Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting What was your 1st deer rifle?

Remington 700 Classic in .270.

.308 Savage

Savage 340 in 30-30. The year was 1960.

Rem 600 in 308.

Got it from my Dad on my 14th birthday. I mounted a Weaver 3x scope on it and started handloading for it - 165 gr. Hornadies under 4320, IIRC.

With that 18.5 inch barrel, when I shot it in dim light the muzzle blast looked like the business end of a blowtorch.

Mine was also a savage 340 in .30-30. 4x scope. It was a 1st anniversary gift from my mother to my father. He was 21 and she was 19. Both were from poor working class families but mom found a way to buy dad a rifle so could have one of his own instead of always borrowing. Dads family did no hunt but some how he started hunting as a teen with friends.

When I was young, dad gave me the 340 as my first rifle. It's still in the safe and its still a great shooter. Dad and I both killed many deer with that 340. I even saw him shoot a grounding with it at 228 paces.

Got a Mossberg .22 for my 12th birthday. Was rabbit hunting with neighbor boys. Young doe ran up to about 25 yards and I put one under the chin in the center of that white spot. We gutted it with a KampKing scout knife - Messy ..... BIG TROUBLE WITH DAD!

It was not intended for my first deer rifle but it was ....twice.

Shot a deer with 38-40, 38-55, 303 Brit each borrowed. Then got a new 32SPL Model 64 Winchester Deluxe for my 16th birthday, 1955. Shot many with it and it was stolen from me in Potsdam NY about 1962.

Moss semi 22LR
Win 64 32SPL Deluxe.

Jim

Remington BDL .270 Win I bought for myself as a freshman in college.

GreggH

First rifle I used to take a deer was an old Korean war surplus 30 carbine. Took my first one 8 days after I turned 6 with my Dad next to me telling me to 'squeeze the trigger like a tit'. My first rifle that was 'MY' rifle was a Savage 99 in 243. I've taken several trailer loads of hill country wt with that rifle and a 600 Rem in 243.

The first rifle that I hunted deer with was some military 8mm mauser, don't remember much about it, other than my dad bought it for $15.00. Never did shoot it at a deer, just packed it around the mountains. First rifle that I shot a deer with was my grandfather's Model 54 Winchester in 270. I still have the rifle but haven't shot it in 20+ years. It will go to my oldest grandson in about 5 or 6 years when he turns 12.

Bart

Ruger M77 in 7mm Rem Mag. For me deer are targets of opportunity to be taken - or not - while elk hunting. The 7mm RM has proven to be a very effective tool for taking elk and it hammers deer.

Marlin 30/30. Bought at Kmart in the 70s. Served me well. Mostly retired now but will always have a place in my safe.

Rem 600 .308 that my dad bought me for a high school graduation present in 1965. Sadly, it was sold while in college to help with rent.

Marlin 336 in 30-30 win. I was 17 and we were poor, my dad saved and sacrificed a lot to get it for me. I set it up with the full noob cliche, see thru mounts and a Tasco. it claimed my first deer, my first buck, and several other folks first deer since then. It now sits at my dad's farm iron sights ready to go for when the hogs finally work there way over there. Here's a pic of the last deer I shot with it still with the noob set up on it, though I wasn't a noob anymore.

Remington 788 lefthanded 308 win with a Bushnell 4X banner scope. Long gone now but it sure was accurate and fun. Was purchased in mid 70's and sold in early eighties.

Win Mod 94 in 32WS. 1948 vintage. Used for about 10 seasons in Oregon, then picked up a Win Mod 70 in .270 with Leupy 2~7x when I moved to Montana.

Ithaca Model 300 20ga

Open sighted Model 94 30-30

Marlin 336 in 30-30, open sights and 170gr silvertips

1873 trap door. Mom got it for 65 bucks at antique show. Took it to local dealer and he said good to go and in very fine condition. I remember the Rem 405 gr bullets. Took it to the range and set up empty milk carton at 50 yds, killed it ! I went out behind the house in deer season, 14 yrs old. I sat in the woods for couple hours. Older guys came by and said I would have to back out of the woods to turn around with the long gun. At noon I was dragging 7 pt. by the jokesters. Didn't gut it real good, belt for drag rope, 600 yards. Mom old farm girl took it from there when I got to the house. Still have the rifle, but that started my love for hunting. Now I have a son and grandson, they are sporting mod seven 260 and 300 wsm.

Ah, long ago. I knew nothing about deer rifles, didn't even know anyone who hunted deer, but was determined to be a deer hunter. The day after my 18th birthday I was at a local NY gunshop to buy a "deer rifle". I can't blame the guy, I am sure he looked at the petite redheaded girl in front of him and wanted to get me into something that didn't kick. I bought a military surplus 6.5 Carcano for $15. It actually shot really well. I carried that rifle for a couple years as I felt my way into deer hunting alone and un-mentored. A couple years later, after hunting for the first time with actual experienced deer hunters, I bought a used Parker Hale in 30-06. I went through a few other 30-06s and a .270 for deer. Now, my go-to rifle for smaller stuff than elk, and even elk without grizzlies, is an old tang safety Ruger M77 in 7mm Rem. Mag.. Yeah, it is a bit overbore for smaller deer and pronghorn, but it has a long successful history...