Your go to deer rifle? You can only choose one gun and one load. Only one! It might not be perfect for some applications, but it'll do for any deer hunting to be done with a rifle. Also why you would pick it. Mine is a commercial FN Mauser, 7x57,3-9 scope, 150 Partitions, @2700fps. Why, because it's about perfect, for all my shooting up to my, self imposed maximum range of 300yds. Plus, Bell, Corbett and O'Connor. Captdavid

It had been a Smith and Wesson Husqvarna Lightweight .30-06 but since my heart troubles it's my Marlin 336A 30-30.

Remington Titanium .270 with KS profile 23" Hart barrel. 110gr. TTSX @3475-3500fps. No hesitations as far as trajectory is concerned this side of 400yds.

lefthanded tikka t3 lite stainless,4x16x40 bushnell elite 4200 and 140gr hornady interlock bullet

I tend to travel a different route than the bolt crowd. Same one I've been using since 1979, Remington 760 Pump Carbine in 30-06, with Leupold Vari X III 1.5X5 scope and 150 grain bullets of one persuasion or another.

oh hell, i couldnt make a decision like that.

Ruger MK II 7-08 with 120 NBT. Top with Leupold 6x42 with M1 elevation turret.

Deans

Pre'64 M/70 .35 Whelen.

"Go To" too me means "all weather, anywhere, horse, truck, ATV, walk in" that being the case, mine is a Ruger Hawkeye stainless synthetic in 358 Winchester, 200 gr TTSX's at 2700 fps guided by a matte 2-7 Leupold in matte cerakoted Ruger rings, a Butler Creek cap for the front lens and a little camo duct tape around the scope tube for the muzzle in case of rain gets it all done with ease.

Having Darren75 here at the 'Fire put an excellent paint job on the stock is all I've done to it, no bedding or floating, no trigger job either, the damn thing will shoot half inch groups when it's not too windy and I'm doing my job.

Nice rifle. For me I'd go with my early 700 Mt Rifle in 30-06 . Leupold 3-9 and 165 gr nosler bt. I've shot deer with it from 10 ft to right at 500 yds .

I honestly don't have a single favorite. NONE smaller than 270 W up to 300 WM.


Jerry

Tang safety Ruger 77 in 270 Win with a 6X Leupold scope shooting 130 gr Hornady spire points.

Dale

T/C Encore .260 Rem with Bushnell Elite 4-16x40 & 120 gr NBT's

Tang safety Ruger 77 in 270 Win... Made in 1973

Here it is..

Might as well be my namesake:

I have quite a few rifles, but this 2008 production Winchester 308 EW is the only one I've hunted with in 5-6 years. I bought it used in 2009 and hunted with it as is for a year before buying the Edge stock 2nd hand here.

I've experimented with lots of different bullets and loads; if forced to pick one it's be 165 gr Accubonds at about 2750 fps.

Most often a Browning A Bolt stainless synthetic in .308 Win. with a Kahles 2-7x36 scope and a German a4 reticle.

Dakota 76 in a Fajen pre64 OEM stock, 257AI, 120gr Hornady HPs at 3000fps.

Marlin 336C .30-30 with 1-4x20 Leupold VX-11.

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.

P[/URL]

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!😜

If I ever decide to hunt whitetails again, the go to rifle will probably be the little .40 calibre flintlock Jäger style rifle I am currently attempting to assemble.

For my hunting I can get by fine with this 7600 270

Winchester M 70 Featherweight .270 Win and 130 gr Nosler Partitions.

I have five big game rifles. Three are full custom bolt actions. But my "go to" rifle is a Springfield Armory M1A Squad Scout with a 1.5-4X VX2 Scout Scope.
That's because of the special conditions I face in my choice of deer hunts.
All of the bucks I've wanted to kill lately were all running shots. They duck and dodge in cover making precise placement of the first one very difficult. So a quick, follow up aimed shot is a huge asset.
I also need a rifle that will function after days of accumulating the fine dust that gets into everything after days of hunting fresh tracks from my jeep. This is the best I've been able to come up with.
She's a little heavier than I like, but, so far, it is working out well. E

Remington 700 LVSF barreled action bedded into a McMillan 700 Classic stock, Leupold M8 6x42, 150 grain Ballistic Tips on top of H4895.

Calibre?

Do you stick out your pinkie as you type that?

Why, pray tell, did you stop hunting whitetails?

Well, I gave one .270 to my son-in-law who wanted to start deer hunting, and I gave the other one to my only nephew (who only hunts deer) because I wanted him to have a nice rifle. So, it's going to be the .257 AI, just as soon as we deal with the damage that it suffered as we were somersaulting down a steep scree slope on the December Coues whitetail hunt. Unfortunately the rifle and scope didn't fare quiet as well as I did.

