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so here is my thought. often times during the day between morning/evening hunts we will go out in the woods for various things weather it be make repairs to a stand or put out corn or whatever. i refuse to go in the woods without a gun because im certain as soon as i do i will see the biggest deer ive seen and not have a gun to take a shot. i hate bringing my normal hunting rifles with me due to the added abuse to them. so ive been thinking of picking up something inexpensive open sights good for 100-150yds good for killing deer i know the obvious candidate would be something like a marlin lever 30-30 but ive just never cared for them. a couple of other thoughts that i have had are a lee enfield that my dad has. it has a set of updated open sights installed and has been sporterized. i thought about maybe dropping it in a synthetic montecarlo stock and calling it good. ive also thougt about maybe picking up a h&r 444 and putting a set of open sights on it but then you are limited to 1 shot which may be enough but i would like to have a few shots available since normally when you jump a deer they are moving. any other suggestions for me to consider? | ||
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The ol' 30-30 was my first thought, but it's been dismissed so... Ruger Deerfield Carbine (.44 mag) comes to mind. But they're not cheap. Some old 30-06 bolt gun for $200? Or perhaps a 20" Mosin Nagant or something? Heck, pick your surplus rifle of choice and go for it. I'd still say 30-30 though. Light, FAST, Handy. Could look at a Winnie instead of the Marlin, or perhaps a Rossi? PS: I wouldn't bother with a synthetic stock at all. Those rifles were designed to operate in any weather - I'd have to say the stocks are more than "seasoned" enough to withstand anything nature's going to throw at it now. Regards, Robert ****************************** H4350! It stays crunchy in milk longer! | |||
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Still my first choice.
I sold a neighbor one in 1982, he has filled his deer tags every year since with that carbine.
Any old decent iron sighted Mauser would fit that bill. hard to beat the '06 for availability and versatility of Factory ammo.  Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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Find a sporterized M94 Swedish Mauser carbine. They have 17 1/2 inch barrels. Accurate, handy, rugged, and hard hitting. I see them frequently for $150 or less. | |||
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I would look for a Remington 760 or 7600 in 30/06 or a similar caliber. First Stop Guns just listed a very nice 760 06 for $365.00. I have seen pumps in about 80% condition for $300 at local shows. I would look for something like that. | |||
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Abuse to them?? I don't own a big game gun that i can't use for "everything" that i do with a hunting rifle, NO MATTER what it cost! My "go to gun" has been everyplace with me, airplane, canoe, ATV, horse and everything else you can think of. That's why it's my "go to gun". I even take in on my trap line, and after more than 25 years of this "abuse", it still looks good, and works perfectly! DM | |||
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some good suggestions here. ive thought about the surplus rifle route but i know very little about them. that may be my best route to go though since like has been said i get the 30-06 chambering in alot of them. as for the pump ive never thought about that could be a good option. i just don't want something that im gonna be worried about briars scratching it or worried about wipping the mud off before it dries from the atv tires. or if it gets dinged up. i may check out some of the other lever gun offerings. i picked up a marlin 30-30 and it just didn't fit me well at all. it felt very cramped in the lever area. | |||
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what can i say dm i don't like scratches or dings on my guns. my hunting guns usually stay in the boot until i get off the atv to go to the stand. all of my guns pretty much look like they did when they came out of the box. | |||
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Here's an old VZ-24 in 7 X 57.....I put very little work into it but it'll do the job you described.....powerful and can be thrown around as much as you like. I retains the original barrel and stock and the action can be altered if you choose.....all in all a fine "truck gun"    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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vapodog, Can't beat that for a truck/atv gun. Old sported Mauser's are every place. Find one and you probably will have something that would fit the bill. I have a Spanish M43 in 8mm that was sported as my beater. Molon Labe New account for Jacobite | |||
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700 ADL synthetics are inexpensive. Had one in .270 Win and it was quite accurate. Personally didn't care for the blind mag at all, so I sold it. But if the lack of a floorplate is O.K. with you, it'd make a dandy behind-the-seater. Founder....the OTPG | |||
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This is an M48A that fits the bill. With the peep sight will easily shoot MOA when I do my part.   M48A $89.95 at the local Big5. A Boyd's laminated JRS stock, a few hours rasping on the stock, a few more on the milling machine & lathe, and presto! Shoots straight, hits HARD, even looks decent. Light weght and easy to carry too. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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What DM said 100%. Every hunting rifle I have, custom or factory, was bought to go to the woods. And if it's snowy or rainy, if I can take it so's the rifle gonna. Why not spend a couple of bucks and buy a hard sided case??? And if you're as anal as your post seem to indicate, just use the hard sided case to carry it back in the woods. Aim for the exit hole | |||
