Question for rifle guys?

[-bowfreak-]

I read a lot of the information on here about rifles. Are you guys who are really into rifles as lost reading about archery as I am about rifles? I have bowhunted for 33 years and when I read all of the ballistics, load, cartridge, caliber recommendation rifle nerd out stuff, I am lost. I have recently really started enjoying rifle hunts with my girls. As long as I am able, I want to bowhunt but I really like watching them or anyone else shoot something with a rifle and it fold like a cheap suit. Maybe it's because everything archery is second nature to me but it seems like to really dig deep into rifles it's more complex than digging into archery.

 

[brsnow]

I read a lot of the information on here about rifles. Are you guys who are really into rifles as lost reading about archery as I am about rifles? I have bowhunted for 33 years and when I read all of the ballistics, load, cartridge, caliber recommendation rifle nerd out stuff, I am lost. I have recently really started enjoying rifle hunts with my girls. As long as I am able, I want to bowhunt but I really like watching them or anyone else shoot something with a rifle and it fold like a cheap suit. Maybe it's because everything archery is second nature to me but it seems like to really dig deep into rifles it's more complex than digging into archery.

I try to avoid getting to deep, I am archery as well, but rifle adds a season and I get to hunt with family and friends. My kids are getting closer to hunting age as well.

 

[WCB]

1st step in the process...realize that 99% of rifle talk is just like bow talk and it is groupie thinking. Remember a basic off the shelf rifle from any major manufacturer Winchester, Browning, Savage, Bergara, Tikka will get the job done and for 99.9% of guys and situations just as good as any custom/semi custom build.

Same with the same old boring calibers .308, .270, .300s, 7 Rems etc. You do not have to spend even $1,000 on a rifle. Like someone said above if you have specific questions ask away or PM happy to help.

 

[-bowfreak-]

I try to avoid getting to deep, I am archery as well, but rifle adds a season and I get to hunt with family and friends. My kids are getting closer to hunting age as well.

I am the guy who bought a rifle for my girls, picked up some ammo and sighted in the gun. I couldn't tell you specifics about even the ammo we are shooting. All I know is they are American Whitetail. I had to Google to know that they were made by Hornady.

I have really enjoyed it though. My girls have been pretty hard on the deer with their .243.

 

[-bowfreak-]

Also...I didn't mean to put this in the elk forum. I thought I was in general discussion.

Where do I find a list of mods?

 

[Laramie]

I have done both archery and firearm hunts for 30+ years but I do understand what you mean. It can be intimidating with all the information out there. Just remember, a good majority of it boils down to opinions and preferences. If a person follows state laws regarding caliber, buys ammo intended for the quarry they intend to pursue, and is responsible in shot selection, they will probably be just fine.

 

[CAElkhunter]

To me a rifle is a tool of my hobby. Beyond caliber and optics I really don't care about the technical details of twist, custom loads. I know a bit about ballistics because I want to be prepared for 500 yd shots which I have made the 2 I attempted and bullets that work on Elk. That is it. Don't really care about custom triggers, custom barrels or custom guns. Not my thing.

I prefer to talk about hunting areas, tactics, animals....etc.

 

[trophyhill]

Agree rifle adds time in the woods or in the hills when possible. When I started looking at ammo a couple months ago because I want to get more hunting time in, there is so much out there it does make your head swim.

With the shortage of ammo, I bought what I could. I have some Federal Trophy Bonded, Barnes, Winchester Expedition Big Game Accubonds, and some Remington HTP rounds.

 

[wyosam]

I love to get in to the minutia of rifles. Generally speaking, none of it matters for hunting at reasonable distances. Longer distance really only REQUIRES a better understanding of ballistics and better glass. Guns are a hobby in themselves. Sometimes we like to “justify” it by connecting it to a “need” for hunting, but its BS. I started hunting elk with a sporterized 03a3 Springfield with a cheap scope. I’ve got a bunch of other rifles now, and am in the process of building a custom that is my dream rifle. It will be an amazing tool when finished. It also wont do anything for me while hunting that my old Springfield wont do. It’ll be a touch lighter, it will have much better glass, it will have longer range capability (that I don’t use on elk anyway- the big scope comes off in the fall). It fills a bunch of wants, and a few “needs” that aren’t related to hunting. There are some fantastic rifles out there for well under $500 that will kill elk just fine.


