Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting "Deer Rifles"

I bought my Savage .308 more than 40 years ago and it still gets the job done for me.

Sherwood

I have a pile of rifles but only a few of them have taken game. In the past, I've tended to hunt with the same scoped bolt actions each year, though they all get shot throughout the year. I am trying to change that - last year, I used a Ballard 45-70 with black powder and cast bullet for my deer. It was the most rewarding hunt of my life. I have a Savage 99 that hasn't taken a deer yet and needs to - maybe this year? Not sure - I bought my first Garand this year and really want to take a deer with it. Then there is a Winchester 1886 I just had a tang sight mounted on that is shooting great and needs to kill something. But then the Winchester 1895 405 is a joy to carry and shoots great. Too many rifles, too few tags...

I like to use oddballs when I can myself. One of my favorites was a Winchester 1876 in 45/75. I shot one deer with it before I sold it. I have a Winchester 1910 in 401 Self-Loader I would like to use but it is not being very cooperative in the accuracy department. Maybe next year if I can get it up to my expectations.

This year I have a 1907 Savage 1899 in 38/55 I want to try but there is a 1950 Marlin 336 in 35 Rem I would like to blood too. I also have a "sporterized" SMLE from 1905 that I would like to take an animal with.

Problem is, the zone I can use rifles in is a bucks only area. The last few years I have seldom seen a buck on the game cameras and those that did show up were very young. I'll probably hunt around home where I can take up to two deer the first week. Unfortunately, it is a slug zone which means a 12 ga Beretta 391, 20 ga Rem 870, or 20 ga H&R Slugster.

For my choices, I retain the right to change my mind. I probably will not decide on which guns I will use until the night before I leave. Odds are I will pack several guns as I still haven't decided and will choose just before I head out. And probably still be second guessing myself!

I'm in the same boat. I had a .401 several years ago that was stolen. I bought a replacement afterwards but it has several "issues" I have yet to resolve. Sort of shoved it to the back of the safe and forgot about it. I also have a .351 WSL that I'd love to wax a deer's ass with. Had a great opportunity with it a few years ago in a climber. A small buck basically walked out a few yards away without making a sound and he saw my elbow move when I tried to maneuver the .351 around the tree. I'll probably never get a better chance to use that gun.

sexy

Haven't hunted deer for a long, long time so this year I decided to send in for a permit. Didn't make the cutoff on the drawing and had to settle for a whitetail buck tag which for me is going to make finding the deer more of a challenge. I'd planned on taking out a 7x57 Ruger #1 but although It's shooting pretty well I'm not confident in my abilities with it. So it looks like my 6.8 spc AR is going to get the nod. It's a Cardinal Arms upper on one of my lowers. Shoots really well, even for an old shaky guy like me.

My first Deer Rifle

When I started hunting in 1966 the youngest had to hunt with an old H&R single shot 20 gauge using pumpkin balls, so that is what I used, after getting bucks my first two years I was ready for my first Deer Rifle.

Dad had passed away a few years ealier and money was tight but mom told me if I could save half she would match it and I could have it for the next season but it would be my christmas gift. I mowed neighbors yards, shoveled snow and did any odd job that would pay.

That next season I was the proud owner of a shinny new Winchester 94 in 30-30! Back then a new 94 cost a whopping $67! That year on the third day of PA buck season I shot a 6 point whitetail at 100 yards! No way I would have even tried a shot that far with the old pumpkin balls

Now days I like a lot of you have to decide which of a dozen rifles in the safe will I use...