What rifle/chambering y’all using on opening day of deer season?

I bought a Montana otc doe tag this year. First deer tag since 06. That year I used my M1a.

I will be using a Howa 270.


The kids will use a Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel.

Hahaha! 130 grain Speer Hot Cors over IMR 4350 powder.

I’ll be toting what I always do, Savage 22-250 shooting 60gr Partition. My boy likes the Remington 700 25-06 shooting the 100gr Partition.

Opening day of primitive season Cva Scout .45-70
Opening day of regular season Savage model 11 .308.

Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel.

Had it out yesterday for the Geezer and Kid season. Nothin’ doin’, but plan to carry it until it scores.

If I decide to hunt, it'll be with my usual model 7, 7mm-08. 120 gr. Ballistic Tips over 51 grains of Big Game.

I will drag my 721 in 300 H&H as usual. After that it will be a different rifle each day.

Did you do anything with the mag release? Dang that thing is easy to lose.


I was gonna order the improved bottom "metal" so the kids dont lose the mag.

1. Savage 99F in 300 Savage 180 grn Silvertips
Leupold M8 6x

2. Savage 99EG in 358 Win 200 grain Silvertips,
Leuopold vari x 1.-5

Jim, I am convinced you’re a visionary 🤣. That 6.5 bolt is about perfect for beginners and such. Good job.

That rifle is hard to find and the ammunition is harder.

I'm not going to shoot just anything on opening day, but will pull the trigger on a better buck than the very few I've killed already. I think I'll take my Model Seven in 6mm Remington loaded up with 95-grain Partitions...but may opt for my "lucky rifle," a Model 70 in .30-06 topped with 180-grain Partitions. Maybe I'll pack both and decide which to carry at the last minute. Leaning toward the 6mm.

My dad's 1968 336 in .35 he bought new, then maybe a doe with 223.

1906 swedish mauser

Barrel shortened to 21 inches


129 gr soft point/40 gr 4064

for many years always for son and myself our custom Ruger #1`s Brux barrel chambered in 257 Weatherby mags. and this year we will use 103 gr. Hammer bullets these bullets are accurate at 3700 fps . good luck to all and have a great safe season ! Pete53

Opening day of 2nd rifle elk in Colo. I plan on using an 1895 Winchester std rifle in .30 US Army. Shooting some of my Hornady 220 grain RN loads. If I chance a cow, I doubt I’ll deer hunt. Only exception would be if a sausage doe is needed. Then probably use a 94 Win. In .30WCF

I’d love to drag out the 1895 30-06 or 6.5-300 Bee but I’m saving them for bigger and better..

My Model 70 6.5x55 swede

I will be using the Marlin 1894 lever rifle in .44 Magnum. It's got a good track record. Longest shot would be less than 50 yards.

Featherweight xtr 270 hot cors and h4831

If I had drawn, Tikka T3 Hunter in 6.5 Swede.

Same as last. Montana, 7-08, topped with 6x MilQuad.

162 Amax over reloaded in Lapua.

Encore 260.

Either my .223 NULA, my 22-250 NULA or my new Rifles Inc. Strata also in .223.

I love small rifles!

Rem 700 KS 270 will definitely get some play time. If I get a load worked up, a M70 that Douglas just rebarreled to .300H&H

If hunting downstate, TC Encore with .460 S&W mag barrel. 275 Barnes ?PBX over 51 gr CFE BLK.

If I get up to da UP, and can get some loads sorted out, a VZ24(Czech M98) with a Brownells 6.5 x 55 barrel in a Bell and Carlson glass stock. After I had the barrel headspaced it shot pretty well so I invested in a blueing job. Then groups opened up for no apparent reason. Scope, base and stock screws all torqued. Back to load workup. It's shooting minute of deer, but I'ld like to see some better groups.

7 Mag .

Same one as on the last day! memtb

Custom Mauser 98 chambered in 6.5mm Swede & 140 SGKs

Whitetail - Savage 99-A 250-3000 87 gr Speer HotCor with a case full of H4895

Mule deer - Ruger 77 7x57 154 gr Hornady InterLock with a case full of H4350

Smith and Wesson model A Husqvarna in 3006 and a Winchester M88 in 284 for backup.

Seekins Havak Element in 308 WIN for whitetail and black bear

My 1954 Winchester model 94 30/30

Wait,,,, you hunt?

Kimber 84m 257R. 100 gr. BTs

You gonna roll with it ???
👍👍👍

Husky swede, lothar Walther barrel and laminated Boyds stock.

Sako customized K98 8x57
196 gr Sellior and Bellot SPCE doing just a hair under 2600 FPS.

Marlin 336 .30-30. 170 Sierra FP/35 grs. CFE 223.

