Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Deer hunting rifle... what caliber?

I hate to take anything ‘nice’ or foo-foo, custom, limited time only mcrib rifle, i had elmer keith’s baby on the stock, etc

It just gets neggered up in my metal stands.

I made up dat chit about pumpkin balls and fire breathing dragon shotgun.


6.5 Norma, all weather savage 116

Let the blood letting begin

Honestly, not much says “Killin’ Rifle” like an ugly SS Savage.

More than likely it'll be my .280AI with 120 grain Nosler BT's if the cancer allows a bit of hunting time this year.

Dang, hbb, I didn’t know about the cancer. Both my FIL and SIL are battling it right now too. Hope you kick its ass...

This season has been the old 700 inline with the Badger Ridge 209 conversion and my beat up 25-06 700 mountain rifle is probably going in the morning

Yep, just had my third surgery to remove a tumor this past Tuesday.

My best to your FIL and SIL

Seems like nov 21 is rifle opener in alot of places.

And best luck to you

Opening day tomorrow -257 Roberts Ruger M77 - supposed to rain Sun evening
through Monday. My foul weather gun is a Mauser custom 7x57 by my friend Donald
Pushee (deceased). Had it coated a few yrs back. Don was retired state trooper
better known for building muzzle loaders, but he did some great bolt actions also.
I am an old man now and I guess my choices of calibers show it. But they worked
when I shot my first Buck in 1956 and they still work .
Old Cuss

Not aesthetically a real stunner, but looks good in a rugged kind of way. Just put it in this stock today, soon as I can get it zeroed, it'll go hunting. Built the rifle last year and it was zeroed in another stock so that shouldn't be too bad of a chore.

Remington 700 SA, squared up and with a PacNor 22" barrel in .308 Win., Timney trigger, Grayboe terrain inletted for AICS mags, action notched to accommodate 2.9" and a little change OAL, NF NXS 2.5-10X42 with mildot reticle.

I am ready for that challenging Eastern Whitetail shot of 40 yards.....

Either the RAR Ranch 450 Bushmaster or Ruger M-77/44.
Special Weapons area don’t you know.
Im not complaining though my longest shot might be 150 in one little window through the trees

It seems as though a number of different opinions exist as to the answer.

Beretta Mato with a Burris Signature Select 3-10x40 scope in 30-06 with Swift 150 grain Sirocco II bullets.

Its either my Savage 16fcss in 260 that's one of the most accurate rifles I've ever shot. Or more likely lately my Ruger American compact stainless in 308. Two reasons its rugged steep and thick around here and the compact is just so much nicer to navigate through gnarly terrain, brambles and stuff, and, I'm seeing more grizzlies every year lately. About 5 years back I jumped a grizzly that thankfully took off like a shot and didn't stop. But my little 260 all the sudden seemed, well, little. I wouldn't hunt big bears with a 308 but I feel reasonably armed with it for the very odd chance I ever have troubles loaded with 150gr ttsx'. The ttsx' keep a smaller wound channel too and waste less deer meat.

Cashisking: If YOU are excluding the wonderful 270 Winchester cartridge from ANY line-up of superior "Deer Hunting Rifles" then you are simply an idiot!
And that is sad in a way.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have a Blaser R93 rifle in .257 Wby Magnum topped with a S&B 3-12x50 Klassik scope. I like the #9 reticle.

I use 115 gr Nosler ballistic tip factory loads. It will down a deer of any size. I’ve shot some big ones.

Remington Model 7 in .243 Winchester, bedded in a McMillan stock; Leupold 6x scope

Interarms Mark X Mauser in 7x57, bedded in a McMillan Stock, Leupold 2-7x scope

Savage 99 in .300 Savage, Lyman All American 2.5x scope

Easy now VarmindGuy he's not an idiot, just homophobic. Hahahahahahaha!

I could make the case that it is the ideal deer cartridge

Model 660 Remington with a 2x7 Leupold in .243 Winchester.