r/canadaguns • u/Western_Wish4280 • Jun 01 '26
Buy recommendations Best first hunting rifle to buy?
Hi all!
I have recently got my PAL and wanna go hunting this fall.
I dont wanna hunt moose for a couple years. The only reason for getting a gun rn is to hunt whitetail deer.
I know people would say buy a tikka t3x lite and all.
But i dont wanna buy it right now. Wanted a rifle chambered in 270 Winchester/ 6.5 CM for the forgiving trajectory and recoil as im super new to shooting. But in a couple years id go buy a tikka t3x chambered in 308 winchester.
I have narrowed down my search and these are the rifles i would pick one from:
Winchester xpr bolt action (270 win)
Weatherby vanguard (270 win)
Mossberg patriot predator(6.5 CM)
Ruger gen 1 bolt action(270 win)
Savage axis xp2 (6.5 CM)
Please help me choose and if need be advise on other models.
Edit: I thank all of you who have given me excellent advice. I really didnt know the gun community in Canada is soooooo friendly. You guys are all amazing !
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
Man you all are the GOATS. My wallet will cry with a tikka t3x and chambered in 308 but fuck it. One gun to rule them all. Im down
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u/hafetysazard Jun 01 '26
.308 will do everything you need it to at hunting distances, and the Tikka is really a great rifle at a decent price for what you’re getting. From North America to Africa, .308 is probably the best all-hunting cartridge for medium to large sized thin-skinned game.
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
Take my upvote. I think its the best decision to learn and use the 308 win. People have always told me to stay away from it as a beginner and mostly theyd use 6.5 creedmoore or 243. Couldn't be a fan of the 243 as its super limiting say if i go on an elk hunting trip . With all that being said, i think i just got indoctrinated into the 308 club xD
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u/Additional_Fold_1350 Jun 02 '26
Yeah skip the 243, way too under powered for elk or moose, unless your shot is perfect,
Unless your my father in-law who got his first deer at 11 with a good old Cooey 22LR single shot!!!!!!!! Says he shot that doe in the eye and it dropped on the spot at 50 yards as he tells the story. Didn't have a license even and didn't know better. Was back in the late 50s, and they were poor so he was out rabbit/bird hunting for meat and seen a deer and shot it. Got them through the winter in a wood heated cabin with no insulation.
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u/Hotdog_Broth Jun 01 '26
Sound like you’ve saved yourself from making the usual “I wish I had just bought the tikka” comment a few months down the road
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u/Murray3-Dvideos Jun 01 '26
Your getting steered astray from a hunting standpoint by those who are recommending a .308 over .270. .270win is a superior choice considering your demands. Id ONLY choose .308 if you plan to do target shooting as well.
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u/epnk420 Jun 01 '26
Definitely go with the Tikka I made the mistake of buying a Savage 110 never again, got the wife a Tikka T3X Lite Compact in 243 it’s a much nicer rifle just wouldn’t take it for elk due to caliber
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
Im short as well. With 5'7 and pretty skinny. Should i get the t3x lite or the t3x compact??
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u/epnk420 Jun 02 '26
The compact is shorter length of pull and maybe shorter length of barrel (could be wrong on barrel length) my wife is 5’5 I think and it fits her good, to me it’s too small but I’m 6’2 but I can still shoot it. And you can get them in lite and compact versions combined so it’s lighter which is nice for hunting
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u/swift_gilford Jun 01 '26
I know people would say buy a tikka t3x lite and all.
But i dont wanna buy it right now.
Buy once. Cry once. Honestly the t3x is your best bet
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u/apatheticAlien Jun 01 '26
Just get the tikka
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u/Next-Swimming-4270 Jun 01 '26
Ruger gen 1 is pretty nice. I got mine for 500 dollars and it goes bang every time, pretty reliably too
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u/apatheticAlien Jun 01 '26
Fair enough but he specifically mentioned he's already thinking about buying the 308 in a couple of years. May as well get it now and start practicing/becoming familiar with with it. He can still start with deer, in a couple of years he can use it on moose rather than having to get accustomed to a new gun all over again.
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
Its the best ive shot with and feels like wd40/liquid wrench xD. Super duper nice action and trigger. Feels 10/10 . Used with 6.5cm bullets but the employee told me that its very prone to being dirty and needs exceptional care. Being a newbie myself, i literally think ill fuck the gun up or something. Thus im at a fix
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u/ErokAB03 Jun 01 '26
Honestly buy one that feels comfy when you have it shouldered.
I went with the Winchester XPR (6.5CM) myself, tried a few others but i found it the comfiest for me., this was not my first rifle tho and have others in .308
All of the more entry level rifles that youve listed will all perform roughly the same.
I would recommend going with a .270 or .308 if youre planning on hunting moose in the future and wouldn't need to get another rifle.
