My Current Dilemma

[3 Meter Para Bellum]

So here's the deal, with American government being as it is, and all the totally crazy stuff that could happen at any moment, needless to say I want to invest in more firearms. However, I am very short on budget so I have to choose my gear wisely. I currently only own a Mossberg 590 to my own name so I am looking for what would be the best next thing for me to own, but what should it be?

There are plenty of different opinions I am sure, so I am curious to here the what and why from some people here. The two things I have been considering most at this point are either a lever action 30-30, or bolt action .308, both for their affordability and the general flexibility of the cartridges.

What would you pick in this situation?

 

[gerry]

I would find an older bolt gun in 308 Win myself something good like a Rem 700, Ruger 77 or Win Model 70 and the like. One that has seen some use and isn't pristine but still has lots of life it it. Pretty tough to be the versatility of a 308 Win and you can buy cheap ammo for it if necessary.

 

[JD338]

For the Mossberg, I would get 50 rounds of 00 Buck. That is by far the very best for personal and home defense.
A Marlin 1994 lever action in 38/357, 44 Rem Mag or 45 Long Colt and mated with a revolver chambered for the same cartridge would make for a great 1-2 punch sharing the same ammo.
A bolt action 308 Win would definitely help you with your long game. It would also be a good choice for all around big game hunting. A mid range optic in the 2.5-8x power band would give you a lot of flexibility.

JD338

 

[3 Meter Para Bellum]

Good advice there Gerry on buying used, I hadn't thought about that but it would make it more affordable for me!

As I'm thinking about this too, I'm thinking that the shotgun does cover my close range defensive applications well (that is after all why I bought it!) so the longer range capability of a bolt gun is probably good for getting max flexibility out of my next gun purchase.

For a scope I was considering a 3-9 Trijicon Credo I think.

 

[mjcmichigan]

I love the 308 recommendation.

I should warn you upfront. Buying the gun is the cheap part.

Ammo, range time, accessories etc.

If cost is a factor, quality is important.
Don’t buy Uber cheap, but buy quality such as the models suggested.

Winchester Model 70 and Rem 700 are two you’ll hear a lot about on the forum.
Certainly there are other fine makers and models, but in general... once you get a model 70 or 700, you’ll want more of them. Great barrels, great triggers.

Ammo on odd calibers, is pricey.

The commodity calibers are:
22LR(10 cents a bullet) 223, 5.56mm, 308winchester, 3006 Springfield.(40-60 cents a round)

I love levers, but the 308 ballistically destroyed the 300 savage, which destroyed the 3030. Its a little harder to find a good 3030 vs a good 308 bolt.

With a 308 or 3006, you can pretty much anything in North America, and you can find ammo for them everywhere. The 3006 has a little more power and a bit better bullet selection, but more recoil.

If you really get a hankering for a lever,
The Savage 99 on a 308Win is awesome. Most levers equate to lower power. The Savage action was built with 3000 FPS in mind..Browning has a dynamite lever too.

I normally recommend a 22 LR for a first gun. Both rifle and pistol.

Good luck!


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[coop22250]

While I am completely on board with buying more firearms, if the senate holds it will be impossible to pass anything significant. If the senate doesn’t hold anything regarding bolt/lever/pump action will probably never pass. Black rifles it’s possible, so if you want hunting type guns I wouldn’t panic and be patient for a good deal.

308 is an excellent round and probably my favorite for the versatility.


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[gbflyer]

Get yourself a good Rimfire. It’s the most fun you’ll ever have shooting especially on a budget. Stock up on some ammo when you can. Look at the Ruger American line.

 

[3 Meter Para Bellum]

Funny you mention the Ruger Americans, I actually have had a significant interest in those rifles for some time, but I am always afraid of the huge slew of bad reviews I read about their magazines. I'm not sure how big an issue it is but it has always made me tentative.

 

[mjcmichigan]

I posted earlier and fully supported 308 and I suggested staying with a mainstream cartridge.

There was a time when 3006 and 308win were new.

The 6.5CM could be the new 308.

Time will tell. It might be interesting to see what happens, but I’m comfortable saying the Creedmoor is not going away.


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[3 Meter Para Bellum]

Well this might be the endless debate, (it already is for me) but is there a reason that anybody prefers .308 or 30-06 over the other?

Really I kind of like 30-06 more. It's just kind of legendary! I mean what is more proven than that round! There is just a certain history that surrounds it that has a draw, plus it just works on almost everything!

On the other hand .308 is very similar in performance and (maybe?) more common, and is a NATO round. It seems to be slightly cheaper from what I've seen. I am highly practical and .308 seems to get points for that.

Essentially if I have to choose one with no more info I'd just go with .308, but if someone has any convincing evidence in favor of 30-06, it might be easy to convince me.

 

[gerry]

My take on this is that both are great rounds and there is no bad choice here. The 308 is about 100 fps or so slower than the 30-06 and since it burns less powder it recoils less. On the other hand some 308's have a 1 in 12 twist so it wouldn't be as versatile as a 30-06 and it's standard 1 in 10 twist. If you want to experiment with heavy bullets over 200 gr (like the 212 gr ELD-X for example) the 30-06 would be your best choice. If you want to shoot 150-165 gr bullets at deer the 30-06 doesn't really give you anything over a 308.

 

[DrMike]

Wouldn't go wrong with either cartridge. They'll get the job done if you do your part.

 

[mjcmichigan]

The longer action for 3006 makes for a slightly heavier gun in some models.. that was the big run for WSM cartridges.. vs full mags. Lighter weight for spot and stalk hunting.

Same is true for 308 vs 3006.

Like Gerry said if you want to shoot heavier bullets, get the 3006.

If you are ok with 180’s being the effective big bullet for you, a 308 will work fine.


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[mjcmichigan]

Buy a 308 now, and later a 300 WM.


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