TC Contender, Rynite stock, 21" Factory barrel in 7-30 Waters, factory Federal 120 grains (@2700 fps).

I plan on using several guns this year.The two I will mainly use are a 45/70 and a 257 Roberts.The 45/70 is a Ruger #1 topped with a Leupold vari xIII 1.75x6x32 scope.The 257 is a Ruger m77 with a Leupold vari xII 3x9x40 scope.The 45/70 is my thick cover gun and the 257 is used for more open terrain.Both rifles will be using my handloads.My wife will be using a Ruger m77 compact in 260 topped with a swift premier 4x12x44ao scope.Her woods gun is a Marlin 1894 in 44magnum.

We in West Virginia have a nice limit for gun hunting this year ... 5 with centerfire and a mussle loader (or 4 with centerfire and two with muzzle loader).

Going to work backwards through the gun list this year. I usually start with the 308 ... this year I'll try:

1) Weatherby Weathermark Alaskan Mark V in 375 H&H. Will use 230 gr Speers driven with 76 gr RL15 at about 2800 fps. Last group with this one was 0.3" at 100 yards. Want some field experience with this rifle. then

2) Custom Pre64 Model 70 in 338 WM. Will Use factory 250 gr Remington Core Lokts as the rifle is a tac driver with them, then

3) Custom 1903 Springfield in 308 Norma Mag. Will use 200 gr Nosler Partitions driven with 66 grains of IMR 4350 at about 2800. Have a load of these bullets that I bought when a box of Noslers cost $6.95!, then

4) S&W M57 41 Mag 6" with 2x Leupold, and then the one that usually gets used

5) Remington M7400 in 308. Will use 150 grain Nosler BT's driven from LC cases with 43.7 grains of BLC-2. Nice moderate load. Has taken many white tails with no failures and little meat damage.

Have already taken the first buck with a bow, and have watched groups of deer the last 4 evenings. The nice 8 point has finally come out with the group ... and I hope to put him in the refrigerator tomorrow ;>

Probably won't make it through the list though ... last year I quite at 5 when the freezer was full. (Two with the bow, one with a rifle, one with a pistol, and one with a muzzle loader.)

If I can get out of the house and away from work ( hard this year ) it will be a Remington 700 in 6mm-284 ( was heavy barrel 243 ) with Leupold 4-14X, bullets will be 85-grain Nosler Partitions. Backup will be a Model 70 in 7mm Magnum with Leupold 3-9X, bullets are 140-grain Noslers of one or the other persuasion.

If the weather's nice, a Marlin Model 7 in 270 Win that I received as a gift a couple years ago. I didn't plan on using it to hunt because it's a wood/blue NRA Commemerative edition but after I had the trigger worked on, it shoots sub MOA so I figured that I'll use it on a couple nice weather hunts for sentimental value. That's my first experience with the 270 and it's a pleasure to shoot.

If there's rain for snow in the forecast, I'll likely be using a SS Rem 700 in 25-06 or a SS Ruger M-77 in 280 Rem.

Browning A-Bolt Composit Stalker with a 3.5-10 Leupold Vari-X III in 300 RUM. 240 SMK's at 2978.

The name says it all. 250g Hornady RN at 2586 fps.

Winchester M70 in 30-06 and a Belgium made Browning BLR in .243.

For many years I relied on my M-70 30-06 given to me by my grandfather in 1958. Although it has never failed me, I have since settled on a lightweight G33-40 custom Mauser in 6mm Remington with a 3x9 scope, which for Texas whitetails is plenty adequate.

My choice for little Alabama whitetails this year is my left-handed Dakota 76 257 Roberts w/ 2.5-8 Leupold VariXIII mounted in Conetrol mounts. 117 Grain Hornie Light Magnums. Jeff



[ 10-28-2002, 01:32: Message edited by: Ngrumba ]

Brookings Arms Makers single shot falling block in 25 Ackley Improved Krag.

I'll Pack two rifles on my combined Muley/Whitetail hunt. Primary Rifle will be my Douglas barrelled M70 XTR in 6.5-06. 140 Partition over 59 grains of H1000. Scope is 6x Leupold. Backup Rifle is a BSA 270 Winchester shooting the 130 Partition over 59 Grains of old Norma 205. Scope is the same as above. Bothe these rifles have .75 moa capability and the deer will certainly be in trouble regardless of which one I use. Regards, Eagleye.

