Now that I am hunting in the "rifle zone" of Northern Lower Michigan, I am in need of new deer rifle. Any suggestions? I have a new Browning Gold Semi Auto 12G that I am looking to trade in or swap. Any ideas on the value? It was $1100 when I got it and I used it once. I used my cousins Wetherby (I believe it was a .270) while I was hunting the other day (dropped an 8-point like a sack potatoes) and loved it. But I ain't puttiing together a $1800 rifle package.
Would love the input. Thanks
Your shotgun has a rough value between 250 and 850 depanding on the model and condition. If you get more specific on the model, is it a 2 3/4" or 3" chamber, vented rib? screw in chokes?
As for your new rifle it depends largely on what you want to do with it. If you don't intend to hunt anything larger than mule deer and elk, the question is where will you hunt. If it's a brushy area slow moving heavy bullets will do a good job of shooting through brush without the bullet deflecting. My favorite here is the 30/30 lever guns. The lever is for a quicker follow up shot than a bolt action. Something to note about lever guns is that they have tubular under barel magazines with the shells lined up end to end. Because of this these cartridges are typicaly round nose in design so the pointed tip of one cartridge dosn't act like a fireing pin on the cartride in front of it and set it off during recoinl ruining you day. Round nose bullets are not very arrow dynamic so they tend to loose engergy and velocity quickly making their practical range a couple hundred yards with a good shot pushing it at 300 yards. The same can be said of the .35, .444, 45.70 etc.
If you will be shooting with a scope over long distances, a bolt action is the only way to go. Shots can easily be taken to 350 yards with a good shooter hitting out to about 600. For this .270, .308, 30-06, 7mm Mag have ruled for a very long time. I'd avoid a magnum unless you are planning on very long shots or very big game, the actions and barels are longer and the weight, balance and swing of the whole rifle is a bit off IMO.
As far as what you have to spend, the Savage bolt actons hold a good group and you can throw $200-$300 into decent glass and have a set up for about what your shotgun is likely worth. Take a hard look at pawn shops, times like this make for some good bargins.
Ruger bolt actions are heavy and don't seem to point and handle great IMO. The Browning A-bolts are great guns, but expensive and they have a thing that can happen to the bolt when disasembled for cleaning that will require tools to fix and get your gun back together, so I'm not a fan for that reason. The Win 70 was the old standard and replaced by the Rem 700, but both companies whant too much money for the name they stamp on it.
If you want one do it all rifle, I'd sugest a Savage 110 in .308 with a farily compact variable Scope like the Simons Atec in about a 3-9x. Best ammo selection, good ammo prices especialy for practice and a great round for either long range or not deflecting if it hits a twig in the brush like the 7mm Mag will do.
