hunting DEER in mixed forest and meadows in the rolling hill country nearest you? Why are they your favourtites for this sort of game and terrain?

There is no wrong answer to this question, and you don't have to defend your choices. The very best rifle and cartridge for every man when hunting deer is the one he feels most at ease with.


My favourite rifle and cartridge for that work are an older slightly sporterized M'94 Swedish carbine chambered for 6.5x55 and shooting 139 grain Norma C 'n C bullets (It still wears the original military stock and forend/barrel cap).

This old rifle has a Redfield receiver sight with the screw-in eye-piece removed so it performs as a ghost ring sight. The front sight has been changed to a medium size "ball type" gold bead. It is very visible in the darker woods, and isn't so big when shooting across a meadow that it covers up the game.

I like the cartridge because it has enough velocity to usually not require much (if any) lead on a moving animal out to about 150 yards, and shoots flat enough that I can hold dead on to hit the part of a deer I want, out to about 200 yards. I almost never need to shoot any farther than that across a meadow, and 30 yards is about sufficient for almost all my shots in the woods. It is relatively quiet to use, and has little recoil, which I find nice too.

So, what do you feel most comfortable with , and why did you pick that rifle and cartridge?

I have two favorites and it really depends on which one is closer to me when I open the gun closet.

Either my .375 H&H or my .35 Whelen. I know where both rifles ar hitting at various ranges and know what either can do, if I do my part.

For me that would be the 7mm-08 in my Savage Sierra carbine topped with a Burris 2x7 compact. If I do my part, it is one of the most accurate rifles I've ever owned. It's light, compact and ridiculously reliable no matter the weather or conditions I put it through. It is the most dependable rifle I've ever owned and over the years although I can afford more expensive setups, I've never had a reason to change from Savage or Burris.

Its gotta be my aperture sighted 7x57 with the 160gn bullet, either a softnosed cast at 2400fps or the Woodleigh PP at 2700fps but for that I usally add the 2-7 Leupold in qd rings.

My single most favorite rifle is a plain run of the mill Model 70 30-06. Loaded with 60 gr H4831 and Sierra 200 gr bullets with a Leupold 2x7 scope. Has done everything I've ever asked of it. Been the same gun for over 40 years but swapped out an old Weaver K4 for the Leupold.

Aaron

300 weatherby usually for deer. If I get invited on a hog hunt and they say they say big ones have been taken I take my 375 with me. I know it is a lot of rifle but it is kind of special to me.
Okie

Mauser 6.5x55 R-AI... even though it may just wound them and they run away and die... {*>

For the first time I used my K31 Schmidt Rubin this last season. It's crazy accurate and has enough enough range to match the conditions that I typically hunt in from tree stand in the middle of a timber to fence lines to sitting on a ridge overlooking a river bottom. It's a big plus to me too that you just can't hurt this rifle either.

My Savage M116 in .338 Win Mag with short barrel, plastic stock and 2x7 Leupold Compact. Lightweight, handy and accurate enough. No, I don't use magnum ammo for small deer, I download it to ~2350 fps with the Hornady 200SP. Works very well too. I fell in love with the rifle when I lived in Alaska where moose, bear and deer fell to it. Now in Texas the game is smaller so the loads are too. Not much more than the old classic .33 WCF but in a modern platform...



.

I have two:

Remington M7MS in .257 Roberts in fair-weather conditions. 117gr. SGK at 2,850 fps is just fantastic deer medicine. Mostly cuz this rifle is crazy accurate and it's named after me (*Robert...).



Remington M7 AWR in 7mm SAUM in snotty conditions. 150 gr. Nosler E-Tip at 2,900 fps. Or if I have to walk a whole lot as it's the lightest rifle I have in the safe. Or if it's in California where I'm required to use non-lead (I signed this rifle for exactly one bullet and load - an E-Tip that groups sub 3/4" at 100.)

It's wore two Leupold scopes and three diferent stocks but my 30-06 has been my favorite for a very long time

quote:

Remington M7 AWR in 7mm SAUM in snotty conditions.

Robert, is that the one I had? Great to hear it's getting some use these days.

BLaser Attache' in 7mm Rem Mag. Probably too much for Whitetails, but it's my "go to" for most anything in the continental US.

I would have to go with my early 1990's Rem 700 mountain rifle in 270 Winchester.

Just had a new barrel put on it, pillared and bedded, the tupperware stock. Bead blasted all the metal to touch up the finish.

Topped with a Leupy 2.5-8x36, plain old duplex in ultra low rings. This gun as shot bullet weights from 90-170gr, varmints to elk. But I have settled on 130gr TSX with 60gr of H4831SC. Put's three of them right at 3/4".

But besides all the ballistic gack, this gun simply fits me and is an extension of me when out hunting.

It has never failed me after 20 years, no accidental discharges or bolts falling off.

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
It's wore two Leupold scopes and three diferent stocks but my 30-06 has been my favorite for a very long time

Ted - That sure looks like some fine "eatin' meat you're resting your rifle on. Makes me drool just to look at it! Congratulations on a good whitetail buck.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:

quote:

Remington M7 AWR in 7mm SAUM in snotty conditions.

Robert, is that the one I had? Great to hear it's getting some use these days.

Yup, sure is! I took it to Kodiak Island in search of Sitka and it sure worked like a charm. Loves them E-Tip's and did exactly what I wanted. Including not rusting!

