New Rifle

[mcwoodduck]

Well,
I think I want to get a new big game rifle in 308 win.  I am pretty set on the caliber but not really set on the rifle or scope yet.
Here is what I am thinking.
Ruger M77 Mk II hawkeye stainless
with a Trijicon 3-9X40 scope.
I already have a Ruger M77 with iron sights that i like for woods out to 100 yards.
and a Remington M700V with a 3-9X50 Leupold Var XII scope.
The 700 is great but a little heavy and with the 50mm scope is too big for a scabbord for horse back and no I am not going to change that scope.
Any Ideas?
What would you order as a big game rifle?

[1sourdough]

 I like your choice. I have 3 308s & it took me until recently to hunt with something else. The 308 I use most is a Medallion A-Bolt topped with a vari-x-III 1.75-6. That Ruger would probably be fine, the trigger may not be ideal. The A-Bolt is adjustable down to about 4lbs or so. If you want to go a little lower a Timney spring change is very easy. I would stay with a 22" barrel, no shorter than 20" with a 308.

 What game & where do you plan to hunt? Are your other rifles of a similiar round?

[mcwoodduck]

Both of the other rifles I mentioned are 308 Win.
I have a bunch of hunting rifles.  From 22 hornet, 223 (3), 308 (2), 30-06, 338 Win, 375H&H, 44 Mag, to 45-70 (3).   The only other caliber I would consider is 6.5X55 Sweed.  I wish Ruger would make a stainless version of the M77 in it.  Maybe on of the CZ550 Americans with the Kevlar stocks.  Maybe a Tikka. I want to keep the whole rig price to under $1500.00  For rifle, optics, case, and leather sling.
I plan on using it for Deer and pigs mostly.  I think I want the stainless plastic combo due to the hotter weather hunting and longer drags of game.  200 yards in NC through the woods to the truck is easy compared to my buddys pig the day before the one in the picture that was only 175 yards but strait up hill.  It almost killed the three of us out of shape 40 year olds.
I shot the pig in the picture with the 700V but at 9.5 pounds it gets heavy in the afternoon of walking up and down hills glassing and trying to get ahead of them it gets really heavy.
I did buy a ruger M77 ML in 30-06 off of a friend to help him out of a cash problem but told him I would just hang on to it for a year and if he wants it back just pay me what I paid him.
It has an old redfield scope on it that has seen some better days and I would just replace the scope with a Weaver 3-9X? and replace the stock with a plastic or fiber reinforced Bell and carlson but with the fier stock we are getting to 1/3 of the price of a new rifle and i do not want to change it if this guy is going to buy it back in 10 months.  Also my 14 year old nephew has his eye on it as his hunting rifle.   The stock is a little long for me but fits the kid perfectly,  if it is going to go to him then he can deside what optics he wants to stick on it. We will see what happens around Christmas.

[bhod1]

I'd go with the Tikka t-3 I bought one in 270 for my wife last fall. It's the smoothest, most accurate rifle in our safe. I love the 308 also, but you already 2 of them,  why not have a little fun and get the T-3 in 6.5x55.

[jro45]

My big game rifles are 338 Ultra Mag. 375 H&H, Remington 416, and the CZ458 Lott. These are what I consitter big game rifles. The 308 is a median rifle witch is a fine choice.

[james]

Ruger made a special run of ss manlicher stocked rifles in 6.5x55 last year.  They were a little pricy and the barrels were a little short for my taste.  A M700 Rem. in .308 is hard to beat.

[Hank08]

I have a Rem 600 action with a 22" 700 barrel and a Brown precision kevlar stock and a Leupold M4-4x, weights 6 lbs.  My go to .308, especially if the going is steep. Forgot to mention that the 700 barrel has also been turned to lighter dimensions.  Shoots great.
H08

[Coyote Hunter]

I love Ruger rifles so no problem with your choice there.

Fro a scope I'd go wiht a Burris 3-9x40 Burris Full-Field II with Ballistic Plex reticle.  I now have 4 rifles with Burris FFII BP scopes mounted (3x 3-9 and 1x 4.5-14) and love them.  Good clear optics, reasonbly priced ( circa $150 and $250 on eBay "Buy Now" auctions, respectively) and the extra hash marks really come in handy for shots over 300 yards.   (Clay pigeons on the 400-yard berm are a favorite target with my rifles topped with the Burris scopes.)

[mcwoodduck]

Thanks for the scope suggestion.
But I think I want to try one of the illuminated scopes.
Shooting black pigs with black cross hairs in the shade of a tree.....
If I am going to stay with a standard cross hair i think I will stay with the weaver scopes.  I have a few and really like them.
Although I do have a Bushnell 6-18 x 40 AO that I need to find a home on a rifle. 
Thinking of a Cz 452 Varmint in 22LR for it.  But that is another subject.

[Coyote Hunter]

Burris has illuminated reticles if you want them.

http://www.burrisoptics.com/fullfield2.html

[mcwoodduck]

I will look at them when I get to the scope part of the project.
I am still flipping a coin as to the caliber but I am really leaning to the 308 only because of the no lead law here in CA where the condor ever flew and the 308 will offer me the widest selection of bullet weights for that.

[jro45]

I had all Lepole scopes on my rifles but now I'm going with Burris Blistic Plex. It sure is the scope to have for shooting 600yds.
The burris scopes cost about the same as a Lepole 3X9 power. I have a 4X16 power on my 300 RUM. Its not cheap. On other rifles I have 3.5X10 Burris. and some 3X9 on a few more

[addicted]

Well since you like Ruger rifles so much, why don't you get one of their frontier rifles.  They chamber them in .308 and .338 Federal.  The reason I suggest one of those is it would be easier to follow a deer or hog through thick cover with a light, scout type rifle and still be able to use a nice Trijicon scope.

Good Luck, Joel

[bhod1]

I will look at them when I get to the scope part of the project.
I am still flipping a coin as to the caliber but I am really leaning to the 308 only because of the no lead law here in CA where the condor ever flew and the 308 will offer me the widest selection of bullet weights for that.

I wasn't thinking about the CA no-lead thing. That might make it difficult for the 6.5 to be a reasonable option until the list of bullets expands.
So I'll change my recommendation to the Tikka in 308 with the above mentioned Burris ballistic plex. I have 5 Burris FFII scopes and they are possibly the best scope on the market in their price range.

[mcwoodduck]

Yea, Sticking buzzards throw a shoe in the works.
The dumb things eat wheel weights on the side of the road and get lead poising and they blame the bullets in the gut pile.
I have rarely seen bullets left in gut piles.  Most bullets pass right through the pigs ect and are no where near the gut pile.
So far all I can tell you I have made my choice is .308 and a stainless rifle.  i was thinking Ruger as I have 9 of thier gun already, But then again I also own Rem, Sako, Win, H&R, Cz, and Marlin as well.  So I am open to suggestions.
I really would like one of the Sako 85's but I think between it, a scope, case, sling, and some ammo I will be over my 1500 bubget, but maybe not.