A "before" picture:

For anywhere/anytime, this .308 with 150 BT's over Varget (actually any load I've tried in it has been good). Ain't real pretty, looks like a plain Jane off the rack at Walmart rifle. Stainless M7 action, stainless #2 barrel at 22", cerakoted black, black Edge fill McMill, DNZ mounts, 6x42 scope. It's a plain Jane killer.

We can't use rifles here, so it's my Encore 12ga slug barrel with Nikon Slughunter 3-9x40 5" eye relief.



I shoot a Breneke Magnum Crush 3", 1 1/2 oz. at 1500 fps. It's a real ass kicker out of the Encore.



It's pretty accurate too.



Knock'em down and drag'em out.

Sako AII, 308 Winchester, Leupold VariX-II 2x7

Ruger m77 tang safety .257 Roberts, 3x9 Leupold, 115 grain ballistic tips.

My Rem 760 30-06 with a Vari-X III 2.5x8 with the post & duplex reticle. 56gr of H4350 and 165gr Hornady flat base bullets.

probably my hawkeye RSI .250 salvage. 87 g hot cores fueled by h4895.

I have settled into a CLR/NULA in 7x57 for my deer hunting.

It is lightweight and easy handling, not to mention extremely accurate with 120 gr Barnes TTSX. I've also shot 140 gr TTSX and 160 gr Nosler Accubonds out of this rifle with good results.

It wears a 3-9x40 Zeiss Diavari with a simple duplex retical. I have no excuse, nor desire, to shoot further than 300 yards, and more often than not, it is closer to 100 yards.

It's definitely a keeper.

donsm70

Don't have a go to deer rifle. Depending on the conditions and the hunt I will take 1 of 3.

Gave what could be considered the go to rifle to my boy.

I have a safe full of good candidates but for most of my open land hunts I find my Rem 700 in 257 WBY gets the call most often as I just have utter faith it it's abilities. For hunting timber where the chance of stretching out a shot isn't as common more often then not it's my Kimber Montana 300 WSM due to weight and maneuverability. My grandpas old 742 '06 still goes for a few hunts each year as my way of remembering him.

Like I said 10-12 other options in what I consider good "deer" rounds from .243-7 RM that I use occasionally as well. Have bigger and smaller calibers as well but those 2 do most do the work.

I just got a new wildcat short action magnum that if I am currently working up loads as a "do-all" that will likely see a lot of hunts this year to see wtf it does.

Ok mallard, only o n e:) captdavid

I have 30 or so deer rifles, if I absolutely had to pick one, it would be a Kleinguenther 7 Rem mag. I usually take the one that hollers the loudest when I open the safes.

This is my latest favorite for an open country walk around rifle.


Kimber 270 MT loaded with 140 Accubonds.

I don't have one. I grab whatever makes my socks go up and down at the time

A 45 caliber Sharps with barrel buck horn and blade front sights.I shoot a 510 grain cast paper patched bullet. You never recover a bullet, and you never lose a deer--or any other animal, for that matter.

M70 30-06

Win classic FW chambered in 25-06. Beauty and sweet to carry.

Weatherby Mark V Classicmark 270 weatherby. 140 gr NAB and VX 3

Savage 99f circa 1957. 300 Savage using factory Winchester 180 grain silvertip. Leupold m8 6x. Magic for me.

I take one of a collection of family guns when feeling sentimental but this Ruger 77 MKII RLS in .308 is always ready to go.

I've had a 30-06 for a lot of years. I'm down to 4 of them right now, but a Ruger M77 MkII stainless with a Zytel stock and a Leupold VX 3 2.5-8 on it. What more can a guy need?
I also use Federal Premium 180 grain NPT's in it, regardless of not needing them. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

That's a beauty..

Husqvarna Model 46 - $125 Bubbaswede from SARCO.
Rebarreled to 257 Roberts with a $78, 21" Green Mountain closeout barrel. Nikon 2-7 on it. Hogue recoil pad let me cut off the chips at the stock toe. Stripped the polyurethane stuff on the stock and oiled it.
The original barrel had a badly pitted chamber and the Weaver mounts were on it. I think I improved Bubbaswedes's work and didn't destroy anything.

100 grain Nosler Partition, H4895, CCI Primer, Nosler Brass.
Handy and light.

Well, here's the thing. There are a whole lot of reasons the Savage 99 is my favorite:

1) In my opinion, it comes close to the optimal rifle for whitetail deer hunting.
2) I've bagged most of my big bucks with it.
3) I cannot think of a better system for taking deer out of a treestand.

On the other hand, the Hawkeye is a better all-around rifle.

1) I've loaded the Savage 99 to .300 Savage levels, so it does not have quite the whallop at 200 yards as I would prefer. However, it is perfect for the deep woods.

2) I prefer to keep the Savage 99 home when it rains. The Hawkeye is stainless.
3) The optics on the Hawkeye, a Bushnell Elite 3-9X40, are phenomenal. I have successfully taken deer at 150 yards in the last minute of legal hunting.

