Beginner rifle recommendations

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Marijn

Tenderfoot
Jul 25, 2006
72
0
42
The Netherlands
I was shooting Unique (France) in Rapid Fire. Went from that to .308 Unlimited silhouette pistol.
I had a bunch of fairly nice shotguns, they held their value.
I regret selling the Amantino Boito 12 s/s coach gun. I sold the cross-eyed Arietta 20, even after telling the buyer!
No tears selling all the others, even the 3.5" x 12ga Benelli.

To anyone reading this, Baikal are made in the largest small arms factory on earth. Crude fit and finish but that's easily stoned down.
In my experience, they are the only shotguns made where you must carry a kit of screwdrivers while hunting
as various pieces tend to fall off. My GF/partner/hunting buddy calls the Baikal o/u 12 "The Pig."
OTOH, she really likes to shoot the Baikal s/s 20. It's early June. I've seen som eadult ruffed grouse. I can wait.

I ran into a baikal about a year ago. unused for really small change. (<&#8364;350)
I love it to bits, 3k rounds through it and not a single hickup what so ever!
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
Wow. You did get lucky. I think Baikals are like the Russian AK-47: sloppy and nothing ever jams.
The 20 heats up. A single round of doubles trap (50 shots) and don't touch the chambers.
The 12 never gets hot.

There's a big machine shop on the gulf coast of Georgia in the USA, George Trulock.
I bought all new replacement choke tubes, turkey as well, from him for both the 12 and the 20.
They never crust up and never shoot loose.
 

mrostov

Nomad
Jan 2, 2006
410
53
59
Texas
Baikal's are tough guns. Because of the US government's often schizophrenic relations with the Russians, gun imports from them often suffer. If you want an over-under combo gun it's easier here to get an older Savage 24 or get a Chiappa M6.
 

Arya

Settler
May 15, 2013
796
59
39
Norway
I actually tried a combo the other day, just for the fun of it.
An old Valmet :) Kicked like a baby mule and roared like a canon!
I wasn't prepared for it at the first shot so I got myself a nice bruise, but it was great fun, though the combo's feel like weird mutations.
I also liked that it had no scope, so that I could try aiming the old fashioned way. :)

A fun gun, but I'm aiming for a rifle.
 

spandit

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 6, 2011
5,594
308
East Sussex, UK
A lot of Americans recommending American guns, which is fine, but the Scanwegians make so many great rifles. I have a Swedish Varberger .308

A friend of mine just bought a Haenel Jaeger .308 - wasn't amazingly expensive and is a beautiful rifle, they're probably cheaper on the continent
 
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Marijn

Tenderfoot
Jul 25, 2006
72
0
42
The Netherlands
A lot of Americans recommending American guns, which is fine, but the Scanwegians make so many great rifles. I have a Swedish Varberger .308

A friend of mine just bought a Haenel Jaeger .308 - wasn't amazingly expensive and is a beautiful rifle, they're probably cheaper on the continent

The haenel Jager 10 is my general purpose hunting rifle. I have it in .30-06 spr with a Zeiss Victory HT on it, and i love it to bits. Their around &#8364;1000 in the netherlands.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
They all go 'bang!'. What I was looking for was a grocery list of features such as a single selective trigger, auto ejectors and so on.
I could not find everything I wanted in a single American shotgun for less than $5,000.

As far as the Baikals are concerned, Remington put another name on them to get them into the continent under the duty/tarrif radar.
I'm sure we would see more besides Sako and Tikka if the protectionist trade barriers disappeared.

Winchester has a long and colorful history in the United States. I'm told that they will never be even cosmetically "pretty" rifles.
The iconic lever-action .30-30 has a beer-belly trajectory but it's been a game-getter for more than a century.
If I got the appetite to buy another rifle, I think I will look long and hard at the CZ line. Still something in .30 cal.
 

Badger74

Full Member
Jun 10, 2008
1,424
0
Ex Leeds, now Killala
Not in the league you are looking at, but i just put down a deposit and sent of for the licence for a CZ455 .22LR. I want it for small game and vermin around the place when using the shotgun is not practical.
 
