Favorite Deer Rifle

Creature Meadow · Jun 25, 2018

Just curious what you guys and gals grab when you head to the stand.

I use a Browning A-Bolt 270 topped with a 2.5x10x56 Swarvoski and a Browning X-Bolt 300 WSM with a 2.5x15x56 Swarvoski sitting on it.

The 270 is my favorite and is responsible for 4 deer on the wall and the 300 for one.

I shoot Federal Trophy Bonded Tips in both, 140 in the 270 and 180 in the 300.

Both on the bench with the above loads will shoot a 3 shot group at 100 yds, I can cover with a quarter.

So, what do you grab, for me the 270 is my favorite go to gun.

I do pick the 300 when I hunt near water, it's raining, or I not want the deer to run far after the shot.

The 270 just feels the best, maybe just because we have been partners since 1990.

What do you throw over your shoulder?

Thanks for reading and your responses.

Jay

BillK01 · Jun 25, 2018

I have a Browning A-Bolt composite stalker with the BOSS system in 300 win mag with a Leupold 4.5 x 14 Vari-X IiII that I use. Wanted something I could still use on whitetail but also use on Elk, Caribou or Moose if I ever got any opportunity to take a trip.

Creature Meadow · Jun 25, 2018

BillK01 said:
I have a Browning A-Bolt composite stalker with the BOSS system in 300 win mag with a Leupold 4.5 x 14 Vari-X IiII that I use. Wanted something I could still use on whitetail but also use on Elk, Caribou or Moose if I ever got any opportunity to take a trip.

The 300 Win Mag is a nice round and is one that has made it through the years.

Couple of friends and I travel from NC to Illinois every 3rd year in November to deer hunt for a week and use the stick and string.

I too bought my 300 WSM to use for deer or on a trip for Elk but now I believe I would carry the Hoyt instead of the rifle.

RCW · Jun 25, 2018

We were shotgun only for many, many years, but area-by-area they have allowed rifles here in upstate New York. I used a 12 Gauge 870 to get a bunch.

I have not hunted deer since rifles were allowed.

I shot 100's (1,000's?) of woodchucks (or groundhogs...Marmota monox) with a Remington .22-250 in a Remington Model 700 Varmint Special. My longest shot was shy of 600 yards. Loaded my own stuff ...36 gr IMR 4064 with 55 gr. Sierra Spitzer, CCI primer. ~3,900 fps at the muzzle.

For Whitetail....my go-to would have to be a 270..always wanted a .25-06, but 270 out-performs both .25-06 and .30-06 under some conditions.

Again, no experience, but I was a shooter way-back. Just thought 270 was a better performer all-around.. still want a .25-06 though....

Now, iff'n you were brush/heavy woods hunting, a Model 94 Winchester in 30-30 can't be beat.....

jryser · Jun 25, 2018

Oh wow - LOVE threads like this. I’m a turkey FREAK so let me start there. I handload all my TSS ammo and have a Benelli SBE II topped with an Aimpoint H2 for 12 ga, 1962 Browning Sweet 16 topped with Aimpoint S1, 1967 Browning Auto 5 Magnum 20 topped with magnum gobble dot, Benelli 28 gauge Ultralight, and a Browning BPS .410. Lastly I converted dad’s Weatherby Orion to shoot turkeys as well! That was his fav until he died. I’ve killed turkeys with every gun!!

For deer, I split between my 1968 BAR in .30-06; just a joy to shoot out of my tree saddle - and a Weatherby .30-06 for my long range and love it too. Can’t use the .270 SWM in Indiana yet. All are topped with Leupold scopes.

Oddly or not all the deer on my wall including my first B&C last year came from my Hoyt!!

I also - since we were shotgun only until two years ago, have deer barrels for my auto 5’s and both of them smoke deer quite efficiently. AND lastly my first deer gun - Ithaca Deerslayer. LOVE that gun. I’ve also taken a doe with a .44 DE pistol which is an experience!!

For woodchucks a Ruger model 77 .22 Hornet just slays em!!! And a .22-250 Remington 700 (old old and shoots tacks!) for long range ‘chucks and yotes.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!! All the .22’s are set up for the grandkids now. They each have “their own” when they visit.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Charlie5320 · Jun 25, 2018

When I deer hunted I used the gun I bought to go Elk hunting in Co. many years ago. I used a Remington 742 auto loader 30.06. Used to deer hunt in NW Wisconsin with it When I was much younger. In my home state we can't use rifles, so I used a Remington 1100 3" chambered with deer barrel and a 4x wide angle scope. Quit around 2000 and sold both guns to my boss around 2006 for $500.00. Very hard to sell a 30.06 in Illinois gun shops don't even want them.

edritchey · Jun 26, 2018

My Dad bought me a used Remington 760 in 30-06 back in the 70s it's still my favorite deer rifle.

bearbait · Jun 26, 2018

Started out using a lee enfield 303 which I shot a lot of my deer with but then wanted a change so I bought a PSE bow which I used to take both deer and bear with. A great sport but now that I'm getting older I bought a tikka t3 30 06 which I really like and will be my go to rifle.

bucktail · Jun 26, 2018

I hunt deer in slug zone, but we're also allowed to use muzzle loaders. I've mostly been using a Savage model 10 MLII, but the last 2 years I got my deer with a 20 gauge 870 with a rifled barrel and cantilevered scope mount. Also took one with a .357 magnum a few years back.

