# Short, accurate, affordable



## Sam22 (Jan 22, 2003)

I am sure this question has been hashed over 647643764377684327 or so times, but the search didn't turn up what I really wanted to hear so here she goes again. I saw a cougar! AND I want to shoot it, not actually.... but now that I have your attention!  I am probably in the market for a new deer rifle. I want something small, bolt action, and inexpensive (in order of priority). I will stick a nice 2-7 scope on it. I am looking at longer distance calibers. I don't think I want a mule kicker though, 30-06 sounds like enough recoil for me, and I may settle for 308 since many of these rifles don't come in any larger or hotter loads than that. I know that these are somewhat conflicting interests. I looked into Rem model 7, nice, but a little pricey. Wasn't sure about the accuracy of the Ruger mark 77 compact? Haven't thought about savage, tikka, any of the other less main stream manufacturers. I already have a couple 30-30 levers, so let's not go there, and I have a semi-auto 308 that is just a little too long. I hunt in NE michigan, and I sit it box blinds, swinging a gun around in the blind is my main concern. I do have long shots sometimes. Like as long as you can push a shot.


----------



## Munsterlndr (Oct 16, 2004)

Are you looking just at new guns or are you also considering used?

The reason I ask is that there are not that many new carbine style bolt guns being produced currently but there are a lot of good used guns of this type available.


----------



## old professor (Oct 26, 2008)

My solution for the close confines of a box blind is either a Remington Model 7 in 260 Rem or a Ruger Frontier in 308 Win. My Ruger Frontier is the shorter of the two. With such a short bbl, you REALLY REALLY need to wear hearing protection in any kind of blind! Both are very accurate out as far as I care to shoot!


----------



## jmoser (Sep 11, 2002)

.308 with a 18" - 20" bbl is good out to 600 yards with the right 165 gr load.
Look at the Savage options - IMHO cannot be beat especially for the $.


----------



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Remington Model 7 CDL in 7mm-08 or .308 with a quality 2-7x32mm scope is imho, about the most ideal deer rifle you can find. Accuracy will be as good from the factory as anything else, maybe even better. If you want some long range potential, you can find used Model 7's in stainless synthetic chambered for the 7mm SRUM (7mm Remington Short Ultra Mag) Amm is not easy to find, but it exists and will for sometime.....but it is really for reloaders. Most carbines will be loaded in short action calibers but not always. Never been a fan of carbines in long actions, but I love short fast rifles in appropriate calibers. If you want short gun with any caliber, consider and a T/C Encore with a 24" barrel in your caliber of choice. Ruger #1's are tremendous and fit the bill, except for the affordability part...they are expensive.
Savage makes a short action short barreled gun as well. Ruger makes the Mark II and the Hawkeye in short carbine rifles as well. 

Short to me is a 18" -20" barreld short action rifle with an overall lenght under 40"

Used model 7's are out there for decent prices. I've been looking for one to rebarrel in .338 Federal...been talking about it for a couple years. I already have the Leupold 1.5-6x32mm VXIII for it, just need to find the right speciman for the job.


----------



## thekoch (Jul 25, 2008)

Well I might need a little more info than you gave us. How long are the long shots? what are you willing to spend? and Y is a rifle being so short so important? 
30-06 is probably the best and most underrated rifle out there. they are cheap, accurate, good long range ballistics, easy to find rounds for, and have the nock down power of a .375. When I lived in Alaska thats what they use almost exclusively. My buddy shot a bull moose at 420 yards with his 06 and had 3 complete pass throughs. through both front shoulders. 
If you want good long range accuracy you might have give up wanting the rifle to be so short. This is not always the case though. 
I shoot a .308 win. And if the shot is under 400yds Im verry confident that I can hit my mark every time. The rifle is a Ruger M77MKII and I love it. I have it topped with a Loepold 3X9X40 and havet had a problem with it yet. If the military uses the .308 for there sniper rifles then I think there has been alot of time and $$ invested in to what round prefoms the best. 
My $.02.


----------



## Sam22 (Jan 22, 2003)

Why short? I said I hunt in a box blind, a small one, and a short rifle only makes sense. I have struggled with a number of longer rifles and I don't like them. Long, I mean long by any deer hunter standards. I could see a 300 yard shot as a distant (no pun intended) possibility. What do you consider long? in a hunting situation, not at the range. I will spend what I have to, but 500-700 would be nice. 

I could do used if it looked new.


----------



## Munsterlndr (Oct 16, 2004)

If your considering used, here are a few suggestions.

As mentioned, Model 7 stainless synthetic. 20" barrel, very nice and compact. I have one in .260 Rem.

Winchester model 70 Classic Compact. 20" barrel, 6 lb. nice compact little rifle. I have one in .243

Ruger 77 featherweight. 20" Barrel. These are the original 77 with the tang safety, very nice, light rifles. I have one in .250 Savage.

