Hello Pale Sun
With out knowing
a) what you are hunting
b) the area environment you are hunting in
c) your budget
d) the amount of time you will be spending on shooting
I have to say choose the gun in your price range, you can always up grade the scope later
Choose the gun for the amount of shooting you are going to be doing, daily, weekly, yearly ?????
You cant loose with the Savage as a starting platform
Why spend big bucks if your goona shoot a couple times a year or just go plinking on weekends

How can I say this I am a retired veteran
I own every thing from
a Tavor with a EoTech sight
a Robinson Arms XCR with a Bushnell Banner 3.5x36mm
an Axor MF2 12 guage
a BRS99
just a few but I also own
a single shot .22 cooie
a brake barrel 12 gauge
a Savage Axis 270

Why so many I shoot a lot but it takes time. Start with what you can afford is my best advice to you

The Tikka T3 .270 WSM is a solid choice. It's made by Sako in Finland who they have a good reputation for finely engineered weapons.

If I was to choose only one long gun it would be .308. 7.62 mm ammunition is plentiful. As a police Sniper this is what was used below 1000 yards. It's very accurate and deadly. It's the choice of most SWAT teams for medium to long-range shooting.

I would recommend that your first rifle be a .22 because of the low cost of ammunition. Shooting accurately is all about practice. It takes thousands of rounds to get to the point where I'd want to start consuming larger bore ammo.

Whatever choice you make, don't get discouraged. Good luck!

Are you looking at a 270 or a 270 WSM?

Thanks for the replies fellas 🙂 Here's a bit more info to clarify...

I'm hunting deer, on my own rocky highland ground, shorter ranges. I figure 90-100m max (under 100yd). WSM not necessary. The terrain is mostly wooded at end stage succession - lots of mature oak & maple with plenty saplings below & between. There are also large ponds where those deer come to water.

This is not my first time firing a rifle, or hunting. It is my first time purchase now I passed the rifle safety course.

I could see having a .22 for sure. A little target practice. Pop a few bean cans, pop a rabbit into the pot for sure too. A .22 is not a budget concern.

Budget: Wayne, thanks for the comment about Tikka/Sako, and Mule Skinner too. I'm not into cheapo. I see no reason to buy cheap first, then buy quality later. $900 for the Tikka is not out of budget. I was mostly surprised that the Savage price was so low, and now they give you a scope too for that price. Their website does talk about a model 110 in a 270 cal (no scope and 750USD, sounds more realistic).

cheers
David

Pale sun. The feel of the gun is one of the most important things. You want to experiment with bring it up to shooting position and work the bolt, lever etc. Everyone’s body, length of arms, neck is different, so pick a quite time and go try out a dozen or so. Wayne’s suggestions are excellent, especially the 22 for practice.
30-06 is another nice round.

Browning makes a very nice 308 lever action carbine. Short and a very nice to carry Bush gun that can do your shots you mentioned.

For scope, look at how easy it is to turn the zoom. You want nice knurl or knob that is easy to turn with bare hands and gloves. Bring a pair of gloves to the store so you can test. For those distances, look at 1.5 - 7. Or 3-9 power

Enjoy the sport

just a few but I also own
a single shot .22 cooie

That's something I haven't heard in a while.The good old cooie. I would bet that in 22 put more meat on the table than many things in the old days.
I highly recommend those. They are rock paper scissors simple and reliable. Dirt cheap. I haven't bought any since the 80s but they were 40 to 80 dollars used at the gun stores back then. I found many had horrible triggers, felt much like driving over a speed bump but you could learn to give them a trigger job,and what better to learn on, and often a single bolt (screw )held the receiver/barrel to the stock, so it was easy to take down and put in a pack. I remember accu-glassing the receivers, floating the barrels and with a trigger job turning them into tack drivers, not that they were bad before but it was fun to "tune" them in to see what could be done. I don't know if they even manufacture them any more, I suspect not, but I wouldn't hesitate to consider a old cooie in 22. its not like the barrel is going to be shot out. Likely still are cheap, and what everyone this day and age seems to forget, is the most important shot you take is your first, make it count, I don't consider a single shot 22 a handicap, after all rabbits don't shoot back.

