Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Any "Stunt Shooting" Planned for Upcoming Deer Season?

Having way more centerfire rifles than I "need", each season I pick out between 6-10 or so rifles that I want to carry. Some are trusted old companions, some are recent additions. Some I've had for years and have just never killed anything with them. There are several in my safe that I don't consider "deer rifles" but still want to kill a deer with them. Two that come to mind are a Marlin .25-20 that I've had for years and a Marlin 62 .30 Carbine. I'd really like to bust a doe or two with them. I have a couple spots in mind for ground blinds where I wouldn't have to shoot past 50 yards and would only take sure lung shots. I'm thinking the 75 gr Speer loaded fast (around 2000 fps) would suffice in the .25-20, and the .30 shoots the Hornady 110 gr FTX very well. You got any "stunt shooting" planned this year?

Both of yours will work. Im sure I'll be doing some stunt shooting...but I will also be taking my "big" gun afield...a .243

Yup,gonna take a .270 Winchester for deer this year.

We'll pray for you...

Thanks,I need all the help I can get.

I always end up coming back to the guns that got me there. My beloved old 99, which I bought off one of the original members of our deer camp. My other go to gun is my dad's 98 Mauser. A little heavy, but scary accurate. This year, i'm looking to change things up a bit. I've never killed a deer with a 30-30, and am looking forward to picking up an older Marlin to play with. I also bought a Winchester Model 70 in .270 Win. that will see some time afield this fall. That 25-20 sounds interesting. I'm still kicking myself for selling the Marlin I'd bought. I'd pick up something in a 25-35 if the right gun ever came along too.

I haven't ever killed a deer with the 30-30, 243, or 223. I hope to remedy that this season. I also have a 9 twist 22-250 that really likes the 65gr SGK. I hope to try it out, too. I'm sure my Swift will make it out of the safe for a few hunts.

If you are going to pop a deer with the .25-20, I'd suggest you use the standard 86 gr. soft point. They don't expand as fast as the 75 gr. Speer. They can be pushed as much as 1800 fps. E

Absolutely not.

What you guys are discussing isn't ethical.

I would agree with this. Also, I have driven the 75 grain Speer fast out of my .25-20 and accuracy suck. The 86 grain Remington soft points at the usual velocities are more accurate and will penetrate better.

I wouldn't hesitate to take my .25-20 or .30 carbine deer hunting. I would probably be way more choosy about what shots I took than I would if I were using a regular deer caliber, say a .223 or something similar.

A fellow I worked with years ago used to hunt deer with a .30 carbine. He always wondered why everybody at the shop got so worked up over the idea.

Salute'


Jerry

Not this year. Plan on using my 375 H&H and 9.3x64.

But if I was, it would be with a 22-250 or 222 fast twist and 55-62gr GMX or T/TSX.

My two older sons killed their first deer with a Winchester 30 Carbine using the 110 gr Rem softpoint. I am thinking of giving my 32-20 a go on a hog.

I went the other way and used a 70grn Sierra when I took a deer with the 25-20. That was the most reliable bullet for expansion at those velocities, and it did exit. I filed off the plastic tips of the bullet even with the tip of the jacket so the COL would work cycling the action. I wasn't happy with the 75grn Speer, good accuracy but practically no expansion. The 86grn Rem bullet was tough to find, so I don't have much experience with it.

I'll tote a .223 and a .357 mag Smith & Wesson while hunting the home place this year. I've carried a 357 carbine while deer hunting, but never shot one with a pistol. I'm hoping I can make it happen this year.

Every Year, about this time (waiting for the draw results to come in for the fall hunts) I get that 'itch' for what old guns I have in the safe that need to be taken out and hunted with, in the past I have taken some vintage guns like- .25-35 WCF, .32-40 WCF, a rolling block in .45-70, and 30-40 Krag out, cast bullets, worked up/ loaded ammo, and done some target shooting.

It's always great to do some daydreaming and nostalgic reminicing of the days when these were the premier game rifles of the day, usually when the hunt comes I take one, but also take a 'serious' scoped rifle too- it is humbling at times when you pass a lot of 'easy' shots in deference to open sights, or just feel uncomfortable with the shot presented.

I just wish more opportunity was available to go and see more animals in a better circumstance than today's short seasons,and lottery tag draws, allow, some years for Utah you can come up totally empty handed for tags, and sometimes the season that you do draw is a crowed and busy one, hard to kick back on a sidehill and wait for the perfect opportunity with one of those old guns to walk by

This year I have been working up some loads for my Dad's Winchester model 70 in .270 win, so it won't be quite as challenging.

Good luck with the .25-20, I'm rooting for ya, Desert shooter

This fall gonna take out my M1 Garand for a AZ coyote hunt.

I've got some 87 grain Berger VLDs I might use in my big gun.

Mathman, those 87 gr VLD are devastating on deer out of my big gun!

I'm thinking about them. What is holding me back is the large batch I already have loaded with 95 grain Classic Hunters, and the fact that my loading shop is on the mend.

My oldest will be using a 243 Win this year. First time for us, so I guess that could be considered a "stunt"... Not sure what I'm going to load for it. Shots can't/won't be past 200yds, so am thinking I may see if I can get the 95gr BT to shoot. Also considering springing for some Cutting Edge Raptors in 65gr. Vmax of same weight for practice and those for game time...