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
Tried the win xpr and must say it felt the best with a close call being the ruger gen 2. Buy gen 2 only comes in 308win. Im at a big fix. The tikka t3x is by far the best ive shot with and the action is straight butter. However the basspro employee told me that maintaining it is a chore unless i get the stainless variant. And man i hate that shinyness on the barrell
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u/SoldiersofChristBR Jun 02 '26
Ruger american gen 2 comes in just about every calibre, maybe they are out of what you are looking for in your store? You can do online or look around
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u/MrWrock Jun 01 '26
Doesn't Tikka come in 6.5cm? Buy one cry once
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u/Nice-Background890 Jun 01 '26
Wouldn't even be a cry buy, they aren't that expensive for the quality. They look pricey against very budget rifles like Axis 2 or even R783 that often go down to 500$.
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
I just cant be a big fan of 6.5cm i mean no bias or anything. It shoots very fine and kick doesnt kick me much. But around here u tried the win 270 and holy moly shits crazy nice.
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u/MrWrock Jun 01 '26
Never tried 270win, what do you like about it?
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u/DryF1re Jun 01 '26
its a great, forgiving round. the wife shoots it and i prefer shooting her rifle over my .30-06
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u/Strong-Owl-55 Jun 01 '26
Bergara b14 Or tikka t3
Look on gunpost. Probably your best bang for your buck. Can get both for around 1000$
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
What chamber would you say to go for if using it to hunt moose later down the line as well as deer and mountain ram
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u/Strong-Owl-55 Jun 01 '26
If you do go onto backfire tv .org and see his pdf sheet it shows the most accurate rifles and its custom rifles then bergara premier then tikka in 6.5 creed
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u/Strong-Owl-55 Jun 01 '26
Me and my brother in law both got 300 win mag so good for moose and will definitely kill a deer were both newer with hunting and shooting im about 200 pounds hes 170 or lighter i guess but i went with the bergara b14 hmr with a carbon barrel so mines more money but you can get the b14 for less mines a bit heavier and he went with the tikka t3x light. He has no problem shooting it he likes his i like my bergara hmr has adjustable cheek riser and lop. I do a ton of research and the bergara and tikka are top choice I would of went with the tikka but I also wanted the remington 700 for the longest time and the bergara is way better
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u/johnnyfuckinghobo Jun 01 '26
I have the patriot and wouldn't recommend it to a friend. Also, consider .243 if you want a soft shooting but capable deer cartridge.
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u/scottsuplol Jun 01 '26
What’s seasons like around you? I’m in SW Ontario and there are a lot of shotgun only seasons so might be worth looking into
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
Whitetail season in the maritimes need it to be centerfire. Thus looking for one
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u/Yankee_on_vanisle Van Isle Jun 01 '26
I've bought and sold dozens of rifles and I'll tell you what I wish I did when I first started. Get the tikka, get a very good scope, learn it and use it for the rest of your life. Don't buy a rifle just because you want one, buy once, cry once.
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u/SoldiersofChristBR Jun 02 '26
I personally prefer the aesthetics of the ruger american gen 2 myself for the cost and features.
But you will be fine with the recoil. Buy what ever calibre interests you the most long term. So I'd go tikka t3 or ruger american gen w.e in 308 and call er a day
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u/ffrankgauthss Jun 02 '26
I’d suggest a Tikka t3x chambered in .308 ! Most versatile rifle you can get as your first in my opinion . But remember , it might be your first but it certainly won’t be your last ;) Cheers !
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u/billymays82 Jun 01 '26
I have a mossberg patriot in 243 and it’s been a good hunting rifle. I know 6.5CM is a bit bigger but you might still have issues if the round has to go through the leg before the ribs. I’ve had it happen once and unfortunately the deer ran about a mile before it died. But I’ve also heard some guys say they developed a flinch with 270
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u/Birdybadass Jun 01 '26
Go with the tikka T3x in 308. The differences between 308 and the 270 are not big, but the 308 is superior and buying one of each is unnecessarily redundant. 308 is just a better caliber for most use cases.
As for the rifle a tikka T3x is the gold standard in the $1000-$2000 range. It’s got the best action, best barrel, and best trigger of its competitors. The stock is good with tons of aftermarket if you want to upgrade later. The only pieces you’ll want to replace out of the box are the recoil pad (they’re arguably the worst but it’s a $60 fix with a limbsaver) and the trigger guard (it’s plastic, not a big deal but if it breaks your hunt is ruined. Get a metal one).
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u/Penguinbotxv Jun 01 '26
Tikka CTR
HOWA your choice
bergara hmr (closest thing to a true hybrid rifle i guess)
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u/bbk2229 Jun 01 '26
270 is plenty adequate for moose. They die easy. More important than rifle size is bullet placement and type. You want the bullet to fully expand, not lose any mass and expend all its energy in the animal. I have harvested many moose in Yukon with a .270 , single shot and have found the expanded bullet.
