Suggestions for a truck gun?

[Bowtech]

Hello everybody. I'm a new member to this forum but I have been reading posts for a while now. Anyway I have been wanting to buy a good reliable rifle that I can keep in my truck. I would like for it to have open sights that I can hit targets out to at least 200 yards. I'm not sure what rifle to buy but I've been looking at a Marlin 336 in .30-30 and the remington 7600 or 7615. If anbody can help me out and maybe suggests other rifles I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

[Hazcat]

The 30-30 is a good gun and you should be able to find used ones at a good price.  200 yards might be pushing a little depending on how good a shot you are.

What might you be shooting?  Varmints, small game, deer, pigs?

A Rem in at least .270 or .308 (best caliber IMHO) would also be a good choice but a bit more pricey.  Better range with these calibers.

[Badgersmilk]

AK

[Hazcat]

AK

BM,

He wants to hit things at "at least 200 yards".

[twyacht]

Welcome to DRTV Bowtech.

200yds? With open sights? Hunting while out for a spin?

For that range, perhaps a bolt action, 25-06, 7mm-08, .270, or 308. I think the majority of shots will be less than 200yds, but okay, here's some other ideas. Even a Puma lever action in 44 would work, depending on what you plan to shoot at.

Interesting Read. Here's the link and a segment.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/practical_accuracy.htm

The smallest of these animals offers about an 8" diameter heart-lung kill area and most offer at least a 10" kill area. So, to be conservative, let's say that our rifle needs to be able to put its bullets (from a cold barrel) into about a 6" circle at whatever range our skill and the trajectory of the cartridge we are using allows. This leaves a little room for error on even the smallest medium game animals.

For the hunter using a 100-150 yard hunting rifle, such as rifles chambered for what are fundamentally pistol cartridges (.357 Magnum, .44-40, .44 Magnum, etc.) or low pressure cartridges like the .38-55 and .45-70, a 4 MOA group will suffice. 4" groups at 100 yards don't look very impressive at the range, but 4 MOA groups mean all bullets within a 6" circle at 150 yards, about the maximum useful range of this class of cartridges. A .44 Magnum rifle that will put all of its bullets into a 4" circle at 100 yards is a deadly deer rifle, as accurate as it needs to be.

A 200 yard hunting rifle, such as a .30-30, .35 Remington, or .444 Marlin needs to print 3 MOA (3") groups at 100 yards. This means that all of the bullets will be landing inside of a 6" circle at 200 yards. A North American hunter can take any deer, sheep, pronghorn, or goat with such a rifle. In Townsend Whelen's day, few hunting rifles would shoot better than that. Many will today, but practically speaking it doesn't matter. 3 MOA is good enough for 100% kills out to at least 200 yards. A 200 yard rifle that shoots 1 MOA groups is not one whit deadlier than one that shoots 3 MOA groups.

The hunter with a long range rifle capable of taking medium game at 300 yards (such as a 6mm Remington, .25-06, .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum or .300 Winchester Magnum), needs a rifle that averages 2 MOA groups. Those 2" groups at 100 yards will open to 6" at 300 yards. Very few hunters can take advantage of more accuracy than that in the field, so 2 MOA represents the practical limit of accuracy for most hunters. I am sure that Col. Whelen would have classified such a rifle as very "interesting." Of course, it is nice if Old Betsy will shoot even smaller groups at the rifle range, but it is simply not necessary from a practical standpoint.

Marlin is a good choice. But it depends on what your going after.

[Sponsor]

[Hazcat]

Heck,

Ya could pick up an old Mosin Nagant for $80.00 and 800 rounds of ammo for another $150.00 and it would damn sure do the job.  Ya wouldn't care about it bouncin' around in yer truck either.

[Big Frank]

Would a Mini-14 work for you or is .223 too small?

[Timothy]

I'm going to side with the Haz on this one.  For 200 yard reach, the 30-30 sheds too much energy to be very effective and 8-12" drop at 200 yards is tough to judge with irons.  I hunted with nothing but 30-30 over the years.  Quite cabable to 100-150 yards.  Further than that is .30-06 or .308 for me.

[fightingquaker13]

Heck,

Ya could pick up an old Mosin Nagant for $80.00 and 800 rounds of ammo for another $150.00 and it would damn sure do the job.  Ya wouldn't care about it bouncin' around in yer truck either.

Actually that ain't a bad idea. Buy two and you're still ahead of a used 30-30 only with '06 umph. I don't know how accurate the average nagant is, but you can't break them and they make a dandy club. If I had any excuse to own one I would. You don't mention price or preffered action though, or if you want it to double as a defensive rifle. Let us know.
FQ13

[Hazcat]

Actually that ain't a bad idea. Buy two and you're still ahead of a used 30-30 only with '06 umph. I don't know how accurate the average nagant is, but you can't break them and they make a dandy club. If I had any excuse to own one I would. You don't mention price or preffered action though, or if you want it to double as a defensive rifle. Let us know.
FQ13

And if the Mosin is a bit long have the local gun smith whack 2 or 3 feet off the barrel.