Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting one rifle one load

For along time it was a Marlin 336, 30-30 with a Weaver 4x scope. Then experimenting started and went from 257 through 338-06 and a lot in between in all types of actions. Now for the last 7-8 years its been a 20" carbine bolt action. Always chasing the "perfect one" and for what an where I hunt, a light 7mm-08 carbine is it.

I do have to say, some of the best hunters I know, use the same old 308, 270, 30-06 or 30-30 year in and year out. They use whatever factory ammo is cheap and some of it has been around for a while. They never got the memo that you need the latest and greatest. Levers, a lot of pumps and a couple of bolt guns...go figure

As I approach 70 I am thinning the herd to my pre'64 M/70 .35 Whelen and Hornady 200gr. RN handload for whitetail hunting.

I've been using my 30/06 with 180 grain factory loads for 45 years. It's killed everything in the lower 48. Hogs in TX to moose in WY plus a ton of elk in Colorado. It works & I see no need to reinvent the wheel.

Your pal is simply a hunter, not a shooter. Worked with a pretty serious hunter for some years who wasn't sure who made his rifle. He sent me pictures today of two very nice VA bucks he took just within the last couple of weeks.

Come to think of it, my friend is pretty tight too.

Used to have lots of deer rifles, now that I've been retired for several years, decided I didn't really need them all. So some went, others will follow. Same with varmint rifles, no longer need a half dozen. Usually seemed to go to a 25-06 come buck season. Quite a few times it was assorted lever rifles w/irons, mostly for doe. Now down to two of those, one 30-30 and a 32 Special. 150gr bullets in both.

Since the early 80s, primarily hunt deer with a 25-06 and a 100gr bullet over 54grs of IMR 4831. That bullet has been the Nosler Ballistic Tip, from whatever year they came out. Now down to a pair of 25-06s. One M700ADL, another a semi custom with a heavier Douglass barrel, same load in both of them..Keeping things simple these days.

Only new loads I've monkeyed with over the past ten years, have been for my 223s.

You don't hunt in Potter co. do you?

My Son in Law uses a 165 Partition out of his 06 M70 Classic Fwt in a McMillan for everything, plinking, and coyotes to elk.
Me, I've always figured on two loads. For rifles 25 cal and under I usually end up with a varmint load and a deer load. I've always used cup and core on deer and coyotes and those are on the shelf above the bench.
For those above 25 cal, it's a deer load and a premium bullet load in case I took the rifle elk hunting. I kept a cardboard box full of premium bullets of various brands in 277, 284, and 30 cal, mostly Nosler.
Now that 66 yr birthday is staring me in the face, I'll probably quit maintaining that box of premiums. The older I get the more I develope cast bullet loads for practice and plinking.

I know a guy that only has one deer rifle, its a 70's vintage Remington model 700 BDL 30-06 thats topped with a 30 year old Tasco World Class 3-9, he shoots factory Remington core-lokt ammo and he will hunt maybe 10 days a year and puts the first 3 legal deer he see's in his freezer and is done till next year, I think he hunts mostly for some cheap meat as he is super tight with his money, he drives a 25 yr old Dodge pick-up and is so tight he wont even buy himself a happy meal at Micky D's when i know he's hungry 😂...The guy makes 100K a year so i know he aint broke....I guess he got a hell of a bank account though 😁👍.......Hb

My ‘cinnaments’ exactly. I use more than an 06, I prefer a 270 or 7 RM and have used them successfully for 43 yrs personally and they have been proven effective killers LONGER than that!

I don’t go to “nail salons” , “hair salons” , or get “perms” in my hair NOR would I EVER have a man bun !!

So I ain’t interested in “boutique” or PANTY cartridges.

There’s no need to “reinvent the wheel”.

Jerry

I have two 30-06, two 7mm-08, and three 243 chambered rifles. In each like chambered rifle is one load for all. Maybe not the most accurate load but each load works well.

What's a "Panty" cartridge?

Mike, I haven’t been ignoring you, just taking a little time to decide how to explain my umm, opinion
w/o stooping to the level of some.

First I believe you and most ‘probably’ got my drift.

Second, nothing is absolutely all positive. There are negatives to/for rifles, stocks, Brass, powder , cartridges, et.al.
ALL cartridges are good/better than others for some things and yet those same cartridges have short comings for other
purposes.

Some cartridges can be shot by ‘Panty’ wearers and still are not best for all situations.

That’s the best I can answer your ?.

Jerry

That would be like being "undie" gunned.

I'm just trying to figure out if you're picking on "my" 243. ?

One gun, one car, one woman. Why?

What kind of big game?
deer 270
Elk 30/06

The only rational reason for the one rifle /one load thought is that your one wife controls the money and tells you can't have another. So the whole idea is part of the " I am pussy whipped concept" and I for one am glad to not be part of that segment of society. Sorry to upset those affected, have a nice day. MB

One Rifle, One Load. I've done that once............a bunch of times.

I used the same caliber, 30+ years ago, when hunting/living in the southeast. The only thing I changed (1990) ....I went to a lighter, semi-custom rifle, and changed the cartridge to an AI. If I were to return to the southeast or go on a deer or hog hunt.....my rifle/cartridge will be the one used since 1990! One rifle, one bullet, one zero.....makes life pretty simple! memtb

I noticed you tried to compensate for your lack of shooting skills by putting windy on the target, and not blaming yourself or the rifle just being a plain out pos.