hunting rifles

[briggs]

what is a good choice for a deer rifle or the one with good take down power. this will be my first purchase , so i want to di it right the first time. is it best to buy in season or in the off season.

[bigcatmaniac]

As always check your local regulations before purchasing a firearm. I use a 30-30 when i hunt in the brush and a 30-06 when hunting in the open. I have seen a .223 take down a deer and i have watched deer take direct hits with a .308, its just up to you on what caliber you want. Remington makes a nice rifle along with the cheaper savage. There are many different companies that make rifles that come in calibers big enough to humanely harvest a full grown deer. As with buying anything its usually cheaper to buy firearms in the off season, you can typically find a good used rifle fairly cheap during the summer. Good luck and let us know what you decide to get.

[223reload]

Welcome to the BOC,Kontar. There will be as many answers as a flea has jumps, I shoot a 243 winchester myself. Been using the same one since I bought it new in 1979. Any modern caliber from .240 up will fill your needs. I tend to shy away from the .22 calibers as though they are capable of killing a deer ,very few individuals are proficient enough to deliver a killing shot EVERY time. Most will say the 25-06,308,30-06 and the magnums as well as the 7mm s. Just research what you think you will need. and go from there. My 243 win can and will make one shot kills on big mature mule deer any where inside 250 yds. The plus side is it doesnt kick and I can practice lots and not have shooters shoulder.I have no doubt it would make cleen kills beyond 250 yds ,But That is my self imposed limit .

[samh]

If deer are the biggest game you're going after I'd pick one of these: .243, 257 Roberts, .25/06 .260,.270 or 7mm08. Nothing wrong with the larger calibers if you don't mind the recoil, but after hunting for 35 years with 30/06, 300 Win mag and 7mm Mags, I find I enjoy the shooting a lot more with the smaller calibers., I deer hunt with a 25/06 most of the time now.

[derbycitycatman]

I hunt with a 30/06 and most of the time its overkill. Ive got a sissy pad on it to lessen the recoil and I still dont shoot a box of shells when practicing. Depends a lot on where you'll be hunting. Most of the time Id be fine with a 30/30, 243 and I hunted with a 44mag revolver last year. Good luck with what ya pick and you might want to think about reloading.

[20ryan11]

I shoot a 270. All around good gun does the job for me.

[westvirginiacatfish]

I like both my .300 win mag and my .7mm Rem mag. They are both great all around rifles.

[bw69r]

caliber cholce is subjective, shot placement is critical.

[Cattn-Jeep]

Personally, I love my muzzle loader. It's a CVA Wolf Camo/Nickel (Walmart ~$200)
As far as choosing a caliber for a first rifle...pick something simple & popular. You don't need anything fancy or hard to find. How much would it suck to fly to Manitoba with a 7mm Rem and not be able to find ammo for it? 30-30, 30-06, and .44 Mag can be found easily wherever you go. They are also relatively cheap compared to other ammo that is not so popular. If you are planning on hunting in thick woods and don't expect to take a shot over 100 yards, I would go with a 30-30...probably a Marlin 336C. If I was expecting to take shots over 100 yards, I would go with a 30-06...probably a Remington 700 SPS. You can get .44 Mag rifles and handguns, that will save you some money on ammo if you get both. But really, it all comes down to what will make you happy. Don't buy something just because someone else says to, buy it because it's what YOU want and what YOU will be proud of.
:wink:

[varmint_sniper]

Get urself a remington 700 in a 243 win and you will never look back good predator and varmint round also doses double duty what i use for coyotes and groundhogs and have friends who live in ststes thwe use rifles for deer and swear by the little 243 win just my 0.2 is all

[Snagged2]

I've always been fond of the Winchester Mod 70, a completely dependable rifle, good accuracy, available in just about any caliber worth having.. And,, A very handsome rifle!!
If deer are your largest game,,, anything from .240-.30 will be more than adequate.
Any of those rounds will give good versatility, even if you do branch out to other game animals.

[Jacksmooth]

All of the above are good calibers for the job at hand. Dont know where you are in Va but you may want to check the rules and regs. Also look at population in the area where you are hunting. A shotgun with a rifled barrel may also be a good choice for hunting deer. Plenty of take down power and some range as well. Good luck!

[CountryHart]

Welcome to the BOC,Kontar. There will be as many answers as a flea has jumps, I shoot a 243 winchester myself. Been using the same one since I bought it new in 1979. Any modern caliber from .240 up will fill your needs. I tend to shy away from the .22 calibers as though they are capable of killing a deer ,very few individuals are proficient enough to deliver a killing shot EVERY time. Most will say the 25-06,308,30-06 and the magnums as well as the 7mm s. Just research what you think you will need. and go from there. My 243 win can and will make one shot kills on big mature mule deer any where inside 250 yds. The plus side is it doesnt kick and I can practice lots and not have shooters shoulder.I have no doubt it would make cleen kills beyond 250 yds ,But That is my self imposed limit .

I agree with Richard. I've shot many different calabers but tend to like my 270 best. I personally prefer a bolt action, and i reload my own shells. Shop around, read some ballistic charts and get what you feel is best for you situation. Good luck

[FishMan]

Bolt action 270, recoil isn't bad so you will shoot it more. The more you shoot the more humane hunter you become. The 270 will shoot long distance with plenty of knock down power. Great deer gun.

Danny

[SSgt Fishslayer]

get anything you like as long as its chambered in .308. this is the most consistent round shot for shot out there. this is why the military as well as law enforcement use the .308 as thier main sniper rifle. it is consistent as well as having plenty of knockdown power.

[srblack]

I shoot a Ruger #1 in 280 Rem. It has never failed me.

[Paraguayguy]

Very nice rifle an an excellent caliber.

[Whistling Dixie]

I too have a Ruger number 1 in 243 and I dearly love her. She's tweeked out with a Moyers trigger at 1 pound 12 ounces, a Hicks Accurizer and 4.5x14x50 Leupold. I designed her to be my little head shooter and she's all that and more. 243 is a great round but do understand that proper bullet selection is critical to smaller rounds like the 243. If you choose a small caliber make sure you use a well constructed bullet that will provide good straight line penetration, the Barnes Tipped Triple Shock comes immediately to mind. By the way if you get into something that's too big for the 243 just shoot it in the ear hole, I killed a 400+ boar hog that way. I don't care how big and bad he is, if you stick a bullet into his brain that show is over. The 243 won't kill your shoulder either, so you'll enjoy shooting it a lot. :)

[The Penn Slammer]

If you want the best get a 300 win mag and learn to place your shot. A lot of calibers are good but dont fall for the smaller ones if you want the best distance and knockdown power. Too many deer crippled by 270 where I hunt in WV. The deer here are thicker skinned than southern deer so I dont take chances.

[srblack]

Yeah those Ruger #1's are sweet, I have not done anything to mine but mount a scope on it and it shoots like a champ.

[chambers bd]

.300 WEATHERBY MAGNUM.:roll_eyes:

[deerhunter3161]

Hey just like the others have said 243 and up pending on your wallet. I've killed many w/ 30/06 and 243 and killed out to 400yrds w/30/06 and so far w/ 243 330 yrds but just remember do not shoot beyond your abilitys practice ,practice practice, and more practice nothing worst than losing a deer because of a bad shot. And reload if you can they'll be more relyable for that accurette and consistace on paper as well as on game.:wink:

[smokey]

I have a 308 and love it.
smokey