I will probably start with my Win. M70 Classic in 7-08 with Shillen barrel, Leupold Vari-X II 3x9x40, and Bell & Carlson stock. Fotter will be Win. cases, IMR-4895 powder, and 150g. Bal tips. Time, patience, and money have finally turned this rifle around into a real shooter and it's time it done something for me! After that I will use my M29 Smith in 44 mag. for the first time on a hunt.

My wife will be using her Marlin 336 in 30-30 that she picked out herself. Last year was her first hunting trip, allthough she didn't get anything she is very excited about the up and coming season. I am going to do all I can to see that she gets a chance at her first deer this season.

I'll probably start my first couple of days with my 338-06 with 180 BT at 2900-3000.The last part of the season and doe days will be a 6mm Rem with 100gr Hornady's at 2900.Then it on to the second season of archery.

Win Mod 70 Featherweight ( pre-64) in 270 with a 3X9 Khales. Factory Hornady 130gr. jorge

For deer I have be using Sakos in 358 Win, 25-06, and 6.5 x55 SE.

Illinois only allows shotguns or smokepoles. So I'll be using my Ithaca M-37 Deerslayer with either Breneke slugs or these Winchester slugs I just picked up that claim 1600fps on the box. Happy Hunting!!

I usually use a 30-06 Improved Mauser. This season I'll be using a .444 Marlin. I might still bring "ol Faithful" along as a backup.

Deer season is over for me, I got my doe with my 8X57 with a 185gr Corelock over 50gr of IMR 4320. Tomorow I'm leaving for elk hunting and I'm taking my Pre '64 model 70 Winchester 30-06.

Myself I going to shoot a 300 win. Mag. this year. This a first, I've just had this rifle rebarreled. My youngest son is shooting Mod. 700 Classic in a 25-06. We hunt clear cuts in SW Arknasas and the shots can come near and far and they both work real well.

I'll start out with a Weatherby Ultra-Light 7mm-08 and 140gr NBT, then I'll move to a pre 64 M70 FWT in 358 Win with 200gr Hornady's for the big woods of the Upper Pennisula. For the doe culling which runs into Jan. anything is fair game from a 257 Imp to the 416 Taylor.

I have two rifles I plan to hunt with this year;

The first is a Marlin 1895G 45-70 loaded with stout handloads. It's about the best choice for the terrain I hunt.

The second is a Winchester Model 100 .308. This was my grandfathers deer rifle, he passed away this spring and left the rifle to me. If it isn't hunted with this year it would be the first year since he bought it new(1961) that it wasn't used, at least for a day or two in the field. If I get a deer with this rifle it will be like gramp was there with me.

Will start with a front loader in a couple of weeks in Va BP season. In Pa. if my new 375 H & H is ready I will use it, if not I will close my eyes and just grab something from the safe.

I'm going to try a couple new calibers that I haven't killed deer with yet. A Win model 70 featherweight in 7x57, and a Model 98 VZ-24 in .35 Whelen.

An old and reliable friend. A Sears copy of a post 64 Winchester in 270 with an old Leupold 3X9 VXII scope. I bought this rifle for my wife 12 years ago and she hasn't hunted with it for the past 8 years. It will be loaded with Hornaday 150 grain SST. I pulled it out for a pronghorn hunt earlier this year and mangaged to bag a nice buck at over 300 yards. I thought it would be a great gun for a Kansas hunt in December. I will use my Remington 11-87 in Indiana or a new Ruger 41 mag. I will use a 45-70 Pedersoli double or my Ruger RSI in 308 for hunts in SE Oklahoma where I like to still hunt, the cover is thick and the shots come fast. For a late season Texas hunt I will use my Winchester M-70 300 mag so it doesn't feel left out this year.

I will be shooting a Pre-64 mod.70 Featherweight 308 Win with a Leupold 3.5X10X50 or my new love a 308 win Encore 15" barrel with 2.5X8 Leupold.
I sure hope you all have a good and safe hunting season.

This year, it will be one of two rifles.

