Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: Night goat on April 11, 2023, 08:08:16 PM


Advertise Here
Title: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: Night goat on April 11, 2023, 08:08:16 PM
im in the market for a nice 308 bolt action for deer hunting up in southeast alaska

looking for preferably a Mauser action, stainless steel, synthetic stock

primary use will be deer hunting in southeast Alaska, and the deer aren't that big

the local shop has a nice Winchester m70 coyote in stainless with a synthetic stock that i really like for 1100 which seems a little steep

im a big fan of the CZ rifles but i want stainless, ive always liked the ruger m77 hawkeye, but ive been out of the game for a while.

ive never owned a stainless rifle, ive always just shot my rem 700 in 7mm mag and grandpas savage 99 in 300sav but those will get destroyed up here in southeast and id rather keep them at home in the safe

30/06 is another choice, but ive always liked 308 and thats what my hunting buddies here use and what i was told to shop for

i had another friend suggest getting a tikka but, ive been set in my ways with my guns for so long, what i have is basic and works for WA and the west just fine, but southeast alaska is a completely different animal....

id love to hear some input and get some suggestions
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: jrebel on April 11, 2023, 08:25:08 PM
I would look at the Savage Storm or Savage lightweight Storm. 

I personally would go with the storm for the 22" barrel as apposed to the lightweight storm with a 20" barrel....though both barrel lengths are plenty sufficient for the .308 win.  Great rifles, great triggers, stainless and you can find reasonable prices if you search around. 

The lightweight storm comes in at an amazing weight of 5.4 lbs bear rifle.  That would be a pleasure to carry all day.  The standard storm in about 2 lbs heavier.   


If you really want to treat yourself to a nice rifle in .308 win.....Look no further than the Savage Ultralite.  Here is an example and this one comes with a brake. 

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/970755302

Light weight, super accurate, looks good, weather resistant, carbon barrel. 
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: wadu1 on April 11, 2023, 08:30:08 PM
I was in the same boat as you but hunting the north end of Vancouver Island. That was in my 30-06 days, I ended up with a Browning Stainless Stalker in 30-06 with a detachable magazine. If I were to do it again, I would find something used with a composite stock and Vara thane, the metal.
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on April 11, 2023, 08:59:34 PM
Don’t sleep on these. I’ve had one for 5?ish years and it a damn good shooting rifle with good ammo. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jgn07TZpP08&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fweatherby.com%2F&feature=emb_logo (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jgn07TZpP08&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fweatherby.com%2F&feature=emb_logo)
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: Skillet on April 11, 2023, 11:45:26 PM
the local shop has a nice Winchester m70 coyote in stainless with a synthetic stock that i really like for 1100 which seems a little steep


Take a close look at that M70 before you plunk down your cash.  The barrel is offset pretty significantly in the barrel channel.  Mostly cosmetic, I think, but for that kind of money I wouldn't want that kind of build quality.

308 is a great SE round, I just got my first unit in that caliber for my boat gun (Browning BLR SS takedown).  Mostly I use either a Rem 25-06 SS ADL, or a Tikka SS Lite in 30-06 though. Just depends on what islands I'm hunting and what the bears are getting up to.

The guy in town that kills the most deer year in/year out (that I know of, anyway) does it with a skeleton stocked SS Ruger in .223.  I wouldn't get hung up on caliber for these deer.
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: jeffro on April 12, 2023, 12:31:16 AM
Check your PMs
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: buckfvr on April 12, 2023, 08:50:30 AM
I would look at the Savage Storm or Savage lightweight Storm. 

I personally would go with the storm for the 22" barrel as apposed to the lightweight storm with a 20" barrel....though both barrel lengths are plenty sufficient for the .308 win.  Great rifles, great triggers, stainless and you can find reasonable prices if you search around. 

The lightweight storm comes in at an amazing weight of 5.4 lbs bear rifle.  That would be a pleasure to carry all day.  The standard storm in about 2 lbs heavier.   


If you really want to treat yourself to a nice rifle in .308 win.....Look no further than the Savage Ultralite.  Here is an example and this one comes with a brake. 

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/970755302

Light weight, super accurate, looks good, weather resistant, carbon barrel.


+1 but X10   Performance over looks, not that a Savage isnt nice to look at, eye of the beholder thing.
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: passman65 on April 12, 2023, 09:02:25 AM
Just bought a Ruger American Rifle - 308 Winchester - 22in. Haven't picked it up yet but hope it was a good choice
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: jrebel on April 12, 2023, 09:10:47 AM
Just bought a Ruger American Rifle - 308 Winchester - 22in. Haven't picked it up yet but hope I maid a good choice

Lot of people like the Ruger American Rifles.  They shoot great and price is right.  I have shot them and for a budget rifle, the only complaint I had was the magazine, of which apparently they new models have improved on.  The one I shot, you could not single feed a round through the chamber without dropping it in the action / barrel.  Triggers aren't the best either...but they work.  All in all, for the price they are nice rifles. 
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: passman65 on April 12, 2023, 09:26:31 AM
Just bought a Ruger American Rifle - 308 Winchester - 22in. Haven't picked it up yet but hope I maid a good choice

Lot of people like the Ruger American Rifles.  They shoot great and price is right.  I have shot them and for a budget rifle, the only complaint I had was the magazine, of which apparently they new models have improved on.  The one I shot, you could not single feed a round through the chamber without dropping it in the action / barrel.  Triggers aren't the best either...but they work.  All in all, for the price they are nice rifles.
Thanks for your input I appreciate it. As a new hunter trying to get into the (sport?) I am just trying to cover all bases. I have a Henry’s .357 and 30-30, now a .308 and a Smith & Wesson 500. I don’t know what my next purchase will be but it should be interesting. 
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: Night goat on April 12, 2023, 12:43:40 PM
Any thoughts on that Winchester m70 coyote lite?

Up here in southeast Alaska selection is limited, gonna see what Juneau has
Once we get the boat paperwork operational
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: BigGoonTuna on April 13, 2023, 03:53:05 AM
Isn't the coyote model a push feed?  Not that it really matters, but if you're looking for a Mauser action it might be a consideration.

I've got a M70 extreme weather and it's an excellent rifle.  I was looking for a .308 but ended up with a .30-06 instead (I couldn't find a stainless .308 locally to save my life when I bought it).  I've noticed in the past few years the selection of stainless rifles has really sort of disappeared for some reason.
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: Geoduck Duck Goose on May 22, 2023, 09:30:07 AM
I would look at the Tika T3x if I was on the market for a new rifle.  I have had two very credible sources tell me that is THE gun to look at.  Pretty sure it comes in 308 with stainless barrel and synthetic stock under $900.

These folks here ranked it pretty high plus the user voters rated it high as well: https://gununiversity.com/best-hunting-rifles/ (https://gununiversity.com/best-hunting-rifles/)
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: Farmer72 on May 22, 2023, 10:27:09 AM
Any thoughts on that Winchester m70 coyote lite?

Up here in southeast Alaska selection is limited, gonna see what Juneau has
Once we get the boat paperwork operational

I believe the Coyote Lite still has a blued action. I think only the barrel is blued if I remember correctly. I know my regular Coyote is only a stainless barrel so if all stainless is what you are looking for than the Coyote might not be the one.
Title: Re: looking to get a nice .308
Post by: jetjockey on May 23, 2023, 09:32:32 AM
Here’s what I’d buy.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/kimber-rifles/-quot-kimber-84m-hunter-pro-308-win-r39388-quot-.cfm?gun_id=102213598
SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal