Help me decide on my new deer rifle

The Winchester Model 70 featherweight is an excellent (classic beauty)gun and 243 is an excellent choice for Texas deer. The 243 is versatile and very capable for Texas size deer and allow you to kill a lot of smaller (or larger for that matter) game.

A 308 or 30-06 is ridiculous for deer. Moose, brown bear, etc, sure, deer not needed. there are probably 10 or 20 other workable choices that we all could pimp. I dont have a 243, and make do with 7mm-08. But is not better, it is just what I happen to have. If I lost my 7mm-08 I would personally look at one of the 6.5mm like the 260 Rem or the Sweed, but really it is all about the same. The 6.5 might go a little longer without the recoil penalty of some of the other suggestions.
 
Go back and look at the Tikka line of rifles. Slick, trigger at 3-3.5 out of the box and guaranteed 1" groups and lots of options for wood, stainless, lites and plastic.
I just got a T3 Hunter in 6.5 Swede and it just feels naturally balanced.
 
Don't rule out the .243. The .243 is a outstanding versatile cartridge. But as most shooters know, so is the .308. I've killed more deer with my .243 than I have with my .270, .308, .300BO, 6.8SPC, and .44mag combined. It was the only "deer" rifle I had for about 10 years. I still grab it from time to time. As far as which rifle, which ever fits you the best. If it doesn't fit you, you'll develope bad habits or be uncomfortable. Now back to ammo, many people will suggest .243, .308, .270, and 30-06 as deer cartridges. They are common all over the country. In the SE, you can go to a deer camp and find all 4 of these cartridges around the campfire. They are just that common. Now if you forsee yourself going for larger game eventually, I'm gonna recommend the 30-06. It has a large assortment of bullet weights and designs that you could find a factory ammo for. Its not as cheap as .243 or .308 but no where nearly expensive as a .300Winmag or its cousins. I wouldn't hesitate to use a .243 on whitetail in TX as long as I know the rifles abilities and my own. That means trigger time. Don't shoot 5 or 6 shots and think you're gonna be the next Jim Shockey. Expect to go through 2-4 boxes of ammo for you to be comfortable with the rifle and understand its abilities. Good luck.
 
You already chose you just didn't realise it when you said the Model 70 just felt right. I always say handle as many rifle as you can, one of them will speak your name, sounds silly but there is almost always one that for some reason you think about, and keep going back to and well it just feels right in your hand. Yeah I like the 7-08 better also, but a Model 70 Featherweight in .308 with a good scope is a fantastic package.
 
I have a 7mm-08 in a M70 Featherweight. It has nice wood and checkering. My friends have offered me a $1000 for the rifle simply because when it goes off things die. It loves both 140 grain Partitions and Ballistic Tips.
 
First off the Model 100 in .284 is a collectors item if its in good condition, especially if its the short barrel carbine version.
They originally came in .243 and .308 and you might consider re-chambering it to either cartridge, though that would reduce the collectors value.

That being said I'm a Model 70 fan boy. I've owned and hunted with one for many years and never had problems.

100 to 200yds is not very far. Any standard deer cartridge from .243 up will do fine. You're in coin flipping territory as far as that's concerned.

At that range you don't need high end magnification for a scope. Something such as the Weaver V3 1-3x20 would do fine. I've found the lower magnification is what I use the most. You also might consider a single magnification scope such as the Weaver K4 or K2.5.

While I like and use Weaver scopes, those are just examples of type rather than a recommendation. Any of the major scope makers will have similar scopes.
 
