First Gun Purchase for new Hunter

[Tbitty]

All-

I have successfully added another hunter to the world this week, and infected him with the Africa Bug in the process. He joined me for a week long safari (report to come later as I get a chance to write it up), and midway through the week, he was already ready to book a return trip.

As you might expect, in addition to being hooked on hunting, he wants to get his first rifle as well. While I have plenty of knowledge (and opinions) on what to recommend to him, I wanted to get some forum opinions to share with him as well.

On that note, please vote for your recommendation on which caliber is the best for him to buy, and list in the comments your suggestion(s) for Make/Model to suggest. Here are some parameters:
- somewhat new to shooting, want to be recoil conscious (nothing bigger than .338 cal)
- max shooting distance 400 yards. Realistically 99% of shots will be inside of 250 yards.
- assume all factory ammo usage
- primary shooting will be TX whitetail deer and feral hogs, or at the range to practice. Maybe move up to something Elk sized in the future.
- likely to add a suppressor, but not necessarily immediately
- preference is a bolt action; definitely not an AR platform for this one

Looking forward to your thoughts.

 

[Berettaco]

Tikka roughtech in 270 would be a solid choice. Threaded and comes with brake / suppressor ready. Relatively inexpensive but great value considering accuracy. Tons of off the shelf ammo options.
300 win would be my suggestion that isn’t listed

 

[IvW]

If I where to buy a new hunting set for Africa I would buy......
Blaser or Krieghoff O/U with a few sets of barrels...

9.3x74R double, med to large pg in DG areas
9.3x74R/7×57R Bergstutsen most pg hunting in bushveld
6.5x57R/23ga or 20ga combination

And the a K95 or Hubertus
7x65R

Thats just me and what I would buy now

 

[mark-hunter]

I voted 308 win, but 7 rem mag or 270 win would be equally good.
I leaned towards 308 for availability of cheap plinking ammo for training, options for subsonic ammo in application with suppressor.

Rifles tikka t3x, cz 550, sako 85, winchester m70, mauser m12, sauer 101, browning a bolt.
Scope Delta, Meopta, Leupold, Zeiss, Swarovski, Smidt and Bender.

If he needs to save some money - save on rifle, and on cheap ammo for plinking. Do not save on scope. Should buy the most expensive he can afford.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

A second vote for Tikka. Or a Sako if he has a little larger budget. Both have great accuracy out of the box. I would suggest 30-06 as it is good for all you mentioned and a few you didn’t. Lots of bullet weight choices.

 

[Jon Glajchen]

For African game excluding dangerous game get one of the 300 magnums, 300WM, 300H&H etc.
The availability of good monolithic and bonded ammunition as well as points for reloading has made them the most versatile offerings, good for Bushveld distances as well as open plains hunting.
If he is a little recoil shy he can fit a silencer which will go a long way in reducing recoil.

All the makes mentioned previously will be fine.

 

[grand veneur]

All-

I have successfully added another hunter to the world this week, and infected him with the Africa Bug in the process. He joined me for a week long safari (report to come later as I get a chance to write it up), and midway through the week, he was already ready to book a return trip.

As you might expect, in addition to being hooked on hunting, he wants to get his first rifle as well. While I have plenty of knowledge (and opinions) on what to recommend to him, I wanted to get some forum opinions to share with him as well.

On that note, please vote for your recommendation on which caliber is the best for him to buy, and list in the comments your suggestion(s) for Make/Model to suggest. Here are some parameters:
- somewhat new to shooting, want to be recoil conscious (nothing bigger than .338 cal)
- max shooting distance 400 yards. Realistically 99% of shots will be inside of 250 yards.
- assume all factory ammo usage
- primary shooting will be TX whitetail deer and feral hogs, or at the range to practice. Maybe move up to something Elk sized in the future.
- likely to add a suppressor, but not necessarily immediately
- preference is a bolt action; definitely not an AR platform for this one

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Decades ago I was also a beginner, but there was no internet at the time and so I had to decide for myself what to buy. For hunting in my area that was not a problem, but since I did not plan to hunt only in my region from the start, I bought a bolt action rifle in a caliber that could already shoot game worldwide, even at longer distances; a rifle caliber 300 Winchester Magnum. I would recommend this cartridge to every people who start with hunting, as it is very available and is offered by many manufacturers of modern rifles that can also be equipped with a suppressor. Ideal for shooting at longer range and on heavier game species, tolerable recoil for everyone.

 

[Beck]

Sako (85 or 90) Bavarian in .300 Win or .30-06 with Meopta or Leupold Scope. Heirloom quality rifle, with a good working man's scope that won't break the bank. On top of that they are very attractive rifles which should help prevent him from leaving it in a safe collecting dust.