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u/bulletride308 Jun 02 '26
Hunting rifle and nobody is considering the Browning X-bolt 2?
I have a T3x and a X-bolt 2. The X-bolt is a similar quality rifle to the Tikka. Action is smooth and solid.
Pros of the x-bolt:
-Rotary mag that can fit 4-5 and sits flush with stock
-Can get a decent adjustable stock in lenght and cheek height
- can open the bolt with safety on with the button on the lever, also bolt locks with safety
-the safety locks the firing pin, not just trigger mechanism
Cons of the x-bolt:
-4 actions lenght for the x-bolt 1 and 2 for the x-bolt 2 makes choosing the right pic rail difficult
- almost no aftermarket parts
The tikka was plain to me, no muzzle threads, no adjustable stock, pretty much the same price point
So I went all fudd and bought a x-bolt 2 Hunter composite two-tone in 30-06
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u/Additional_Fold_1350 Jun 02 '26
Personally I would buy something in 270 or 308 if you want to actually practice shooting, way cheaper than the 6.5 CM I think but I might be thinking of the PRCs.
As much as I was considering a 6.5 PRC ammo cost was a deciding factor for me and I just went with the tried and true 308 which I grew up shooting. If only I had my hands on my dads old Remington 700 in 308 before my stepmother sold all his guns 16 years ago.
Next gun will be a 223 for me as a coyote/target gun. And I really want a 45-70 lever gun as a bear/bush gun, but holding off on that till i get into reloading
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u/762timoune Jun 03 '26
The rem 783 is a good one i have, they are pretty cheap and work very well, they are kinda the poor man rem 700. Ruger also makes great rifle. I would not really recommend the savages axis just because the barrel’s are press fit and the bolt is super hard to unlock compared to the vanguard or pretty much everything. If you have the bucks for the vanguard that would be my go to i guess.
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u/kipongakunippon Jun 12 '26
hunting ? literally any old cheap thing will do iron sights sporterized 303 are like 160 cad soetimes they even have sights
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u/Pale-Memory6501 Jun 01 '26
Not on your list, but a solid rifle for the money. Savage 334 with a Timney trigger installed (the stock trigger is mushy)
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u/hafetysazard Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
Recoil isn’t really an issue unless you’re shooting 100+ rounds in a range session which is just not gonna happen with a hunting rifle; and with the way scopes and bases are made these days, you’re not going to really need to worry about it, “shooting flat,” either unless you go all out and zero your rifle to take full advantage of a maximum point blank range zero.
The difference between point and shoot distance (6” target zone) between .308 and 6.5cm is like 30-40 yards, but you only worry about that out past 250 yards, anyways. If you’re doing a bog-standard 100 yard zero, it doesn’t make much difference at all. If you plan on shooting further than that regularly, you’re probably going to want something a little closer to a varmint or target rifle; not something you want to be able to beat around the bush with.
Your standard hunting rifle in medium-bore cartridges aren’t really going to be very useful for hunting out past 400 yards max; bullets will slow too much, expansion will be iffy, and the bullet has lost a lot of energy that it won’t penetrate well. New shooter, probably under 300 yards is going to be your limit. Plus, not a lot of hunting scenarios are going to give you an opportunity to setup with enough stability to be able to shoot much further than that.
If you really want to go long distance for hunting, you’ll have to be in .300 PRC or .338 Lapua territory to be ethical.
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u/Western_Wish4280 Jun 01 '26
If i get the tikka t3x, how would ut fare out against new brunswicks weather and what chamber should i get it in for the one gun to rule em all rhetoric
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u/hafetysazard Jun 01 '26
The .308 is the best all-around cartridge for taking a hunting shot within 300 yards anywhere in North America. It is ubiquitous, and has the greatest selection of reloading components if you’re going to go down that road. Walk into any store that sells ammo, you’re going to find .308 hunting cartridges, pretty much anywhere on the planet.
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u/_asphaltcowboy_ Jun 01 '26
Wouldn’t bother with the tikka. Get a husqvarna rifle. Easily can get them under 5-600 dollars. Mines in 30-06 so mines a do it all. But if you wanted something with light recoil they sell them in 6.5x55 (6.5 Swede). Or 243 win. If you want one rifle get the 30.06. If you want two, you can easily get two husqvarna rifles for less than the price of a Tikka. Then just purchase some halfway decent optics. Or run iron sights
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u/kipongakunippon 17d ago
the best rifle is the one you have lol old camera quote. but seriously we're shooting deer not 3 mile aaway world record shots. buddy of mine has a mossbrg 590 ive got a crappy old 303 someone gave me and an ol cooey 16 gauge
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u/pte_shit_bag Jun 01 '26
Honest answers only…. Save up and get the tikka, I wouldn’t recommend any of these except maybe the weatherby