looking for a good starter rifle with power and accuracy,but also cheap

[Archery_NUT]

i am looking at a tikka t3 lite stainless .308, 30-06, 270, or 7mm which do u guys suggest??????

[Dan Salmon]

I would personally look for a used Remington 700 or Model 7 or a used Ruger M77 or M77 MKII in either .308 Win or .30-06. Lots of these around for less than $400 without scope. Put a decent scope on it, shoot a lot and use the rest of your money to go hunting.

[DrummingGrouseKennel]

My advice will depend on what you consider inexpensive and what type of deer hunting you will be doing.  I would first choose a cartridge and then depending on your budget, the make and model that best suites you.  When I refer to what type of deer hunting you will be doing, I inquire as to wether you will be hunting for the freezer and will be harvesting does and young bucks, or will be chasing mature bucks.  As far as proper cartridges and loads go, mature whitetail bucks are a distinct species seperate from young bucks and does.  A mature buck can easily dress out in the low 200 pound range, while a young buck, or even a mature doe will dress out in the low 100 pound range.  I live and hunt in northern Wisconsin, so if you live down south, these numbers may be different.  Though I do harvest several does each year, I focus the majority of my hunting on mature trophy class bucks.  I go into the woods knowing that I may only get one oppurtunity to take a really big buck the entire season.  This being said, I chose not to take any chances when selecting a cartridge and load.  I have two deer rifles that I use depending on the stand I am sitting in.  If I am hunting where I may have to shoot over 200 yards, I use a .300 winchester magnum loaded with 180 grain trophy bonded bear claws.  If there is no chance that my shots will be over 200 yards, then I use a .338 winchester magnum loaded with 225 grain trophy bonded bear claws.  The reason I use two calibers is because when you get over 200 grains with the .300 win mag, you start losing powder space.  I have killed many deer with anything from 30-30's to 30-06's, and realize that a well placed bullet out of even a .22 LR will kill even the biggest deer, however, deer do not always pose for the shot and each shot oppurtunity will be unique.  I have hit deer in the shoulder at 50 to 100 yards with typical deer calibers (.308, .243, etc.) and had the deer get away due to the bullet not getting deep enough after hitting the shoulder bone.  I always try to take a deer behind the front shoulder, but sometimes for one reason or another the shot ends up somewhere else.  With my .300 win mag, and .338 win mag, I know the bullet will always get proper penetration from any angle, and when you start out with a big bullet, there is less that can go wrong.  With these loads, I take a broadside deer right through the front shoulders which almost always produces a dead in his tracks deer.  The exact type of bullet you shoot will be very crucial to you choice of caliber also.  There are a lot of used guns out there and It should be easy to find a good used gun for under $400.  If you decide to go with something smaller than I use, I would stick to a popular caliber just because there will be a better selection of loads available. These popular calibers would be .243 win, .270 win, .308 win, 30-06 springfield, 7mm mag, .300 win mag, and .338 win mag.

[Archery_NUT]

thanks guys you have helped alot in my research and deciding on which guns to buy.

[buckfarmdude]

ORIGINAL: Dan Salmon

I would personally look for a used Remington 700 or Model 7 or a used Ruger M77 or M77 MKII in either .308 Win or .30-06. Lots of these around for less than $400 without scope. Put a decent scope on it, shoot a lot and use the rest of your money to go hunting.

Can't go wrong w/ this one. I have hunted for 9 years with a Model 7 .243. Me and other family members have dropped several deer in their tracks at upwards of 170 yards. The bullet almost always passes through the deer and leaves a devastating exit hole. The only time it didn't pass through was on a broadside 170 yd shot. The bullet hit the shoulder joint on the far side. The deer dropped and never got up again. I still have that bullet. My aunt owns a .308 in Model 7, and last year she shot a yearling at over 200 yards and totally destroyed its shoulder joint. That deer didn't even go 20 yds. The Model 7 are real accurate. Can't go wrong with this one.

[yellowtail3]

ORIGINAL: Archery_NUT

need a good deer rifle that is accurate and powerful, but at the same time inexpensive

Get a Marlin 336 in 30-30. They're cheap, plentiful second-hand (check out gunbroker.com and others) and deadly on deer as far out as most have any business shooting, and further than you can see in the woods, most of the time. Ammo is cheap, the rifle is beautiful, and the deer will be dead. Also, it's easy on the ears and shoulder, compared to something like a 30-06 - and esp. compared to any (unneeded) magnum cartridge.

IMHO, of course.

[beagleman23]

A good friend of mine bought a Tikka in the 7mm-08 which is extremely accurate, mild recoil and has plenty of energy for deer class animals.  There is a variety of factory loads available and handloading accessories.  The gun is of very good quality and one of the better value on todays market.  Good luck.

[northernVT]

If you are looking for an accurate rifle at an affordable price, the Savage is hard to beat. They put most of their cost in function instead of form. They are one of the most under-rated guns out there. I have both a Tikka and a Savage. The Tikka is in the 7mm-08 caliber, which is my personal favorite. Shoots like a creampuff, but has the knock down power that I need. The Savage is in the .270 caliber. Love this rifle as well. If I need to really reach out and touch something (field hunting), this is the one I use. The bolt on the Tikka sells it. They are great guns that are made in Finland by Sako. They are backed by a great company. Savage is a local company that stands by it's product as well.
 
This is always a tough decision. Good luck with it and try out as many guns as you can.

[speakerboxx]

Could always go with the Winchester Model 70, and they're making them again. I have the black shadow in 7mm WSM. It works well for me and is a versatile round. Could find a used one fairly cheap and I think new ones start off 'round 350-400

[HoneyHole]

I'm with northernVT on this one. Savage is your best bang for your buck. They are a great out of the box accurate gun. Howa makes an inexpensive accurate gun also. I bought a Howa Hogue in 300WSM last year and have take 2 deer now with it in excess of 330 yards.