Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting My idea of a perfect Whitetail deer rifle.

For instance a Model seven or 700 Remington action, a light 20 inch barrel stocked to your personal preference, topped with a quality 2x7 scope and chambered in 6.5 CM, 7-08 or 308. It would seem this platform would do a lot of deer hunting really well. I would be equally happy with a model 70 short action CRF as the basis also. I don't own a 6.5 CM so the bullets I would mostly use would be 140 gr. partitions in the 7-08 and 150 gr. Partitions in the 308. How far off am I?

Should work fine. But certainly don't "need" partitions for deer at the velocities provided by those cartridges.

Yeah, the CRF would be preferable in case you needed to stop a charge. I've certainly been charged by a few Whitetails. I suppose it would depend on where and how you hunt whitetails, too.

No flies on a standard sporter weight 20-22" 700 in either of those chamberings. A guy could do a lot worse than a SPS SS 700 in 7mm-08, cut back to 21" and put in a good handle, or even a floated/bedded factory handle. Good loads abound. Cup/core 139/140gr stuff works well and is cheap. Premium 120's cost more, but shoot a bit flatter. I like the 120TTSX.

700 with synthetic stock and 2 to 7 scope, chambered in 250 savage would be my idea.

Perfect Shamanic Deer Rifle:

Ruger Hawkeye 30-06 stainless w. 3-9X40mm Bushnell Elite scope. 165 grain Hornady Interlock over H4895.

The model 70 CRF actions are just nice all around, I don't prefer them but like them for the firing pin locking safety and better extractor.

New Haven Model 70 in a 308 synthetic....TTSX 130's will get her dun for me.

I like them because some of my hunting takes place in Kentucky, thick brush and hilly where I might have to shoot a deer not standing broadside and in a hurry. And Black bears are all over the place.

I have a couple of Rugers, one an old Tanger in 270, blued with a 3-9 Vortex on it. Don't know about your rifle but mine could use a diet if I have to lug it much in my old age. Heck I could use a diet myself. I think of it as more of an open country rifle.

I'd toss my Tikka T3 Lite in 308 into the mix.
Wears a 3-10 NightForce SHV

It's certainly heavier than the Winchester 70 that preceded it. However, I'm walking maybe 3/4 of a mile to my stand. If I was going to be seriously schlepping, I'd probably go with Perfect Shamanic Deer Rifle #2:

Ruger Model 44 with Bushnell Banner 1.5-4.5X30mm with Hornady 240gr. XTP over H110.



I know, The glamor shot was before I changed out the Aimpoint, but you get the idea.

I have three of them:

Tikka T3x SS 30-06 with a S&B 3-12x50

Christensen Arms Mesa 6.5 CM with a Swaro Z3 3-10x42

Barrett Fieldcraft 270 Win Swaro Z5 2.4-12x50

+1 on the .30-06 with 165gr., I used a Sierra Game King over IMR 4350 to harvest this past fall's two whitetails. My rifle was a Winchester pre'64 M/70 Featherweight.

I have been chasing the perfect deer rifle for years, a pretty respectable collection actually. The only area lacking is in the 6.5 range, seems I need a light one for hunting and a heavy one for trigger time, better get on that!

That carbine could be the perfect Michigan straight walled cartridge rifle for the south zone. Can't understand why they are not common everywhere.

Ruger #1 A in stainless, black synth stock.
.35 rem
Leupold VX3 1.5-5x

That's what I want for whitetail

First deer I took w rifle was with a '66 Fingergroove when IN allowed PCR

Current deer battery

Steyr Prohunter .30-06 w 3-9X
Ruger #1 .280 rem (no scope yet)
Rem 760 .35 rem w 4x

I like your idea.