what is everyone using for a deer rifle?

03 June 2010, 01:23

I've taken deer with a 30-30, 44 Mag, 444 Marlin, 270, 7mm-08, 7-08AI, 7mmRemMag, 30-06, and a 300WinMag. That's what I can remember. If you hunt in the timber, a 30-30 is more than enough gun. If you hunt mule deer at long range, it's hard to beat a 7mmRemMag, and there are a lot of good deer cartridges between those two. My current flavor is the 7-08AI. Bottom line, find a firearm that you like and can shoot well, and put the bullet in the right place, and it really doesn't matter what you use, as long as it's enough gun. All the deer I've taken with various firearms were equally dead.

04 June 2010, 09:24

buffybr

My favorite deer rifle for the past 30+ years is my .257 AI built on a Mauser Mark X action, topped with a 6x Leupold, and shooting 117 gr Sierra GameKing or 120 gr Hornady HP bullets. This has also been my favorite combination for antelope and mountain sheep.

Other rifles that I've shot deer with include the .22 LR, .22-250, .30-06, .308 Win, .32 Spl, .45 muzzle loader, and a 12 gage shotgun.

With proper bullet placement, deer are not that hard to kill.

04 June 2010, 16:10

wistrapper

Up until just a couple of years ago we were required to use shotguns in our Deer Management Zones. For that I used an Ithaca Deerslayer III. It is not a deer rifle per se but it shoots like one. Now depending on what stand I hunt I use the Deerslayer or a Win Mod. 70 in 7mmSTW

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04 June 2010, 16:28

fgulla

The 7-08 is close to the perfect all around deer cartridge, and i dont even shoot one

But it really depends on WHERE you are hunting. If its real thick brush, then a short, easy to manuvere, rifle is your best bet(rem model seven) all the cartridges you listed will get it done on whitetail, they are pretty easy to kill...

06 June 2010, 16:54

holzauge

.270 Win. Win Model 70 @9 lb.s all up under 300 yrds, 95% of my hunting.

7mm Mag. Win Model 70 @12 lb.s all up if over 300 yrds seems likely, i.e. soybean fields.

7mm 08. Rem. 700 Titanium @6.5 lb.s if I'm going to hunt where it's steep.
The light gun shoot great off the bench but I find it much harder to shoot it accurately in the field but shots over 50 yrds are rare in the woods.

30'06 Browning A-Bolt @7.5 lb.s if it's steep and also bear season.

All my hunting rifles are stainless with composite stocks. All my triggers are lightened to @3 lb.s except for the 7mm 08 which is lighted to @2 lbs. All have Zeiss or Leupold scopes except the 7mm Mag which has a Bushnell 4x16x50.

06 June 2010, 18:08

Bernie P.

For me either the 7x57 or .280.Either is great for anything in N America and most anywhere else.I'd go with something bigger for stopping dangerous game but other than that they're all I'll ever need.

06 June 2010, 19:59

KRyder

300 Weatherby.
Ken

07 June 2010, 06:12

gas57

6.8 SPC in an AR-15 topped with a 3.5x10x40 Leupold.

08 June 2010, 22:41

Dr B

300 wsm
308 win
30-06 spr
270 win
257 STW
223 WSSM
223 Rem
45-70 gov

They all work I've killed the most whitetail with the 308 Win and 30-06, but the 5lb 300wsm is the most fun to carry, and the most accurate.
I would probly still be using my 270 win the most but I got the custom rifle bug a while back and had Kevin Weaver build the 300 for me It is the most amazingly accurate light weight rifle that I have ever shot.

Weaver Rifles
16850 Sage Creek Rd.
Peyton CO 80831
(719)683-3024 or (719) 337-0501
kevin@weaverrifles.com

09 June 2010, 02:42

Oxon

I've been using a Heym SR30 270 Winchester for some years and see no reason to change.

Well,...maybe! Recently got a 9.3x74R Chapuis DR and if I ever learn to shoot it well then I might try it once, but it's a bit of overkill.

09 June 2010, 03:58

Use Enough Gun

.300 WSM, Model 70, Winchester or
.270 Win, Model 70, Winchester

09 June 2010, 04:02

ACRecurve

My present favorite is a 7x57.

Good hunting,

Andy

-----------------------------
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09 June 2010, 07:48

Chop901

Many of the deer cartridges mentioned in this thread are almost as good as the .257 Roberts.

10 June 2010, 17:53

Austin Hunter

308 winchester - lots of factory ammo options and hand loading.

Remington has 125 grain reduced recoil loads good for 200 yards.

I'm partial to a Hornady 150 SST for an all around round.

Hornady has their Superformance ammo that will bring the 308 up to 30-06 performance.

Get a Tikka T3; wood/blued; or synthetic/stainless; add a limbsaver pre-fit pad and a2-7 or 3-9 scope; don't go over $200 on the scope.

Here's a target from my Tikka 308:

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10 June 2010, 18:39

airgun1

My current deer gun is a pre 64 Win 70 Fwt in 30-06.

