.308 or .44 magnum?

M

MountainGun44

New member
Deer season opens on Saturday. I will be out hunting Blacktails in the Sierra Nevada mountains (small deer). We will be doing some drives. Shots are rarely 100 yards. Most are under 50. Which of my two rifles suited for the task should I carry- my Remington Model 7 in .308 with its Vari-X III or my Marlin 1894P "baby guide gun" in .44 magnum with open sights?

I shoot 150 grain rounds for "thin-skinned game in the .308 and 270 grain Gold Dots in the .44.

We will be hiking through dense forest for miles and miles. I have never shot a deer with the .44 before.

I will carry whatever the majority rules.
 
I would carry the rifle you can handle and aim the easiest.So I would carry the 44 since you won't get a far shot and open sights are easier to hit running targets for me at least.
 
Dunno how many days you'll have on which to hunt, but I'd take both rifles along. You might change your mind after you get there.

I'm a walking hunter. I've jumped deer and killed at 25 to 30 yards on a few, 75 to 150 on a lot more, and two at 350 and 450 yards. I've always used a scope, since iron sights have been a bit blurry for a few decades, now. A variable scope set on its lowest power works just fine, thank you.

FWIW, Art
 
Ta hell with the majority! You think we live in a democracy or sumpin!? ;-)

Art's on the money. Take 'em both & see what turns up after using the one you'd most like to use at first. At least you'll have the options.

Could be you'll score right off the bat & be tickled silly with what you wanted to do. Maybe, that what you thought you'd get to do didn't happen & you'll have to adapt a bit.
That's why they call it hunting rather than shooting.

Either one will do the trick quite well. Obviously, the .308 will do it a bit further ....

Ah, to have those "young eyes" to be able to use open sights again .....


[This message has been edited by labgrade (edited September 21, 2000).]
 
I think taking both is a good idea, but, in my experience deer hunting in the mountains of California, you are more likely to get a shot when watching a clearing from a stand than while driving deer through the woods (I assume that whe driving deer, you'll have someone posted at a prime spot ahead of you). I'd take the .308 to be ready for a longer shot. But I'm no expert (I've done a lot more deer hunting than deer shooting - and not a lot of either in the past 15 years).

Doug
 
DougB: What some folks call a "drive" is several guys walking in line across a valley, moving deer out so somebody in the line can get a shot. It can be a bunch of fun!

The trick is to be on the end of the line, and on the upwind end. A "real" buck will take off uphill and into the wind. Little bucks and does will go any-old-where. (Never watch does; you're not after them, and the big buck ain't with 'em when they run.)

Of course, if you have a newbie along and a scraggly buck jumps out, the old hands go to yelling, "Shoot him! Shoot him!" If the newbie is successful, they then ask, "Why did you shoot that poor, pitiful, little ol' thing?"

:), Art
 
I haven't gone hunting for more than 30 years, but all my deer were taken with a Winchester M94 carbine in Wyoming. It's light and easy to carry, and I never shot more than about 125 yards, maybe not even that. If you're reasonably sure of close shots, and you are hiking for miles, my choice would be the lighter gun. :-)
 
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