The Perfect Deer Rifle
- Thread starter onelastshot
- Start date
It's summer and things are a little slow, monsoon season is here so it is hot and humid so not as much range time. So some thought about deer rifles over the years. I've pretty much have everything covered.
For still hunting and tracking I have my Sav.99 in 375 Win, JP Sauer drilling in 16ga/16g/7x57R
For trail watching, my 25-204
I would love to have a Sako-579 Fullstock in 308 with a Leupold VX-3 1.5-5x20 w/German #1 reticle, it would be high on my list for handling all the deer hunting I might do.
For still hunting and tracking I have my Sav.99 in 375 Win, JP Sauer drilling in 16ga/16g/7x57R
For trail watching, my 25-204
I would love to have a Sako-579 Fullstock in 308 with a Leupold VX-3 1.5-5x20 w/German #1 reticle, it would be high on my list for handling all the deer hunting I might do.
PBking51
Gold $$ Contributor
Bored on a beach vacation and found this thread.
My perfect deer rifle, though as vanilla as it gets is
a first year made rem 700 in 30-06 with a leupold vari-x III 3.5-10x42. Unloaded with a leather sling it comes in at just 7lbs. 22" factory barrel with front sight still on their for leaning against trees.
The gun came to me for a whopping $200 on a Facebook post before they cracked down on that 2A stuff. The metal buttplate adl stock, was replaced with a "classic" bdl stock which came from a friend who works at a dump. Remington must have thrown out some NOS stuff or stuff that didn't make the quality control cuts and he took about 100 stocks home and gave me a few.
When I originally bought the gun it had a Baraka 3-9 on it which was sufficient for my typical 50-100 yard woods shots. It was replaced after shooting 2 bucks in 2 years with the leupold.
This gun was also the first gun and caliber I took a deer with my own loaded ammo...and 18" spread 6 pt at 75 yards. My last kill with it was a 3 year old 8pt which I was under heavy cover and as it came out in the field 200ish yards away looking straight at me, I sprang up to stand and sent one right above the brisket. Did run 80 yards, but had good blood and tons or hair along the way to confirm the deer was not going to live.
I maybe owned this rifle for 11 years, and figure it accounted for roughly 8 bucks, a dozen doe, a 300lb blacky, and 3 coyotes. I have many calibers in all sorts of rifles suitable for the job, but opening day in PA I always grab the 06, and until last year, I prefer to even get nostalgic and buy some 150 corelockts.
Now, after the first day or two....I play with its twin in 6.5x55 or a custom 700 in 358 until I get in long range mode, then the m70 in 300mag or 700 Boone and Crockett in 7mm mag come to the party.
My perfect deer rifle, though as vanilla as it gets is
a first year made rem 700 in 30-06 with a leupold vari-x III 3.5-10x42. Unloaded with a leather sling it comes in at just 7lbs. 22" factory barrel with front sight still on their for leaning against trees.
The gun came to me for a whopping $200 on a Facebook post before they cracked down on that 2A stuff. The metal buttplate adl stock, was replaced with a "classic" bdl stock which came from a friend who works at a dump. Remington must have thrown out some NOS stuff or stuff that didn't make the quality control cuts and he took about 100 stocks home and gave me a few.
When I originally bought the gun it had a Baraka 3-9 on it which was sufficient for my typical 50-100 yard woods shots. It was replaced after shooting 2 bucks in 2 years with the leupold.
This gun was also the first gun and caliber I took a deer with my own loaded ammo...and 18" spread 6 pt at 75 yards. My last kill with it was a 3 year old 8pt which I was under heavy cover and as it came out in the field 200ish yards away looking straight at me, I sprang up to stand and sent one right above the brisket. Did run 80 yards, but had good blood and tons or hair along the way to confirm the deer was not going to live.
I maybe owned this rifle for 11 years, and figure it accounted for roughly 8 bucks, a dozen doe, a 300lb blacky, and 3 coyotes. I have many calibers in all sorts of rifles suitable for the job, but opening day in PA I always grab the 06, and until last year, I prefer to even get nostalgic and buy some 150 corelockts.
