Rifle Recommendations?
- Thread starter Accountable
- Start date
Users who are viewing this thread
-
34Replies
-
981Views
-
0Participant count
-
Participants list
It depends what kind of deer, where you're hunting and the kind of terrain you'll be hunting on.
If you're going to be hunting wide open country side then a 30/06 with a quality CPX 2 class bullet should do the trick with a well placed shot. A .270 would be a decent choice to. It's a flat shooting cartridge and recoils less than the 30/06. How much less will depend on you, your stock design and the overall weight of your rifle and ammunition you use.
If you're going to be hunting in wooded areas then a 30/30 Winchester lever gun might be a better choice. There have been some nice advances in bullet technology that have made the 30/30 more effective than it was before. Look up "Hornady Leverevolution" ammo.
Out of these three calibers the 30/30 will be the cheapest. The 30/06 will be the most versatile and the .270 will be the handiest in terms of recoil and it's flat(er) shooting trajectory.
If you can find one, take a look at a Savage 340. They were a bolt action originally Sold as the Stevens 325 introduced in 1947. Savage Arms Company picked up the patent in 1950 produced and sold several variants of the 325 as the 340 until 1985. I was given one in 30/30 in nearly new condition by my grandfather and it's more accurate than I'll ever be. The recoil is very mild and the ammo is cheaper than both the 30/06 and .270 Winchester.
The ammo cost is what will most likely kill you. A good rifle doesn't have to be an expensive rifle.
Marlin
Savage
Remington
Winchester...
Have all made good rifles over the years. But before we start picking rifles we need to know on what kind of land and how you plan to hunt.
Optics is a whole other pot of oatmeal and there are several good choices out there. If cost is your biggest concern I'd take a hard look at something in the Nikon prostaff line. They won't cost you your soul like a Leupold or a Schmidt & Bender but they'll hold up well and have a transferable lifetime warranty.
If you're going to be hunting wide open country side then a 30/06 with a quality CPX 2 class bullet should do the trick with a well placed shot. A .270 would be a decent choice to. It's a flat shooting cartridge and recoils less than the 30/06. How much less will depend on you, your stock design and the overall weight of your rifle and ammunition you use.
If you're going to be hunting in wooded areas then a 30/30 Winchester lever gun might be a better choice. There have been some nice advances in bullet technology that have made the 30/30 more effective than it was before. Look up "Hornady Leverevolution" ammo.
Out of these three calibers the 30/30 will be the cheapest. The 30/06 will be the most versatile and the .270 will be the handiest in terms of recoil and it's flat(er) shooting trajectory.
If you can find one, take a look at a Savage 340. They were a bolt action originally Sold as the Stevens 325 introduced in 1947. Savage Arms Company picked up the patent in 1950 produced and sold several variants of the 325 as the 340 until 1985. I was given one in 30/30 in nearly new condition by my grandfather and it's more accurate than I'll ever be. The recoil is very mild and the ammo is cheaper than both the 30/06 and .270 Winchester.
The ammo cost is what will most likely kill you. A good rifle doesn't have to be an expensive rifle.
Marlin
Savage
Remington
Winchester...
Have all made good rifles over the years. But before we start picking rifles we need to know on what kind of land and how you plan to hunt.
Optics is a whole other pot of oatmeal and there are several good choices out there. If cost is your biggest concern I'd take a hard look at something in the Nikon prostaff line. They won't cost you your soul like a Leupold or a Schmidt & Bender but they'll hold up well and have a transferable lifetime warranty.
Last edited by a moderator:
Accountable
Well-Known Member
I'm just finding out how ignant I am.
Holy crap, I had no idea how many variables go into this decision. Barrel size, weight, length. Bullet weight. I've lost track.
Is there some kind of list of priorities, like they have for buying a good laptop?
I'm just finding out how ignant I am.
Holy crap, I had no idea how many variables go into this decision. Barrel size, weight, length. Bullet weight. I've lost track.
Is there some kind of list of priorities, like they have for buying a good laptop?
Yes, there is.
#1 What species of deer will you be hunting?(mule, white tail, Roe deer)
#2 What terrain will you be hunting in( forest, wide open plains, other)
#3 What type method of hunting will you be using? (spot/stalk, deer stand)
#4 How much experience do you have with firearms in general to date?
We can go from here.
Last edited by a moderator:
Accountable
Well-Known Member
1. NadaKlew but it's easy to find out.
2. Forest, but we call 'em woods here.
3. Deer Stand. I don't trust myself to walk and shoot just yet.
4. Small arms as a kid. M-16 marksman about 20 years ago (firing range only; no combat).
2. Forest, but we call 'em woods here.
3. Deer Stand. I don't trust myself to walk and shoot just yet.
4. Small arms as a kid. M-16 marksman about 20 years ago (firing range only; no combat).
Hunting the woods of TX thats more likely than not white tails. Hunting from a deer stand in the woods #1 on my list would be
Marlin Model 336C
in .30-30. They can be had used for next to nothing out of just about any pawn shop. Add a decent scope and you've got a solid deer rifle...
Marlin Model 336C
in .30-30. They can be had used for next to nothing out of just about any pawn shop. Add a decent scope and you've got a solid deer rifle...
Nova gave you some good advice. From a stand that 30-30 will do just fine. If you decide to mount optics on your rifle you won't need anything more than a fixed power scope in 4x. In the forest you won't be shooting very far but a scope with a good light gathering objective will help when the adrenaline starts pumping and your fine motor skills start to go to mush. Point and click.(after sighting in for zero)
Good luck.
Good luck.
Hunting in the woods from a stand?
Ahhh, then you need a tactical 12gage with 18" barrel, pistol grips and a 20X scope... Yeah, that should do it
Just make sure the deer is close enough to see the fleas in your scope or the pattern will be slightly larger than the deer.
Ahhh, then you need a tactical 12gage with 18" barrel, pistol grips and a 20X scope... Yeah, that should do it
Just make sure the deer is close enough to see the fleas in your scope or the pattern will be slightly larger than the deer.
Leananshee
Active Member
With a 30-30, learn to iron sight targets from about fifty yards out before you start using a scope. Scopes are fine, but as with all tools can be overly depended upon, IMHO. And since you're a new shooter, I won't assume you know this: Mind the recoil with a scope, keep your eye back from it.
tim :eek
tim :eek
Accountable
Well-Known Member
HA! No I hadn't thought of that. No scope on the M-16. I could just see having to explain my black eye to the students.
Leananshee
Active Member
Glad to save you the black eye. Honestly, I don't see the point of using a scope within the fifty yard range; the only thing I have a scope on is the .22 long barrel.
tim :eek
Honestly, I don't see the point of using a scope within the fifty yard range; the only thing I have a scope on is the .22 long barrel.tim :eek
Accountable
Well-Known Member
I was pretty fair with the 16 and still have goo distance vision. I don't think I'd like a scope much.Glad to save you the black eye.
tim :eek
Leananshee
Active Member
Try a scoped .22 long barrel before you make that call, though. There is a place for them.
tim :eek
tim :eek
I agree with learning iron sights first.
When I had my Winchester model 1894 (30-30 lever action) I wouldn't even consider putting a scope on it. Living here in PA we have pretty thick woods and long shots just don't happen. I have always preferred iron sights over scopes here.
Unless we were groundhog hunting.
79,572Threads
2,190,832Messages
5,007Members