I have used a 30-30 Marlin 336, a 257 Roberts and Improved, 8mm Mausers, a 375 H&H (once just to shoot something with it), and a 20 and 12 gauge shotgun at various times.

I have only gotten a deer with 30-06 numerous times and a 12 gauge a couple of times in shotgun areas in Georgia. I never had an opputunity when carrying the others.

My deer load for 30-06 used to be 165 gn Nosler Ballistic Tips but anymore I use my 180 gn Nosler Partitions load for everything.

10 June 2010, 20:16

Ghubert

quote:
Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
308 winchester - lots of factory ammo options and hand loading.

Remington has 125 grain reduced recoil loads good for 200 yards.

I'm partial to a Hornady 150 SST for an all around round.

Hornady has their Superformance ammo that will bring the 308 up to 30-06 performance.

Get a Tikka T3; wood/blued; or synthetic/stainless; add a limbsaver pre-fit pad and a2-7 or 3-9 scope; don't go over $200 on the scope.

Here's a target from my Tikka 308:

I was agreeing with everything you said up until the @don't spend more than $200 on a scope" bit!

Perhaps you tend not hunt at first and light light as much as we do here but I would say if one has a budget of $1000 dollars I would say spend 200 bucks on the rifle and the rest on the scope rather than visa-versa.

You can't hit what you can't see, I mean.

11 June 2010, 00:53

Low Wall

quote:
Originally posted by Dr B:
300 wsm
308 win
30-06 spr
270 win
257 STW
223 WSSM
223 Rem
45-70 gov

They all work I've killed the most whitetail with the 308 Win and 30-06, but the 5lb 300wsm is the most fun to carry, and the most accurate.
I would probly still be using my 270 win the most but I got the custom rifle bug a while back and had Kevin Weaver build the 300 for me It is the most amazingly accurate light weight rifle that I have ever shot.

Dr B,
You should do a thread on your little Weaver built 300wsm..
I am sure others beside myself would be interested in hearing more about it along with photos of course if you please..
But then again my rifle budget is blown for this year and it is just half over...

Edit: Sorry Doc B,
I did a search and found that you not only did a thread on your 300wsm but I posted on that thread..

11 June 2010, 08:44

Austin Hunter

I have scopes of all price ranges and I've found that the little bit of extra light I get with my Zeiss is normally before or after legal shooting hours.

I also compared my Burris Signature Select 10x50 to my friends Swarovksi SLC 10x42. The Swarovski were better....... at 1 mile. And he got his half-price thru a relative that worked at Swarovski, so that would be okay; regular street price, no way.

11 June 2010, 10:10

cmfic1

Kinda depends on terrain I am hunting up here.

Custom Rem 700 280 Rem. w/140 TSX & 3.5-10X40 VXIII
Custom Rem 700 7mmSTW w/140 TSX & 4.5-14X40 LR VXIII

I havent used it yet, but I recently acquired a super cool little Custom Rem 700 in 7mm-08, I have a 2.5-8 VXIII and actually just worked up some loads for it tonight, See how 120 TSX's do in it.

I have been also wanting to use my Marlin GG in 450 Marlin on stand.

Rod

--------------------------------
"A hunter should not choose the cal, cartridge, and bullet that will kill an animal when everything is right; rather, he should choose ones that will kill the most efficiently when everything goes wrong"
Bob Hagel

11 June 2010, 16:37

fgulla

6.5X55 rem 700 classic, 358win Browning BLR, 7mmSAUM Rem model seven stainless/synthetic, 35 whelen savage 110.

With your list i would go for a 7-08 in a rem model seven, nice compact rifle, for Georgia deer it should be perfect

11 June 2010, 18:44

sam308

I usually go with a BLR in .308, but if I'm hunting over an open field I'll use my .300WSM. Somedays I just feel a little strange and use my no.1 in 7x57. Can't go wrong with a 30-06 though.

11 June 2010, 21:47

jstevens

In my young farm kid days, killed several with a .22LR, several with .223, .220 Swift, I often shoot meat deer during the winter doe season with my big bores just to get practical hunting experience with them, so have shot them with up to a .416. By far the largest number have been killed with a 7x57.

12 June 2010, 07:02

Jpat

6.5x55, 8x57, 7mm Rem mag, .303 brit, 7.62x54r, .308, 9.3x57

12 June 2010, 08:09

youngoutdoors

I use a 300 RUM when hunting for a trophy; but have killed a bunch of deer with a 204 Ruger on depredation permits.

Its all about bullet placement no matter what you choose, deer aren't hard to kill if you hit em right.

Shoot whatever you get enough to know the rifle and your abilities.

God Bless, Louis

12 June 2010, 08:37

Wookie316

6.5mm-300 Win Mag built on a Sako AV action. Brown Precision stock. 4.5x15x40mm Leupold in Talley mounts
24 1/2" barrel 1-8 twist.

140gr Accubond @ 3300FPS

12 June 2010, 22:41

randy hodder

quote:
Originally posted by Rojelio:
quote:
Originally posted by randy hodder:
300ultra mag, 14 for 14 ,dropped in there tracks.Buddy shot a deer in the shoulder with his 30 06 and didn t get him,a first for him. It would not have happened with the ultra mag.