As a result, when the deer are still in the oaks in the early part of season, I'm up a tree with the Savage. Once they move out into the pastures, I put the Savage down and pick up the Hawkeye. Somewhere during the two weeks of season, I try rotate through the rest of the arsenal.

shaman,

hehe, hehe, hehe, you still gotta, decide!!. Just one....

It's obvious to me. Your heart says 99, your brain says Hawkeye!
Captdavid

Although I have several options on the rack, I nearly always grab a Remington Model Seven, re-barreled and reamed out to 7mm08 Improved. It has a Rem. Tupperware stock with a plate of melted wheel weights in the stock to balance it out from the heavier barrel. I tend to use 120 gr. ballistic tips pushed by Varget powder. Muzzle velocity at around 3180. I have killed lots of deer with this gun, and some other stuff like pigs and Javeleno's , but nothing big. miles

When in doubt, "Little Ugly" gets the call, 8x57, 200 gr Hot Core at 2650 seems to work pretty well.

I'm quite jealous. I would like to build one of those soon.

Open field hunting on the farm means taking the 300WM.
Woods hunting means taking the 16" 6.8SPC AR.
Swamps and thick stuff means taking the 12.5" 6.8SPC AR.

Girlfriend took over the 300WM so i just used the 16" 6.8SPC as i was just backup at that point.

My go to "deer rifle".
Sako AII Hunter, 308 WCF w/150gr. NAB with Swarovski 4x32.

StarchedCover

my 6mm-06

How in the world did the deer get into the treestand??

I have shot more deer with a 30-06 than any other but the last few years I have tried to use a different caliber each season. I really love my savage 99 featherweight in 300 savage but if pinned down to one gun it would be my Remington Model 7 in 7-08 with a 2-7 leupold.

Ok guys only one! make your choice. Captdavid

Well, that's pretty much it, and no. I don't have to decide, because it's just a game. I'm not going to say it's a goofy game, because I think it's a valid question. However, God's blessed me with the means to keep a whole rack of deer rifles, and the hunting venues that allow me to use them.

My opinion is that having more deer rifles than just one is good thing for two reasons:

1) It is probably best to have one deer rifle for each type of hunting you do. A good rifle for stalking is not going to be the best for treestands which is not going to be the best for posting on the ground.

2) I've had to give up hunting due to a mishap with my rifle, because I've always had a backup. I always take at least two rifles with me, and I've had to go to my backup on at least three occasions over the past 35+ seasons.

a) In one case, I had a "CLICK" instead as a "BANG." Rather than try to diagnose the trouble, I put the rifle in the case and went to the backup. The next day I filled my tag.
b) In another case, I had a miss on a buck at close distance. It was obvious the scope was off. Into the case the rifle went (the Savage99) and out came the Remington 7600 in 35 Whelen and I didn't worry about the scope until after season.
c) In 2004, my Remington 742 was the victim of a freak wind that blew it off the wall rack and it hit the concrete. The scope was smashed. Out came the backup (the Savage99) and off I went.

I agree!

338 RUM............

After looking at all the beautiful rifles, I'm almost ashamed to mention mine. Almost...but not quite. Because I have 2 or 3 beautiful rifles but for the last 6 or 7 yrs, I take my little Marlin xl7 in 25/06. For 15 yrs or so prior to getting the Marlin, I shot my 77 UL in 270 and thought I would retire using it. But I like the Marlin and bought it because it is light and I had previous had a 25/06 and loved it but didn't like the heaviness of it after I had back problems. I put a Vortex Viper 2-7 Var. on it. I shoot 120 gr. Core-Lokts and have never had to change the scope since I got the rifle. In those 6 or 7 yrs I think I have killed around 15 deer, have never missed, and have seen what every deer has done when I pulled the trigger. Most have fallen where they were standing when they were shot. For me, it doesn't get any better than that! For now anyway...lol

Ruger 77 7x57

!

Many times difficult to tell the difference between the 25-06 and the .270.

Doc

I opened my safes yesterday, there was a bunch of pissed off rifles in there. They had heard I picked one of my Kleinguenther's as my go to rifle. I told them it was fake news the Dumbocrats had put out.😊😊😊

You deserve it for being an elitist! Ha ha
Just a joke.

I better look in my safe to see if you stole my rifle...

My deer gun is very similar... shoot barnes vortex 150 grain and nikon 1.5 - 5 x scope.
The rifle was a gift from my father.

Something ugly & SS & Sythetic comes out in the rain though

280 rem pre 64 fwt 120 ttsx

For the past twelve years or so, my .25-06 Rem 700 CDL with the 6x Leupold & handloaded 115 grain Nosler Blue Cyclones!

Oh, that's my "lucky stump" here in Washington... Mule deer, bear... It's been a good place to hang out with a rifle, and watch quietly.







