Perfect Deer Rifle
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: New Roads, La
Perfect Deer Rifle
Well Maybe not the perfect deer rifle, but somethin close. I'm looking for a good bolt action rifle for deer hunting. I live in Louisiana and most of my hunting is done here. What is y'alls opinion on a good deer rifle. I've been hunting with my dads .270 ruger and my 12-guage winchester, but im ready for my own rifle. I'm gonna try and get it for christmas. Somethiung good thats under $1000. I was looking at the browning .270 wsm, but my dad ended up getting pretty much the gun i wanted and doesnt want me getting the same gun/ in the same caliber. I kinda like the browning, but if tell me what yall would recommend. My dad said something about a 25-06 caliber, ive never eard of it or shot it, sounds kinda small to me. What do yall hav eto say about this. If he doesnt want me 2 get the 270 the only thing i was thinkin was maybe a 7mm or .308 b/c thats what alot of my friends use and they really like them. But maybe different is better. what do yall think? By the was im 16, almost 17. 6'2" and 150somethin pounds . i dont want the gun to kill me but i want it to be good for a while.
sorry for the long post. but i dont want to screw up and get somethin that isnt any good.
-couch
sorry for the long post. but i dont want to screw up and get somethin that isnt any good.
-couch
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In your part of the world, the 308 is hard to beat. Ammo is relatively inexpensive too. For best out of the box accuracy, a Savage bolt action is hard to beat but they aren't necessarily the most glamorous. Next choice would be a Remingotn 700. I couldn't recommend a 25-06 as I had one that would shoot in a hole on paper but wouldn't drop a live animal no matter how well placed the shot. Seems the 25 caliber bullets are designed for cartridges that aren't so fast and blowup on impact. The 270 is also another good general cartridge. Both of the above can serve as a deer rifle or a varmint gun if you like hunting the little critters. There are lots of good rifles out there and tons of cartridges, even some you probably never heard of, so get something YOU are going to feel comfy with, not somebodys recommendation.
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From: Mexifornia
Yep. Iwould have wanted the .270WSM...I'd go with that if possible especially if you ever get into reloading...but it also depends on what your going after most of the time: deer, hogs? I use a 7mm-08 which is great for both, been shooting a lot of hogs lately and everything (so far) has dropped with the first shot; I reload and use Sierra game Kings 140g. There is big advantages to this caliber; the many choices of the 7mm bullet plus its a short action. The 7mmMag is a long action. The .308 is a good alround choice too also short action...can you tell I like a short gun?...hey I got a lot of guns and they all have their pluses and minuses get what you like- find something though thats big enough for the game, but not so big that you end up fliching, esp. on th bench...like my .338 Mag...I'm a wimp and I shoot all the time (6'1" 200lbs.)...
Oh and the Browning is excellent (60 degree throw) and I also like the Win.M70s...not a big Rem. fan anymore...bad luck lately but is still a top choice to build a gun on its reciever.
Oh and the Browning is excellent (60 degree throw) and I also like the Win.M70s...not a big Rem. fan anymore...bad luck lately but is still a top choice to build a gun on its reciever.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Rouleau, Saskatchewan
Everybody has a different favorite deer rifle I think. Where I am the majority of hunters I know use a 30-06 followed by a 270 then a 243. Lately though 25-06's and 6mm have been gaining popularity. I myself have a 270 and a 243, and I cant tell the difference. The 270 is a little more versatile because I can also use it for Moose and Elk, but for deer both are just fine. So I think it boils down to what else are you going to use it for, if it is just deer the choice might be a little easier.
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From: New Roads, La
Well Mostly deer.. maybe (maybe) elk hunting or hog hunting. elk hunting every couple of years and if i get into a new hunting club porbably hogs every once in a while. Yeah i likes the .270 what do yall think about the 7mm? or the .308? and what would the 25-06 be comparable to? thanks for the help again.
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From: Klamath Falls, Orygun
I have a Browning A-Bolt 25-06 with BOSS. Currently the optics are a Leupold 4x12. I hunt antelope, mulies, white and blacktails, but if I had my elk tag on me and got the right shot, I'd not hesitate to use it with an appropriate bullet (heavier non-ballistic tip).
I love this gun. I've dropped speedgoats at 500 yards, dropped mulies with 1 shot at 120 or so about two seconds after seeing them, and can consistently put 3 rounds in a quarter (about 1/2 moa) at 200 yards off the bench ... with factory loads.
Almost all bolt action rifle manufacturers make a fine product that, when properly sighted, and with a shooter that understands the ballistics of their round/rifle, will do a fine job. But my grandpa had Brownings, so my Dad did, so I do too ... oh, and I'm left handed, too. So I could get the nice stainless/synthetic rifle with a left handed bolt.
BTW 25-06 is basically a 30-06 necked down, usually loaded fairly light but load em hot and they shoot real flat, well above 3000 fps mv.
Downside on the 25 is it's not real easy to find your load of choice (esp with the new short mags).
