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Rex B wrote:

Salty1 wrote:+1 on the lever gun, a Marlin 30-30 will take anything you may encounter here and they are classics. A model 336 and a decent scope can be had for around $500.00, accuracy should not be a problem in the 150 yard range

If you watch the sales, you can get a combo with scope under $400
Or a used one for $325 - $350

Everybody ought to have at least 1 levergun.

I think I'm at 7, at the moment

Gluttony is a sin.

mgood wrote:A wise man told me that it's better to put a thousand dollar scope on a hundred dollar rifle than it is to put a hundred dollar scope on a thousand dollar rifle.

That wise man was right, but the reason I said "a good rule of thumb for a rifle/scope budget is to spend roughly the same amount on your scope as you did for the rifle," is that a man who will buy a $250 rifle instead of a $1,000 rifle is not likely to be a man who will spend $1,000 to put a scope on that $250 rifle. And a $1000 scope that will give you 15 minutes of extra light to shoot by at the beginning and end of the day, won't be much help to you on a rifle that isn't accurate enough to place a shot through some trees in that low light. But a $1,000 scope mounted on a $1,000 rifle gives you lots of options.

However, not everyone either has that kind of money to put into a rifle/scope combo, and most people aren't willing to put that kind of money into it if they are buying a rifle and scope for the first time. That's not only understandable, it is commendable. Throwing money at something you don't know for sure you'll enjoy or use is not good stewardship of your resources. Cheap is OK, as long as you understand the limitations of your equipment, and hunt accordingly. And those limitations are not deal breakers. You can still hunt effectively with inexpensive equipment; it's just that, as if often the case with other things, you'll enjoy it better and possibly be more effective with better, more expensive equipment.

Also, be aware that, just like with pistols, the MSRP for a rifle or scope is often much higher than the price you'll actually pay for it. For example, my Remington 700 VSF LH (left handed) varmint rifle in .308 had an MSRP of $1,187.00, but I actually paid $831.00 for it. Similarly, the Leupold 4.5-14x50mm VX-3 scope mounted on it has an MSRP of about $890.00, but I actually paid $530.00 for it.

But whatever money you put into it, there is a short list of things in life that are as satisfying as a bolt rifle you like, with a decent scope mounted on it, and the feeling of knowing that if you can see it, you can hit it.

I would say .308, .30-06, or .270. My preference is the first one.

A good rule of thumb for a rifle/scope budget is to spend roughly the same amount on your scope as you did for the rifle. If you want to go cheap, look at the Stevens and the lower end of the Savage line. Higher quality can be found in the high end Savage line and the Remington 700 line. Kimbers are great, but the are really spendy, and you can probably upgrade a Remington for less.