rifles

[wsm]

If you could have one rifle what would it be and caliber for deer hunting? My rifle would be my x bolt 308 .

 

[GRIT]

270 or 308

 

[foodplot]

30-06

 

[MUP]

30-06

 

[TNReb]

Sako 85 Finnlight, .30-06

Lightweight, well made, fits me well. It's about as small/light as I can comfortably go.

As far as caliber... the .30-06 just works (but so do many others). I like the 7mm-08 round too, but that caliber in the Finnlight has an even shorter barrel that I just don't like.

 

[muddyboots]

Since I've used the same rifle for 15 years. TC encore 7mm/08 with a EABCO custom stainless 20 inch barrel it's like carrying a toy. Absolute death on deer. I just ordered a leupold vx 5hd scope for it.

 

[Roost 1]

You will like that scope.

 

[THEdonkey0515]

Stainless ruger 30-06

 

[Reaper]

Abolt stainless stalker in 308.

 

[TnBob]

Stainless Remington Model 7 7mm-08 with Leupold VX III 2.5X8X36.

 

[Hunter 257W]

I guess my rifles are all too specialized to say that i have one that would satisfy me having no others. Being limited to only one, I'd want something compact enough to work well in thick woods but still be effective for a 300 yard shot in the open field. Maybe something like a compact bolt action 7x57? I know it's the ballistic twin of the more modern 7mm-08 but I prefer having something more classic and stylish myself than what every other hunter is carrying.

 

[7X57]

I love my .308, but have several 7x57s that are great deer rifles.

 

[TheLBLman]

I hear Infoman, Jr. recommends anything "Creedmore" :tu:

 

[TheLBLman]

I know many disagree with me, and the fad seems to be using "lighter" or smaller calibers,
but each year I'm asked to help find deer that others make marginal and/or bad hits on with these smaller calibers,
and they often run long distances after being hit.

With a good hit, you can kill one with a .22 rimfire.
It's just that we often are not the marksmen we aspire to be.

I do most of my rifle deer hunting with a .300 Weatherby.
Over kill, perhaps, but bad shoots still usually result in my recovering the deer near where he was hit.

 

[Labboy]

I'm with you LBL. I use a Remington 300. Win mag and I have a smokeless ML Tim's built just as good, I use a bunch during rifle season also.

 

[Union Co. Boy]

Have to say my Browning BAR 7mm win mag. Been knocking them down for over 23 years with it.

 

[cowhunter71]

Rem 7400 243 I've had since I was a kid. I've killed almost as many bucks with it as I have with my old 870 wingmaster magnum shooting 00 buck

 

[duckriver]

30'06 tikka

 

[Roost 1]

300WM if I had to choose just one.

 

[Remington700]

Remington 700 in 270.

 

[knightrider]

Just one it would have to be my 300 win mag

 

[TheLBLman]

Just one it would have to be my 300 win mag

I'm kinda pleasantly surprised how many have said a .300 magnum
My original thinking when I got that .300 Weatherby was
that it would be one gun capable of handling anything I might hunt in North America.
It has never disappointed me.

I'm not sure if that would remain my exact caliber choice if limited strictly to whitetails,
but can say that "one" gun for whitetails would not be a .243 ---- even though I've seen how quickly a .243 will drop the biggest buck with a well placed shot.

Some considerations include availability of the particular caliber, whether you'll be handloading it, etc.
I would also consider the physical size and strength of the shooter.
Also, if you shoot left-handed, you may need to have a custom rifle built to get what you want in some particular caliber.
You'll typically find a lot more stock left-handed rifles available in the more proven and popular calibers.

 

[Roost 1]

Ive never killed one "too dead".

 

[infoman jr.]

I hear Infoman, Jr. recommends anything "Creedmore" :tu:

:bash:


I reckon if I had to throw away all but one of mine, I'd keep the M700 .308 with a Bushnell XRS and a suppressor. Sure my .300 win mag packs a meaner punch, and my 700 Ti 7-08 is handier to carry, but the ability to shoot suppressed has spoiled me.

 

[Duck dogn]

It would probably be my Winchester 7 mag converted from wood stock to synthetic and love it. However I would like a 308 if it ever returns from Mossberg!

 

[catman529]

My marlin 336 30-30 I will never get rid of it. I've come to really love my .308 over the past weekend, but if I had to get rid of all but one, I'd keep the 30-30

 

[k-i-d-d]

Since everybody is taking centerfires, there should be a lot of areas open. oke: I'll take my smokeless.

 

[sc8point]

I am with LBL. We killed 2 deer on our place this year that probably would not have been recovered if not for 7mm rem magnum and .300 WSM rifles with good bullets , Scirocco bullets. They were both large bucks for our area and 3.5 or 4.5 years old. Both were hit to far back and neither went more than 100 yards. Sometimes things happen beyond our control and I like to be prepared. I know all about picking your shots and such. I once had a string of 19 one shot kills with bow, ml and rifle. The thing is stuff happens.

 

[jlanecr500]

I have come to realize, from recent years of killing 90% of the deer I kill with a 40 or 45 smokeless muzzleloaders, that big is always better. Larger wound cavity, with less meat damage, and rarely any tracking needed. 30 caliber and under are very picky about bullet construction. Too tough and they will pencil thru. Too frangible and they will really make a mess.
If I had to choose, it would likely be my trusty 30-06. It truly is a do-it-all round. That said, I bought a 338 Win Mag from Kimber a few weeks ago and that sucker is shooting 225 Accubonds into .2" groups at 120 yards. I was amazed. Thanks Kimber.

 

[280longshot]

280, it's laser guided from Remington.