New Deer Rifle

[basedog]

Not Speckle but I shoot mostly a .270 with a 13o ballistic tip Federal. Very accurate rifle I have, Browning.

[TUSK]

I picked up some 140gr Nosler ballistic tips today. I used to shoot cheap Winchester, but went with something maybe a little better this time.

I shot Fed Prem BT 130 gr when they first came out... I loved the trajectory...

One note: Make DAMN sure there's NOTHING in the bullets bath... IME, the round will fragment with any contact... I lost a deer once in low light when my round centered an unseen sapling limb...

I switched to Fed Prem GK BTSP, get the same ballistics and it's even more lethal (with less damage)...

I usually hunt with this zero: +2.75" @ 100, +3.4" @ 150, ZERO @ 270, -4.1" @ 325

Happy Slaying!

[starkvegasdawg]

My deer rifle is my dad's old Remington 740 Woodsmaster in 30.06. I typically shoot a 180gr pointed soft point in it. With him being gone now that is far and away my favorite gun. I'd give up any other gun in my collection before I would that one. I also got my granddad's old 243 a year or so ago from my aunt. He had promised it to me but when he died my uncle (who never hunted any 4 legged animal in his life) decided he wanted it and just took it. I had written it off for good. But then he died a few years ago and my aunt was willing to give it back to me so now I have it. That will probably be the gun my kids learn to deer hunt with when they get old enough.

[Snowman79]

My deer rifle is my dad's old Remington 740 Woodsmaster in 30.06. I typically shoot a 180gr pointed soft point in it. With him being gone now that is far and away my favorite gun. I'd give up any other gun in my collection before I would that one. I also got my granddad's old 243 a year or so ago from my aunt. He had promised it to me but when he died my uncle (who never hunted any 4 legged animal in his life) decided he wanted it and just took it. I had written it off for good. But then he died a few years ago and my aunt was willing to give it back to me so now I have it. That will probably be the gun my kids learn to deer hunt with when they get old enough.

That's a great plan. Hope I'm lucky enough to do that one day.

[Offshore Dawg]

Let me put it this way on cheep ammunition !!! do you want a $1 or a $2 dollar bullet in your chamber when you pull the trigger on what could be a Buck of a lifetime for you.

[Dolphus Raymond]

Had a kid with me shoot a doe at 150 with a 7mm-08 last week and dropped her in her track. Hit her in the base of the neck which is a kill shot with any rifle though. The kid was 12 and the little recoil did not bother him.
Now for me I like the 7 mag and 270. Have a Ruger M77 7 mag and a Winchester Model 70 270. I second good to great optics especially for the magnums in that the recoil can knock you off "zero" with a cheaper scope.
Ok time to brag: killed a 230 pound Sharkey county 7 point Friday afternoon. An old brute past his prime

[Duckdog]

Ditto what the others have said. There is probably not a better deal on the market right now than the Savage Axis XP II. Make sure you get the XP II as it comes with the Accutrigger, which is much better than the previous Savage versions. You can literally take this rifle combo out of the box and head to the range for about $380.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...+22+w%2F+Scope

Now, if you are considering doing something other than deer hunt, while the 7mm-08 will kill an elk, many prefer the .308 as a more versatile/available big game cartridge. My next rifle will be a 7mm-08.

Yep i got one in stainless 243. Fire formed some cases loaded 80 grain ttsx over 45 grains of imr4350 and inget half inch groups at a hundred yards

[TUSK]

Yep i got one in stainless 243. Fire formed some cases loaded 80 grain ttsx over 45 grains of imr4350 and inget half inch groups at a hundred yards

DDawg, you annealing casings??? I've had a reloader setup for a couple years,,,, still in the box.

I'm thinking of reloading 270, 223 & 308...

[Duckdog]

DDawg, you annealing casings??? I've had a reloader setup for a couple years,,,, still in the box.

I'm thinking of reloading 270, 223 & 308...

No but i have before. Just sizing the neck.

[louisvilledawg]

For the amount of frogskins, I think it's gonna be hard to beat a Savage (with Accutrigger) if you want to go "new"...

My best advice is to get the most expensive optic you can possibly afford and slap it on whatever rifle with the remainder of your budget... even if it's a used rifle....

regarding suggested calibers and recoil, I'd need to know more to advise...

if it's strictly for whitetail inside 350-400 yards, it's going to be hard to beat the .243...

if you can really shoot well, the 223 should not be overlooked...

260, 7-08 are also worth consideration...

Myself, I find the 270 is the best combination of ballistics per recoil energy for anything Elk sized and below...

Lastly (and again) GET KILLER OPTICS!!!!!

Question:

I have a gifted weatherby .270 magnum that I just started using this year. The gun is old, but I cleaned it up, zeroed, all that jazz. It has an old Bushnell scope on it that is serviceable but not great.

I also have a S&W MP .223 with a Swarovski scope (don't know the magnification.)

I thought about switching scopes on the guns and using the weatherby to deer hunt and the .223 for other random game/personal protection, but you make it sound like .223 is perfectly serviceable for deer.

Would you just stick to hunting with the .223 as is, or would you switch out scopes?

I think I'm an above average shot. I don't usually shoot a ton though since I live around Jackson. Usually just enough to clean the gun and sight it in before season.

Also, the fields I usually hunt range from powerlines to 1/2 acre plots.

