parts of Europe we tend to get extremes of weather. I think a laminated stock or Synthetic stock is ideal combined with a Stainless action and barrel. I've hunted in -13 C to plus 35C and when you bring a rifle in from extreme cold the condensation is really alarming. Synthetic Stainless will shrug off the fact you want to drink with your buddies rather than scrub your rifle.

Hope this helps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Arya

Settler
May 15, 2013
796
59
39
Norway
You guys are great! Thank you for great advise, all of you!
I've made a list of your recommendations and will do a price search on the different brands, and if it is possible to buy a complete package.
The Tikka seems to be in the max end of my price range, but maybe it is possible. Maybe even as a good second hand since it is so popular here.
The Ruger seems to be very friendly with the wallet. For some reason I thought it would be more expensive.
I'm looking forward to dive into the materie now that you have helped me narrow down the search a lot ☺
I prefer to invest time in doing research before I make a purchase.

Santaman; I've only seen the Weatherby at XXL here, and it is very cheap. To cheap 😜

Countryman; We are encouraged to use moderators here when taking the classes for the hunting license.
I liked the comparison to cars 😀
It translates perfectly for an old parts manager. I'm taking the Volvo before the BMW any day 😉
 

Klenchblaize

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 25, 2005
2,610
135
65
Greensand Ridge
I think you will find my recommendation equates to the "Volvo" of rifles!

As for Weatherby (Magnums) I suggest getting them out of your system at the earliest opportunity as they are without question a young man's rifle as only the shoulder of such testosterone-driven enthusiasm would put up with the punishment and keep smiling in the hope of convincing all who behold the spectacle that they are enjoying the experience!

I speak as the owner of a 300WM since 1982.

K
 

Arya

Settler
May 15, 2013
796
59
39
Norway
I think you will find my recommendation equates to the "Volvo" of rifles!

As for Weatherby (Magnums) I suggest getting them out of your system at the earliest opportunity as they are without question a young man's rifle as only the shoulder of such testosterone-driven enthusiasm would put up with the punishment and keep smiling in the hope of convincing all who behold the spectacle that they are enjoying the experience!

I speak as the owner of a 300WM since 1982.

K
I see 😂 Bye, bye Weatherby!
 

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