Regards, Guy

Marlin .30-30 RC with Simmons 3x10x44 scope. Yea, I know, the scope is too darn big. It's been on the gun for about 25 years and the combo shoots great with about everything, especially Hornady Leverevolutions. Confidence level is super high when I carry it.

I will never have just one rifle, but the 'old standby' would definitely be my model 700 ADL in 270 shooting 130 NBTs.

M70 .270, or if the mood strikes, a 336 SC .30/30. Only two I have now, I sold off some excess rifles a couple of months ago.

No matter, I'm not exactly excited about deer hunting any more, anyway.

For some reason, inexplicable to me, rimfires have caught my attention more and more here lately.

My fast twist 243. I take advantage of the slippery 105s for the LONG shots....

Too many fine rifles to limit myself to one. I do enjoy shooting this M70 .270 that sports a reasonably rare factory stainless steel barrel.

Woodson, aren't you stretching the capabilities of that round a little??

.284

White super safari 91 in .451 caliber. Soft lead cast 460 grain flat nose 'news' bullets.

Why? boringly consistent out to 130 or so yards, which is plenty far for the deer I shoot at.

Hits super hard and always expands. Inexpensive ammo.


Sure the trajectory is a rainbow, but imo that just means hunt closer or better.

That, and NJ imposed a ML/Bow/shotgun restriction. I cant hit [bleep] with a bow, and good shotgun ammo is too pricey to practice with imo. Plus no shotgun I have fits as nice as the White.

If i had to forgo a ML and stick with shotgun, I'd get a savage 220. Honest to goodness tack driving, though homely.

HOley crap thats a classic photo.

I own just one rifle. Rem 798 in 30-06. Bullet is Lapua's 170gr Naturalis which I reload myself.
After this season I updated my old Leupold M8 scope to Zeiss' DL 3-12x50 with daylight usable light dot.
Now I should be pretty well equipped for both driven hunts for deer and moose and night time hunts for deer. Can't wait for the fall

Very nice! Every one of the 798s that I have handled have had very smooth actions. You're set.

Kimber Classic Select in .243. A joy to carry, and, it just flat out shoots.
When you pull the trigger with 95 Grain Hornady SSTs, it's like the deer are hit with a lightning bolt.

Came across that poor blind and deaf SOB during the very end of a deer drive. The watcher took the picture. Didn't shoot it but I should have.

Is it just me, or does this deer look like it has a surprise look on his face...lol? I guess it is the way the rifle laying across it's face. Just looks like to me it is about to get up and bolt! Love the old 99's and have my LGS owner looking for me one. But I do have a 284 (Win M100) and love the cartridge.

Dang! You have to feel sorry for that poor thing.

Original stainless Remington TI in 30-06 with Barnes 150 grains tipped TSX BT. Leupod VX3 2 X 8 36mm scope.

A Savage 99F in 308 Winchester or another 99, an R model in 300 Sav.

i have a lot of deer guns but if i had to pick one all around it would be my rem 7600 factory carbine in 35 whelen. i had a match trigger job put on it and it has a bushnell elite 3200 2-7x32. it is a moa gun out to 200 yards and a one holer at 50 yards.

Thanks Guys I really like it.

I had a new 798 in 7 Rem mag. I never got around to shooting it before I sold it.

For deer, I sometimes use the 30-06 Abolt or Rem 7600, or the TC Venture .308, or the Marlin 35Rem. It depends on mood and terrain.
All Core-lokts.

I can't believe nobody has asked for the details on this one. What's the build sheet?

Thanks,


Okie John

Mine would be a pre-64 Model 70 in 308 with a 4x Leupold that Jim Cloward bedded into a Pacific Research stock. Had to sell it during a divorce, but I'd buy it back in a heartbeat.

Current choice is a classic pawnshop 30-06:


It cost me $600 OTD with a Leupold 3-9 (not the one on it in the pic).

Build Sheet
Barreled action: Ruger M-77 Mk II in 30-06
Stock: Bell & Carlson, not sure which model, with a hillbilly Krylon paint job that's starting to wear off along the forend
Scope: Leupold 3-9 with CDS, standard reticle
Work: Glass bedded, free floated, maybe a trigger job
Metal Finish: Whatever comes from Ruger, but I'll paint it dark gray before I hunt with it
Sling: Cheap Latigo copy
Weight: 8.5 pounds, which is OK because I don't like a rifle that's too light. I might switch to fixed 4x for hunting, which will drop the weight by about six ounces.

Every time I uncase it, I feel like I should grow a mullet and start jacklighting whitetail does out of a Camaro. But it shoots MOA to 200 yards with cheap Federal factory ammo so I'm growing irrationally fond of it.

It's near-twin in 338 WM showed up here a couple of weeks ago and is shaping up to be just as good.

I might just be set for hunting rifles now, but don't tell anyone I said that.


Okie John

Win 70 classic, 6.5x55 Swede

Binelli R1 in .30-06 topped with a Burris Fullfield 3x9x40

Extremely accurate with little felt recoil...