If it's raining, an AR. if not, an older '06.

Going to take my Mickey Coleman built 700 in 250AI. Never blooded that one, although I’ve had it close to 20 years. Shoots 100 TSX’s very well.

Browning 1885 Low wall in .260

It’s 26 hundo, Jesus you old guys..

Schoenauer 6.5x54’s maiden voyage

Deer, elk and bear are all running right now and my focus is on elk. Passed up some decent bucks and one black bear down in a hole at 5:30 pm. Toting a Kimber Montana 7mm-08 but when cutting up a fresh elk track, toting a pre 64 94 30-30. Still got a week on the elk.

1895 Mauser in 7x57

or

FN Mauser in 25:06.

Not from a stand or blind.

Depends on what spot,. I hunt, 99 savage T in 300 sav 180 bullets, or if I can hunt the other spot AR 50 Beowulf, 350 tsx bullets! Happy to Hunting to All!

Tikka T3 LH .260 Remington or T/C Encore .260 Remington

Debating between a Marlin 336 in 30-30, or my 30-40 Krag.
Need to check how I shoot iron sights this year.
If I can't see them well enough, I'll pull out the Savage 99 in .243.
Like to use the others, just because. The last 2 deer I killed were ~80 yards or less (7 yards).

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️


I'm kinda waiting on Aksparky to post up his pic of his rifle now.

Nothing else is more important.
" pics or it never happened" sorta thing..
👍👍👍🤣🤣🤣

Gonna sit out this year. Good luck!

I’m waiting to see one of the dozen Cut n Paste news hounds to post a rifle pic

If I deer hunt this year it will either be with a MRC X3 chambered in 6.5 CM or a Sako 85 Classic chambered in 308 Win that I’m picking up from my FFL Thursday.

Heavily hunted public land deer hunting sucks! I hate getting out well before first light just to have someone wonder through 10 minutes after legal shooting light. I’m thinking seriously about trying to swing the money to buy a little bit of land between now and next season.

700 Mountain Rifle 257 Roberts McMillan Edge

I killed my first buck with a Marlin 336 30-30 with a Williams peep site. I still have it and my son has killed a few deer with it. I hate scopes on lever rifles but I can’t see well enough at dawn/dusk to hunt with irons anymore without limiting myself to 40 yards or so.

I made an agreement with my brother to make this a Lever gun season. Vermont opener will be with the 30-30 CS in the center. I bought it from my friend who owns the land we'll be hunting on. The 32 Win. and 35 Rem. will see action in Mississippi later.

Christensen Arms Ridgeline 300 Win. Mag. First year for this rifle.

Savage Axis 243 with 100g Hornady Whitetails

12ga 3" #5 over 7x57R 160 Partition with H4350.
Will still be turkey season.

If it's raining, stainless Encore, 7mm-08. If dry, Tikka T3x Creed.

Forbes/Nula Forbes that went to Melvin. 284 Win with 2.5-8x36 Leupy. Six pound .5 moa killing machine.

I need to pull this one out from retirement 30-06 mod 70 lightweight

Using my late father's pre64 Mod 70 30/06. It will be retired afterwards until my son inherits it and takes a deer with it.

.257wby shooting 100gr ttsx

The old Remington 721 in 9,3 Mauser... factory PPU.

Laura's 3" Maxus at "The Grocery Store" (stand with constant crossings).

Tikka t3 7mm mag
168 Berger vlds

A German Guild built Mauser 98 in 8x57 with a Leupold 3-9 Compact. Compact ,light and accurate

S&W 30-06 since I'll be mostly looking for elk. I want to save my deer tag for late BP season.

Twernt’ opening day but I had this one. 1951 99 with a 150 Partition atop 41grs of Varget.

Have done some swapping around this year and managed to get a sears Ted Williams 30 30 looks like it needs a little time in the woods ,so I guess I'll start with it

700 in 308 or NULA in the same caliber.

My Sako 75 Finnlight in 6.5x55

6.5x55 Fieldcraft. Have a Meopta on it now, but I may get time to swap it out for a Trijicon Accupoint I got last spring.

Norma ammo with a nosler partition this year. Couldn’t find any SST’s to shoot. 😠

I shot a couple of rifles today, M1a and the Ruger GSR. I think I’ll use the GSR.

I put a Williams peep on mine, and an AO front sight with the fine white line up it. Helps a LOT! We'll see if it's enough, this year.
Eye Doc said I was "right on schedule for cataract surgery" - I can't tell much difference, though. YET.

,300 Savage delivered from a Model 99 Savage

I will be using a MRC X2 in 7mm08. Unmolested except Barrel shortened from 24 to 22. Shooting Federal
Premium Nosler BT 140s. This rifle set in my safe for a few years as I pouted about it weighing about a lb more than I wanted it to.
Turns out that 22 inch barrel and a little bit of extra weight works great shooting out of a climbing stand with a shooting rail.

