When I wen't into a gun shop in Kelowna, they told me of the long shots they take. From what I saw of the country there, I'd be lucky to see fifty feet! We wen't walking around north of there, and man was it thick. What kind of range are we talking for most areas?

I'm looking into getting myself a new rifle. But there are stipulations. First, I'm getting married. So there's not alot of money floating around. Second, I'm moving. Right now, I live on the open praries, but do most of my hunting in the mountains. But we will be moving to the Okanagan valley, in B.C. I need a rifle that will work for both areas, but still be affordable. I've never seen a shot (On game) that required more than say 200 yards max. I also have a love affair with the old "Dirty, Thirty", lever actions. My limit is around $500, so do I pick up a new 30-30, get a Savage in 30-06 or .300, or try to find a used 45-70? They are as rare as hens teeth around here. I like the levers because there fast handling, comfortable, and I shoot the little .30 well. I know there all very different animals, but I have owned several boltguns, as well as levers. They are my favorites. What are some thoughts on this. Thanks everyone.

Look for a decent used rifle for that kind of cash. You will find better quality than if you purchased new. I'd stay away from the 30/30 and 45/70 if you were to move to B.C. and were a one rifle hunter too. 30 06 is a great all round choice. You say you like levers?? Lots of BLR's and Win 88 for sale in B.C. for that price range. I'd sell you my BLR for $400 with a cheap scope on it even.

The BLR also comes in 30/06, 300Win, 7mmRemmag and a bunch of other chamberings that are good choices in this province.

B.C. is mostly bush of course but you are going to run into some pretty huge cut blocks and alot of times you are going to see deer/moose/elk feeding at the far end of one, at any range imaginable. Still, alot of your shots will be under 150 yards but why walk out the door with a handi cap when the trophy of a life time may be at the longer ranges. The one gun hunter in this province should have, and learn how to use a rifle capible of taking game out to 300 yards. If your capible, farther even.

Of course its not learn to shoot long range or stay home, but like I said, the opportunities will present themselves.

Don't forget that B.C. has lots of game rich alpine crawling with meat!

Guess my favorite has come to be the bolt action carbine. With a barrel no more than 20" and I really prefer the 18.5", they handle quick in the thick stuff but I have no problem connecting at 300 yards.
The M7 Remington or the older M600 and M660 can be usually had for less than $500.00. I bought a M600 Mohawk that was a rechamber from .222 to .223 that shoots .4 MOA all day long. It was $300.00. The same day I found a nice M660 in .308 with a 4 power scope for $350.00. It never even made it home as I made the mistake of stopping at the range to try it out. One of my best friend's saw it and begged me out of it. There was just a nice clean 600 Mohawk on Gunbroker.com in .308 with a scope for $400 that didn't even sell.
My favorite right now is a M600 in .350 Remington Magnum. I lucked into it for cheap money in like new condition. It kicks but is a tack driver and there isn't anything I would not hunt with it.

Put a 2.5-8 or 3-9 scope on one and it will do most anything...

Bob

If you prefer lever-actions how about a Savage99? I have one in 308 and have seen several others in 308 so I don't think it will be too hard to find one. The rotary magazine will let you use pointy bullets for longer ranges. Although in Canada I'd probably prefer one in 358 which is hard to find.
Personally I'd prefer a 18-20" bolt gun in a little stouter caliber but that's just me. Maybe a CZ in 9,3x62 with a 20" barrel........DJ

The first question I'd ask is, what do you intend to hunt? If it's deer and smaller, then my first choice would be 6.5 or 7mm, unless you enjoy recoil.



Though lever actions will let you take a second shot more quickly, second shots are generally iffy at best. The 45-70 speaks with authority at 100-150 yards, and will stop an elk. Accuracy generally isn't as good as bolt actions.



Pump actions are not all that popular, but I suspect they are faster cycling than even the lever. And I've heard very good things about the 7600 accuracy.



If one gun has do to for everything, and if elk and moose are on the menu, then I'd vote with the guys suggesting the 30-06, bolt action, or maybe pump. It gives you good knock-down power at 300+ yards, and there is 4X as much area, and hence, on average 4X as much game in a circle of radius 300 yards than one with radius 150 yards.

