New Here! Scout Scope Mount option? Help!!!!!!

[Ridge Runner]

I am looking at getting a hunting rifle/slug/12 gauge gun to start hunting. I will take my class in June.

I have always loved a forward mounted long eye relief scope mount. I have never owned one, but have shot friends various rifles.

I have found someone who will install one for me on a NEF rifle or shotgun.

I plan on hunting deer and turkey.

What rifle/shot/slug guns would this set up work best with? I am in Maine, so there will not be a lot of long distance shooting.

I thought I would get a 30/06 setup and eventually a 12 guage.

What do you guys think?

[Deadeye47]

'start hunting" take "hunting class"..from that I take it your a young feller..."no long shots" How big are the deer in Maine? 30-06 is a good choice but it really backs up on ya! Have you thought about a 30-30? Moderate recoil and I feel certain that caliber has  taken more than a couple of deer over the years...more than adaquate.....Unless you just like the long eye ....a regular scope will be plenty and save you the cost of installation of the forward mount...the NEF comes already tapped for a scope rail so all you need to worry about is rings and what scope....now that might just be another thread but I'd pick a nice 3 to 9 power.... :-) Welcome aboard by the way ...hang out and learn a few things on here...then make your decision

[handirifle]

ridgerunner
I agree with deadeye on the 30-30.  If your shots are gonna be 150yds or less then the 30-30 will be plenty.  It's capable of more with proper placement but being new a 150yd shot is a long one.

Loaded with factory 150 or 170 gr loads will be pleasant to shoot, accurate and CHEAP.

On the scope, there are many in the "Big Bore" forum that have what you seek.  For a close woods gun, stick with fixed power like 4X or so.  You can use a variable, I like them for sighting in, but they are more money and heavier.

Get the RIFLE first then add the shotgun barrel later, like you mentioned.  You can put a shotgun barrel on a rifle but not vice versa.

[scruffy]

I think if you're ever going to hunt elk, mule deer, black bear etc, get the 30-06.  For the whitetail try remington or federals new reduced load, low recoil load, whatever they call them.  

Or if whitetail is the biggest you'll hunt and you might dabble in coyotes or long range p-dogs I'd seriously look at the 25-06.  Lower reciol, flat, great whitetail and smaller load.

Also, don't overlook the 270, I wouldn't trade mine for either a 25-06 or a 270.  It's a compromise of both.  And remington and federal have 270 reduced load offerings that recoil like a 243.

You could also look at the -08 case instead of the -06 case.  The 308, 7mm-8, and 243 are all awesome in their own right.  You couldn't go wrong  with any of them either.

later,
scruffy

[MSP Ret]

Hey Ridge Runner, go quickly to the NEF/H&R shotgun forum and look at the post by varmitcontroller about "have to sell my baby". It's a Tracker I shotgun with rifle sights AND a shotgun barrel for $150.00!!! A great deal and a hard to find and in demand gun...Also for the rifle the 30-30 is a great choice as is the 7mm-08, Either will do great in Maine and are each ideally suited for reloading....<><.... :grin:

[gwhilikerz]

I'm going to assume that you are a young person just starting your hunting career. With that in mind I would go with a 30-30 for my first rifle (yes there will be more). I have taken deer with everything from  a .223 thru a .338, also  20ga. thru 12ga. There is one thing I have noticed about the deer I have killed with the 30-30. They are just as dead as the rest of them. For deer sized game it really doesn't matter too much what you use, within reason. The magnum calibers quite often use a lot of their energy on the trees and dirt behind the animal after passing thru. The smaller caliber must depend on shot placement moreso for a clean kill. You can be sure thjo that a 30-30 will expend all of its energy in the animal. I usually find the bullet on the inside of the skin opposite of where I shot the animal. That is what I prefer.
Also, if you like the scout mounting (I don't), then you should maybe consider a red dot mounted like a regular scope. You will find it easy to aquire your target fast. Just my opinions, but what do i know? I insist on doing my hunting with a 20ga. pardner now. :grin:

[Haywire Haywood]

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=29406&highlight=scout

Have a look here.  I put a scout scope on my 357 maximum.  I like it a lot.  I went back to the standard forearm by the way.

Good luck,
Ian

[Mac11700]

I guess Ill chime in here for my favorite caliber...even though it's been mentioned briefly....that would be a 308...and there are lots of reasons for it.You have at your disposal a outstanding cartridge capable of shooting not only close but at much greater distances than you can imagine...a cartridge that isn't a shoulder bruiser..but a rather mild manner shove.One that you can get ammo for practically anywhere and is capable of taking on the largest critters on this continent.It is easy to reload and the selection of bullets is the greatest around.. ... The 30-06 is a good choice too...nothing wrong going with that round.
 
While I don't share your love of the scout configuration...this was the caliber of choice for the great Jeff Coopers scout rifle,and seems to be the right  balance of firepower for one. I prefere a scope with 4" to 5" of eye relief...and can get that without breaking the bank to do it with the Leupold Vari X 1 series...while some can't stand a scope without clicks...I've never had a single problem with mine...and you can't beat their warrenty or customer service if you need them...
 