 

[odonata]

I'm a fan of the boringly dependable 30-06 so I voted for the .308 caliber. Obviously a 300 Win Mag would have more power depending on how much concern you have for recoil. My buddy uses the one he went elk hunting in New Mexico with for everything to good effect.

The 30-06 is the only chambering that I have three of. My LH Remington 700 BDL is setup to shoot reduced recoil Hornady ammo. So with 125gr bullets it has the muzzle energy & velocity of a 257 Roberts which is great for Arkansas & Mississippi whitetails at moderate ranges. It's pleasant to shoot.

My LH Sako 85 Hunter shooting 165gr bullets has considerably more power and is the most accurate rifle in my safe. I could cover a lot of situations with it. I don't own a Tikka but feel confident recommending one to a first-time buyer as an option to consider.

While the 9.3x62 is outside the specifications defined by the OP, I would at least think of it as a possibility if I was planning to take it to Africa. I mention this based on how much I love my Ruger No. 1S in 9.3x74r. It is quite possibly my favorite rifle.

 

[cash_tx]

All of those calibers will do the job just fine; but the 308 Winchester does it the most easily, affordably, and universally. Probably has the most available options in terms of rifle models and factory ammo. 308 lets him do tons of shooting practice at the most affordable rate, and with the widest range of bullet selection of all those calibers; and covers the distances mentioned quite well.

I am a big fan of hunting for and finding a classic walnut and blue steel pre-owned rifle; but for the suppressor option, I'd look at a new factory build such as Tikka or Weatherby Vanguard. I also very much like how the Christensen Ridgeline handles.

 

[Flipper Dude]

7 posts in and only 1 mention of the 30-06. Not even a choice in the poll. Unbelievable

 

[Bandera]

Of the calibers you picked, the 308 Winchester.
A 30-06 or 300 WM would be my first choice.

 

[Zinz]

I’ll third that… .30-06

The .308 is the baby ‘06 and works well in the 150-168 grain bullet weights. I prefer the ‘06 and shoot 180gr bullets for everything.

Ed Z

 

[mdwest]

308..

Vesitile enough for most plains game, while also very well suited for most North American big game up to elk..

Ammo is affordable and easy to find everywhere.. every Walmart in North America will have lots of options..

Every rifle maker offers multiple options in 308.. lots and lots of platform options to choose from..

Reasonable recoil.. not too much for a new hunter to manage…

Solid performance at ranges up to 400 yards (further than I’d expect any new hunter to be shooting at anything)..

 

[Tbitty]

7 posts in and only 1 mention of the 30-06. Not even a choice in the poll. Unbelievable

Fwiw, I also prefer the 30-06 to 308. I only listed 308 instead because its even less recoil and 100% does everything he needs it to do.

 

[Beck]

Good question what caliber was he shooting in Africa, and what did he kill?

 

[Tbitty]

Thanks for replying so far. Honestly, I already know the answers but part of this post was because he was receiving conflicting opinion and I thought it easiest to show opinions from a large source pool rather than just 2 guys.

More of a thread to get recommendations on the gun selection, less the caliber. But it makes for fun conversation this way!

 

[Tbitty]

Good question what caliber was he shooting in Africa, and what did he kill?

We shot outfitter supplied 7mm Mag with suppressors and handloaded ammo. He took Kudu, impala, blesbok, warthog, and waterbuck. The group shot everything up to Eland with the 7Mag, plus I did a buffalo with 375HH

 

[mdwest]

I’ve got a guy headed to Africa for the first time in 2026 that I’m going through the same process with… he’s done a little hunting in the US.. taken a couple of hogs.. tried deer but no success yet, etc…

He has a 6.5 creedmore, but wants something a bit larger for Africa since he knows he wants to go for some heavier PG…

The question is “how heavy”… he doesn’t want something that barely surpasses the creedmore and doesn’t really add much to his arsenal… but at the same time isn’t wanting to step up to something like a 375 that he thinks would never be used for anything else other than Africa…

So in his case I’m trying to point him to a 300 mag of some sort..

And we’re also having the platform debate.. he’s pretty sold on Christensen.. I also love Christensen, but have been trying to point him to something more traditional for his hunt…

 

[Beck]

We shot outfitter supplied 7mm Mag with suppressors and handloaded ammo. He took Kudu, impala, blesbok, warthog, and waterbuck. The group shot everything up to Eland with the 7Mag, plus I did a buffalo with 375HH

yea, definitely .300 Win if he can handle the recoil, and if not .30-06. "The only problem with a .300 Win Mag is that it doesn't leave you an excuse to buy anything else"