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Model 200 Stevens in 7-08 or .308 .Light weight inexpensive rifle and a fair cartridge.Need cheap scope, rings and mounts. rogerOld age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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SKS--7.62x39. Fast, easy to shoot, not very expensive, and a piece of junk that can't be hurt. | |||
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my guns do ride in a hard sided gun boot going to and from the stand. i want something that i don't mind throwing in a set of rifle mounts on the front and taking off. | |||
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+1,000,000 | |||
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I would look for a pre-accutrigger Savage 110. I bought one in 30-06 with open sights that was like brand new for $299. I liked it so well I bought another one identical to it for $300. Since I bought them for beaters, I put used Leupold scopes on them and killed hogs out of the truck with one of them but just getting load development done on the other one. When I'm done with them, My son will get one and my nephew gets one. That will be their all round hunting rifle whether they want one or not. I guess I got lucky cause both feed very well and shoot good too. Merg | |||
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I would say the options have been covered, What do you consider inexpensive? That is the hardest criteria to meet. My solution don't leave the woods,...I sit dawn to dusk,...bring a lunch if conditions change I still hunt to another stand for those conditions. Then you always have your go to gun with you! | |||
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How bout the good ol shotgun? If you are only looking for accuracy to 150 yards the slugs and guns are quite capable of killing deer at that range today. You'd be hard pressed to find a gun that will handle quicker than a shotgun and you can pick them up cheap to boot. My favorites are the Ithaca M37 and the Remington 870. **************************The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first. | |||
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Does this thing look beat up and full of dings to you??    I've spend "weeks" at a time in the Alaskan bush, rafting, flying ect. from one place to another, also on snowmobiles and ATV's.  And while walking my trapline,  Like i said, it's been my "go to gun" for over 25 years now... All it takes is a little common sense, and you get to use your most treasured gun for all of your valued hunting memories. DM | |||
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I would use my 30/06 and watch out for bushes & briers I do these things with any of my guns. | |||
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You are all answering the wrong question. According to the title, he's looking for a beater dear rifle, so a deer rifle is another subject.  KB ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | |||
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Any modern Savage bolt gun: They shoot good and the more beat 'em, the better they look. ;-) **************** NRA Life Benefactor Member | |||
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I'd go with your dad's Lee Enfield, although I agree with someone else that the synthetic stock probably isn't necessary. As it is, do you find it light enough and quick enough to "on target" for what you want? If I had to start from scratch, I'd probably begin with a Lee Enfield. I'd probably only swap the stock out if the original was a horrible fit for me, it was fatally damaged, or I simply had to have a lighter rifle. | |||
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i think you solved my issue. i never even thought about a slug gun but that is the perfect choice. good for thick areas shoulders quick, quick follow up shots and i already have one. all i need to do is pick up a slug barrel and put some good fiber optic sights on it and im good. the gun i have is synthetic also and replacement stock sets are cheap for it even if those get scratched up. | |||
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I go with a stainless bolt action rifle with a composite stock in .270 or 308 or 30 06. Bolt guns are much easier to clean than lever guns and ammo easy to find. I'd probably buy the gun used if I could find one I liked. Stainless guns with composite stocks resist corrosion and require less care. They're also a good buy used because many shooters find them ugly. Any good stainless gun would work but I'd lean toward a late model Ruger 77 with the better trigger, or buy an older SS model 77 and replace the trigger. If you scratch Ruger's SS finish you can out with fine emery paper, because it's a brushed finish and not surface coating. The Ruger's SS guns are shinier that other mfcrs for the same reason, but a little camo tape or spray paint made for duck blinds fixs that. FYI I've got a 25 yr old SS A-Bolt I bought used for a quarter of what most of my guns cost. The matt finish is worn off in spots so I use tape on it. It's the best value in a gun I've ever owned. I've killed scores of deer with it and it still drives tacks. Sei wach! | |||