[Duckdog]

I have been hunting with a savage axis 243 with barnes 80grain ttsx over 45.5 grains of IMR 4350. It will flat out funk a deer up

[TUSK]

Question:

I have a gifted weatherby .270 magnum that I just started using this year. The gun is old, but I cleaned it up, zeroed, all that jazz. It has an old Bushnell scope on it that is serviceable but not great.

I also have a S&W MP .223 with a Swarovski scope (don't know the magnification.)

I thought about switching scopes on the guns and using the weatherby to deer hunt and the .223 for other random game/personal protection, but you make it sound like .223 is perfectly serviceable for deer.

Would you just stick to hunting with the .223 as is, or would you switch out scopes?

I think I'm an above average shot. I don't usually shoot a ton though since I live around Jackson. Usually just enough to clean the gun and sight it in before season.

Also, the fields I usually hunt range from powerlines to 1/2 acre plots.

On 1/2 acre, it won't matter if you are shooting 223 or a Paladin Self Propelled Howizter... the results will be similar...

I'm actually hunting with 223 this year and hunt larger areas/lanes... at <200 yards, the 223 delivers plenty of energy and, PROVIDED you have a well built round, will smoke em...

now, the 270MAG will smack down a deer like Shaun Watson vs a Bammer Defense, but it's overkill, IMO...

I need to hear more about the Swarovski before I'd feel good about tellin' ya to remount it, though....

[BulldogBear]

My deer rifle is my dad's old Remington 740 Woodsmaster in 30.06. I typically shoot a 180gr pointed soft point in it. With him being gone now that is far and away my favorite gun. I'd give up any other gun in my collection before I would that one. I also got my granddad's old 243 a year or so ago from my aunt. He had promised it to me but when he died my uncle (who never hunted any 4 legged animal in his life) decided he wanted it and just took it. I had written it off for good. But then he died a few years ago and my aunt was willing to give it back to me so now I have it. That will probably be the gun my kids learn to deer hunt with when they get old enough.

I use my grandfather's Woodsmaster 30/06 with iron sights under the scope, which I also had handed down to me. It's a little strange though in that the barrel is about an inch short. In his later years he had it modified where most of the energy went out the barrel. I don't know what the science of it was but the end of the barrel looked like some kind of military weapon!! Anyway, the result was that it didn't kick hardly at all but was EXTREMELY loud...as in wear ear protection! It was modified back to normal and given to me when I was about 20. I've never missed with it, not even a running deer. They all die. I also use the 180 grain bullet. I decided years ago that tracking wounded deer was for suckers!

My dad also had a Woodsmaster 30/06 but without the iron sight setup under the scope. He has Parkinson's and a couple of years ago made a trade with my son, who had a Youth .708 single shot. So, my son now also has his grandfather's rifle, and smaller weapon is much easier for my Dad to handle! I've only been able to take him (Dad) once this season but he nailed a nice doe. I set him up in a mostly natural blind and I got into a stand about 12 feet away with my binoculars. The funny thing is that when the deer came out I could see them long before he could. But he had nodded off. If you've ever seen the Three Amigos where Lucky (Steve Martin) is on top of the wall trying to get the attention of the others two Amigos down below, that is somewhat how this played out. I was tapping on the stand, using a sawmill whisper, and generally trying to get his attention. Two yearlings came first followed by a doe. By then he had woken up and I got to see the whole scene play out from above. She had immediately known something was wrong and kept creeping up for a closer look. Her eyes were on the blind and every time she'd put her head down and take a step or two he'd slowly raise the weapon. He's still got it!

[starkvegasdawg]

I use my grandfather's Woodsmaster 30/06 with iron sights under the scope, which I also had handed down to me. It's a little strange though in that the barrel is about an inch short. In his later years he had it modified where most of the energy went out the barrel. I don't know what the science of it was but the end of the barrel looked like some kind of military weapon!! Anyway, the result was that it didn't kick hardly at all but was EXTREMELY loud...as in wear ear protection! It was modified back to normal and given to me when I was about 20. I've never missed with it, not even a running deer. They all die. I also use the 180 grain bullet. I decided years ago that tracking wounded deer was for suckers!

My dad also had a Woodsmaster 30/06 but without the iron sight setup under the scope. He has Parkinson's and a couple of years ago made a trade with my son, who had a Youth .708 single shot. So, my son now also has his grandfather's rifle, and smaller weapon is much easier for my Dad to handle! I've only been able to take him (Dad) once this season but he nailed a nice doe. I set him up in a mostly natural blind and I got into a stand about 12 feet away with my binoculars. The funny thing is that when the deer came out I could see them long before he could. But he had nodded off. If you've ever seen the Three Amigos where Lucky (Steve Martin) is on top of the wall trying to get the attention of the others two Amigos down below, that is somewhat how this played out. I was tapping on the stand, using a sawmill whisper, and generally trying to get his attention. Two yearlings came first followed by a doe. By then he had woken up and I got to see the whole scene play out from above. She had immediately known something was wrong and kept creeping up for a closer look. Her eyes were on the blind and every time she'd put her head down and take a step or two he'd slowly raise the weapon. He's still got it!

That is a great story. Love it.

[SpeckleDawg]

I don't know what the science of it was but the end of the barrel looked like some kind of military weapon!! Anyway, the result was that it didn't kick hardly at all but was EXTREMELY loud...as in wear ear protection!

Muzzle Brake