Marlin 336 30/30 for the woods Tikka T3 25-06 for the distance shots.

Weatherby vanguard, 6.5 creedmoor

Ohio has been a shotgun state for a long time, and only went rifle in the last few years. Since I only have one deer caliber rifle, it would have to be my AR-15 .450Bushmaster. And it has yet to even be fired at a deer.

A "go to" deer rifle depends on where I "go to". Thicker woods call for a Marlin 30AS with a 1-4x Leupold using Speer 170 gr. F.P.'s backed up by a suitable dose of IMR-3031. In more open locales there's a nice little Kimber sporterized Mod. 96 Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55 with a 3.5-10x Leupold that has a "go to" load with a 129 gr. Hornady Spire Point driven by IMR- 4831. If I go to a shotgun zone it's a 12 ga. "rifle". An 870 "Special Purpose Deer" slug gun with Remington fully rifled replacement barrel and a 2.5x Leupold. That one can take 3" stuff but works best with Winchester 2 & 3/4" BRI Sabot slugs. If I ever "go to" Wyoming again my two "go to" rifles are a Ruger 77 Mk. II in .25-06 with a 6-18x Leupold and 117 gr. Sierra Pro-Hunters fueled by RL-22 and a Savage Mod. 10 in 300 WSM with a 3.5-10x Leupold shooting 150 gr. Accubonds with Nosler's accuracy load of IMR-4064.

My go-to rifle, for deer, is a Remington M7600, 270 with 150gr Speers.

My Whelens are for bigger stuff!

Nice buck WN, I've had the crazy thought as of late to find a 760/7600 in 35 Remington for some strange reason, thinking it would be a fun gun to work up a good hunting load with and smack some deer and pigs this year.

Beautiful rifle and buck. What more could a guy want? Congrats...

Very nice buck indeed!!!

Gunner...like this one?

About 2 yrs. ago, the LGS had 2 760's in the 35 Rem. One wore the stock like the one on my 760 I inherited from daddy that was bought in about the mid-60's with the smooth pistol grip and the metal buttplate. Not sure how old the other one was as it had the after market black, plastic on stock and forearm. Wished a 1000 times I had bought the one with the old wooden pieces on it. Maybe I will find another one at some point.

Be danged WN, was thinking blue steel and walnut, didn't know they made them in that configuration, or did you have that done?

Talk about a hardwood creek bottom Thumper, that is one!

Hate it when that happens, and I've done it too, betting one like that is gonna be hard to find again.

Oh well, we'll always have yard sales, now to only learn to stomach going to them.

I'm over 80. Been hunting Deer since I was around 35. Had a bunch of different rifles and calibre's. I now have it narrowed down to two. Both Tikka's T-3 Lite's. One is a .270 and the other is a 30-06. I put a Vortex Diamondback 6-12X40 on both and I use any name brand ammo. The 30-06 likes Federal Fusion 185's and the .270 like's 150 grain Hornady Interbond's. I hunt mainly in the North Woods of Wisconsin. Hardly ever more than a 200 yard shot.
Some of you guys have fine Rifles. I envy you, but i"m resolved to keep it simple.

Gunner

Grice's did a special run of them about 10+yrs ago. Bought two and, in a weak moment, sold one to a buddy.

It's the only 'synthetic' one I have but it has it's niche.

WN

10-4, thanks WN, bet it ain't going anywhere but to the woods with "You" either.

Gunner, when you discover how well they shoot, you will be able to stomach them.

No doubt, this one might be more to your liking. Wood/blue, carbine, rechambered to .358Win w/1.5-5 Leupold. My other go-to swamp deer thumper.

You know you need one!

These swamp thumpers amuse me. I went that way one time too... ended up 50 beowulf which is about like a mild 45-70... due to hunting in the brush in east texas on public land at the tiem, where I had a223 deflect off unseen brush.

Shot a few deer with it, as far as I can tell over the years, the 223 kills as well as the big round.

But if you like short guns, they sure are handy, I ended up going back to a shorty 223 AR for East Texas and have never had an issue. Have had a few bang flops with non CNS hits with it. NEVER had that with the big round.

Strange in a way I think.

Winchester 54 .30-30 bolt gun. 190 grain cast lead flat nose at 1900fps, Lyman receiver sight. Tickles me sh*tless for the eastern woodlands I loaf in.

gnoahhh. Sweet. What hardness of lead do you use?

bhn 11-13. Basically clip-on wheelweights with a pinch of tin added as a sweetener.

LOL on the want vs need deal, I do know I'd like to shoot a big whitetail deer though, dang, you post some pics of mighty fine bucks.

Would you mind sharing info on the trigger job?

Thanks,
Doug

[/quote] bhn 11-13. Basically clip-on wheelweights with a pinch of tin added as a sweetener. [/quote]

Thanks.