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Weatherby Vanguard Stainless rifles in your choice of calibers were going for $350 not too long ago ... Regards, Chuck "There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit" Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness" | |||
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A savage 340 bolt in 30-30 is a neat little beater. Shot mine this am, quite accurate. Bob | |||
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I agree, I have a 325, fun gun. I carried a Marlin 336 aound the hills near Fredericksburg for many hears, heck, even hunted West texas with it. One shot, one kill, handy, easy to shoot. Any gun can be a beater gun. Just look in my safe, lol.  Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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Wow. That's all a lot to digest. I think it just goes to show that almost any type of gun would do the job. There are many guns that you can pick up on the second hand market. Any one of the firearms listed below could do the job and there are many, many more that would meet your requirements. Semi-auto: Old Remington in .35 Rem Later Remington in one of many calibers SKS Ruger Mini-30 Ruger .44 Winchester 100 in .308 or .358 Bolt: Savage 340 or similar Remington 788 Savage 110 Mil surplus Mauser (I like the 1895 and 1908 in 7mm) Enfield (your dad's or other) Winchester 670 Shotgun: Rem 870 Savage 311 Mossberg 500 Rem 1100 Ithaca 37 The variety is part of what makes shooting so fun and interesting. It is also why you are compelled to ask for suggestions and recommendations. Sure it's fun to talk about, but I suspect that you realize how just many guns there are that you would be satisfied with for your "beater gun". So what is there to do? Whatever you finally decide will be based more on your personal preferences then on identifying the ideal gun. There is no ideal gun for any task. Well, to play along, I will make two suggestions. 1. Your dad's Enfield.
2. An SKS. Sksshooter, I am assuming you chose your screen name for a reason.
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I like this plenty, especially in it's chambering. This is a nice rifle you have- This is my absolute favorite surplus/trucker- -great job on a really practical working rifle. | |||
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  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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my first 2 thoughts were a dirty thirty or a used pump shotgun with a rifled bbl or just shoot slugs. One of my hunting buddies uses his little 20 gauge in his hardwoods in KY over his 270 and .06. It's a quick, handy little gun and shoots well. He killed his 2 biggest bucks with it. next thoughts were a used remmy or browning semi auto in 308 or 708. handy but heavy but will take care of any deer. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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It is not nice to shoot your significant other...oh you are looking for a deer gun Mike Legistine actu? Quid scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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The rifle pictured below qualifys as a beater. I just bought it, so I don't have it yet, but I expect it to be accurate, if it's like all the other Tikkas I've seen and heard about. Besides accuracy, the reasons it's a beater is the price, synthetic stock, good trigger, and most importantly because I won't feel the urge to improve it, and thus spend a bunch more money on it. All it needs is scope, rings, sling, ammo, sighting in, and opportunity. This is a rough duty rifle that I won't have to be real careful and gentle with, but of course I'll take good care of it anyway. The bolt is still inside the box, as this is a new rifle. I don't limit the term beater to old junk rifles, military sporters, and rifles that aren't taken care of. They can include new or near new sporters too, that can be purchased for not very much money, and shoot much - much better than some of the old junk that some take pride in abusing. There is no need to beat up a rifle, when it can stay nice for years, with a little care. There's also no need to haul around an old military surplus POS in 7.62x39, which IMO is about as poor excuse for a deer or "dear" rifle/cartridge as they get.  I do like vapo's and z1r's Mausers, but IMO they are too nice to really be a "beater".  ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | |||
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I have a 788 Remington in 308; I had a gee-whizz 10X scope mounted, it took me too long to admit that it was losing zero constantly. I want to put a 2-7 Leupold on it and see if my scores don't improve. If it shoots, it would make a nice pig/deer rifle, with the requisite "I expect it to get banged around a bit" quality. | |||
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[QUOTE]i know the obvious candidate would be something like a marlin lever 30-30 but ive just never cared for them.[QUOTE] You may not find the marlin appealing, but it's hard to beat in the situation you've described. My dad has one with a williams peep on it, and I've made some pretty decent shots with it at 140 or 150 yards. You also mention quick follow-up shots; reloading a lever gun - Winchester or Marlin - is about as natural and quick as blinking your eye. Last thing - the balance & carry of those levers is just about perfect; what's more, you can tweak the balance just by adjusting the number of cartridges in the magazine. Good luck! friar Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain. | |||
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What the hell is a "dear gun"???? Larry Sellers SCI Life Member | |||
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