For a long time it was a Remington MR, late 80's vintage in 7mm08 but I recently sold that and I've gone to a custom 260 Rem, Stiller action, 22in Lilja barrel, Jewell trigger in a Mcmillan Hunters Edge.

I shot a couple of deer with it last weekend and I think it will become a favourite, it's just a little early in the relationship to say that it will be.

tha twould be my .260 rem. or my 7MM-08

Sauer 202 in .30-06

Sauer 202 in .270 for long range shots; Merkel 160 Double Rifle in 8x75RS for woods hunting.

in mediums?
shilen pencil stainless barrel /nickled 98 in 7x64

or

mexican mauser 20" douglas 1x12 in repurposed CLR stock in 358 win

night hunting?
r25 in 308!

Our animals are a bit different to yours but....

For most kills per shots fired, the 270

For fun and also practical results, the 375.

For pure fun in the spotlight shooting either 378 or 460 Wby. Double fun when we take a non shooter out for the night

Hmmmmm....decisions, decisions...
I would say my Rem. 700 Mountain Rifle in 280 Rem would be my pick. Loaded with a 140gr. Accubond I cant think of a better combo for deer.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
It's wore two Leupold scopes and three diferent stocks but my 30-06 has been my favorite for a very long time

Ted - That sure looks like some fine "eatin' meat you're resting your rifle on. Makes me drool just to look at it! Congratulations on a good whitetail buck.

Thanks AC, I've killed a bunch of deer with the ol -06 and some "out west" stuff too

Plan on taking the old ADL to a different kneck of the woods in June 2014 to kill a truck load of stuff

Same old rifle sporting Leupold #1 and stock #2

The one I am using at the time. I like them all

having 15 or 16 differant rifle cailbers in the house I can say I have a favourite one.

quote:

(What is your favourite rifle ande cartridge for )hunting DEER in mixed forest and meadows in the rolling hill country nearest you? Why are they your favourtites for this sort of game and terrain?

It happens that I live on several hundred acres just as you describe in the Texas Hill Country. I'd have to say that a Sako Mannlicher .308 is about perfect for this country where your hunting is almost always from a blind and shots are rarely more than a hundred yards. I'd have to temper that statement a bit since I recently acquired (since last deer season) the same rifle in .243, which has more than enough authority for hill country deer.

When I'm hunting the more open country of West Texas, a Sako .270 is my "get serious" deer rifle.

Ted, I won't take up a lot of band-width by re-posting the picture of you and that cow elk wearing a certain reliable old '06.

Just wanted to say that terrain looks exactly like the portion of eastern Oregon where I used to do elk control shooting for ranchers and ODFW. Which State were you in when you shot it?

(Yummy, aren't they?)

Raton NM

I've killed a bunch of deer with a 7mm Mag but have come to prefer my little Ruger .257 Roberts. I load 100 grain TSX bullets and it shoots plenty flat enough for me. It's light and easy to carry and does a great job on deer. For many years my hunting partner carried a Ruger in 25-06 and it was deadly in his hands.

Winchester M70
7mm Remington Magnum

The terrain you mentioned can present some long shots.

The 7mm Rem. Mag is my favorite cartridge to shoot. It has a non-irritating, deep roaring muzzle blast yet doesn't overly thump the shoulder. I simply enjoy shooting this round and practising with it.

I wisht I had a favorite. Then perhaps I could sell some off and wouldn't be so gun poor.

savage 11 fcxp3, it was a blue/synthetic combo in 308 with a detachable mag. I cut the barrel to 19", cerakoted it in a grey/black, painted stock OD, and mounted a burris FFII in 2-7x. accurate, light, corrosion-resistant, not expensive. the 308 shoots farther than I need to anywhere in Michigan, ammo is everywhere.

It all depends on what and where I am hunting.

My Kimber Montana 7mm08 is my go to gun now a days for bush hunting deer. My 13 year old son can now handle 150gr full loads and he goes with me most times.

I pick up the sako L61R 280 AI if the range is over 300 meters and across gullies.

I pick up my Tikka 222 rem which is a tack driver if I am shooting varmints.

For just about any deer hunting I like the 270 Winchester. I live in mixed cover mule deer country and don't need anything else. I've made shots as close as 50 yards and as far away as 400 with one shot success. Usually I run the "classic" load of a 130 (Hornady) SP over 60.0 of H4831 or (if the rifle likes it, not all do) a 140 BTSP over 57.0 of IMR4831. The 270 works for me and I'm a big fan.

i have a few, but my little ruger MK 2 ultra light in .257 roberts is a great choice.
Its light and handy and with the 2.5 x8 leupold on it can reach out too.
i aquirt 100 grain tsx barnes out of her at 3100.
great tight groups too...tj3006

My 7x57 with 1-4 scope.

I am fond of several rifles and calibers. But, considering your words, "The very best rifle and cartridge for every man when hunting deer is the one he feels most at ease with", only one combination of rifle and caliber comes to mind.

I must, therefore, declare that my favorite rifle and caliber is a 12 bore Paradox gun.

Coincidentally, my favorite rifle is also my favorite shotgun.



And yes, it is rifled:

For deer, no contest. Kimber 84m Select in 257R.

My favorite is and always will be a 270 Winchester in either my Krieger barreled M-70 CRF OR my USRA
Win. M-70 CRF with original factory barrel. Both are very accutate and with the right bullet will work in any situation.

Right now it'd have to be the 6.5 R-Bar. roger