Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles The PERFECT woods loafer's rifle from rabbits to deer?

I bought a Savage model 24 in .22lr over 20 gage for that purpose. It will put brenneke's into ~2 inches at 50 yards with the slug barrel. 6 shot and .22's round off the package. I haven't taken it out during deer season, as our season was fairly extended from 2 to 9 days, I don't tend to do a lot of loafing, and focus on deer during that time. It's accounted for a few rabbits thus far. I really don't do as much woods loafing as I'd like.

I can't say it's perfect, but a good GI .30 Carbine with softpoints is a hoot to walk the woods with.

This one is the one I use a bunch for woods loafing in the fall. An Austrian made single shot in .25-35 Winchester (6.5X52R) Have shot squirrels with it (75 grain cast bullets) and turkeys with 100 grain hornadys, have not had the opportunity on a deer yet but will (hopefully) in the near future. Weighs right at 6lbs with scope....one of my absolute favorite rifles

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I can see how that one would be a favorite. You can put me in your will if you like <grin>

Sako L461 222 or one like this: Sako AI 6PPC sporter.

Sako .222 would be the nutz....


Ingwe

If one is doing a walk about and just wants something for self-defense one is hard pressed to beat the M-1 carbine.

I used one in the service and it was the best walk about defensive weapon bar none.

DD,
Years before he died, my grandfather showed me his ranges scores from the army. They shot the Carbine all the way out to 300 yards.

I don't know what happened to that little booklet, but I sure wish it was in my safe.

The carbine had two peep sights, one for close range, about 50 yards IIRC and one for about 150 yards. Not real hard to flip sights. The sights were adjustable for windage and elevation. A 300 yard shot was not impossible under the right conditions. I never used one for this but a number of carbines were used with infrared lights for night sniping out to about 150 yards in Vietnam. Don't know how well they worked in that role though.

I just went and looked out of curiosity at the ballistics of the .357 mag and the .30 carbine loads for a rifle and for the 110 grain/carbine and the 110-125 grain mag load they are ballistic equals even the pressure is comparable.

They are a little on the light side here in Western Montana where a griz/blackie/moose can stomp one into the ground if they get a notion to but in most of the US they would make a good lite walk about rifle.

A Marlin 1894 in .327 Magnum with the follower tweaked to allow loading .32H&Rs, .32S&WLs, and .32S&Ws would be very tough to not like.

Jeff,

We do have pot growers and meth labs, and being small states other criminal elements from urban areas which can become oportunistic. The other thing is we do have poisonous snakes though uncommon as in areas such as the south or west. To me it becomes the Boy Scout Motto of being prepared.

As to guns has anyone used one of the Tauras Judge handguns. I could see these being pretty handy with 410/45 being used.

KNEW that was comin'......



Ingwe

a 22 PPC "pencil barrel" would be my t good too.

Still waitin on a .223AI to get out of the shop, so i can start shooting it...should be good for bunnies to bucks...


Ingwe

I know your buck load would feature a TSX, Ingwe, but what would you load for bunnies? A mild "Seafire" type load?

I remember popping a cottontail through the body with a 55 gr. FMJ about 25 years ago. It danced on its hindlegs after the impact and ran off, but not a drop of blood was found nor the bunny.

I think a 40 grain BT at about 1,500 fps would work better...

As for the OP's question, I'd love to have a falling block SS in .327 Federal Magnum with about a 28-30-in. slim barrel. If it could shoot .32 S&W target wadcutters accurately it would be quiet and effective on small game, and do a credible job on our fairly small whitetail inside 50 yards with H&R or Federal Magnum loads.

TSX, in the head.

Last small cal TSX I saw hit a prairie dog in the body went into pieces, even though they "don't" expand well....

Yep..TSX in the head...shot some bunnies with the 40 grain BTs and even with head shots you lose alot of the front half, and I like to eat them..

TSXs work pretty well on everything...but too expensive for high volume varminting...

Ingwe

...too many choices...

Savage 24 DL .22 Magnum/20ga. always rides in the truck...

If deer are in season however, Ruger Frontier in .358 Winchester. 220 grain Speer HotCores for deer and 180 grain Hornady Silhouette pistol bullets loaded down to 1500 fps for small game. Have shot grouse with this load with minimal damage...




Bob

Cool setup RJM! I like it.