Deep Woods Hunting Rifle

J

Jacob07

Inactive
Hello everybody,

New to the website, not new to weapons, but would like some of you fellow hunters who have handled a few lightweight rifles real world experience.

I hunt in some steep; I mean steep, thick mountains in WV. It is very rough, rocky terrain, but that is where the deer are.

This year I borrowed my father’s Weatherby Mark V lightweight in 30 06 because I didn’t want to lug my 700 7mm mag around in that country, to heavy and the OAL is too long.

I felt bad after using it because it did get a few nicks on it from greenbrier and twigs, but it was a joy carrying being light, only thing I would change on it is the barrel length, it is a little too long but overall a great package! But I can’t afford that rifle on my budget, so I have been looking at a few rifles more in my price range:

Tikka T3 Lite
Remington Model Seven Synthetic
Savage 11 FCNS

I don’t have any retailers close by to handle the rifles so I have been doing some researching online and most of the big magazines say the same thing about all the rifles, they all are great, matter of fact haven’t read anything really bad on any of them.

I am sure I want 7mm 08 caliber, this will only be a whitetail rifle. If any of you guys have some firsthand knowledge on any of these rifles or another one I should look at in those rifles price range please let me know, any help will be appreciated!

Thanks!
 
Of the three you listed I've owned a Rem Model 7 in 7mm-08. Only it had a wood stock. It was a good shooting, nice handling rifle. 7mm-08 closely mimics the great 7x57 Mauser, so that makes it pretty great too.

Just use your regular spitzer type bullets for woods hunting and don't believe the old wives tale that you need round nose bullets. Truth is most any medium to high velocity rifle bullet short of a .50 BMG that hits even a small diameter branch or twig can be and usually is deflected.
 
I own a Model 7 in .308 and love, love, love it. Totally reliable, accurate enough for hunting( 1 3/4" groups @ 100 yds ) and a joy to carry. It weighs under 7 lbs and with the 18" barrel it really makes carrying it a breeze. I've taken many deer with it over the years and any time I leave the stand to hunt on the ground it is my gun of choice.
I've no expierence with the 7mm-08 but from all I've read it is a super deer round.
 
To be honest the Remington M7 is on top of my list because of the compact features of it, seems like it would be a real handy rifle in the steep, thick woods we hunt.

But as stated I have heard great things about all mentioned rifles, another thing I am really looking at is "made in the USA" I would like to keep my money here if possible.

My shots will only be anywhere from 20 yards to 100 yards at the longest! I want to purchase the rifle put quality mounts and rings, looking at either a burris Fullfield II or Leupold VXI scope on top and that will be it besides a nice sling, dont want to put any other funds in it.

Thank you guys!
 
The Fullfield II is a nicer scope than the Leupold VX1, the Vortex Diamondback is nicer than the Fullfield all three are about the same price.
 
Any of those will work for what you want to do. Of the 3, the 7 would be my 1st pick as well. I use a Kimber 84M in 308 for that type of hunting. The Kimber is a little lighter, but longer. The 7-08 is a very good choice as well.
 
I looked at the Kimber 84 classic and man that thing is sweet, just a little out of my range in price.

I will look into the vortex, not real familiar with there rifle scopes, I have shot a AR with one of their red dots and for no more than the guy paid for it the optic it was nice.

Thanks
 
Steep and thick = light rifle and 100 yards range = cheap and readily available ammo = Nothing exotic but highly effective for over a century = A classic deer rifle = Marlin 336 in 30-30.
 
Man I looked at some 30-30's and I know they are probably the king of the thick woods rifles but I just cant get into them myself, I know, call me crazy. I am not a lever action guy.

Thanks!
 
Im from N.C. moutians and I used a 30-30. but you have said you dont like them. So if you like bolt actions look at the new ruger gunsite scout rifle. Short carbine bolt action. Its set up for exactly what you described. 308 cal also
 
Rem.

