Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What rifle do I need?

Damn nice rifle!!!!

Cartridge-wise, if you're rock-solid with a .243, then go for it. Anything bigger will work, too.

However, do you have any rifles in the family to which you have a sentimental attachment? Is there a gun out there that your Dad, or Grandpa, or HIS Dad, used to take into the woods? Is there a rifle that has more stories to tell than your kids or camp buddies have the patience to listen to? If not, I'd suggest you bear those things in mind when selecting your rifle. Hunting's the kind of activity that can connect us across generations, and a great rifle is a wonderful tool with which to do it.

FC

As far as the 'type' of rifle is concern, my understanding is that the heavy weight barrels are primarily to maintain accuracy and PoI as the barrel heats due to repeated shooting (e.g. target). Is that likely to be an issue for your hunting? If not I would recommend a sporter weight barrel, with a 'reasonable' length depending on the cartridge.

Regarding the cartridge, there are plenty of good choices, starting with .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, .260 Remington, 7mm-08, 7x57, .300 Savage, .308 and of course the extended '06' family.

I would say it depends on whether you want a rifle specifically for hunting over a grain field from a blind or whether you want to use it in other circumstances. If you want to tailor the rifle just for this hunt, something like a Remington Sendero would probably do well for you. If you want to use it for future hunts that may involve more moving around, you might want to pick a standard or lightweight sporter.

John

For the 50-yard stand: a BLR in .358 Win.

For the 300-yard stand: something in .308 Win or 7mm-08 or 30-06 or .270 or or or or or or or or or ...

-jeff

Arns9: What you're trying to do is find a rifle that can serve adequately in both heavy cover, and that will deliver if you find yourself faced with a long range opportunity. There are lots of calibers that will work if you know the rifle and trajectory, and it boils down to rifle style.Everyone will have different views.Such a rifle is a compromise of sorts, but you need (IMO)something light, handy, and manueverable for the heavy cover, chambered for a relatively flat shooting cartridge, that is accurate enough to handle 300-400 yards.

The world is full of these things, and something on the order of a Rem Mtn rifle, Winchester M70 FW, Kimber Montana, Ruger Hawkeye, etc chambered for 270,280,30/06,7/08,etc will do these things for you if you tune it up and practice with it. I use a 270, but have used and hunted with 280's 7/08, 7/57, 30/06,etc in this style rifle. They all worked.This is a common whitetail hunting dilemma, faced every year everywhere from New England to Alberta. A 22" barrel works here a tad better than a 24,but something like a Kimber Montana in 270,7mm,300 WSM with 24" barrel will be super, too., and the above cartridges all deliver reasonable velocities, and the accuracy to deal with a long shot.I,ve used this type rifle for 30 + years all over North America on whitetails and mule deer from 20ft(!) to about 500 yards. If you practice with it,and its a good rifle, you will be able to get solid chest hits out to 500 IF YOU PRACTICE.And you'll still have the nimble handling qualities you want for the tree stands, and still-hunting in denser cover.No buck will be safe!

I think too light a rifle is difficult to make an off hand shot with at longer distances unless of course its a NULA. Something with a 23-24 inch barrel may hold better for you on an off hand shot, a rifle that might weight 8.5 pounds with scope, sling and 4 cartridges in it seems good in my mind.

The lightness of the rifle won't really matter from a stand, though, will it? Don't those have rifle rests?

-jeff

I'm new here and don't know much about deer so I've got to ask: How did your deer get up into that tree stand?

45-70......good to 150 yards.

Kills deer like nothing else.

MM

Jimmy: You generally don't shoot off hand at long range; you find a rest of some sort, or use a sling, or sticks, etc. I have found 8.5 lbs more than I care to carry all day when hunting on foot, whether in the West, or back here in Maine, etc, where the rifle is in your hands all day long, instantly ready and available.Depends on what caliber you pick;in a deer rifle I want less weight.A NULA would be great.

I don't do much stand hunting, except when I go to central Canada for whitetails, where it is sort of required. I shoot a lot out to 400 yards; I can't see much difference between the 7 lb and 8.5 lb rifles out to that distance.