Where to buy a hunting rifle?

Alright, we passed Hunter Safety, next step in M'Ladys Project Pig is to acquire a 30-06 rifle.

Any of you hunters out there recommend a place that sells decent used hunting rifles? Within reasonable drive of the SF Bay Area?

There's a few, but you'll likely have to do some driving to check out a good selection.

Targetmasters in Milpitas always has a few.  Might want to check out Irvington Arms on Grimmer in Fremont... or at least call em...  they are good guys and might have what you need or can point you to what you're looking for.

If you go new, it seems the Savage rifles are a pretty good deal, but I haven't verified that.

Congrats to you and yours for passing the test.  Whose score was higher or was it a tie?  Glad to see you excercise your right to own a firearm.  I live too far away to give you gun dealer advice, but I'm sure someone will give you direction.
Tim

Phil.....no recommendation where to buy a smokeless rifle.

But black powder.....really, think about it.....
Muzzleloaders are fun, inexpensive to shoot....

AND you can buy them and have them shipped directly to you UPS...
they are classified as "antique weapons" and come under the horizon of
all that Federal Firearms License & waiting-period nonsense.

I bought my .50-cal Lyman Great Plains rifle (34-inch bbl with 1:34 twist)
for just over $400.    The 1:34 twist is good for shooting both connical bullets and patched round ball.   I shoot almost entirely connicals, 396-grain cast pure lead bullet with 110 grain powder charge of Pyrodex RS.....and get 1570 fps....holding 3.5-inch 20-shot groups!!!...at 100 yards.    I've set my sighting "Point On" at 160 yards.   This makes me 8-inches high at 100 yards, and 8.5-inches low at 200 yards.    This gives me a real-world "200-yard rifle" and I'm shooting black powder.   Pretty good.

Check out:    www.midsouthshooterssupply.com   and navigate your way to black powder muzzleloading rifles.    The  Lyman guns are BEAUTIFULLY finished and the stock is a very nicely figured walnut.    None of the trim is in garish brass......which makes the rifle very 'real' in terms of what men were carrying back in 1820-70.    I really enjoy my gun....and this contributes to using it a lot----rather than buying a rifle and storing it unused in the back of a closet for 360 days of the year.

Patched round ball bullet-drop......limits your shooting to 100 yards.   Round ball weighs about 180 grains and therefore the recoil is very light....making the rifle a dream to shoot.    As I say, my 1:34 twist lets me shoot both round ball and connicals accurately.   If I knew I were going to shoot patched round ball exclusively though, I would buy the rifle-model offered with 1:60 twist.   With 1:60 twist you coax your patched round ball groups down to three-and-less inches at 100 yards.

So.......I'm pointing out Black Powder guns to you....
I really like mine.

Oh, you wanna see mine......or shoot mine.....we can make an appt to meet out at Chabot Gun Club.   You can shoot all you like.

Judd

Get a curio and relic collectors license ($30), and order a C&R rifle over the internet and save a ton on taxes and BS.    Can also use it to get an 03A3 from the CMP. 

There is a great shop in sf that has been there for years. Can't think of the name but I will pass it long when I recall. Whatcha huntin fo
r there pilgrim?

Should have read the rest of your post instead of drinking my beer. A used gun for pig. Check out the calguns forum. Used 3006 come up for sale every once in a while.

check out gunsamerica.com. if you buy something you can have it shipped to a dealer or somebody with a  FFL license for a handling fee. i think its 50$. With a Nevada drivers license you can buy something and walk out the door right then. CA. sucks

CA. sucks

   Amen!!!!!!

 and don't go to " Fishing Guns and Stuff " in Vacaville.....

 It was such a pain with them... I think it's the owners that screw that place up....

  Attitude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

Congrats on passing the Hunter's safety course.  Make sure you keep your cards.  If you hunt in California all you have to show is an old hunting license to get a new license.  If you try to get an out of state license, in some states,  you to have to show the actual hunter's safety card.
If there is a Big-5 near you, you can pick up some decent rifles for a good price.  Just keep an eye out for the sales flier.  I would second the recommendation on the Savage rifles.  I have a model 110 in 30-06 and really like it.  It is not an heirloom rifle but, it is a good shooter.  You might also look at some of the surplus rifles that are available. The Mosin-Nagant rifles are inexpensive, tough as nails, and powerful enough for anything in CA.  But, with the straight bolt, you can't put a scope on them.

Be sure to post pictures of the end result.

Greg

You can browse this site for info too, and ask questions if you want. 
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/index.php

Take a look at City Arms in Pacifica. Not sure of they carry a good selection of used guns but it may be a good place to browse. I second the recommendation of big 5 and the savage rifle. They have pretty good triggers and are fairly accurate. Sports Authority also carries rifles and seem to have sales on a regular basis.

You seem to be set on the 30/06 but if you come across a .270 or .308, give them a second look. Both have very good knockdown power and ballistics that will take down a pig. 

Thanks for all the tips guys, much appreciated. Getting a Savage from Big Walmart Authority sounds like a great idea.

Judd; I thank you for the kind offer, but we have to walk before we can run! Once we purchase we will head to a local range to get some practise, so maybe we could meet at Chabot.

I am not set on a 30-06, we just need something that can take down a pig, so other calibers are fine. I just wrote 30-06 so it looked like I knew what I was talking about. Did it work?

 My dad has a old .308 savage (Or is it .303?) and boy does that thing kick! It kinda hurts if your not careful.  Course I was 11 or 12yrs old  last time I fired it 

for a nice cheap rifle another option is to find a local dealer that will accept from out of state for you.  they usually charge for paperwork and a handling fee of a few bucks.
Then you can look in places like Reno and Vegas, that's how I got my A-bolt for $500 with Leupold scope...

jim