johnnyrigger

I want to get a hunting rifle/ target rifle. but i dont know what caliber to get.. I know this is a loaded question....

I want to hunt deer,wild hogs. target shooting out to 600 yrds.

i know what rifle i want to get: Remington 700sps, as for the caliber is what i need some input on... I was thinking 30-06, or 308. which one?

as for the scope Redfield, or Leupold?

thanks

johnny

vandegrift

Everyone that asks me the question of what caliber, I always tell them the same thing.

1st thing you want to consider is cartridge availability, can you go to any sporting goods store, or grocery store in the middle of nowhere and find the caliber you need.

2nd thing is what will the availability be in 10-20 years. The .308 is the NATO round and will be around for a few more decades at least, even if the military phases it out.

Both are good all purpose rounds, but I think the .308 has and will continue to have more options for loads and bullet choices, if you buy it off the shelf.

Oh ya, and the Leupold is going to be a day and night difference from the redfield.

Good Luck

CAOKKIE

You can't go wrong with either caliber. The 308 is probably used by more police marksman than any other caliber. The 30-06 is probably one of the most widely used hunting rifles. They both use a 308 bullet but I think the 30-06 has just a little better ballistics and just maybe a tad less accurate.
As far as scopes, go with the Leupold. Years ago the Redfield was one of the top scopes and was even used as a sniper scope but those days are long gone.
Everyone has their opinion but as far as I am concerned the 30-06 is one of the best all round hunting rifles ever produced.

JK Woody

The .308 is the obvious choice due to cartridege availability of 7.62 NATO brass. Ballistics are pretty much even depending upon bullet choice and the ballistics of the .308 are more well researched giving you plenty of idea of where to start out on a 600 yard shot if need be. Due to all the research available it is quite possible to sight in at 100 yards with a mil-dot scope make the researched adjustments for distance... make windage adjustment based on current wind conditions and then maintain 1-2 MOA groups at 500 yards. I have successfully shot both over 750 yards but the .308 always tended to group better for me....Handloads in both rifles

AK4Dave

I agree with all that has been said. Just wanted you to not forget about the 270 as well. Extremely popular round that you can get everywhere. It reaches near magnum velocities at the muzzle and it super flat shooting. If you never plan on hunting anything bigger than dear with it then you will have no problem....even though many even use it for elk. It's another super round for sure....

sladekos

I do not think you could go wrong with either... I have a 30-06. My brother has a 308. My father has a 7.62x54 and a 30-06. I have shot all three and (having never been on the receiving end) I can not tell the difference. From the shooting point of view, the 7.62 is the most fun to me.

There are endless debates on this... I really do not think any one is a clear winner.

AK4Dave

Johnny.... I started reading your post again and it got me thinking. So here's just a little input from another Alaskan, and former hunting guide up here. I take it that when you mean deer hunting, you are talking about either going to the PW Sound or down to either Kodiak or one of the other islands. But you may be talking about going out of state as well, as there aren't any wild hogs up here. I know you said just deer and hogs, but after you get into hunting for awhile, you may end up really liking it and will no doubt want to fill your freezer with moose meat as well. Believe me, there is NOTHING like calling a big bull moose in close for the kill. And the table fare is nothing short of spectacular! In any case, if you are going to be out in the woods up here, you want a bit more knock down power from the gun you are carrying. Not only for moose, but for the possibility of running into a brown bear as well. That's why I vote for the 06' with Leupold. Not to say the the 308 won't kill either animal, but when hunting in Alaska, it's nice to know you have something pretty capable for anything you may come up against. I've personally seen a BIG brown bear slammed to the ground by one shot from an 06' slug and never even move after that. Of course this is rare...it was very close and shot placement was key. Like I said, you need to think about if you will want to hunt up here for other critters. I mean YOU ARE IN ALASKA YA KNOW...!!! lol. If so, if it was me I'd just say get a 338 and be done with it.....pretty much the most popular gun in Alaska. But it's up to you of course. I just wanted to give you a few more things to think about before you make your purchase. Good luck with whatever you decide....

ARinmyJK

Second AK4Dave's recommendation.

Read the question. Read the OP's location. .338 Win mag in a stainless Winchester 70. Leupold 2.5-8 popped into my brain.

SBEII

600yds is a long way for most shooters. I ,me personally, wouldn't feel real comfortable shooting that far, especially with the rounds listed above. I would lean towards a .300. Probably the Leopold is the best for the money. Next comes Swarovski and Schmidt Bender. If money isn't a big deal check out Jarrett Rifles here in SC. They'll even sight it in at up to a mile. Be prepared to spend money though. As with anything, quality comes at a cost!

vtxrecruiter

I am "designated marksman" qualified, and 600 Yds. is a REALLY long way ESPECIALLY if you are relatively new to shooting rifles. I hear a lot of hunters talking out of their @$$e$ about 600 Yd shots (seems 600 is the MAGIC number too).
600 Yds for a SPORTING (not precision rifle) is outside the envelope of all but a few shooters. The vital area on a deer is about a 5" to 6" circle, anything else is not reliably fatal quickly enough. 6" at 600 Yds is 1 Minute of Angle (MOA) and most SPORTING rifles with store bought ammo WILL NOT SHOOT 1 MOA. Forget all the gunwriter crap, the average over the counter Remington or Ruger or Savage HUNTING rifle is NOT an MOA shooter. 6" at 600 Yds is TINY, with a 12X scope it is like the dot over an "i". Wind can move your bullet FEET, not inches, and a small range error is a total miss. Do yourself a favor, learn to range (get a Laser rangefinder) read the wind, and adjust your scope, THEN keep it under 400 Yds. Better yet: Keep it under 300 Yds. Leave the 600 Yd deer kills to the liars and assholes, and to prove my point, look up a guy named Marcus Luttrell. He was a SNIPER in the SEALS, and on a recent Bucks of Tecomate episode he passes on a shot not even 500 yds. This guy is a SUPER PRO killer and he didn't try it, you shouldn't either, gut shot deer die nasty bad deaths...