Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What rifle do I need?

Every year I travel to northern Missouri to hunt whitetails. Like all rifle loonies, I want the "perfect" rifle, but I can't decide what would be best. Two seasons ago, I shot a 150-class 8 pointer out of a tree stand at about 20 yards. In that blind, 50 yards is about as far as one would be able to get a shot. Now this year, I'll have a tripod overlooking a harvested grain field where a 300 yard shot would be quite possible .

Trying to decide on a "perfect" rifle for two such different places is trying my sanity! I've toyed with the idea of getting a heavy-barreled rifle that would be best for the long shot, but a bit of a handicap in the tree stand. I've also thought about a Rem. Mountain rifle for the exact opposite reason. Or would I be better served by a standard sporter and split the difference? Decisions Decisions!

What says the campfire?

Oh my goodness. This has the making of about 40 pages..... !!!
How about, you take me with you and you can chose from a plethora of calibers & configurations from my lineup?

Well, one thing is for certain, taint like ya need a lightweight rig to carry all day. Yeah, I'm not even listing a caliber & configuration here. Let the flood gates open.......

BTW- A 150-class eight is a NICE freaking whitetail.


sk

I'd go the sporter route myself. Sounds like what the basic sporter rifle was essentially designed for, to hunt about most anywhere. I'd take my Ruger M77 Mk II in 280 and call it good. Just me though.

That would never ever do. But you might concider either a 284 Win or the 7x57 in a good modern bolt!

Nope, gotta go bigger yet!

30-06, or anything in magnum. JMO

Ackley Bob in a NULA.

SOS

I've hunted whitetails in northern Mo. since birth. I have shot them with everything from a .22LR to .416 Rigby. My favorite is the 7x57 Mauser with handloaded 140's at 2900 fps or so. I sure wouldn't consider a heavy barreled rifle for a primary deer rifle,a 24 in. barrel about .625-.650 at the muzzle suits me fine. As a bit of a clarification, I often use my .375's, .416 and other big bores during the winter doe season just to get some practice with them before a hunt. A 150-class gross whitetail isn't too hard to find in some parts if the area has been managed at all. You can't shoot a 120 pt deer the first day and ever kill a big one.

I would find a Rem 700 LVSF in 7mm-08 (308 too). Throw it in a 700 Ti or Mtn LSS stock and you're easliy covered to 300yds. 140gr at 2800-2900fps would be a killer (faster 120TSXs would be great also). Top it with a Leupy 2.5-8 or 3.5-10.

There are many good choices but this would be mine.

RH

270

I would go with a medium barrel after hunting with too light and too heavy in lots of situations. Short barrels are overrated. I don't like the increased muzzle blast. My longer (front end heavy) rifles seem to point better, especially offhand.


"A 150-class gross whitetail isn't too hard to find in some parts if the area has been managed at all." A 150 8-point is pretty big anywhere.

stumpy

150 class deer is a good deer in a majority of the US. A 150 class 8 pt. is a freaking monster anywhere you go. That includes my home state that is kinda known for big deer...

If you're talking about a sperm bank pen for growing 150 class WTD then sure it may not be impressive but a 150 class deer from a low fence area, let alone an 8 pt., is a very good deer.

That said there are lots of places in the US where 150 class deer, even properly managed, are extremely rare...

Well, like my teenage daughter said to me when I told her I found her a hunting rifle -- Dad, it better be a 30-06 or you might just as well take it back, 'cause I don't want anything else. Can't imagine for the life of me where she developed such a prejudice. Musta been her Mom! (who also shoots one)

I have often used my Steyr Scout .308 Win for such whitetail deer hunting, and the .308 is a good killer at any sane range. I use a variable scout mounted over the action, as they are a better hunting solution than the low-power, forward-mounted "scout" scope.

Any carbine in .308 will do fine (or 7-08 or .260 or .250). Look for a 6# rifle about 40" long.

jim

a 50BMG should cover anything that moves.

Your post is sreaming 270 or 308 to me. I would go with a sporter in a 270 and a lightweight in .308.

In all reality anything from a 260 Remington to a 338 Win Mag will work just fine (including the 270 and 308). Just practice with the new rifle, alot, at ranges up to and including the maximum you are expecting to see.

Tanks planes terrorists yup she's a good one.Kill your deer right from your lazy-boy.

7-08 Montana.

Alright, fine - if today's strain of whitetails could be killed with a .270, I'd prolly lean towards that. But we all know they can't.

I use a 7mm STW for whitetails across big clearcuts in Northern MN. I have taken them at up to 400 yards with no problem. The rifle is a Remington 700 BDL Stainless. The 7mm WSM has the same ballistics and is available in a lot of different rifles. I think any fast 7mm would work great for your purposes.