PS - my next rifle will be, methinks, a 300wsm. Maybe a little big for your country, but I can do antelope to elk with one. Dad would be jealous, too.
I love this gun. I've dropped speedgoats at 500 yards, dropped mulies with 1 shot at 120 or so about two seconds after seeing them, and can consistently put 3 rounds in a quarter (about 1/2 moa) at 200 yards off the bench ... with factory loads.
Almost all bolt action rifle manufacturers make a fine product that, when properly sighted, and with a shooter that understands the ballistics of their round/rifle, will do a fine job. But my grandpa had Brownings, so my Dad did, so I do too ... oh, and I'm left handed, too. So I could get the nice stainless/synthetic rifle with a left handed bolt.
BTW 25-06 is basically a 30-06 necked down, usually loaded fairly light but load em hot and they shoot real flat, well above 3000 fps mv.
Downside on the 25 is it's not real easy to find your load of choice (esp with the new short mags).
PS - my next rifle will be, methinks, a 300wsm. Maybe a little big for your country, but I can do antelope to elk with one. Dad would be jealous, too.
Last edited by Uglyhat; Dec 1, 2005 at 10:49 PM. Reason: to add a tad
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From: Milpitas, CA; Tyler, TX
.308, .270, and .30-06 (my favorite) are hard to beat, and I have a soft spot for .30-30 too, although it's on the light side for Elk. Nothing more needs to be said about the .270, it's nearly legendary. .308 is very, very accurate with plenty of power, but a .30-06 with its bigger case capacity is better for carrying more slower burning powders and hence is a better choice for the heavier ~220gr bullets.
I love our .223, but that's basically a target rifle, not really suited to anything larger than a deer (and even then shot should be well-placed to do its job).
As for the rifle itself, that's mostly personal preference - hold them and see what "fits" best.
I love our .223, but that's basically a target rifle, not really suited to anything larger than a deer (and even then shot should be well-placed to do its job).
As for the rifle itself, that's mostly personal preference - hold them and see what "fits" best.
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Postmaster
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From: colorado
i love my .270 ruger m77. my dad bought it for me when i was 14 (wow 25 years ago) and i have taken elk out to 420 yards with it,it a great all around gun. if i where to buy a new rifle to fill its shoes it would be a Sako model 75 in 7mm rem mag. i see alot of talk about the short mags, but the only adventage is about a 1/8 inch shorter stroke on the bolt but 1 or 2 less rounds in the mag. i will run the bolt a little futher if it gets me 1 or 2 more chances at my animal 
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5th Wheeling
Joined: May 2004
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I gave up deer hunting about 5 years ago.When I did hunt I used a Ruger M77 all weather .280 caliber. I loved that gun, Regret selling it. Ammo is about the same price as.270 or30-06. Won't find ammo for it at walmart though. probably need to go to a gun shop or Gander mountain.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: N. Idaho
i too shoot a ruger m77 .270 very nice shooting gun and it is extremely forgiving on ammo choices between cheap stuff and good stuff it is extremely close if given the chance i would buy one again. but i also have a 25 06 and it took down its first 5x5 whitetail this year dropped it dead where it stood at 170 yrds. i got it in wyoming for antelope but i liked it so much i decided to try it for deer. all it is, is a 30-06 casing necked down to 6mm bullet just like a 270 is 30-06 case w/ 7mm bullet, actually for kicks and giggle my 270 can chamber my 25 06 bullets but i wouldnt dare shoot it like that
Postmaster
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
Originally Posted by Flash
For best out of the box accuracy, a Savage bolt action is hard to beat but they aren't necessarily the most glamorous. Next choice would be a Remingotn 700.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2004
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The perfect deer rifle is the 308 winchester model 70 featherweight I have shot all my deer with one and its awesome Another good rifle is A 300 winchester Mag those things kick butt my grandpa shoots one he takes his deer out from 300 to 900 yards away.
Postmaster
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From: colorado
Originally Posted by 460_f100_dude
all it is, is a 30-06 casing necked down to 6mm bullet just like a 270 is 30-06 case w/ 7mm bullet,
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From: Fraziers Bottom, WV
7MM Rem. Mag. (Weatherby) works best for me!
In West Virginia you can't hunt deer with .223! In a rifle it must >.25, Handgun Straight -wall .357 or larger or necked case .24 or larger and muzzleloader .38 or larger!
In West Virginia you can't hunt deer with .223! In a rifle it must >.25, Handgun Straight -wall .357 or larger or necked case .24 or larger and muzzleloader .38 or larger!
Fleet Owner
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
I'd be inclined to say an inch and a quarter broadhead, fired out of a compound LYNX.
- But that just me...
I used to be accurate to six inches at fifty yards with it.
It was an eighty pounder...
(Thank about ya wound channel)
- But that just me...
I used to be accurate to six inches at fifty yards with it.
It was an eighty pounder...
(Thank about ya wound channel)
Last edited by Greywolf; Dec 2, 2005 at 03:26 PM.