Now, after the first day or two....I play with its twin in 6.5x55 or a custom 700 in 358 until I get in long range mode, then the m70 in 300mag or 700 Boone and Crockett in 7mm mag come to the party.
I think the perfect deer rifle would be any lightweight bolt action in 308. Having said that, I don't have one! I have Mauser in 257 Roberts, another in 6.5x55, a Winchester 54 in 256 Newton, a Lee Enfield in 30/40, a Ruger 77 in 7x57 and maybe the best classic deer rifle, a1947 Savage 99 in 300 Savage. This is a partial list and I realize I may have more hunting rifles than I need. WH
PBking51
Gold $$ Contributor
100% agree. I never owned a 308...or well I should say I never had one long enough to play around with. I did finally pick up a model 600 in 308 on a hs stock. Can't wait to have time to do some mountainous hunting!
My favorite is a Browning A-Bolt stainless stalker chambered in 7WSM. I like the tang safety design, the short 60 degree bolt throw, short action with plenty of muscle to reach out there and get them in an all weather rifle. It's been my go to rifle for 20 years now and has taken literally a dump truck full of deer.
Hahaha,
A dang good Remington 700 in 06 is about as American as Rc and a moon pie.
And hard to beat.
I've been running CZ 527 in 7.62 x39 lately and it's growing more and more on me.
My fav of all time gotta be 6.5 Creedmore Savage 110( got it recently from https://gritrsports.com/shooting/firearms/rifles/6-5-creedmoor-rifles/ ) Simple and reliable
My fav of all time gotta be 6.5 Creedmore Savage 110( got it recently from https://gritrsports.com/shooting/firearms/rifles/6-5-creedmoor-rifles/ ) Simple and reliable
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The 25–06 rolls deer like a shotgun rolls rabbits!
I was never a real believer in the 25-06 but I shot a BWB with a 22250 this year (quick little cull) right between the eyes from about 160y. As I got to about 20y of her she decided that she wasn't done and wanted to have one last hoora and started jumping and falling all over the place and landed in a thick bush where I couldn't get a clear headshot, friend of mine still standing where the shot was taken had his 25-06 loaded with a 120gr Norma something and I said to him if she stops turning and you have a clear opening drop her. The impact on that animal from that 120gr bullet was something spectacular from that short distance.
120 gr from close distance is brutal yeah.
Same with me, I have killed many deer over the past 75 yrs, with various calibers, along with a few with handguns, each one did it's job and put meat in the freezer. So for me the perfect rifle/gun for deer hunting is the one you put the bullet in the proper spot and then field dress the animal.
I mean in the end of the day, that's what deer rifle is for!
I've killed deer more deer with a 338 Win Mag than all others put together. That includes 30-30, 30-06, 25-06, 45-70, 416 Rigby and my new favorite the 350 Rem Mag.
They all worked, I just liked the 338, and now the lighter 20" 350 mag. "But it don't mean nothing"...the 86 45-90 could be fun.
They all worked, I just liked the 338, and now the lighter 20" 350 mag. "But it don't mean nothing"...the 86 45-90 could be fun.
Gotta agree .338 is one of the best rounds for deer. How's 350 Rem mag compared to classic .338?
The 350 mag is about the same at normal ranges, that I shoot and 20" barrel with a muzzle brake makes it handy shoot 250gr at 2630 fps 2.910" mag modified or 200gr Barns at 2920 fps 225 gr Barns 2750 fps. 280 gr Swift 2450 and 310 gr Woodleigh 2250 fps. ...but the 338 would be better at longer ranges, which I don't do, because of better bullet BC. A Good Heavy 338 Win Mag load RL 26, with 75.6 gr and 275 gr bullet 2671 fps factory barrel...I have quite a few guns with custom barrels but never used one on a hunting gun...factory barrels were accurate enough for my needs...when they wear out I put a custom barrel on it...but then they become heavy target rifles, nothing is the same but the trued action. Both of these old hunting magnums have a lot of rounds and wear on them....If I had to pick between the two it would depend on what and where I was hunting...and logic would say 338, incase I had to use factory ammunition, as there is a much better choice in bullet selection, and availability.
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