Lost my Dad 6/4 of this year. Opening day will find me in his stand with his first year Rem 760 '06 with El cheapo 2-7 scope. I'm going to shoot the first legal deer that walks by. His rifle will then be relegated to the back of the safe to be oiled twice a year until my boys are big enough to use it.

Or any of our other distinguished sockpuppets...

🤣🤣🤣🤣

A J Dickert clone shooting a 490 ball over 70 gr 3F.

It’s open here but won’t hunt til the last week. It’ll be a 50 some year old 700 in 6.5-06

Smith and Wesson 629 .44 mag.

WS

I will most likely take the 700 classic 250 Savage, slim chance that I may take the 25-06 mountain rifle.

If I feel really ambitious and go to my far blind I may pack the Sendero 25-06

My wife will be using the 700 classic 257 Roberts that she laid claim to when she killed her first deer with it 6-7 years ago

Stainless Model 70 Classic with the Tupperware stock and BOSS. Topped with an old Vari-X 3 in 2.5-8. Cartridge is 30-06. I’ll probably be hunting where both elk and grizzlies are possible so 180 grain Partitions over 58 grains of Hunter will likely be my choice. If I get back to Eastern Montana for deer, I’ll probably use 150 grain SST’s over 58 grains of Reloader 17. I used that load last Wednesday on a pronghorn outside of Broadus with excellent results.

This years stand will be close with plenty of brush.

CZ 550 American 9.3x62, 286gr Partition/65 gr BigGame

What scope is on it?..mb

HA,
It’s a $60 BSA Catseye 1.5-4.5x32 with illuminated Reticle.

Slapped this thing on when the rifle was new cuz it was the only lose one I had available at the time.

Works great and have found no reason to get rid of it.

Still shoots one hole at one hundred.

Plenty of eye relief for this thumper as well.

I will use my Ruger American compact in .243 WIn. It is a very compact gun and easy to shoot. I just bought it this spring.

Season will have been open for about a month before I head afield.

Lilja 1:8 270Win Kimber 84L shooting 140gn Badlands Super BullDozer topped by a 2.5-10x42 NXS w/IHR reticle.

Or,

Lilja 1:10 257Wby M70SS classic in a M70 Classic pattern Edge McMillan shooting 95Gn Badlands BullDozer II topped with a Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 w/IHR Reticle.

Kimber 84L Montana 30-06 shooting Barnes 130 ttsx

Thanks to Slum and Rene spreading the news, I purchased three of the clearance Vanguards (wood) in 243 from Walmart a few years ago, and three of the Leupold VX-2 3-9x40. Then I found a VX-3 3.5-10 and a VX-2 4-12x40 AO on clearance online.

I put two of the 3-9 scopes on two of the Vanguards in Talley LW ringmounts. Sold one to a hunting partner for the $500 I had in it, and traded the second to my Dentist for a crown.

Anyway, there is one Vanguard 243 left in the safe, glass bedded and free floated. It has the aforementioned VX-2 4-12 on top.

It went out with a grandson looking for does yesterday but did not get fired. He was carrying handloads with the 95 gr SST had he seen game.

If we pull a second rifle out of the safe, it will be a Rem 700 I put together. It was originally an ADL synthetic in 243. But I purchased a raw BDL stock, finished it with about twenty coats of tru-oil, sanded out the barrel channel to free float, and bedded in Acra-glas. Then added a SS 7-08 barrel purchased from 'Fire classifieds, and BDL bottom metal from a 5R in 260. The 5R got AICS bottom metal.

Win 70 XTR Featherweight 257 R🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

That’s like my 6.5x55

32-40 165 Hornady

6.5x55 Win 70 XTR FWT is another sweetheart just like the 257.

I wish I had this rifle when I was stationed in ND. My 243 BLR worked fine but this XTR FWT just feels right at home when deer hunting.

.308 with 155gr scenars.

Used my ruger predator in 6.5 grendel, 100g handload, suppressed dropped buck on the spot, neck shot 75 yds.

Rem 700 .30 Gibbs in a KS stock. 180 NAB

Thinking of bringing the 38-55 and the 7x57 for the opener.

After that who knows maybe the 45-70 and the 41 Mag.

Just will depend how i feel at the time.

I used a Kimber Montana in 280ai. Nosler 140 grain bullets. Mounted with Talleys and a Leupold scope.

Probably a 7 SAUM Kimber Classic...

Earlier I said .257wby with 100gr ttsx

That will be the morning hunt

After lunch will be a 45/70 Marlin

I take a metric schit ton of guns to deer camp. Gotta use them all

What a beauty

Wow, that's almost too pretty to hunt with.

