Which rifle to buy

[vickyjo]

Thanks for all your great suggestions! I'm thinkin I'll go with the 7mm08 because I definately will be hunting elk in the future and it seems more in my price range than some of the others suggested. Checking out the ballistics, it seems like a pretty flat shooting gun that definately packs enough punch to take down an elk. Last winter I borrowed a friends old WW2 30-06 Springfield for elk hunting and it definately kicked like a mule and it was just really too heavy for me, and if that heavy gun kicked so much, the lighter, shorter youth model may not be what I'm looking for. As far as shooting other guns, I've shot 12 and 20 guage shotguns, a friends 45-70 (which really knocked me back), and several handguns (ie. 9mm, 357, 38 special, 22s).

Anyways, I'm doing some comparison shopping and it seems like the Savage brand is a great basic gun that is pretty cheap (considering the cost of other brands). I think the trick now will be to find out who sells a left handed youth gun! But I'm thinking about possibly getting a right handed rifle and shooting it left handed. Or possibly chopping the stock off a left handed adult rifle (Savage also has that new accu-trigger thing that seems pretty awsome, and the youth model doesn't have that option). So many options! You see I'm right handed, but left eye dominant and unfortunately I've never been able to wink my left eye shut! I guess when I was younger I just learned to shoot left handed because it feels more comfortable and I'm more accurate that way.

As far as scopes I'm not even sure where to start there. I have a pair of Nikon Monarch binoculars that I love to death and I hear they have those for scopes too.

Thanks again for all your responses and opinions. I'm really excited about getting my very first rifle and I just want to make a good choice! Everyone has been a great help! I'll keep you posted on what I eventually get!