Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Your go to deer rifle?

My 13 year old, ugly, blued, blood etched, M-70 Classic in an unpainted grey synthetic stock with a Khales 3x9 4a reticle shooting Hornady 165 grain factory loads which I can't find these days but still have 6 boxes which should last a few more years since the gun has only needed a sight adjustment once in the past 10 years. This rifle has killed many local and Kansas whitetails, a couple of little Mexican Coues deer, a handful of desert mule deer, feral hogs, coyotes, bobcats and few antelope at ranges out to 350 yards with boring regularity. The rifle has been used by my brother, uncle, daughter and adopted daughter's boyfriend to kill deer.

Perry

I have a lot of rifles, but when I go deer hunting, the one that always goes along is an old Rem 700 FS LH in 270 Win with a 3.5-10x50 Leupold. Have shot a lot of different bullets but generally stick with a Hornady of some kind. Total confidence at any reasonable range. This one has been there and done that a lot.

Dean

Remington Model 7 in 308 Winchester, the 20" barrel version with a Leupold 2.5-8x36 shooting Fusion 165s. Soon to be in a McMillian Mountain Rifle stock; replaced trigger with Timney set at 2.75. Doesn't shoot amazing groups at 100 (hovers around 1") but kills everything I aim at with it dead up to around 300 yards so far. A pure joy to use...

remington 700 lh 6.5x55 156 oryx 4x12x40 leupold vx-r

I've got a 300 Savage Model 99. What else does a man need?

My go to is a Remington 700 Classic 35 Whelen with a
Vari-X 111 2.5 x 8. Shooting 225 gn Sierras SBTs.

Ruger 77 in 6mm rem. 85 grain Barnes t shock.

Lots of rifles, but this has been working well lately. Marlin 336 in .30-30 with a 2.5X Weaver. It shoots 140 grain Hornady Monoflex factory into nice little groups.
Bob

Remington M7, 223AI

Today it would be my mod 70 ft wgt in 6.5x55 with the 2-7x Redfield scope and 129gr Hornady's. In the past for a lot of years it was a mod 660 Rem in 308, 165gr Hornady with a 2 3/4x redfield. My son has it now. I'm not sure I know how or when that happened, or why! I did get back my scope, he needed a 3-9x on it!

In the past my go to rifle was a Ruger M77 RL Ultra Light chambered for the 257 Roberts Ackley Improved. However I just bought a new rifle. I'm certain this will be my new go to rifle. It's a Kimber 84M chambered for the 257 Roberts. I still have to have the scope mounted as well as some other minor stuff. But I'll be using this one in the future.

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My current go-to combo is a Kimber Montana, Leupold Vari-X II 2X7, and Federal Fusion .308 165gr factory loads.

Easy to carry, good weather resistance, accurate, flexible enough for shots from arms length out to several hundred yds, and enough bullet weight for big deer.

But its not my only deer rifle! Last count I have 7 lever or bolt actions in the 25 to 35 caliber bracket that I'd consider suitable for deer.

When there is an absolute need to kill a deer I default to my .280 AI topped with a VX3 3.5-10 and the 120 grain Nosler BT @3325 fps.

I've got two favourites. The first is my Savage 99 in 308 WIN. I shoot 165 grain Hornady Interlocks over H4895 out of it. It is my Opening Day gun. It only shots large bucks and then goes back on the rack.



The new favourite is my Ruger Hawkeye in 30-06. It too shoots 165 grainers over H4895.



Between them, they've scored 3 of the top five bucks at our camp.

Lately it has been my 700 BDL chambered in 6mm Remington. 85 Sierra SP or Sierra 100 grain ProHunters get the nod for the killing end.

Only one Shaman! You gotta pick one! captdavid

7SAUM/140 Accubond.

Wields wonderfully and amazingly accurate - even with this knucklehead operating it.

Nice99 Shaman. You have good taste.

Ruger Hawkeye Predator .308 w/Leupold AR Mod1 1.5-4 illuminated reticle.

165gr BT over 41gr RL15 in LC brass w/CCI BR4s. For now.

Maybe one at a time!😜