I would also pick up a 20 gauge ultra rifled slug barrel to go with it,if your needing it for deer hunting.....,with the new sabots on the market...they have narrowed the gap between the 12 and the 20 now...if your wanting a separate slug gun......I'd get a 12gauge ultra...there isn't anyothers made that's under $500 that can better the accuracy,than  these will give you....

All the choices you've been given are good ones...each with their own merits...and as you can see each of us have our favorites,and different reasons for them...Anyway you go...you'll get a-lot of gun for the money...and you'll be please...I'm sure.

Good Luck...and welcome to

[Ridge Runner]

I am 34 years old, 6'4" tall and weigh 290 lbs.

I bought my very own gun for the first time 2 years ago.

No one in my family ever hunted and I never hung around with anyone who did.

I am at a point in my life where I want to take up hunting. I have been into combat handgun shooting for 2 years now. I work for an armored car compay part time.

I just want to get out and enjoy the great outdoors for the first time in my life.

[Ditchdigger]

Ridge Runner; After reading your last post, I would reccomend the 30 06 rifle mainly because it sounds like you are about to be hooked on hunting like most of us. Looking at your size I would think you could handle the recoil and then some. After your first deer hunt you will most certainly start dreaming of elk hunts in the Rockies, moose in your area,and lots of other dream hunts. So take all this advice the guys put out, shake it up and get one that suits you.   Digger

[Ridge Runner]

How are the scope mounts attacted on the NEF ultra rifles?

Can I have someone drill and tap a new scope mount on the same rifle barrel that already has a scope mount and move the scope mount back and fourth as needed? Or, is the scope mount welded onto the barrel?

I like the 10 inch Universal scope mount listed above - seems very versitile.  Do I just get a plain barrel to mount it on with no front sights?

I was hoping for a 30/06 rifle with Survivor stock and a scope mount that would allow for "Scout" and "Traditional" scope placement. But now the .308 sounds a lot more economical ammo wise. I think I will go with the 30/06 and get an extra .308 barrel.

Can I do that? What rifle specifically should I order? The local Walmart only has NEF shotguns. I have not seen one with a scope mount on it.

Thanks for all your help on this.

[gwhilikerz]

In my opinion the 30-06 and 308 are so similar that having each might be redundant. Either one combined with a shotgun barrel is all the gun you need for hunting.

[handirifle]

Ridge runner
After seeing your size as well, I too sugest the 30-06.  If you do happen to get recoil shy you can always load it down and the '06 will handle anything in the lower 48 and Canada with the right loads.  Brown bear would be a bit on the far side but not unheard of.

Most rifle barrels come drilled and tapped for scope with no sights.  Look at the Ultra rifles on their site www.hr1871.com and I believe the scope mounts are in place.  They are not 10" though.  The Ultra mount is a bit more stable.  The scope mounts are screwed in place and you could possibly have a smith do what you ask on the long mount.  Not sure.

I'd go with the Ultra Hunter in 30-06 and send it back for a shotgun barrel and free trigger job if necessary.  I didn't need to on my Ultra 223.

The survivor stock has a fairly short length of pull and might be too short,  especially given your size.

Wal Mart sells the other rifles, you just have to ask for their "special order" book.  I think the Ultra's and Survivors are in there too.  I know they carry regular synthetic stocked rifles in the catalog.

[JPH45]

Ridge Runner,  Welcome, A scout mount for your rifle, whicheer you choose,will be a project that needs a gunsmith. It can be done, but a simplier choice may be to use a shotgun scope. It has a longer eye relief than a standard rifle scope and allows for easy both eyes open target acquisition and sighting usng the scope to look through more than as a sighting plane.  

As to which chambering, obviously there are both good, and several choices. I would tend to ster you back toward the 30-30, not because it is a "beginners rifle" and I consider you a beginner, but rather, if you are hunting in the woods of Maine, I am not sure that you need the range or power of a 308 or 30-06. Don't over look it because it is an older, less glamourous chambering. These days the 270 is probably losing ground to cartridges like the 7mm Rem Mag. But it is an outstanding deer cartridge, and it's champion Jack O'Conner used it to kill everything on this continent.

Being in the Northwoods, it is entirely possible that yu may get an opportunity to hunt moose and the 30-06 loaded with heavy bullets would be more than up to the task. All of these, the 30-30, the 270, 308 and 30-06 ahve two things going for them, first the ammo makers offer cheap ammo that can be bought in the 2 months preceeding hunting season for CHEEP. Second, the ammo makers offer at least one if not 2 or more premium loadings in every one of these. What ever your choice, I am sure you will enjoy your Handi.

Hang out with us a while, we'll get you hooked up with 2 or 3 maybe 4 Handi's, get you to handloading, and in general fix it so that it will be impossible to pass a gunshop without the owner grinning like a mule eatin' briars. Good to have 'ya aboard. JP