quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
Threw that in for FB's benefit...course..you know the biggest lie in Wyoming? "Honey...I was only helping that sheep over the fence"

That explains the Vaseline soaked cotton balls. Easier to get them past the wife than a whole jar.

I would say the best mule deer rifle for Montana is the game rifle that you can shoot the best.

When I guided there in the late '60s the boss always took the hunters that came with the plain Model 70 270 or 30-06 Topped with a Lyman or Leopold fixed 4 or 6x scope that was well used, well cared for and shot a lot. I got the guys with the brand new BAR 300 WIN Mag with a then radical 3x9 scope, still with the tags on it.

Personally I have used everything from a .41 and 44 mag handguns, 30-30 to an 30-06 with a lot of Mil surplus rifles, 7.65 Mauser, 303 Brit, 7x57 mauser, 7.62 Russian in between. Unless you shoot lots (100s of rounds) every year most people can't shoot any of the Magnum rifles as well as they can with a rifle that has less recoil (I just put on my flame shield).

I know the trend right now is for 800+ Yard shots but it would be an exceptional hunter that I would trust to make that kind of shot with any rifle.

You match the hunt for the gear that you have and can use well.

I was guiding two really nice guys, brothers -in-laws near Missoula, one had a 300 Win mag in a Model 70, the other had a 300 Weatherby mag. We jumped a nice bull out of the bottom a a draw and while they discussed who could make the shot another hunter with an iron-sighted 30-40 Krag dump the bull from behind and down canyon from us. One shot in the spine and the bull was down.

The other hunter was about 60, been in those woods since he was a kid and had used the 30-40 as his big game rifle for the past 30 years. We had a good laugh, helped him dress it out and went looking for more opportunities. He knew his rifle and what he could do with it.

Lowell

5MM eagle...that is so well said..Thank you for putting the proper spin on it

I would have to flip a coin between the following:

Sauer 202 Synthetic 270 Win
Sako Fiberclass 6.5x55
Sako Fiberclass 7x64

This discussion has been and is very rewarding. I appreciate all the opinions and discussion. My intent was and still is not so much what caliber but rifle style would you build, buy, prefer. Heavy or light, bolt action or single shot, rollover stock, classic stock, wood or fiberglass, if wood, which wood. Thanks ever so much, this is great fun. DW

I have a freind whois a great guy but to him unless you have a minimun 300 WBY you are undergunned. He hunts elk and deer with a 340 WBY, also coyotes, rabbits, pronghorn, well you get the point. He gets this from his father. We hunted deer this summer and i had a 257Rob. I took an iffy shot at a buck and wounded it in the lower leg. He started on "if you would have had your 300 you would have got him". Trying to get him to accept that a bad shot with one rifle is a bad shotwith another was/is hard. I have killed deer with 30-30, 243, 300 wsm, 257 Rob, and 7mm RM. As long as you hit them well at a range you can hit them at.
YMMV,
Jon

quote:

Originally posted by dwheels:
This discussion has been and is very rewarding. I appreciate all the opinions and discussion. My intent was and still is not so much what caliber but rifle style would you build, buy, prefer. Heavy or light, bolt action or single shot, rollover stock, classic stock, wood or fiberglass, if wood, which wood. Thanks ever so much, this is great fun. DW

GOT THE MESSAGE

1912 Steyr Austria Mod 98 Action W/ straight bolt handle.

19", 7mm X 57 replacement barrel.

Original stock it wore for 90 years whittled down to lighten and function with scope mount.

Light small diameter ( built here ) muzzle brake.

Lightened original Mauser trigger.

Home brewed forward (scout) scope mount.

2 X 20 pistol scope.

Photos can be E-Mailed upon request.
roger

Old 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..