Used to be my Czech Mauser 257 AI:







Now my Kimber Classic Select Bob is gaining ground:

Depends on the area hunted, and what type of deer. In the Northern Minnesota woods an old 98K Mauser BCD code from '44. Still has its original 8mm barrel and I installed Redfield peeps. It was the freezer rifle for many years. Now a toss up between a Sauer 101 in 7X64 or a CZ550FS in 6.5X55.

My Savage I built in 6x6.8 caliber.

Seen a lot of great choices here.

My favorite is a little different. the CZ 527 24" barrel chambered in 6.5 Grendel with a 100 grain TTSX has only been my favorite for the last 2 years now. Have been a few others over the previous 35 years or some Bigger and a few smaller bore yet none lighter or less on recoil.

For the southeast US where I am, the Ruger Ultralight 257 Roberts wins hands down. Damn I love that gun.

For last 20ish years a Ruger 77 in 25-06 with a stainless barrel in a boat paddle stock. Great gun that's killed it's fair share of deer.

Bought Savage 10 in 6.5 creedmore over Xmas. Depending on what it can do, it may be my next go to deer rifle for the next 20ish years.

Now that is a sweet carbine...............thinking of the same thing for a long while now..............nice buck friend

A "go to?" Golly, it could be any number of rifles, but they have some things in common:

bolt action either Win70Fwt, Rem7, or Ruger77
synthetic stock
243 or 30-06

In the end, my old Win70 Featherweight 30-06 in a factory Brown stock has put more on the ground than anything else.

I won a Rem. 700 BDL in a .243 a few years back. I shot a deer with it at 111 yards and with a fairly decent shot placement. It ran about 50-60 yards and I had to dispatch it. I had always used a 30-06 with better luck, so I traded it for a Tikka .270. That was the end of my Deer Hunting that wasn't DRT. Of course we all know that shot placement is the most important factor, but as for me, I'm going to stick with a bullet that is around 150-185 grains for good sized deer.

Klondike Mike. That's beautiful n classic...Hope u like it...ScottyO.

That had nothing to do with the 243. At least IMHO.

maybe shot placement or bullet choice, but not due to round itself.

I used 243 since a kid. Moved up to a 300 mag. My ratio of non bone DRTs dropped seriously.

The non bone DRT champ at my camp is probably my friend's 257 Weatherby with 100 grain Interlocks, either factory or my handloads.

Added: Now that I think of it, the same friend has used a 243 with 95 grain SST handloads on a few and I don't recall any taking more than a step or two.

Mine is a Bansners ultimate one in 7-08 loaded with 120 or 140 ttsx over varget.

I am here in the Northeast, where most shots are under 200 yards. My go-to rifle is my Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08. It's an old one with 18-1/2" barrel. I replaced the oribinal walnut stock with a Remington laminate stock I bought on a closeout. It weighs 7 lbs. with a Leupold 4x Compact scope on top. Handy, light, and accurate.

I have the same rifle except old walnut stock and an 2=7 nikon best rifle I've ever owned.

I've always had good luck with a Rem 700 BDL, 243 win. 100 gr. GameKing.

If I can only have one this was my only rifle for 20 plus years before accumulating many. .270 Win with 130 grain Hornady. 2.5-8 Leupold. It was well used when I got it over 30 years ago and has accounted for ALLOT of animals.

Right now my go-to would be my weatherby Vanguard 7mm Rem Mag but I hope my new Tikka 3x .260 become my new go-to

Brno 22F 7x57

it works for other stuff too.

Good question...My latest go-to deer rifle is My T3X Superlite .300 Win.....I also own a Remington XCRII .300 Win that I have killed several nice bucks with.........Hb

Beautiful rifles fellas...

Although I have a good collection of rifles in many different styles and configurations, this model 70 Win featherweight in 280 Rem has never let me down.

My load of choice is a 140 grain Sierra Game King atop 51 grains of IMR 4350, and ignited with a CCI large rifle primer, all nestled in a Remington case. THis isn't a hot load, but gets the job done.

Ruger M77 .257 Roberts 117gr Core-Lokt

Getting a little long in the tooth with no heirs that are into guns I've sold off quite a few firearms in the past couple of years.....handguns, shotguns and rifles.

I'm now down to only one deer rifle that I purchased here on the forum from 'DiamondJim' back in Oct. 2009.....it's a very accurate wood and blue Savage Classic 14 chambered in 7mm-08.

I topped it with a fixed power Leupold 6X and have it pet loaded with Sierra 120 gr. Pro Hunters over a good charge of Varget.

remington 700 .270, 20in barrel, Lee Six thumbhole stock, 130rn partitions

Nice rifle. Mine is also a Remington pump but a Model Six in 30-06 that my dad traded a German shorthaired puppy for and then gave me the rifle. I killed my 1st elk at 407 yards and my deer at 466 yards. All with 180 Nosler ballistic tips, 3100 ( discontinued ) moving at 2800fps. This combo is laser accurate. I dread the day I have to come up with a new recipe for powder.