I drew a tag in Wyoming this year and my primary will be a stainless M77 MkII in 25-06. It shoots about 3/4" at 100 yards and puts 100 grain interlocks and 100 grain triple shocks to the same point of aim at 100. I haven't decided on the back up yet.

eddiebob · Jun 26, 2018

Browning X-Bolt chambered in .308. Custom muzzle brake, trigger, and the action was balanced and trued. Schmidt Bender 4-12x50 FFP scope with Seekins rings. Shooting 150 grain hand loads. Lots of fun!

sdk1968 · Jun 26, 2018

depends on the state im in.

here in Ohio its a 12 gauge.

if im over in WVA its the M1 Garand(30-06) or the 98K (8mm mauser)

used to use my 50bmg, but it pretty much ruins the front half & thats not cool once you turn into a responsible adult & get over the wow factor.

David Page · Jun 26, 2018

Dads .270 721 Remington with handloalds, rifle and moose on .270 150 gr. in the Sierra Manual. Gave dads to my daughter so she could use it while I'm still here, she has shot moose and deer with it. I bought a Howa .270.

Daren Todd · Jun 26, 2018

jryser said:
Oh wow - LOVE threads like this. I’m a turkey FREAK so let me start there. I handload all my TSS ammo and have a Benelli SBE II topped with an Aimpoint H2 for 12 ga, 1962 Browning Sweet 16 topped with Aimpoint S1, 1967 Browning Auto 5 Magnum 20 topped with magnum gobble dot, Benelli 28 gauge Ultralight, and a Browning BPS .410. Lastly I converted dad’s Weatherby Orion to shoot turkeys as well! That was his fav until he died. I’ve killed turkeys with every gun!!

For deer, I split between my 1968 BAR in .30-06; just a joy to shoot out of my tree saddle - and a Weatherby .30-06 for my long range and love it too. Can’t use the .270 SWM in Indiana yet. All are topped with Leupold scopes.

Oddly or not all the deer on my wall including my first B&C last year came from my Hoyt!!

I also - since we were shotgun only until two years ago, have deer barrels for my auto 5’s and both of them smoke deer quite efficiently. AND lastly my first deer gun - Ithaca Deerslayer. LOVE that gun. I’ve also taken a doe with a .44 DE pistol which is an experience!!

For woodchucks a Ruger model 77 .22 Hornet just slays em!!! And a .22-250 Remington 700 (old old and shoots tacks!) for long range ‘chucks and yotes.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!! All the .22’s are set up for the grandkids now. They each have “their own” when they visit.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have an Ithaca 20 gauge single shot, rifled barrel, and lever brake action with rifle scopes. Not the deer slayer, but one mean mamajama when it came to deer

Ithaca made great guns and was sorry to see them go.

Purchased for my dad on his 16th birthday, given to me on my 16th birthday and going to my first grandson on his 16th birthday. To short for me to use comfortably now, but great first gun for a youth. It's been relegated to varmints for the past 20 years and gets shot a couple times a year.

8upbowhunter · Jun 26, 2018

When I gun hunt (rarely these days) I use my Browning BAR .280 Remington shooting Federal Premium 150gr Nosler Partitions, has not failed me yet. I mostly hunt with my longbows and recurve now days.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Fro65 · Jun 26, 2018

When I was young, Indiana only allowed bows, muzzleloaders or shotguns.

About 25 years ago they started allowing handguns chambered in straight wall pistol cartridges as long as the bullet was at least .357 inch diameter and the brass wasn't over 1.625 inches long.

About 10 years ago they started allowing rifles chambered in the pistol cartridges mentioned above.

I hunted with a muzzleloader or a Ruger Super Blackhawk until six years ago when they upped the allowable case length to 1.8 inches and took away the straight wall requirement.

This rule change spawned a whole new cottage industry of wildcat rounds being developed to fit within the given parameters. I became enamored by one of these called the .358 Hoosier. Basically a shortened .358 Winchester.

A friend of mine talked me into building one of these just to see how it would do. It has been my goto rifle ever since. Absolutely amazing accuracy out to 400 yards. Ended up building four more for friends.

All started with a stock Remington 700 short action.

Lil Foot · Jun 26, 2018

Wow, that might be the best group I've ever seen @150yds.

bearbait · Jun 27, 2018

Lil Foot said:
Wow, that might be the best group I've ever seen @150yds.

I'll second that, nicely done.

Creature Meadow · Jun 27, 2018

Good posts here and is is evident why so many choices are available, we all have different needs and specifics we are looking for.

Nice shot group.

Sent my my x-bolt back to Browning for the dura-touch finish to be replaced and have just got it back. Time to remount scope and walk across the ditch to the range and sight it in.

bearbait · Jun 27, 2018

I envy your folks to the south...where I'm living 100 yards is the longest shot at the range I have. Pretty hard to better yourself when your limited to such a short distance which is why I keep making the target smaller just for a challenge. At least with the bow when I was still able to shoot, 100 yards was getting out there well at least for me.

Forvols · Jun 27, 2018

Early 1980s Remmy 700/BDL 30-06 with Trigger Tech Trigger and Leupold VX3I 3.5X10-40, with Fajen aluminum bedded stock. Shoot either 150gr or 165gr Rem core lokt. Both have been excellent on East TN deer. Had the gun since I was a late teenager. Upgrades came later. Extremely accurate, kick is pretty good due to the light stock. But you carry it all day with no issues.

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