First, for the 'larger' whitetails and Mule deer will be my Blaser R-93, 300 Win Mag. Custom Handloads w/ a Hornady 165gr Interlock. Scoped w/ a Leica 4.5X10X42

Second gun is a custom 25-06 based on a 700 action w/ a Douglas barrel. Handloads again here, 120 gr Speer BTSP. Scoped again w/ a Leica 3.5X10X42

Might drag out the Savage 99 .243 for smaller whitetails if I get to go down to Texas (hill country area)

I am almost embrassed to list my little pea shooter in the same company as many of the big calibers that have been listed.

K98 Mauser, 22" Douglas barrel, .257 Imp ( 40 degree), 4X Swarovski, 115 gr nosler partition.

Oh, the choices.....

6.5-284 on an A3 action
6.5-257 roberts improved on an Arisaka action
6.5x55 Ruger M77
280 Rem on a VZ-24 action
270 win in a CZ-550
45-70 M1895ss

I just can't decide

Got mine with a Win M70 Classic rebarreled in .300 H&H Mag with a Burris Ballistic-Plex and .200 grn Nosler partitions. While he was a spike, he went down in a hurry.

Our rifle deer season just ended here in Utah. I used a Remington Stainless Mountain Rifle in .270 Winchester, topped with a Redfield 3-9x42 Illuminator, shooting 130gr factory Silvertips to take a nice 4 point buck. Hard to believe it's come and gone for another year.

Whitetail rig is a Dakota M76 in 7mm Dakota topped with a Zeiss VM/V 3 - 12X56. 140gr. Swift A-Frames. Muley rig is a Dakota M76 in 300 Dakota topped with a Swarovski PV 2.5 - 10X42. 180gr. Swift A-Frames.

Mine is a Browning A-bolt 25-06 with a Nikon 3-9x40 on top. Shoots Winchester 120-gr Super-X into 3/4" @ 100 yds. I also have a Winchester model 100 in 308, but I'm going to wait till next year to use that with a Weaver K-2.5. Slug gun is a Marlin 512 Slugmaster with a Cabelas 2.5x32 shooting Winchester Platinum Tips.

Shot my elk with a 300 gr. Woodliegh in a 338 Win., my bison with a double rifle and as usual I shot my deer with a Win. M-94, 25-35 rifle (26") and as usual it worked just fine at 90 yards give or take 10.....dropped at the shot.

My grandson shot his with a 222, 60 gr. Hornady HP, at over 200 yds...went 20 yards and piled up, lungs and heart were mush and juice, recovered that tiny missle in a perfect mushroom in offside skin...That is a great bullet in the hot 22's, always has been... All of the family kids been using them for 40 years for those nice Texas Mule deer...Never lost one yet, don't recall any tracking jobs either, but never stretched them past 100 yards until this year and the set up was right to see what they would do....they performed.
they also work in the hotter 22's like the 22-250.but only when used properly.

For the swamps and palmetto flats of south Georgia-a BAR 308 topped with a Leupold 2.5x8. An old standby that I haven't used much in several years.

hi
An old savage 340 in 3030 loaded with sierra 125 gr and 34 grain norma 202 and a brno fox .222 r loaded with 50 gr BX sako factory load.
Danny

After playing with many rifles, some custom, some not, my Marlin 336 in 30/30 is my choice this year as it has not seen much action. I had it out last weekend and using 150 grain Sierra's, shot a Whitetail buck. It was 183 paces from me and went down absolutely flat. I have an old weaver 4x scope on it. As I sat there, I wondered what I had been doing all those years and why I had spent a lot of money on rifles that I have long sold. The 30/30 did what it is supposed to do, did as well as any other caliber I own, and used within it's LIMITS, was great. It will spend more time with me now.

Rem 700 25-06 Stainless synthetic w/ 4.5 x 14 Vari XIII shooting 100 gr Hornady soft points

My custom built 257 Roberts shooting the 115 grain bullet on a vintage 1940 mauser action premium 26" SS Lilja bead blasted gray barrel in a laminated gray stock. One fine shooting hunting rifle.

Husqvarna fullstock in 7x57 with a Leupold 2.5-8 Vari-X III scope.

Second choice; Husqvarna model 46B in 6.5x55 with a Helia 4x scope in claw mounts.