257 WBY magnum Ultralight

Don't let him talk you into those dang rifles. They're lighter than you think. Shoulder fantastic, and will probably shoot better than most of the guns you have. Other than that, they're great rifles.

Savage Weather Warrior 116 (Stainless and syn stock) with a Burris fulfield scope in 308. Can't think of a better rifle that is as accurate, and durable while i am crawling around the woods in snow or rain.

Remington 1903, SA 4 groove barrel, Fajen stock, 3x9 Leupold Varix, 165 Hornady, IMR4350. Had it from the 60's and have killed mucho with it

Ye Olde 240JHP.

This is my do all 358 win

Marlin 30-30, compact, durable, gets it done. Especially for the price tag.

Only a couple of 7-08s on the list. I'm a little surprised.

I've never shot a dinosaur or a homo.

https://youtu.be/mZaCiP2_2RM

Early Remington 700FS wearing a nice light stock and a 3.5-10X40 w. CDS. Chambered in 270win.

My go to deer rifle is a Remington 700 classic in 8x57 with an FX-3 6x42 with a German #1 reticule. I've used different loads, but currently it is the 170 gr. Hornady RN and W748 at 2720 fps.

.35 Rem Marlin Marauder. Williams peep.

Maybe one of these days I'll have a favorite go-to rifle but I've haven't found it yet. I've only gotten big into rifles, collecting and reloading, over the last 5 years or so. I'm still in the collecting and trying new loads phase. Once a rifle gets bloodied, it goes back in the safe so I can bloody another one. I've still got several to go.

I'm really liking lighter rifles. I don't have any ultralights, but I do have a few in the 7 1/2 to 7 3/4 pound range ready to hunt. Among those, I'm really favoring my two Marlin XS7s in 22-250 and 7mm-08 and my Ruger M77 UL in 223Rem.

I have several deer rifles but the one with the most miles on it is my Remington Model Seven SS in .308 with a Leupold VX3 2.5-8X.

I don't have any pictures of deer I've taken over the years, or of my rifles on fence posts. I've taken more deer with my old 25-06 Rem 700 BDL and a few with my Browning 300 Win Mag. But, If I could only have one deer rifle, it would be my Ruger M77 All Weather 358 Winchester. This rifle works as a bush gun, and I feel confident with this rifle at well past 200 yards. Virtually all deer I've taken over the years in OK, South Dakota and TX have been under 200 yards.

Classic classic.

For still hunting in thick stuff like creek bottoms. Just a Rossi in 44 Magnum, but it's a lot of punch in a very light, little package.

Here are three 264 Win Mags. I use these a good bit.

Exactly.

I always seem to grab the 250 Savage T/C pro hunter. The little 250/3000 is the little cartridge whose game performance outperforms its case capacity.

Doc

7 Rem mag, Kleinguenther K-15 improved

Ruger Hawkeye All-weather ultralight 7mm-08 w/Leupold 2-7x33. It is accurate, nearly indestructible and fits me like it was custom made for me.

I enjoy using various arms.
This year I think I am going to try to get my deer and antelope with either my Marlin 336 rifle (long barrel)
or my little Mannlicher 6.5X54. I hunted with them last year, but never got to shoot and when I did get the opportunity, I was carrying my 8X57 Mauser. So I made my year's meat with that. Same one I used to get my elk. Or I may go after my deer and antelope with my 50 cal flintlock.

I may even use the 6.5X54 on elk, but I am going to be taking out 2 good friends of mine for elk, and I'll carry a rifle too, but I'll let them have the shots first because they can only hunt for 1 week. I have 2 months.
So I will carry my iron sighted rifle (maybe my M95 Winchester in 270) So they can shoot to longer ranges, but I'll limit myself to about 200 yards, at least when I am with them.

20" T3 .308 with a Nightforce.

McWhorter 7mm08 and 140 AB's @ 2820fps.

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its wonderful so many different hunting rifles and cartridges in what we hunt with and we all kill deer! I have killed them with a 223 to 300WSM and seen no difference in performance at ranges under 100 yards. These last few years I have become quite fond of hunting with my Kimber montana in 308win with an old Kahles on it. It's lighter and more than accurate enough.

The first year that Remington manufactured a 700 Classic in 35 Whelen I had to have it. I have never regretted it.
It never needed bedding, but I did adjust the trigger pull with a screwdriver to 4.5 lbs.
It prefers 250 grain bullets and IMR 4320 or Varget. 55 grs.