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[Wassid82]

I have hunt both rifle and archery for many years. Rifle can get convoluted but only at longer and longer ranges. If someone could shoot an arrow 1000 yards it would be just as complicated. I also agree with the posts above that most things you read are slanted. keep an open mind and just take it in as data points. The physics of shooting a projectile haven't changed much in 600 years. E=MC2 for target impact....gravity is still the same anywhere on the planet....the other things affect the bullet at less than marginal levels (except at long distances). Rifle hunting with the use of good archery stalking techniques will help you get closer shots.

 

[Ross]

Having done both for 4 decades I like to keep both my bow and rifle simple, as above they are tools to the end goal. Unless you like to tinker with both you can find great success in simplistic setups with other aspects of hunting contributing further to success than the chosen weapon Good luck

 

[SDHNTR]

Neck deep in both bows and guns. Love em both. And totally enjoy geeking out on the techy details of both. Archery ballistics are just as important and fascinating and rifle. It’s all good stuff!

 

[cnelk]

Mark - At least one good thing with rifles is you won’t have to worry about arguing about FOC! Lol

 

[wildwilderness]

Mark - At least one good thing with rifles is you won’t have to worry about arguing about FOC! Lol

But you do have to argue about BC

 

[HighUintas]

Don't overthink it. Get a rifle, torque wrench, good scope, Talley rings, degrease the crap out if everything, torque to spec, have fun. If you can find ammo.

Don't start reloading or going after 1/2" groups, unless you want to spend all your money.

 

[mt100gr.]

For a couple months of the year, bows and rifles are tools for me. For the rest of the year they're my hobby. I swap parts, try new components, test for anything I am interested in and LEARN! Lately, it's been more rifles than bows but all the jargon is relative to how far you want to chase the rabbit. Both are as expensive and time consuming as you allow. But either can be kept simple, efficient and deadly.

1.5 twists on the right yoke, cam timing, nock changes, jaw release vs hook, etc....

.005 jump, BC, burn rate, primer switch, custom trigger, etc.....

 

[307]

A major difference between archery and rifles is the amount of "human element". Shooting a rifle (from a supported position) involves less human physical input compared to shooting a bow. It certainly requires competence, and in some aspects even more than archery, but the human physical variable is undoubtedly smaller. Hence crossbow vs vertical bow differences in accuracy...

IOW, no matter how much you refine archery equipment, the #1 variable in where that projectile goes is down to the human involved.

Since there's less effort spent in technique, you have more time to argue about powders, bc's, caliber and twist rates, etc...

But, OP, I definitely agree. It took me a couple weeks of looking things up before I could even begin to understand many of the threads here or on other dedicated rifle forums.

It's fun to learn new things.

 

[marshland_max]

I get it, I bow hunted for 25 years now. Loved every minute of it and had a lot of fun. Now Bowhunting to me is a chore - career, young kids and just plain lack of time. I have always been a "gun Hunter" Killed my first deer with a 20 ga slug from a bird gun. SO for about 27 years I've hunted with a firearm of some sort longer than with a bow.

Rifle can be as simple and as complicated as you want. One of my closest hunting buddies has been using the same Remington ADL in 30-06 for 21 years and its a $300 rifle he bought new. Wears a $200 scope. Been all over south Africa with it and all over NA with it. No custom anything - heck its the one rifle I don't reload for either! Shoot Blue box federal 180's into an 1.5" group all day and critters plain die.

For me now rilfes are my hobby! I reload , tweak , bend , twist everything just the way I want it! I try a lot of new gear and Ideas and I shoot a lot! I m a rifle loon lol

Find what you like - and just hunt!

 

[Aaron Warpony]

I'm colorblind, so the whole blood trailing in the dark on green plants (seems a constant thing in Archery) doesn't really work for me haha if i don't drop him, i start just doing circles till my buddy shows up

 

[-bowfreak-]

A lot of good comments. I am an archery geek. When I am not bowhunting I am working on my setup, trying new equipment, shooting, etc. Outside of my faith and family it is my life. I just sight in a rifle and take it hunting (my kids actually are the rifle hunters). I guess I don't have the extra brainpower to allow myself to deep dive into firearms. If I had a desire to hunt with them myself it would be different as I wouldn't be able to control myself from deep diving. At some point in my life I probably won't be able to shoot a vertical bow and at that point I will probably jump into the rifle game with both feet.