Sako, tikka, can't go wrong there, i had a Remington 700 SPS with Varmint barrel, excellent gun and extremely accurate but heavy.

What you spend on a firearm, spent at least the same on good mounts and telescopic sights.

Best thing is find a good gun shop and talk with them and handle a few and see which is most comfortable.

I now own a Howa 1500 in 243, japanese weapon based upon a whetherby action and a very competitive price, had it a few years now and I've taken several Deer with it and happily recommend and don't forget a sound moderator (silencer).

Not to be nit-picky but the Howa was originally copied from the Sako L61R. The original Howa-Dickson was so closely copied that parts were interchangeable with the Sako. They were changed slightly (integral scope bases removed) to avoid patent infringement after that. Weatherby markets them as the Vanguard. For reference, my son has a Vanguard and I have the Sako.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,294
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
What about Winchester rifles? Have anyone got any experience with f.ex the XPR Combo 30-06?


Look on a CZ 557. Made by a company that produces top notch guns for users. 308, 30-06, 7mm RM or the classic Swedish allrounder 6.5-55

Winchester? Never shot with one.
 
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Klenchblaize

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 25, 2005
2,610
135
65
Greensand Ridge
Yes- A modern classic! There is also a dead deer to spot. A bit later another joined it; a good, frosty morning with a lazy extraction!

E9D6AE5F-E902-4EF6-BAE2-723A1A7001E0.jpg

That reminded me:

91d94b3d-45dc-493b-935a-bfd197e43a9f_zps0q0lsa79.jpg

Not the most tasteful #1 but who cares when it spits the King of 22's at over 4000fps!


K
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
What about Winchester rifles? Have anyone got any experience with f.ex the XPR Combo 30-06?

Up until the early 1960s Winchester had an amazing reputation. Particularly for the Model 70. But in 1964 some cost cutting measures in the manufacturing process and even in the basic bolt design did much to destroy that reputation. Within the last decade or so quality and design have gone back up. If you buy a factory new gun you should be fine but a used one could be a gamble; if it's pre 1964 manufacture it might easily be worn out. If it's post 64, it could be from the bad years.
 

Arya

Settler
May 15, 2013
796
59
39
Norway
Up until the early 1960s Winchester had an amazing reputation. Particularly for the Model 70. But in 1964 some cost cutting measures in the manufacturing process and even in the basic bolt design did much to destroy that reputation. Within the last decade or so quality and design have gone back up. If you buy a factory new gun you should be fine but a used one could be a gamble; if it's pre 1964 manufacture it might easily be worn out. If it's post 64, it could be from the bad years.
Thank you for that info, Santaman2000! :)
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,294
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
If zi may be blunt, these are the questions you need to ask yourself:

Budget
Intended game ( caliber)
Open sights or optics. (Quality optics cost money)
Only for hunt and a couple of boxes a year at range, or lots of boxes at range plus hunting
Esthetics important?
Local gun store- what do they sell, what can they service and repair?

I yhink you should buy as high quality gun as possible, with open sights. Learn to shoot with that. Optics have only come the last few decades. At the range you will hunt you do not need optics. BUT you can get them later. Top wuality optics are expensive.
Well chosen gun in optimal caliber and well maintained will last your lifetime and your grandchildrens lifetime.

A quality gun is accurate and the barell will last for thousands of rounds with not much loss of 'hunting accurancy'.


If you are ok with a non fancy wood, or happy with plastic, a quality gun does not have to cost a fortune.
Fancy wood is very expensive!
 

Arya

Settler
May 15, 2013
796
59
39
Norway
Janne, to me the esthetics of the rifle is not important at all. The only thing that matters to me is functionality :)
I'm handing in my applications for 308. and 30-06 today.
I hope to have them approved within a month or two.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,294
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
You are getting two rifles?

As esthetics are not importsnt for you, some models come with plastic stocks. An excellent material, stable, no warping, not easy to scratch.
 

Arya

Settler
May 15, 2013
796
59
39
Norway
I'm just buying one rifle for now, but since I haven't decided yet between 308. or 30-06 I'm applying for both.
If I f.ex find a really nice second hand rifle with 30-06 then I'll be able to buy it, even though I'll most likely end up with 308. :)
 

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