Your pick for BEST all around DEER rifle?

D

Dogger

New member
In your opinion, what is the best all around deer rifle? After studying posts on this site forever, and scrutinizing ballistics tables, I don't think it makes a hill of beans of difference if you choose a 257 Roberts, a 25-06, a 260 Remington, a 6.5 Swede, a 7-08, a 7x57, a 270, a 280, a 300 Savage, a 308, or a 30-06, provided you choose a good bullet and keep your shots within 250 yards. So it seems to me the "best deer rifle" would be accurate and hard hitting on the deer end, while easier on the recoil on our end. Which suggests the 257 Roberts, or the 260 Remington, or the 6.5 Swede, or the 7x57 Mauser. Just curious to know what you folks think. Thanks. (I didn't mention the 30-30 although maybe I should have. But I don't consider it good for deer beyond 150 yards).

PS, note that I am not talking about a rifle that can also be used for bigger game. I am confining the range of game species here from amoebas up to large deer. :)

[This message has been edited by Dogger (edited September 15, 2000).]
 
having shot many rifles and been a deer hunter for over 20 years (and still learning) I'm going to have to go with my thompson center encore in the bull barrel. The 7mm does not offer as many bullet choices as the .30 cals yet but a 140 grain bullet placed in the right spot will work.
 
Either a Browning, Remington or Winchester 30'06 will more then do the job.

If you want to get fancy, the Weatherby Ultra Light 30'06 is very nice too.
 
Nor did you mention the .243. Frankly, I'd like a .270, but just for personal sentimental reasons (a .270 was the first rifle I ever owned.) For hunting South Carolina whitetails in the lower part of the state, a .243 with the correct bullet will do the job nicely.

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Shoot straight & make big holes, regards, Richard at The Shottist's Center
 
My choice as an "all-rounder" is a M70 Classic Stainless, HS Precision stock, Leupold 2.5 x 8 in a Leupold QD base/rings. Ching sling and chambered for .30-06.

Giz
 
I guess I tend to separate deer into two general weight classes--those that will probably field dress at 150 and up, and them as what will run 120 and under.

Pressin' on regardless, I like .25-'06 or .270 and up for the larger stuff. As most folks know, I'm an '06 afficionado, but that's as much from the versatility of the cartridge for a handloader as anything else.

For the smaller deer, I like the .243 or anything in the low-recoil world...

I'd guess 90% of my kills have been with a scope set on 4X or less, and inside of 200 yards.

Now comes the Grand Pronunciamento From On High: Anything around a 7mm-08, mas o menos, in the lightest-weight gun you can regularly hit beer cans at 100 yards with, offhand. No more than a 4X or 1.5-5X scope.

:), Art
 
Well, I like the Ruger International in .308 Win. Scoped with a good 1 3/4x5 scope, sling, and loaded, it weighs about the same as a Marlin 336 in 30-30, and hits a lot harder. Shots to 250 yard are no sweat, if you can shoot.
Paul B.
 
It's hard to disagree with any of the commentary about calibers posted here. I would like to say something about scopes though.
I agree with Art that a low power scope is the way to go. Even in open country like I have around here all too often a deer busts out right at your feet. You can't shoot what you can't see and higher power scopes blind you at close range.
And you don't need high magnification to take long shots. Try shooting a 200 yard group with your scope at its highest and lowest settings - there won't be enough difference in group size to comment on.

I've blown several deer with the common 3X9 scope - you can't see a damned thing at less than 25 yards even if it's at 3 power.

The best compromise for me is these 1.5 X 5 scopes. If you leave this at it's lowest setting you are ready to shoot right now and if you see something at long range you'll have pleny of time to dial the scope up if you prefer.


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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
 
i am tempted to use a reddot aimpoint 1x for white tails this year

where i hunt 50 yards is a far shot & most deer are gone in the laurels at 25 yards

dZ
 
As far as all around deer gun, if it's just for deer, I'd go with the .243 or 6mm. Both shoot fast far and flat and have plenty enough knockdown for deer. With minimum recoil and noise. If going for a deer/blackbear/elk gun, You could take the step up to the .270, or 30-06. But for just deer, I'd stay small.

I have to agree with keith about not needing to strap the hubble telescope to your gun. People talking about $400. scopes just amazes me. It's like, jeeze, what kinda gun you gonna buy to put on that scope? :) I don't really know what makes one scope better than another other than magnification, and weather resistance. I've never broke a scope, and even our $30. 4x32's are clear and work fine. Guess I'm just not a "scope-man." Most of our scopes are just little 4X32, which work fine for deer and varmints. The only time a deer in is blurry is if it's inside of about 20, and then you can look down the side of the barrel and hit them. The most expensive scope I have is a $100. 3X9 I bought to fit my bear gun. When hunting somthing so mean I want to be able to shoot it from a little ways off :)

[This message has been edited by BadMedicine (edited September 18, 2000).]
 
Any of the deer cartridges you mention would be fine. Rifle? My choice is a Remington Model 7 in .308 with Leupold 2-7x compact scope. Why .308? Short action, versatile cartridge. If you reload, a ton of options in .30 caliber bullets. If you DON'T reload, a ton of options in factory loadings . . . not to mention the availability of cheap surplus stuff.
 
30-06 165 grain federal premium ammo btsp.. you can kill antelope deer elk and bear out to 300 yards with only a 7 inch drop. Best bang for the buck can be uploaded or downloaded for any game in the lower 48. Name another caliber that can shoot 55 to 220 grain bullets?

For DEER only a good marlin 30-30 or 30-06 is fine, depending on possible ranges.

rob
 
All these posts are hard to disagree with. I think the best deer rifle is the one you can afford, and afford to shoot as often as possable. Some people have unlimited budgets, lucky dogs, but most of us do not. Get the best you can afford and practice, practice, practice. What do I use on Colorado muleys. A used custom 98 in 257 Roberts with 117 gr bullets and a Simmons 6X
scope.

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The best rifle for deer is any centerfire of 6mm or more (depends on the deer-sitka or huge northern whitetail) that YOU can place a shot accurately with. Personally I use a .308 on eastern whitetails.
 
All good choices but for me a dedicated all around deer gun would be my Winchester Featherweight in 6.5x55 Swedish. With the 2x6 scope it is compact and light enough to carry on long trips and accurate enough to reach out to 300 yards. Second choice would be Remington Model 7 in 260 Remington (same performance as 6.5x55 but in shorter case) with same power compact scope. In reality I usually use 357 mag or 44 mag revolvers as deers in my neck of the woods are pretty small and shots are usually within 30 yards.
 
Couldn't resist putting in my 0.02... :)
Best gun "on a budget" IMHO is a Savage 11 synth stock, chambered in 260 Rem, topped with a Simmons 4x or 6x40 Pro-Hunter... Ready to shoot way under 500$ and it does the job right...
 
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