The data I’ve read on 350 legend show fairly similar performance to a .30-30, but its straight wall makes it legal in many states that don’t allow any tapered cartridges, including the .30-.30.
I’ve actually had a down payment on a new Ruger manufactured Marlin 336 in 30-30 for six months or so with no calls from the LGS. I was intending to hunt with that but they still aren’t available. Since I can’t get the adult Red Ryder I want, I’m thinking an entry-level bolt gun like the Ruger American gen II in .350 Legend will work just as well. It just won’t scratch my lever gun itch, won’t be as satisfying to clean, but it can be used in more states and I won’t worry about the finish.
I still want a proper, heirloom-quality rifle too, but if I go with a plastic .350 Legend now I’ll have the justification I need to talk myself into getting more Elmer Fudd guns I don’t need down the line.
The kid was me, after literally shooting myself in the foot with it to find out what happened when I shot my foot. What happened was that it stung my foot and bounced off my shoe right back into my glasses.
I got pretty good with the old Red Ryder. After lots of practice factoring all of the variables you get with a BB gun, like the horrible trigger, action and BB drop/windage, everything else shooting-related has been relatively easy to pick up the basics. Not that I’m a great shooter with what I’ve shot, but I’m competent.
It’s kind of like learning to drive on a full size conversion van. It drives so much worse than your typical car that everything else is a breeze to drive in comparison. I’m not a racecar driver, but I confidently parallel park my Toyota Tundra double cab in Boston.
Accurate! And it’s important to hold zero. In addition to the optics themselves some budget scopes slip, then you’re aiming center chest and clipping an ear tip.
Don’t worry about the Savages at Cabela’s, they’re popular starters! Head over to their used rack and see if you can find an Axis or a Stevens in .243 or .308. Good luck this season!
Those Crossmans are an American Classic and a serious step up from the Red Ryder. Only the lucky kids with neglectful parents got them in my neighborhood.
@jshaving It occurred to me today that I owe you an apology for all of your relatives I mercilessly slaughtered in my imagination with my Red Ryder. It seemed like good clean fun at the time.
They really were a lot of fun! And for all intents and purposes, packed quite a wallop. About 750 fps. If I remember right, and with some practice could hit just about anything from almost anywhere.
@T3hPwnisher a lot of good advice here already, so I’m really just going to echo a lot of it. .270 is just about the perfect deer round, and having done a decent amount of hunting in Nebraska, it’s more than capable for any game you are going to find out there. (Idk if I’ve ever mentioned it, but my moms side of the family is from North Platte) Savage guns are everywhere because they are fantastic. I’m also a fan of the ruger American rifle… which looks shockingly like the Savage Axis… which is probably why it’s a good gun.
Side note, but I would personally avoid the Remington 700. It’s historically a great gun, but has had some serious quality control issues in recent years. The more expensive models are still serious quality, but I’d avoid the $400 Walmart version
My opinion as well, but I’ve not so much as held any of the new Remington guns. I hear the quality has gotten much better, but can’t speak to it personally.
I’m going on 40 and Remington has been dog shit my entire life. I know I’m pissing some guys off, but just my experience with guns I’ve used and the guys I’ve hunted with. I own 2 Remingtons that I love, but they’re 100 years old.
In the early 2000’s Remington was bought by a private equity investor and like all things private equity the sole focus became profitability vs quality, reputation (as long as profits were maintained) and in Remingtons case even history/decorum.
They laid lots of workers off and adopted the PE “do more with less” mantra, found lowest possible tolerances for quality in material et cetera.
It was a bummer because before the current manufacturing and machining we see leveling quality playing fields across manufacturers today, Remington really stood out prior. Especially the 700 series.
Anyways they were bought again a few years ago after the PE chop house decided to cash, and closed factories reopened & were staffed, new owners presumably are bringing quality back but it’s probably too early to tell.
I would 100% go with a Tikka T3 over a Remington 700 for now. Many high end custom shops made the switch to building out Tikkas vs Remingtons years ago and haven’t moved back.
Tikka will cost a little more but if you get one of the synthetic stock versions it still falls in to budget rifle territory, without sacrificing quality. Especially if you buy a used one. And if you do want to up your game later you can just build it out. Their “guts” are used on custom builds that sell for multiple thousands of dollars retail.
Tikka makes a fantastic rifle! I own a few Remington 700s and I agree that the quality has significantly decreased in the last 20-25 years. An older used 700 would be hard to beat. I would also recommend looking at Howa. They are basically Weatherby barreled actions. I would personally love to own a Blaser, but damn they are high!
My long range buddy retired his M700 R5 and bought a Tikka, thinking he’d love it and absolutely hated it. It had the weird pivoting bipod mount. He ended up selling the Tikka and going with an M700 R5 in 6.5 Creedmoor. He had it bedded and blocked in a McMillan chassis and he loves that gun.
I’m coming at this more from the long range target world and not from the hunting aspect, so YMMV.
Both rifle stocks can be customized, both can be “trued” and accurized, and both can swap barrels if extreme accuracy is in order, but Tikka comes with a sub-MOA guarantee off the shelf, before any customizing.
For long range stuff I personally like Zermatt or Defiance actions and Proof barrels on an aluminum pillar, glass bedded synthetic stock. McMillans are great.
People argue guns like Ford vs Chevy so I’m curious what he didn’t like objectively.