My late grandfather (1916-1986) hunted deer in the UP of Michigan from 40-60s. I bought 81 acres in the UP a few years back.

On opening day, I will be using his flat band Model 94 Winchester in 30WCF that he bought right after WW2.

My oldest son will using a 700 Classic in 250 Savage.

My middle boy will be using a Tikka T3 SS in 243.

Youngest will have a made in 1955 Husqvarna 4100 in 270 Win.

Of course, Dad put them all together. Sigh…

This was a good thread.

The weather being hotter than hell here since deer opened Oct 1st. I’m waiting on some rain and cooler temps.

Blacktail, typically get frisky around the last week of the season. I’ll spend the final 10 days hunting up a meat doe and a buck with a Seekins Element in 6.5 PRC.






🦫

It’s real thick brush for us so I’m shooting an 1894 Marlin in .44 Magnum. It is a hammer up close.

Ruger Blackhawk, 10.5" barrel, .357 Maximum.

I'll be taking a Browning X-Bolt in 6.5 PRC. I'll be bringing a couple of back-up rifles. One will be a Ruger 77 MKII in .308 Winchester that was gifted to me on my 12th birthday. I'll bring along a 700 in .270 Win and my new Tikka T3x Superlite .308 Win for loaners. It seems every season somebody needs a rifle due to a broken scope, lost ammo, or some other nonsense.

Very cool skeen, what load?

I have a 257 Bob classic, shot it for the first time yesterday. It was my first time to shoot a Roberts. Damn rifle is fun to shoot.

Daughters will use a M7 243 and a T3 Swede.
I'll probably use a 660 in 308.

Daughters boyfriend just bought a Model 14 35 Rem.
If he can find ammo he is dieing to kill something with it.

Gun opener a few weeks away yet . I still carry my 30/30 iron sights and am itching to get some meat with a 6.8 SPC AR that I have. Not a real wise choice in hunting rounds but I was intrigued by it , nevertheless!

It’s been a fun read.

I’ve noticed a trend. Few if any 300 mags or 30-06’s. The .25’s and 6.5’s are popular. I didn’t see many 223’s so far.

Agree...

Virginia is a .23 caliber or larger state so not a "legal" option here during regular big game season... Damage season after... any option.

I was also surprised to see very few medium and big bore hunters.

Yeah, maybe everyone has gotten older and wiser. Bullets have improved a lot since the 1970’s and 1980’s though.

I run a 6x Karl Kaps on mine... bought from Artur. GREAT GLASS, but 26mm is a PITA to solve.

So far I have been using a couple of S&W 657’s, one with open sights for morning watch and one scoped (2XLeupold) for evening

I guess... but still something about the authority of .358+ bullets.

Chris and the boys leased a big farm in Lancaster or Richmond county... but it is shotgun only...

So Chris bought a smokeless muzzleloader for the early season. 1,000 yard gun.

Something like 105 grains of H-4895 (not sure) under a 300 grain 45 cal bullet. Crazy "work around". 3,000+ FPS.

Toss up between the 260 and 708 for our youth opener, ended up grabbing the 260

With the elk tags filled, I went down last night to choose the next hunting rifle up.

Still have a WY antelope tag, and our deer opener is Nov 12. Plan is to use a Kimber Montana 8400 in 270 Win. for the rest of the season.

Have not decided on the load yet. 100gr AB at 3325fps, or 130gr BT at 3045.

Topped with Leupold VX5 2-10.

Will try to sneak down to the range right after the elk is processed, wrapped and in the freezer.

Too busy this year to go for deer.
If I did. Tc venture In 270 with 140 game changers Or 130 ttsx. Both over Hunter .
Couple years ago I did take the tikka 6.5 CM with 130 game changers over big game.

But elk season coming up.
Normally Tikka 06 with 168ttsx. This year it will be 3rd in line. Dads ruger m 77 with 180 game kings will be My main carry.
But opening morning I will have my boy with me carrying his kimber hunter 6.5 with reduced load shooting 130 game Changers (TGK)

After being married to a Tikka 7mm-08 long enough, it's time to 'spice' up my deer hunting life while maintaining a healthy relationship with my hunting rifle.

Instead of the same ol' 7mm 120 gr ballistic tip doing all the hard work and receiving all the glory, I'm going with a 150 gr scenar and BG powder. Even changed scopes to a Burris FF IV 3-12x42.

Win M70 Classic SM Boss in .270win. Just finished bedding it, thanks to Bsa1917 for the instruction, now to sight it in. Starting off with 130gr. Accubombs and H4831sc.

That’s wild.


I always thought a .358 or 35 whelen would have been cool.