Randy, if your buddy didn't recover the deer, how does he know exactly where he hit him. I'm thinking it was a bad hit because he certainly wasn't undergunned.

13 June 2010, 21:54

Brando

Remington 700 BDL, chambered in the mighty .308 topped with a nice leupold 3-9x50...Shooting 165gr Federal premium trophy bonded tips and animals die from fear...If they dont die from fear they dont have a chance to run. 1 shot, 1 kill everytime...

14 June 2010, 21:36

Krochus

I'm hunting with either a .30HRT ar15 topped with a Leupy 2x7x33LR (open country)

or a retro A1 chambered in .223 shooting 55g Sierra Gamekings topped with a Trjicon reflex (Lighweight brush gun)

I'll prolly use my 357 rolling block some too

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And if you should die explainin' how the thing they complain about
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15 June 2010, 06:36

Mike Ray

All you list will work have had great success with t3 270, but used a 6.5 swede in rem. classic in six synthetic stock, 120 nosler bt reloader 22 , For me is the ultimate. I'm so impressed I've bought a t3 ss, and building two custom mausers, but a deer isn't hard to kill if you make a good shot.

15 June 2010, 22:51

Jim C. <><

Well, this exercise in foolishness has pretty well attained the 3 pages or so I predicted. Guess it's given the OP a good and useful idea of what "everyone is using for a deer rifle." Now what?

22 June 2010, 06:14

CCMDoc

quote:
Originally posted by shooter65:
I am undecided on what caliber and brand to get!!<br /><br />25-06, 270, 280, 30-06, 7mm-08.<br /><br />suggestions please??

This year I'll use a Chapuis 9.3x74 double.
Last year I used a 260 remington Model 700 Ti
The year before I used a Marlin 1895 in 45/70
The year before that A Remington 673 in 350 Rem Mag. And a different one every year for many years.

I'd say a 30-06 in a Savage Model 110 or Remington 700 or in just about anything that feels good when you shoulder it. Ammo - cheap and easy anywhere you go in more varieties than can be listed. Perfect for anything in the US.

22 June 2010, 06:56

McVik

I usually carry a 7x57 or a 6.5x55, but I'll probably take the 9.3x62 out this year as my primary rifle (just for fun). I just picked up a SAKO 85 in .338 Federal that I may pack along as my backup.

22 June 2010, 07:41

mstarling

I've used a couple of three chamberings in the last 10 years or so:

.223 Rem
6mm Rem
.270 Win
.308 Win
.338 Win Mag
9,3x62
9,3x74R DR
.375 H&H
.470 NE DR

Didn't like the effectiveness of the .223 ... not much leeway. Replaced it with a 6.8 SPC II.

All of the others work fine. Interestingly, the larger bores do less damage to meat than a .270 Win.

If I am in piggy country I'll almost always take one of the 9,3s as well ... and they do a wonderful job.

22 June 2010, 09:39

cmfic1

quote:
Originally posted by Jim C. <><:
Well, this exercise in foolishness has pretty well attained the 3 pages or so I predicted. Guess it's given the OP a good and useful idea of what "everyone is using for a deer rifle." Now what?

Now what?....climb back under your rock
If you dont like it, dont read it!

Without question, you have the stupidest post on this thread.

Who cares if the OP garnered any knowledge from this (hope he did), maybe its interesting to some of us to see what other folks use in their neck of the woods...thats what I took from it

What I/we got from your post, is nothing.

22 June 2010, 17:16

seafire/B17G

Recommended to me by a forum member from down in the Carolinas, who has taken 'thousands' of deer...

22 hornet, 6.5 grains of Blue Dot and a 45 grain SP....

feels like a magnum... by my 17 HMR is in the shop...

......

25 June 2010, 13:41

.530Woodleigh

For me it could be a .30-30, .308, 30-06, 7X57, .45-70, on a wild day... a 7.62X39, but never a .22" nothin unless I was poaching..not in many years.

29 June 2010, 03:39

jsl3170

right now it's a 375 H&H

30 June 2010, 11:01

Brando

I have used a 20 Ga. single shot loaded up with slugs...

Also shot 30-30's, 308 and 30-06...All of which kill sht episs out of the deer...

Persoanlly I prefer my 308 lightweight rifle. It kicks like a pissed off mule, but it shoots flat and into sub MOA groups.

30 June 2010, 14:59

J.D.Randell

Winchester Mod. 70 "Stainless Classic," 30-06, synthetic stock, Leupold 3 - 9x 40mm VX II. And most any other game in No. America, although I like to go larger cal. for Elk, or Moose and large Bear, neither of which I hunt, yet.

01 July 2010, 19:24

quote:
what is everyone using for a deer rifle?

My "go to gun" is chambered 8x57jrs, and it's quite accurate with my "one load for everything" 200NP handloads.

I've taken everything from moose and bear on down with this gun/load,

And it works just fine in the brush,

Or across open fields,

It's been a great companion.

DM