New Deer Rifle..

Despite all the nitpicking, a 7mm08 will kill anything most people want to kill, at any range most people can hit

A few hundred FPS faster won't make them "deader"
 
My friend in western South Dakota has hunted with his Ruger 25-06 for over 30 years. He has taken countless mulies and antelope plus a couple elk. 25-06 is fast, accurate, and hits hard when proper bullets are used to match the animal hunted.

Jack
 
I hunt the northern east coast. We have some guys that hunt power lines, or shoot across rivers, but that is not the norm here. My "Go to" rifle is a 7x57 that I have extremely lightened up. Over the years I have gone lighter and lighter with both cartridge and rifle weight. I would take into consideration what type of terrain you hunt. If I am really going into the thick stuff, I have a .358 lever action, but it is rare when I think I need it. Is it really worth dragging that 30-06 blunderbuss around the mountains all day? Fine if you hunt out west and drive to your stand, but humping a heavy rifle all day sucks, especially if you end up dragging a deer too.
 
No love for the -06 Gunplummer? LOL!! I like my Ruger American 30-06, its light and powerful and kills anything. I agree dragging a deer a long ways sucks but it doesn't matter what rifle your carrying, its gonna suck.
 
Looking at a Savage 111 Trophy hunter xp in the 7mm-08. I can get it brand new with the accutrigger and a 3x9x40 Nikon for right at $600. I can always upgrade my optics later. Good buy?
 
There is no such thing as a "Light" 30-06 from the factory. I had a Ruger Ultra lite (Or whatever they were called back then) in .257 Roberts. It was reasonably accurate, and fairly light, but still between 7-8 pounds with a scope on it. It was a nice rifle with good balance to it. That was one of the few rifles I ever bought new and when I put it in with my auction guns it brought more than I paid for it over a period of about 10-12 years. I still have a 99' Savage TD in 30-30, and it is the best for dragging a deer out of rough areas. Pop it apart and stick it in your pack.
 
To those advocating the lightest rifle they can find (or those thinking of listening to them):

Instead of seeking a lighter rifle, how about seeking to get in shape, such that an 8 or even 10 pound rifle feels like a 6 lb rifle to carry, and recoils like a 12 or 14 lb rifle?

It'll have benefits far beyond hunting season.
 
Instead of seeking a lighter rifle, how about seeking to get in shape, such that an 8 or even 10 pound rifle feels like a 6 lb rifle to carry, and recoils like a 12 or 14 lb rifle?
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Because people don't want heavy rifles when light weight guns are easier to handle.

It really has nothing to do with "getting in shape"
 
Snyper - Had it right; it has nothing to do with being in shape, lighter rifles are easier to handle. Being that said, I hunted in SW AZ for several years and the last damn thing you want is a heavy rifle! MY model 70 weighs aprox 7 lbs and at the end of day it felt like 20 lbs! And I was in decent shape back then (mid 80's).
 
Calm down fellas. We all were young once and thought the substitute for inexperienced hunting was a bigger gun and more powerful scope.
 
Because people don't want heavy rifles when light weight guns are easier to handle.
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...and heavier guns are easier to shoot well.

It really has nothing to do with "getting in shape"
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Of course it has something to do with "getting in shape": the gun, load, sighting equipement and the shooter are all intergral parts of the system that has to work together to put the bullet on target. Impoving any of these is an improvement to the system.

IME, the part of the system generally needing the most improvement is that last one. Maybe that's not potlitically correct, but it's true.
 
Lighter weight rifles and getting in shape are definite advantages if the hunter must travel long distances on foot or "climb mountains" such as hunting in the Bob Marshall or Scapegoat. I have hunted both as well as other mountainous terrain, and fortunately, I was in good shape and my rifle was relatively light. Heavier rifles are obviously easier to shoot accurately and this may even be true after climbing a mountain, unless, of course, the extra weight makes it harder to breath. IMHO heavier rifles are unlikely to offset the benefit of being in the best physical condition. Distance running and muscle strengthening exercises are vital components of preparing for a hunting adventure, especially one costing more than the rifle and scope.

edit: typo
 
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Of course it has something to do with "getting in shape": the gun, load, sighting equipement and the shooter are all intergral parts of the system that has to work together to put the bullet on target. Impoving any of these is an improvement to the system.
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A long barreled 12 lb gun will never handle as well as a short 6 lb gun.

When I was young I framed houses and hung sheetrock, so I was "in shape".

I still didn't want to carry a Sendero all day when a Micro Medallion would kill deer as effectively and was easier to handle in dense woods.

It's all about details, and "shape" is the least important variable

heavier guns are easier to shoot well.
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Not really.

My lightest rifles are every bit as accurate as the heaviest, and my Contenders will do almost as well

Heavier guns are just more pleasant to shoot from a rest
 
The accuracy of a bolt action rifle (ignoring the load) depends on the action, the "fit" of the barrel to the action, and the physical characteristics of the barrel. If the weight of the barrel was irrelevant (or the least relevant factor) why would the National Bench Rest Shooters Association classify bench rest rifles by weight? Such a classification system suggests the weight of a barrel is so relevant to the accuracy of a rifle that it must be accounted for in bench rest competition.

The fact that outfitters request information about customers' physical condition also suggests physical condition is relevant to the hunt.
 
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I still didn't want to carry a Sendero all day when a Micro Medallion would kill deer as effectively and was easier to handle in dense woods.
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Right tool for the right job ...... right? The sendero would confer no appreciable advantage at "dense woods" ranges.

That said, if you are hunting beyond brush gun distances, such that a shot might present itself anywhere from 15 feet to "way out past Ft. Mudge", would it be:

- better to be packing a rifle, or a carbine?

-better to be "in shape", or "round shape"?

The OP will be hunting texas hill country, out to 250 yards, from a high seat or the ground. Given those parameters, a rifle would be preferable.
 
If you are in shape there is no need for a long range rifle in tough terrain. You should be able to get up close on the animal you are hunting. Every year people die just hiking right here where I hunt. Look up the Lehigh Gorge State Park in PA. Be careful out in that Nebraska wheat stubble next hunting season, it could spike you if you fall.
 
Be careful out in that Nebraska wheat stubble next hunting season, it could spike you if you fall.
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Folks who have never been here seem to know all about it ..... and wheat stubble is pee-poor habitat for deer, and therefore a bad bet for hunting them, BTW .....

Look up "dissected loess plains" ..... it can get to be pretty rough country, in places ..... though nobody gets killed "hiking" out there .... there are much more hospitable places to go for a walk ......
 
That said, if you are hunting beyond brush gun distances, such that a shot might present itself anywhere from 15 feet to "way out past Ft. Mudge", would it be:

- better to be packing a rifle, or a carbine?

-better to be "in shape", or "round shape"?
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It wouldn't matter.

The weakest link will be the shooter himself when both rifles will shoot sub MOA.

At any reasonable distance, the smaller rifle is just as effective

The OP will be hunting texas hill country, out to 250 yards, from a high seat or the ground. Given those parameters, a rifle would be preferable.
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I've killed deer farther than that with both a Model 7 6mm Remington 18.5" barrel, and a Micro Medallion 7mm08 20" barrel
 
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