Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Favorite type of rifle for deer hunting

Bolt action is #1 for me. And lever action is easily 2nd.

Classic, well-proven cartridges are what I use for 90% of my hunting and shooting.

But like others here I like the old time stuff!

Lever and bolt are about equal.

Dale

I generally prefer bolt guns. I tend to hunt deer in open country and bolt actions work well in that environment.

I have never killed a deer with a rifle that wasn’t a bolt action. All I hunt with.

GreggH

Having used nearly every rifle type in a corresponding terrain, I currently often use a bolt in flat open ground.
Some opportunities arise with different gun in hand.

Savage 99 for wooded and brush hunting. Bolt action for open country or hunting trips outside of the USA.

Savage 99 is more fun to hunt with, something about a lever rifle.

My favorites:

Montana in 7-08.

Could've saved a lot of money, had I bought one a lot sooner.

Lever actions

I hunt with Bolt actions.

I've used lever and bolt.

Bolt almost exclusively the last 35+ years. Will likely take a bolt again into the woods this fall. I just don't obsess over the gear that much anymore. Most all of it actually will do the job - rifle, optics, bullets, camo etc. Heck I put more thought into what bourbon and books to bring these days.

Bolt-action

Same here. I favor rifles with decent triggers and modest overall lengths. I really favor those that wear suppressors too, but I’ll carrry a more classic bolt action sporter when the mood strikes.

I’m the same as far as gear goes. I have several rifles but it’s funny I usually hunt with the same one.

I have 11 rifles that are all more than adequate for taking deer. So usually I just pick 2 or 3 to hunt with each season & rotate through them. I put zero thought into bourbon selection since my hunting buddy is very enthusiastic about having too much of that around the camp. He does all of his hunting with a lever action in 35 Remington. But with bourbon, apparently too many options is just the right amount. 🥃

The new one.


About the worst thing I can do with a rifle is shoot something with it. Then I don't want to hunt with it anymore.

As I've matured as a deer hunter, I appreciate a good accurate one and done shot bolt action with a good trigger. Over the years I have been more successful waiting for a buck than chasing one. As a back up and a walking around rifle nothing I've found beats a mid 50's model 99 F because it carries so well. I could get by nicely with that 99 if it wasn't for that trigger. Both are chambered for a mid range enough, but not too much 7mm-08 and .300 Savage cartridge.

Bolt action for most of my hunting, but occasionally a single shot and lever action.

I like levers and bolts about equally. Which I take on a particular day depends on where and how I'll be hunting. The two that get the most use are a Marlin 336 .30-30 and a Ruger 77 Hawkeye all weather .30-06.

Gave my 99, 250-3000 to my nephew so this year I'll be using an AR.