I have a Model 7 and it is light and easy to carry and shoots 1" groups at 100 yds. Choice for scope on a woods gun would be a 2x-7x, whatever flavor you desire.
 
I owned a Model 7 in 7mm-08. Lost it during the financial dynamic of a nasty divorce and have regretted losing the rifle much, much more than the woman. That particular rifle loved green box Remington ammo, the 139 grain stuff. I used it for deer hunting and shot crows with it during the off season. The crows soon learned to not sit down within 250 yards of the house. I'd pick them off really regularly.

That said, I've got a Model 11 FNS and it's a darned fine deer rifle. I don't worry about scratching mine, I salvaged it from a bubba-WECSOG job, and cleaned it up, restocked it, recycled it. It's a darned fine rifle and I doubt I'll ever sell it, I'll probably give it to a grandkid.

Flip a coin, take your choice. Either the Model 7 or the Model 11, the choice boils down to personal taste. They're both fine rifles.
 
WV

I have hunted in the same steep mountains of WV my entire life. We have killed a truck load of deer with .243/6mm and I mean a very large truck load. I would say that 95% of our kills are one shot and they usually drop on the spot (my family knows how to shoot - except for one uncle who usually misses). Ruger M77 and all different kinds of Remington bolt guns. Anything will work - 223 and up if you know how to shoot.
I have been using an old Browning 78 single shot the last few years in 6mm. It is certainly not light but man is it pretty! I may even try a pistol next year just to make it more interesting. That would be light - how about a TC Contender?
 
Looked or I should say read and researched the Ruger Hawkeye Compact in 7mm 08 and I really like it, the only thing that worries me is the 16.50" barrel and loosing velocity? Dont think it would hinder velocity terrible but I imagine the 20" barrel would be better?

The Ruger sounds like a nice little package, the specs on it are what I am looking for, super light, short OAL and is chambered in 7mm-08.

How much velocity would you loose with the 16" barrel in 7mm-08? I imagine she would bark!
 
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Mountain rifle

I used a Marlin 336 with a 4x scope for a while then I realized that my buddies Rem. Mtn. Rifle 30-06 weighed significantly less! His gun however seemed to kick like a howitzer so I didn't want one just like his. I bought a Ruger lightweight bolt action in .308, a nice package but the thin little barrel made it frustrating at he range. I had the barrel cryo tempered, cost me about $60,00 maybe 12 years ago. Made a big difference, now I can shoot 1-1/2"groups instead of an 8" string.
My Ruger has walnut furniture, 16" thin contour barrel. As I recall the gun weighs about 6 lbs plus an old Redfield Widefield 2-7 scope. I've used it several times for backpack in hunts in the Trinity alps in N. California. Perfect gun for that.
A lever action 30-30 is small but it ain't light and is handicapped by a short range cartridge. You can do better with a Bolt action.
 
Looks like you found what you have been looking for. If you want the shorter barrel you will lose a little velocity, but at the distances you will be using it, the difference wont amount to much at all. The other downside to the shorter barrel is that with iron sights, the sight radius is much shorter, but again, that shouldn't matter much in those 50-100yd shots.
 
I took my new Tikka T3 in 308 out into the woods this year, got me a nice 6x6 elk. In 7-08 it's probably even nicer. Very rugged, and I like the magazine for quick unload.
 
The deer won't notice any loss of velocity at 100 yards of so. I can't get a shot much farther than that in the woods I hunt.
 
I just wish I could go handle both the remington M7 and the Ruger compact, which ever rifle I do end up purchasing it will have a descent optic on it, best I can afford in my budget anyway ( looking at about $200.00 for optics).

The Ruger's come with rings from factory I believe? are they descent rings, I think the receiver has integral scope mounts? Is there system reliable?

Sorry not familiar with Ruger at all, I do hear a lot of guys now a days are saying the Rugers are a more solid rifle than the Remington's?

I will never say anything bad about Remington because I have never had one problem with any Remington I have ever had and still own.
 
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