$500 will buy plenty of hunting hunting rifle and scope. I'd grab a used Leupold 4x or similar on ebay for around $100.00 and use the other 400.00 on a used rifle in one of the popular "deer" calibers. You are not going to go wrong with a .270, 7mm08, 308 or 30.06 and you will always be able to sell or trade them if you change your mind. $400 will buy a decent late model savage 99 in 308 or 300 savage which would seem to match your needs well in a lever action rifle. Another option is the older push feed winchester model 70's which I think are excellent guns and usually sell for around $300 used. Of couse you could spend $175.00 on an NEF single shot handi handi rifle in the caliber of your choice and be well equipped to hunt from woods to open plains. Several years ago I got divorced and had to sell nearly all of my guns. I hunted for 2 deer seasons with a $150.00 used NEF handi rifle in .270 and an old weaver k-4. I killed just as many deer as ever. Your problem will be just like the rest of us, regardless of how well suited your first gun is , you'll still want more.
Good shooting,
Weagle

I agree with what others have said, but I will add a little wood to the fire just to be mean to you. Cartridges such as the .300WM and .338WM produce much more recoil than the .30-06, but if you hunt in bear country, even if you don't see a grizzly up close, these two provide quite a punch on both ends. However, if you can tolerate the recoil from a .300WM, then the .338WM is just a little more, and something you should be able to handle.

You can start with lightweight .338-caliber bullets around 160 grains, and then you can go up in weight as far as 300 grains for the biggest and meanest "Canuk" game.

All that said, the .30-06 and the .300WM are excellent "all around" cartridges like the .338WM is in Alaska.

I should clarify. First off, thanks for all the responses.
But this is, by no means my first rifle. I've owned everything from a .17 HMR up to a .338 Win Mag. The reason I got rid of everything is anyones guess, but I have a fairly good answer. Almost every rifle I owned was used. I sold off almost all of them to get myself a new Browning 30-06. A few years ago, I had a nasty break-up, and she loved that 06. I wanted to get rid of it for the memories it held. I know, it sounds sappy, but it's hard to explain. I traded it on a blr, than a 99 in .308. Neither of them shot better than 2" on a good day. That was with factory, I never could find a handload that shot better. As for recoil, I can handle about anything up to the .300 and .338 win mags. I've played with some others, but not enough to know how well I shoot them. The reasons I gave up my other rifles before that were they were either too long, or too heavy. (Like my .300) I suppose I'm just being picky. But I do like the short carbine length guns. My favorite shotgun wears a 20" barrel. It's great for pheasants in the wetlands, or ducks off the ponds. I wan't a rifle with similar charactoristics as that old scattergun. Which is why I'm considering a lever. Short, light, and fast. But am open to the other ideas you guys have come up with. I.E, I've been looking for a post-64 push feed, but their not readily available around here. An XTR is on top of my bolt action wish list. As is an older Remington. But I will not touch a newer one with a ten foot pole. Again, I know I'm fussy, but I need it to fit my criteria, as I'm searching for that last perfect rifle for a while. Thanks again to all who took the time to read and respond to my post.

I have to agree with RJM here. A Remington model 7 in 308 is a great hunting rifle. It will have less shoulder felt recoil than a 30-30 due to stock design. They are effective to 300+ yards, and with premium 180's are good enough for moose and bear.
I have shot quite a few Rem Mod 7's and have never seen a bad one. 223, 243, 6mm Rem, 7-08, 308 [several], and the 350 RM all shot very good.

The other stipulation: I will not buy a new Remington. I've seen some nasty stuff. If I wen't that route, maybe an old 600 in .308. I actually wouldn't even mind that. Or a 660. I have respect for that little popper. UI've seen several very good shooters, even out to 400 yards at our range. My personal experiance with them have been levers only. i'd like to try a good bolt in that caliber.

I lean toward bolts myself but if you have your heart set on a lever gun Boilermaker's advice seems like the ticket. A used Browning or Win. in 30'06 or .280 would do everything you want at the price you want to pay. I've never had a bad experience with a used gun. I don't know how you feel about Marlin's but replacement triggers are supposed to be available for them now and around here used ones are thick on the ground at good prices. Their big slow calibers might work for you to 150 or 200 yrds.

The Okanagan country can present you shots at ranges that vary from "in-your-face" for whitetails in the scrub to 500 yard open shots across the sagebrush at mule deer or sheep! (remember most of the region is true desert!)

A 30-06 or a 300 or 7mm mag in a good bolt action may be just what you need.

A very good one just sold on the HuntShoot Forum for $425.00 CAD. It was a 7mm Rem Mag in a Parker-Hale rifle and had a 3-9 Redfield scope mounted. Also check out the Canadian GunNutz forum as there is a great many used rifle sold off of that board. Buying a firearm from other places in the country is the only gun law that we have that is better than the Americans. None of that damn silly FFL crap they put up with! LoL


Booner What model and cartridge is that BLR you might sell? A Pre-81, an 81 or one of the newer Lightning models?