The thread of "out with the old, in with the new" got me to thinking. IF you had just today decided to start hunting and had no knowledge nor preconcieved ideas nor bias based on 30-40 years of experience or driven by what your Pop used shoot, what rifle would you choose for deer hunting? And why.

Of course it would be either a Remington Model 7 (3 rings of steel, and accurate too) in 300 RSAUM (don't have to worry about short stroking the bolt)--these pack almost all the power of the 300 WinMag, but are more efficient due to modern case design and sharp shoulders,

OR,

a nifty Marlin stainless steel Guide Gun in .450 Marlin, for those occasional marauding brown bears, for shooting animals through really dense brush, and for general plinking.

[This message has been edited by Need Just 1 More Gun (edited 05-13-2002).]

The first question I would ask myself is what are my hunting conditions, here in Michigan I have 3 choices, shotgun / streight wall handgun (the only things leagle in the southern 3rd) or in the northern 2/3 I have to pick between open hayfield hunting (200-500 yd) or dense swamp hunting (10-50yd). Once you know what your hunting conditions are you can start to sort out the cartridge choices, followed by the weapon choice.
Me, I would pick a good quality bolt action with a 24" barrel in the 270/30-06 class as my overall weapon ov choice. Ammo availablity, enough power for the long shot, short enough to be handy in the swamp, not enough recoil to make me flinchy.

I would have to say that without a doubt it would be chambered in 300 WSM. Now as to what gun I am not sure. A custom built by my favorite builder. But I would settle for a Winchester just the same. I would top it with a 6.5x20 Leupold scope. Of course this answer is still bias as I already use that scope on my .300 Win. Mag. But I assume I would use the same decision making guide I did when I bought it. Same with the caliber. Now one told me to get the .300 Win. Mag. I read and studied and comparied the way I wanted to hunt to make my decision. Of course if I was just starting out I would not have a favorite builder yet either so I guess a Winchester in .300 WSM topped with the 6.5x20 Leupold scope will have to be my final answer. Don't forget Harris bipods a glass bedding job and trigger job. Oh and a muzzlebrake.
Hey this is my gun only in .300 WSM not .300 Win. Mag!!! I miss the ole girl, she is at the builders now getting a curly maple thumbhole stock put on her.

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Don Nelson
Sw. PA.

I'd be sorely tempted to make it a Winchester M-70 FWT in 300 WSM. Seems like a nice balance of power, portability, and flexibility (ability to be used for other game I might want to go after).

Regards,

Kevin

For deer hunting around here in Central Texas I would pick a 25-06. Nice size that fits the deer around here which are not very big and also a nice caliber for turkey and varmints (coyotes, bobcats etc.)
For an all round deer rifle, if I had plans for mule deer hunting and maybe a trip to Canada I would pick the 300 WSM. in the Classic Featherweight.

I would look up a store large enough to have a rifle from as many manufacturers as possible, check what kind of stock fits me the best and points well. Secondly I would ask what caliber sells most, check ammo prices, probably choose a win 70 FWT or LT in 30-06.
Excellent factory ammo is just a bonus, and if I wanted to reload, brass and bullets would be plentiful.

New has never been a selling point for me, when it comes to calibers anyway.

All the best

Jens

Since you specified deer, .250 Savage.

In my opinion it is all the power needed to 300 yards, with a 100 gr bullet started at 3000-3100 fps. Maybe a 120gr at 2800 would serve just as well. It can be put in a light rifle, say 6 pounds, and be a pleasant shooting, easy carrying, meat gun.

MM

[This message has been edited by MontanaMarine (edited 05-14-2002).]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MontanaMarine:
[B]Since you specified deer, .250 Savage.

In my opinion it is all the power needed to 300 yards, with a 100 gr bullet started at 3000-3100 fps. Maybe a 120gr at 2800 would serve just as well. It can be put in a light rifle, say 6 pounds, and be a pleasant shooting, easy carrying, meat gun.

A Remington Model 7, 22" barrel(all metal parkerized gray), McMillan stock (desert camo), Badger Ordnance steel floorplate, Leupold VX-III 1.5-5x matte finish, medium duplex.
MM

browning a-bolt chambered in 300 wsm, enough for anything and the a-bolts are light and very handy, they fit me real well also. besides, in arkansas if it says browning it is almost gold, for some reason i can't figure out.

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it's not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of fight in the dog.

I am with most of you guys whether it be a 300WSM or SAUM.

Wow for never having seen a gun, deer hunted, or been exposed to preconceived ideas, you guys pick some great guns. I imagine I would pick the first one I could afford that would kill a deer. Seems that a lot of people get started this way and then upgrade. My 8 year old son told me he would use his 20 gauge because he could shoot it well. From the mouths of babes.
J

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Never do something once you're not willing to do the rest of your life!
www.jeffsdogworks.com

When you don't know what to do you should copy someone else. This is called modeling.

So I guess I would copy my buddies and one shoots a 30/06 M77 and the other a old M70 in .243 Win.

I would buy a M-70 Featherweight in 30/06.

I am pleased to note that none of the magnums mentioned above have belts!