It works on caribou and black bear and someday a moose or elk
might be in the crosshairs.
If I was hunting something that might be ornery I would use the Nosler 225 grain Partition at 2681 fps.
Whelennut

I like Savage 99's, I have 250-3000,.243,,308 and .300 sav. Picture is the .300 with a Lyman scope

BLR stainless 7-08 with a pistol grip is my latest. My favorite is a 181/2 inch model 7 in 7=08. Killed a 7 pt last year with the first and a 8 pt with the second. Both shoot IMR 4320 over a 140 NBT better then I can shoot

kimber 260

257 roberts win featherweight is mine

1895 Marlin 45-70, Williams peep with red fiber optic front.Go to for everything close. Should see what it does to pigs. To rough to post pictures but still works, oiled it the other day to stop the squeaking. Poured the rain water out of it a time or two. 400 Speers when I can get them, otherwise them new red tip Hornady pointy boolits. 405 hard cast with a whole lot of gunpowder in the off season. Kicks a bit but tears up 4x4 chunks into splinters at 100.

Now THAT is an awesome buck. It has the 2 things I like, mass and character. I wouldn't give a hoot how it scored, even though I suspect it scored quite well, it is just a beautiful deer and a great rack. Congratulations!

Mine is a Remington 700 Classic in 300 Savage. I have shot the vast majority of my deer with it since it came into my hands the year it came out. I am shooting 150 gr Sierra Pro-Hunters over 41 grs of Varget at the moment

Before that it was a cut down Mauser K98 tossed in a cheap plastic stock of some sort. It mow is loaded with 150 gr Hornady spitzers over a minimum charge of Varget. It is the "go to" gun for the grandkids as a starter deer gun.

Close behind is a Savage 16 in 7mm/08 only because it is in stainless and synthetic for bad weather use. It is currently sighted in for Speer 156 gr round nose bullets over Reloader 15 due to it having been used for black bear over bait last fall.

Could you elaborate on this bullet, please. I don't see any round nose 7mm bullets, or any 156gr 7mm bullets on Speer's website. thanks

FWIW My perennial go to "Deer Rifle" for the last 45-50 years has been a 270 of some sort. I've jhad more than a dozen 270's, and there are a pair of 'em right now waiting on my lazy arse to finish scopeing 'em up and shooten'em in.

Right now I've got a BACO Ult Shadow in a BACO Sporter stock, & a Marlin SS XL7 I might decide to sell, thats still NIB.

The BACO 24" barreled Ult Shadow is wearing a Vortex 30mm Viper 4x16x44 in Warne Mediums but is the only gun in the rack that is ready to go to the range with several more waiting on me.
Ron

just a basic remington 700adl in 270.

Nice hog!

Heck of a buck, Pat. Congrats!

Agreed!

1958 M70 .270 fwt

I tend to try to not get stuck on one rifle....I've probably killed deer with 20+ different rifles in at least a dozen calibers. I've probably NOT killed more than that with more than that. LOL If I am stuck on one, it'd probably be a marlin in 356 or blr in 358.

Sorry for not getting back sooner.

The bullets referenced were in a box of "shooting stuff" I bought at a yard sale many, many years ago and the items in the box were at least a couple decades old back then. A well worn Lyman #42 manual was part of my haul but there was no info on the bullets in that source.

There was a full box and part of another which I eventually loaded up and have been using the last couple years. I have something short of 20 left so I will probably have to work up something new in a year or two.

Thanks. Kinda sad to see all the RN bullets going by the wayside.

Sad but true.....

Doc

I use a ,257 Weatherby Magnum and I always thought it strange that the Weatherby factory ammo (Norma) uses a 117 gr Rn Sp. in their load. Been doing it forever. Don't know if they have been doing it the last few years. If any round shouldn't be a round nose I would think a screamer like a 257 Wby would qualify.

This is the one I grab when theres no telling what's going to happen. M7 in 7 Saum with 120 gr ttsx's doing about 3300. Good ole 3x9x40 Zeiss with mildot on it.

Two reasons I have heard for using this bullet.

The first and most plausible to me is the early rifles in 257 were sometimes rechambered from 250 Savage which had too slow of twist for the heavier spitzer bullets. A round nose was short enough to stabilize at the velocities the 257 Weatherby is capable of. When later rifles became standardized with a faster twist, they could use the 120 gr spitzers but the round nose load was kept as there were a number of the slower twist guns out still there.

The other reason I heard was the 117 round nose shed velocity fast enough that the bullet did not come apart at moderate range or greater. I don't think this is as valid of a reason but it was probably an unintended consequence.

Weatherby's early .257's were made w/ 1-12 twists. He looked to the 100 gr to give him the speed he wanted.. I made a 1-12 to see if the speed an accuracy were better w/ that twist. Still have a new barrel.. need to put it an action someday soon.

Ken Waters wrote he believed round nose bullets were more accurate than spitzers due to jacket manufacturing capability back in the '20s through '50s. Drawing consistent spritzer points was hit and miss.
Anyway, there was quite a revolution starting in the '70s or '80s wherein most companies developed or purchased more consistent equipment and now manufacture far more accurate bullets than previous decades.
Or so Mr. Waters wrote several times in Pet Loads.