The Perfect Deer Rifle

[284winner]

Agree. You don't need a $3 to $4000 rifle to kill deer.

I think this site is not the norm for hunters with off the shelf hunting rifles. I have my share of factory hunting guns in semi autos, bolts, levers and single shot break action models. I hunt with many but enjoy hunting with one that I built as much or more than the others. That's pretty much where alot of guys stand IMO who are members on this forum. Maybe not 3-4k dollar guns but higher costs are involved in custom setups.

 

[Roe]

Pride of ownership & gun interest should not be underestimated as an "experience multiplier" for hunters who take interest in their guns (like me and many here)

 

[pipe]

Jack O'Connor's old 270 & deer just go together.

 

[Pyscodog]

Frank is my perfect deer rifle. It started out as a Remington 700, 220 Swift that I bought at a gun show. One range trip and it didn't take long to figure out I had bought a POS shot out prairie dog rifle. It had a great trigger and the bolt was as smooth as a baby's butt. I had a barrel in 7mm-08 I had drug around for years so figured I'd slap in on there and sell it. Got the barrel on and had my smith head space it but now I needed a stock. IIRC, I bought a walnut ADL stock on here with a metal trigger guard for $50. I stripped the finish and gave it a nice oil finish, then bed the action. I have no idea what kind of barrel it is as the only thing on it is Tink's rifle Shop. But, its a hammer. It puts 139 grain Hornady's in the same hole at 100yds, easy to carry and just a dang accurate rifle that don't hurt your eyes looking at it. "Frank", short for Frankenstein as I built it with parts from different rifles. That was 2-3 years ago so I guess it isn't for sale. LOL!!

 

[howl]

OP stated it correctly four years ago. Lotta ways to do the same thing. I would want a slightly lighter bullet from a repeater. If multiple deer are where I can back the truck up to I like to make freezer stocking quicker.

 

[cjames]

Jack O'Connor's old 270 & deer just go together.

I am a standard long action guy. 30-06, 270, 6.5-06. And I think the Ackley's are cool too. My favorite deer caliber is the good ol 270 Win. If I could have only one deer caliber, 270 hands down. My favorite deer rifle I own is a Remington 700 in 270 Win. I got it off a guy walking around the guns show in Fort Worth a few years ago. It was a 700 Classic in 8mm Mauser. He was only asking $400.00 and I offered him $350.00, we met in the middle at $375.00. It had a few dings in the stock, nothing bad. About a year before that, I went to the Shilen Swap Meet and got a #3 short chambered 700 barrel in 270 win 10 twist for $125.00. That morning at the swap meet, when they rolled the barrels out, you would have thought it was the new Air Jordan's getting rolled out at Foot Locker. A bunch of rifle loonies bum rushing the barrel racks. Anyway, I came away with that barrel and couple of others even though I didn't have a rifle to go with it. Then along came that Classic 700. I love the way the 700 Classic looks. I took it to a smith and asked him how much just to head space it he told me $125.00. Great! Here you go. Got it back and I noticed the face of the action was shinny between the face and the recoil lug. He said "Ya, I went ahead and worked over the action." He did the face, threads, and lapped the lugs. I tried to pay him a little extra and he wouldn't take it. So, I inletted the barrel channel, bedded the stock, and put a Decelerator pad on. With a 130 Ballistic Tip and 55 grs of IMR4350 its an honest 3/4" 3 shot group rifle. If not, it was probably the nut behind the bolt. This rifle is one of the few rifles I own that I came out pretty good financially on. Usually it's the other way around. I hunted with this rifle this year. I didn't shoot any deer with it. I let my son shoot the deer this year. I did shoot 4 hogs with it though.

 

[David Milisock]

WOW, loaded question. To set the parameter I state my choice is based on hunting around my home. Different choice for a different place.

In over 50 years around home, (South Central PA) I got one shot at just under 300 yards. Most are under 100 a few between 100 and 200.

So being a cheap ass who doesn't want his custom rifles busted up I carry a Mauser 98 in 8x57JS, NAZI parts Yugoslavian stampings. At least that's what a guy who wanted to buy ot from me said. Who cares! I bought it for $120, just for the action and trigger but it shot so well as it was I left it alone.

As I bought it, the rifle sports a synthetic stock, a Timney trigger, a target grade aperture rear sight and a front post. A 21" barrel and the mag follower been ground so it no longer holds the bolt open. All the work professionally done.

I hand load for it and at 67 years old (given a few seconds) I can easily make good hits out to 300 yards.

Now I really like this rifle but it shoots great and WAS CHEAP, so if my fat ass falls down a hill and it lands in a stream I don't care, well I do but not near as much as I would if it were one of my $3,500 custom rifles.

 

[Fuj]

4 digit serial number, iron sighted 300 Savage with the original
Winchester 150 gr Silver Tips. Truth be known though, I mainly
just go out with my Ruger 41 mag, and hard cast Keith wad
cutters, rope, Case knife, and bag of walnut pieces to munch on.