Whoa whoa whoa... there is absolutely nothing wrong with the savage axis .270. I own one, picked it up for some coyote shooting and it's turned into my regular hunting rifle. There is plenty of ammo available for the .270 in various weights, my particular rifle just happens to prefer the .150 gr rounds. The scope it comes with sucks so replace it when you get the chance but it will do the job until you do. The trigger... it's heavy so do the trigger mod which isn't very hard and ANYONE who is handy can do it with a pair of snips and some emery cloth. If you want more accuracy out of the gun without spending an arm and a leg... do a bedding job and you will be very surprised at the difference. For the money you won't find a better all around gun... it will handle deer with ease especially at the ranges you plan on shooting. The .270 is a popular round and has been around for a VERY long time, it's a field proven round with decades of history. The .270 is an easy round to reload as well with plenty of powder & projectile combo's to keep you where you want to be with whatever your hunting. Your good with short range and long ranges with this rifle and with the money you can save you can outfit yourself with a complete reloading kit to put you even farther ahead of the game. Hope this helps ya out and if you have any questions feel free to shoot me a pm.

Cheers.

Does anyone have experience with the Remington 783?
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2013/1/2/the-remington-783/

Going back to the T3. They are selling the civvie version of this now. Although the Lee Enfield story was very cool.

http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=3808

Lol Peppercorn, shooting a 22 cooey used to be as Canadian as changing your alternator in the parking lot of CrappyTire. I remember shooting pos Gevelot tracers and shotshells in them. Had to pry every other spent shell out after firing. Good times

Does anyone have experience with the Remington 783?

I think that this rifle was an entirely new design by Remington in the effort to capture a lower price point conscious consumer. It comes equipped with a reinforced nylon stock with an adjustable trigger. It's my understanding that it provides a cost effective solution for many hunters.

I don't have experience with it, but have lots with it's big brother the Model 700. I used this in 7mm during counter-sniper training with the U.S. Secret Service. Since then, they've preferred to use the same rifle in 300 Winchester Magnum or 7.62 mm. Actually it's a Remington 700 action with an Accuracy International stock with Schmidt & Bender optics. I've already mentioned that 7.62 is the choice of the vast majority of tactical teams in NA for shots below 800 meters. The Barrett M82/M107 (light 50) is used up to 2000 meters.

As far as a survival weapon, it may come down to a single choice. What's the bottom line? Personal preference. Both the .270 and .308 (7.62 NATO) are great calibers. Both can get the job done. I have a bias for the .308 because after firing over 500,000 rounds I've gained confidence that the bullet will go where I want it to and the round will do the rest. Between these calibers It really comes down to the selection, availability and cost of the ammunition.

Well thanks for all info

I still have to choose Tikka vs Savage, and now there are thoughts about 270 vs 308. The choice is based on more concrete differences and preferences now.

Bedding the action/stock seems like it could be a way of offsetting what looks like manufacturing cost saving, though I'll watch plenty video before doing it alone. Check this video if you have the time, it's 36min, but this guy really sounds like he knows his stuff, and explains the process very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Z7ujjv89g

cheers everyone
David

Hi David,

It would appear that this guy knows his stuff. I'm not a gunsmith, so I can't provide much by way of expert opinion. The police department had its own gunsmiths and we were prohibited from working on them ourselves. Handguns and Sniper rifles were individual issue while general tactical weapons like the MP5, shotgun, etc. were grab as required. Ammunition was unlimited and lots of practice was required during the work day.

I've had work done on my personal weapons (on the side), so never really have sought-out a gunsmith. Personally I wouldn't work on my own weapons unless a need existed. I want my weapons kept in the best shape as possible and not withstanding cleaning and general maintenance the best person to provide that is an experienced gunsmith and not me...

I have a Savage 64 and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was made right in Lakefield, in the factory that took over for Cooey, and the design is somewhat based on the Cooey 64.

In a choice between .270 and .308 my vote is for .308. Theres A much wider range of weights for the bullets. the .308 is a short throw action and the .270 is a long throw. I have had both and prefer the .308 Win. another thing is in shear availability of brass for reloading which IMO every Prepper should do. Not only can you control your loads you can also increase your stockpile much easier and cheaper, this means from surplus ammo to store bought and reloads. If you look you can find processed Once Fired Brass for cheap, the only issues are military brass ( 7.62x51) has a crimped primer and has a different case capacity. but once that is figured out you are good to go. IF you decide to start reloading it is also easier to find the molds for a .30 caliber bullet much easier if you decide to start casting bullets to really drop your costs and increase stocks