Hi. None of 'em are better. A deer rifle is pretty much a deer rifle, but it's not really the rifle that matters. It's the chambering. Of course Texas deer are smaller than Ontario's rabbits(snicker.) so unless you plan on one day going some place with larger game(non-resident licences cost a fortune everywhere), you may want to think .24, .25, .26 or .27 calibre vs any .30 cal. Using the right bullet any of those will give you a varmint rifle as well as a deer rifle. Either .30 with 165 grain bullets will kill any game in North America, but with more felt recoil.
The 'Featherweight' is called that for a reason. Weighs only 7 pounds in those chamberings(6 lbs. 12 oz. in .243.). Felt recoil will be more, but not enough to worry about.
That does not mean you will ever develop a flinch. Flinching is caused as much or more by the barrel length making the rifle excessively loud, mostly on a range, as the recoil. It won't be an issue with an M70 Featherweight's 22" barrel.
You may want to considered a used rifle or a Savage package. Used is not an ugly word with firearms and with either, you get it with a scope. The $800ish of the others does not include sights. Look at used rifles after deer season.
"...a .243 and .30-30 have about equal recoil..." Only out of like rifles.
 
Garrett, welcome to TFL. Glad all the info here is helping you out to decide on a hunting rifle. I can't add anything as I have no experience with the rifles except the marlin 30/30.
My 2 comments are, you can always add a recoil pad slip on to tame recoil when at the range. Selecting lighter loads vs heavy loads to help recoil. Light rifles recoil more so carry weight vs felt recoil something to think about but you will get over it as most do. I can't shoot my 7mm mag anymore without added recoil pad due to shoulder trouble but do enjoy the thunder some times.
SAVE ALL YOUR BRASS ! Whether you reload now or not, pick up and save any and all brass as it can become a savior later on down life's road.

Good luck and be safe,

Mike
 
Get the model 70 Winchester, preferably in 270 or 30-'06. 243 would be OK for deer and such, and will kick less in the featherweight. But you might want more power in the future for bigger game. Mine is the Classic Sported version in 270, of course. Some people here are saying that the 30-'06 is too much power for deer. Nonsense. Certainly it has more power than needed to kill deer, as a 22 rimfire will kill deer...... But the 30-'06 remains one of the very best choices for the one-rifle-does-it-all hunters. There are more than a few folks here that own more than a dozen rifles to choose from on any given hunt. They tend to give well- meaning advice on rifle selection for a given situation. I say, get your one-rifle-does-it-all, before any others. A 30-'06 is never a bad choice.
 
Back in the 1960's the 'One gun hunter' was the topic of many articles. The .243 Winchester was one of the top choices for hunters for varment to deer sized game. The 6mm Remington (.243 caliber) took nods from many writers because of its higher cartridge capacity, I hunted 30 years with a Ruger Model 77 in 6mm Remington. It had a 3-9X Refield scope on it and was truely my one rifle for hunting.

I then received my fathers Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 with a Redfield 3-9 Widefield scope on it. Although I never hunted larger game than deer. I sold the 6mm Remington Ruger 77 and kept the 30-06 Model 70. I figure it too can be for the 'One gun hunter'.

As mentioned about the one that wispers in your ear when you bring it up to shoot might be the one to go with.
 
Welcome to the Forum

A 243 will be fine. My old departed BIL kill a couple truck loads with a 243 Model 88 Lever in the 70s. Long before premium bullets in the 243, he used Power Points. He had some failures on bad angle shots. If you like shooting, then you'll eventually want to start loading you own. With that in mind, a 308 will be the one for you. A 150gr standard bullet (Corelokt, Power Point, Fusion) will reach the vitals from most any angle and you'll be able to add 100-150 effective yards over a 243 with 100gr standard bullets.
 
Welcome to The Firing Line, Garrett! I'm a big fan of the Winchester Model 100 (killed my first deer with one chambered in .308 back in 1964), but you should be advised that Winchester issued a recall for this rifle many years ago. As I recall, the recall involved a problem with the firing pin and could cause an accidental discharge in some situations if the problem is unremedied. I'd contact Winchester if I were you to determine if yours is one so affected.
 
I have a Browning x-bolt in .308. I'm surprised by its accuracy. I don't consider myself an expert, but I put bullets in bullet holes at the range at 100 yards with store bought Hornady interlock 150 gr. (American Whitetail), shooting with sandbags. I've got a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x50. I don't think I can improve on it. Recoil is not an issue.
 
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