Your welcome to shoot any of these if you want to get a feel for short action carbine style bolt guns, just drop me a PM and we'll set something up.


----------



## NoWake (Feb 7, 2006)

You could always have the barrel cut off and recrowned (fairly inexpensive).


----------



## CowboyUp (Jun 11, 2009)

The last gun ive bought is a Remington model 700 with a synthetic stock and love it. I use it for blinds, fields, sittin the woods, most everything. You can find these pretty cheap so give em a look


----------



## Nick Adams (Mar 10, 2005)

Swamp Monster said:


> If you want short gun with any caliber, consider and a T/C Encore with a 24" barrel in your caliber of choice.




My shortest, handiest, scoped rifles are Contender Carbines (23" 30-30, 20" 6x45). The Encore would also be a good choice for a box blind gun.

I used to have a Ruger 77 Ultralight (20" bbl) in 243 Win. Nice gun to carry, but the thin tube would heat up fast. It would hold a good group for 2 or 3 shots but not for 5+ shots. I much prefer the shorter, heavier barrels on the Encore/Contender.

-na


----------



## 3fingervic (Jan 28, 2009)

They make a single shot in .308. It would be short because there is no action. And they are pretty cheap and come with a scope mount. Rings and a scope you'd be set. Check this out: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/7/products_id/89106


----------



## sourdough44 (Mar 2, 2008)

How about a 20" A-Bolt 'Micro-Hunter' in 308? I also have a Win 'Classic Compact' 20" in 243 I took a doe with last week. I wouldn't go any shorter than 20" with most of these rounds. I have a 20" 284win that's ideal, but not for sale.


----------



## Sam22 (Jan 22, 2003)

Im not so sure about the single shot idea. I realize that most of the time it would do the trick just fine. I won't deny that I have killed deer on follow up shots (once on the fifth shot!). I might be able to talk myself into it, because I know how affordable the H&R models can be, and fairly accurate I understand. In the world of used guns, I am clueless, maybe I am just not old enough, but I don't know many of the used models. 

I do much appreciate all the input guys! To be honest my mind is less made up now than before! But that's cool. 

The odd ball calibers are appealing, I suppose if I decided I liked a round I could just buy 10 boxes right? I don't reload, and don't know that I want to. I only really shoot to sight in my rifle, and then again at game.


----------



## Bucket-Back (Feb 8, 2004)

With the way ammo prices and availability are going,it woud be good to be advised to stay with a common and readily available caliber like 30/06,.308,.270,prolly in that order


----------



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Sam22 said:


> The odd ball calibers are appealing, I suppose if I decided I liked a round I could just buy 10 boxes right? I don't reload, and don't know that I want to. I only really shoot to sight in my rifle, and then again at game.


They are very appealing...nice to be different. However, do some research on an odd caliber before you buy. Some of these, especially magnums can cost a boat load. 10 boxes could set you back a cool $400-$500 in some case. (or more!) Keep this in mind when shopping.


----------



## hunt-n-fool (Oct 10, 2006)

in my mind, short AND long distance are not compatible.

I hada ruger compact in 308, I put a timney trigger in it, and it shot less than an inch @ 100 yards off a bench, but it was plenty light and moved alot if I wanted to shoot very far of a distance.


----------



## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

(pun intended)....don't compromise on a rifle just because it has to be short. For the small cost of some lumber.....make a bigger box blind. That will be more comfortable and you can eliminate the toughest criteria to finding a good affordable, accurate rifle. 

Just a thought.....


----------



## Sam22 (Jan 22, 2003)

thill said:


> (pun intended)....don't compromise on a rifle just because it has to be short. For the small cost of some lumber.....make a bigger box blind. That will be more comfortable and you can eliminate the toughest criteria to finding a good affordable, accurate rifle.
> 
> Just a thought.....


I really do like shorter guns though. It's not a body size thing, I am 6'3 240. I like handling and using shorter guns. I used a buddies Browning A bolt in 300 ultra mag. The damned thing was so long it seemed clumsy. He had a leupold VX-III high power with the bigger tube on it, it was the nicer finish. One of the more tricked out deer rifles you can buy around here, and because it was so long I really didn't care for it. It's personal preference right? Because of that preference I find myself using the Winchester 30-30 in spots where I don't have any long shots. They are mega-short and real quick handling. I use a scope on 2 power most of the time. I like to be able to get the gun up and on the animal in an instant. This combo is what does that best for me.


----------



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

I like Carbines myself and size and strength has nothing to do with it. Unless one wants a fullsize rifle, they are really unecessary, at least in Michigan. Long heavy rifles certainly have their place, but the michigan woods is not their forte'. I'd much rather tote around a 6.5 pound short action rifle with a light weight low powered variable than a 9 pound rifle with large optics. Unfortunately, as Thill was suggesting, lightweight guns often come with a higher price.


----------

