quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Leupolds, Weavers, Burris, and Nikons are cheap scopes by comparison to those foreign monstrosities that weigh a ton and have huge ocular lenses..Scope are a suckers buy IMO, I can see a big game animal in most any of them, if they hold up I don't care if the optics are crystal clear as long as they have a cross hair.

I am the opposite, buy a good rifle and a med. priced scope..I been buying used Leupolds for a couple of ions without complaint, and I hunt a lot all over the world and I'm rough as hell on even good rifles. My all time favorite scope is a 3X fixed Leupold followed by the 4X fixed..Never have I had any reason to change my mind on that. I have never made a shot that would have changed a thing with a 12 X..

I'm a scope hound because I hunt on a management ranch and I can't just say "that's a nice buck" and go bang. I might watch a deer come in for an hour or hour and a half before I can be sure it's a shooter that won't put me in a position of paying extra for points on the rack I don't want. I also hunt hogs by moonlight which separates the useless from the useful.

What you get for $200 does just what you said. What I get for the extra money is resolution. People go on and on about brightness but resolution is what lets you see the finest details in marginal light and high resolution means expensive (relatively) glass.

You can have a great pair of binocs and shoot a cheap scope or a great scope and cheap binocs
and do the same thing. I choose not to set one thing down and pick up another to see what I have in front of me.

I agree with those that said Ruger M77 or Win M70 with a Leupold. I'd go with a vx-2 or vx-3. If I had to decide between the two, I would opt for the vx-3 and go with less magnification to save some bucks. Frankly I could do everything I need to do with a 1.5-5X variable. Greater magnification just frustrates me as I chase the wandering crosshairs. I sent my 1.5-5x to Leupold for service and there were no questions asked. It was the only trouble I've ever had with about ten Leupy's I own. It's been to several continents on my CZ550 in .375H&H. BTW I like the CZ's but refer the M77 and M70 safetys.

Forgot to mention. Remember the Rugers ship with rings and require no mounts. Saves you some money and rock solid.

T-Tate,
I've shot a lot of Texas hogs at night with the old weaver scopes in my youth, many with a 3X or 4X Leupold without any problems, but then I may not have recognized a problem as there are so many damn hogs that missing one was never a big deal..On deer coming in I just wait until they get to the feeder then size them up and shoot them. that even works with irons. but a good set of binocs isn't a bad idea on any hunt.

I respect your choice but I do believe your mostly justifying a high dollar scope, and no problem with that, I've done it many time myself with scopes, guns, golf clubs,fishing tackle, rope horses and saddles, It' the nature of our kind!

For close-range hunting with a .30/06 maybe a Browning BAR? An older (used) one in nice shape could be found for $500 or so, and a good Leupold of his choice should come in at $400 or less, leaving him $100 for bases, rings, and a box of ammo.

I have to agree there are some tremendous bolt action rifles being offered right now, but a nice semi-auto would have some advantages in some environments.

I would go with the M70 Winchester and a 2-7x 33mm Leupold VX-2 scope. The M70 Extreme Weather I bought last year is fantastic; though this particular model would put your brother a bit over budget. I do emphatically believe that the Extreme Weather was worth every cent I paid for it. There are M70's that are priced cheap enough to get back under the budget cap.

I do have a VX-2 3-9x 40mm Leupold that has seen quite a bit of use on a 300 Wby over the past 20 years without a single hiccup. I would not hesitate to buy another VX-2 as a quality lower-priced option.

Ray, I'm so bad about it I've only once in 20 years sold a rifle with good scope. Most of my 4 or 5 really good scopes have been on 6 rifles each or more. I get bored with the gun but can't part with the scope.

My 1st 30-06 was an 03-A3. I got it in 1990. Still have it. Looks original on the outside, but underneath the sheep's clothing is a 2lb Timney, a 4 groove 1943 barrel, and the entire thing is glassed into the stock. Mine is not D&T because I was using it for DCM. There are lots of 03-A3 rifles-many sporterized on the market. Great rifles. As are the Remington 30S.

As much as I like the Remington 700, I would push someone to buy a controlled feed for their 1st 30-06.

quote:

Originally posted by cobra:

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
What I would suggest is a rifle like I used in the Canadian woods...killed most of my moose with it as matter of fact. It was a Remington Model 760 pump carbine in .30-06.

I have a 7600 in .30-06 and one of the first .35 Whelens when they came out. Of all the guns in my arsenal, those two 7600's are the only two that will never be sold. They both wear 2x7 Burris Compacts.

Adding to the versatility is that Timney is making a set up for an adjustable trigger.

I just listed a 30/06 Model 760 Gamemaster on Gunbroker for my brother.
Great rifle with tons of life in it for under 300$ shipped!
You add a good Leupold to that or and equal and you have a deer killin machine that will last a lifetime.

quote:

a 30/06 Model 760 Gamemaster

would work very well

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
I like the old all steel FN Mausers sold by Sears and Monkey Wards. .

Excellent advice. An old J.C. Higgins.

My favorite 06 is a sporterized 03 Springfield followed closley by a Mauser.

I have used more than my fair share of cheap/junk scopes. They used to be everywhere, but I think it is quite possible thesedays to get a very good scope without spending a ton of $$. Bushnell Elite, Bushnell Legend, lower end Leupolds, the New Redfields and such work fine for me. Still hate Wally world Chinese type stuff though. I owned a BSA catseye (purchased on the net) once and it didnt even make it on the mounts. Horrible quality.

Another idea for the rifle is a Browning BLR if he likes lever guns. I know a lot of people dont care for them, but I love mine and they are plenty accurate. If there is another lever gun available in 06 with scope mounts, I dont know what it would be..

Weatherby Vanguard S2, $489, stainless steel,$689.(from Weatherbys price list). You'll have enough left for some Talley Lightweights and a budget Leupold. You'll get a guaranteed sub-moa weapon and both gun and glass will have excellent warranties from quality companies that are tops in their fields in customer service and standing behind their products!