 

[284winner]

Frank is my perfect deer rifle. It started out as a Remington 700, 220 Swift that I bought at a gun show. One range trip and it didn't take long to figure out I had bought a POS shot out prairie dog rifle. It had a great trigger and the bolt was as smooth as a baby's butt. I had a barrel in 7mm-08 I had drug around for years so figured I'd slap in on there and sell it. Got the barrel on and had my smith head space it but now I needed a stock. IIRC, I bought a walnut ADL stock on here with a metal trigger guard for $50. I stripped the finish and gave it a nice oil finish, then bed the action. I have no idea what kind of barrel it is as the only thing on it is Tink's rifle Shop. But, its a hammer. It puts 139 grain Hornady's in the same hole at 100yds, easy to carry and just a dang accurate rifle that don't hurt your eyes looking at it. "Frank", short for Frankenstein as I built it with parts from different rifles. That was 2-3 years ago so I guess it isn't for sale. LOL!!

Won't find a better deer cartridge IMO than the old 7-08. Maybe many equal to it but none any better.

 

[wildcatter]

I have used a few 6mm, 7mm, 30 cal, even 35 Rem. but when I bought a 257 Bob I couldn't believe how much faster it dropped deer, and how little meat it destroyed. That was only improved on after I Ackley Improved the chamber and made for a longer range effective rifle.

I suppose if I were looking for more than just deer and antelope, and wanted to include Elk, the 270 Win would be my one rifle choice for dual duty. But Deer whitetail and Mule combined, short range or long range, that 257 Bob loaded to modern standards, is going to be my go to every time! Make mine Ackleyized for good measure!

 

[Mr. Ten-X]

Almost impossible to get a clean shot at 200yds in a mature hardwoods. 150 yards is even a stretch. Have always been a deep woods hunter with either a scattergun or a muzzleloader. Field hunting is simply not where the larger specimens are, so I stick to cover.

Lately I have been using a 6.8SPC in a 7# AR plus the weight of a 1-4X Leupold. I can sight it +2" at 100yds and it is -2" at 200yds...farther than i will likely ever shoot. It delivers over 1100 ft/lbs at 200yds.

What's not to like?

 

[284winner]

I have used a few 6mm, 7mm, 30 cal, even 35 Rem. but when I bought a 257 Bob I couldn't believe how much faster it dropped deer, and how little meat it destroyed. That was only improved on after I Ackley Improved the chamber and made for a longer range effective rifle.

I suppose if I were looking for more than just deer and antelope, and wanted to include Elk, the 270 Win would be my one rifle choice for dual duty. But Deer whitetail and Mule combined, short range or long range, that 257 Bob loaded to modern standards, is going to be my go to every time! Make mine Ackleyized for good measure!

What bullet do you prefer for deer ?

 

[wildcatter]

I prefer 117 Hornady InterLock BT for deer, smaller game 85 grain Nosler BT in the Bob, 130 in a 270, 150 for Elk.

 

[South Paw Sammy]

Imho. It’s hard to beat a standard bolt action hunting rifle (not all the wheels and bells of a lot of the rifles made today) in the good ole 30-06 or 7mm Remington magnum.

 

[Spoonbill]

Out of all the different rifles and all the different cartridges I have used to kill deer, my favorite is my 6.5 06 improved built by Bob Jourdan. It was one of the last (if not the last rifle) he built. Savage 110 action 26 inch heavy Hart barrel and a McMillan stock. That dang gun means a lot to me. After that it is the 270Win that I used the action from to build the 6.5 06 improved.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

I agree the perfect rifle changes with the conditions. When a buck walked out 15 ft from my tower blind, my 4” S&W Model 686 357 mag sidearm was the perfect deer rifle. Anything larger and I would have spooked the deer before I could get a shot.

 

[ebb]

I think 6 or 5 is trying to say the one that is close to your hands when the perfect deer messes up and shows his self.

 

[Kittitas George]

The perfect deer cartridge can depend on where you are hunting. I like my 25-06, I had it made before Remington 'legalized' it. It's killed a number of deer, antelope, rock chucks, sage rats and prairie dogs. But, for the Montana grizzly bear country it's a little light. The 1st year in the Bob Marshall I carried a 270 with 150gr Noslers. After 2 bear encounters in a week, the next year I carried a 300WM. Deer and elk hunting in grizzly country, can be trying, the bears WILL come to the sound of the shot. Seeing the fresh tracks in the snow, seeing the length of the claws and being alone, it's guaranteed to take the 'macho' right out of you. I quit hunting in the 'Bob' after 3 or 4 years, and started hunting west of the divide, at a friends cabin. We have grizzlies there now. Because of the bears and age I've given up deer and elk hunting, now just gophers.

 

[olympian]

In my mind, about the closest perfect all-round deer rifle I can come up with is a ultra reliable (including trigger/extraction/ejection), sub-0.75 MOA, medium weight (7.5-9.5 pound), 3 round+ magazine, low recoil rifle with a durable, stable, streamline (not bulky) ergonomic stock and super flat trajectory, economical (to encourage lots of practice), 6mm or higher cartridge that is capable of quick follow up shots. I have never seen such a thing so it is about compromise. The closest I can get to this is a M70/SPR in 6mm AI or similar (6mm Competition Match) in a McMillan Game Scout stock.

 

[uncle fester]

My Savage High Country in 6.5 CM will put a 140grain bullet where I want it and the deer goes down.

Yet, she is getting a brother because I can. 280AI build on a Big Horn Origin action that I am putting together myself.