I'd like to see some favorite deer rifles
- Thread starter beagleye
- Start date
Faulkner
Member
My all time favorite meat getter is a Ruger Model 77 MKII all weather stainless in .30-06. When I'm hunting where I could get a longer shot opportunity it's the one that I take and it's never let me down.
My favorite out and about deer rifle is a Marlin 336Y compact takedown in .30-30. With it's 1/2 inch shorter stock and 16 1/4 inch barrel it's a handy rifle to have out in the woods for relatively short range shots of 100 yards or less.
Another favorite for hunting shorter range and deep woods is a EMF model '92 saddle ring carbine in .357 magnum. It's lightweight and can be carried all day long, but packs a good punch in the 75 yard or less range.
My favorite out and about deer rifle is a Marlin 336Y compact takedown in .30-30. With it's 1/2 inch shorter stock and 16 1/4 inch barrel it's a handy rifle to have out in the woods for relatively short range shots of 100 yards or less.
Another favorite for hunting shorter range and deep woods is a EMF model '92 saddle ring carbine in .357 magnum. It's lightweight and can be carried all day long, but packs a good punch in the 75 yard or less range.
Attachments
Remington 30-S EXPRESS, .30-06
This was mine... Ruger M77 in .30-06..."Made in the year of America's Bi-Centennial." Incredibly accurate. Years ago, my youngest son asked if he could have that rifle when I passed away. A couple years later, he drew his first elk tag. I told him, "Here. Take this rifle now and enjoy it. Who knows? I may be around for many years and I'd rather have you enjoy it now." This is a picture of his oldest daughter after having taken this buck with my old ought-six.
After I gave my son my .30-06, I needed another deer rifle. I'd been in a mule accident while breaking a young mule colt and needed shoulder surgery. So, I figured I'd get something with a little less kick. I picked up a beautiful little Ruger Model 77 Hawkeye Compact in .243. What a honey! Accurate as all heck and perfect size for an ideal saddle gun. When my grandson turned eleven, he was able to hunt Coues deer where he lived in Arizona. He was w-a-a-a-y too small to handle the .06, so I told him he could use my .243. He dropped this little Coues deer in its bed with one shot. He called me that night and said, "Grandpa, you're never going to see that .243 again."
Since that time, he's shot other bucks with it. Here he is with his first mule deer buck.
His sisters have used it, too, to bag their first bucks.
After having given up my two best deer rifles, I realized I'd better find a replacement. Don't have a picture of it, but it's a Ruger M77 Mk II Compact in 7mm-08. Coupled with a nice Leupold scope and new trigger, it's pretty accurate and still a perfect size for a good saddle gun.
After I gave my son my .30-06, I needed another deer rifle. I'd been in a mule accident while breaking a young mule colt and needed shoulder surgery. So, I figured I'd get something with a little less kick. I picked up a beautiful little Ruger Model 77 Hawkeye Compact in .243. What a honey! Accurate as all heck and perfect size for an ideal saddle gun. When my grandson turned eleven, he was able to hunt Coues deer where he lived in Arizona. He was w-a-a-a-y too small to handle the .06, so I told him he could use my .243. He dropped this little Coues deer in its bed with one shot. He called me that night and said, "Grandpa, you're never going to see that .243 again."
Since that time, he's shot other bucks with it. Here he is with his first mule deer buck.
His sisters have used it, too, to bag their first bucks.
After having given up my two best deer rifles, I realized I'd better find a replacement. Don't have a picture of it, but it's a Ruger M77 Mk II Compact in 7mm-08. Coupled with a nice Leupold scope and new trigger, it's pretty accurate and still a perfect size for a good saddle gun.
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BlackAgnes, nice old Remington from the ere that Remington wasn't worried so much about profit but instead quality. I have a particular fondness for the 30 Express in 30 Springfield 1906. I bought one like yours when I was 14 years old and shot several deer and a bear with it. It was my rifle I took to Alaska when I ran away from home at 16 years old. I gave it to a dear friend shortly after that.
Nice rifles here. Some classics.
I have several, but my favorite three are my ‘75 Ruger round top 30-06 Springfield. It has taken the most deer, here is a couple
My marlin 1895 made in ‘78 chambered in 45-70
My Ruger #1a in 7x57 made in ‘77 has taken a wider variety of game and is my favorite.
I have more but have probably bored everyone enough.
I have several, but my favorite three are my ‘75 Ruger round top 30-06 Springfield. It has taken the most deer, here is a couple
My marlin 1895 made in ‘78 chambered in 45-70
My Ruger #1a in 7x57 made in ‘77 has taken a wider variety of game and is my favorite.
I have more but have probably bored everyone enough.
I've owned a couple of deer rifles over the years. A Model 70 in 30/06 with a Ted Williams 3X9 scope, and a couple of Marlin 30/30's, but never fired them at a deer. I grew up and hunted in "shotgun only" deer country, and always used a 12 ga. and buckshot for my deer hunting (drives with hounds).
Every deer I ever killed fell in front of this Sears-Roebuck 12 ga pump. $99.00 from Sears about 1977 I guess. 28" Mod barrel, with an additional 24" rifle sight slug barrel (never used). I used nothing but Remington, 3", Number one buckshot in it. It rode a lot of miles tossed in the bed of a pickup truck or bungee corded to the roll bar of my Jeep. Got carried a lot too, under the crook of my arm, or slung over my shoulder on a leather sling I remember. I did the camo job myself...my nickname is "Bubba" after all. It never failed me, and I still have it. Haven't used it in years, but I guess I'll hold onto it. Might need it some day.
Darn...now I'm remembering. Thanksgiving day was always a "big hunt" day at the Hunt Club. Members would turn up we hadn't seen since last Thanksgiving. We'd hunt a big piece of woods in the morning, then break for lunch. One of the members "Percy" I never knew his last name, would have been busy all morning cooking a big pot of navy beans, in a black iron witches cauldron, over an open fire, stirring them with a boat paddle. He made enough to feed "Coxey's Army" (as my mother used to say). We'd eat lunch, and some of us would head back out for an afternoon drive. My wife knew not to have Thanksgiving dinner until late or if it got too late, I just got leftovers.
Man, I miss those days.
Sorry. Got to rambling. Nothing to see here.
Every deer I ever killed fell in front of this Sears-Roebuck 12 ga pump. $99.00 from Sears about 1977 I guess. 28" Mod barrel, with an additional 24" rifle sight slug barrel (never used). I used nothing but Remington, 3", Number one buckshot in it. It rode a lot of miles tossed in the bed of a pickup truck or bungee corded to the roll bar of my Jeep. Got carried a lot too, under the crook of my arm, or slung over my shoulder on a leather sling I remember. I did the camo job myself...my nickname is "Bubba" after all. It never failed me, and I still have it. Haven't used it in years, but I guess I'll hold onto it. Might need it some day.
Darn...now I'm remembering. Thanksgiving day was always a "big hunt" day at the Hunt Club. Members would turn up we hadn't seen since last Thanksgiving. We'd hunt a big piece of woods in the morning, then break for lunch. One of the members "Percy" I never knew his last name, would have been busy all morning cooking a big pot of navy beans, in a black iron witches cauldron, over an open fire, stirring them with a boat paddle. He made enough to feed "Coxey's Army" (as my mother used to say). We'd eat lunch, and some of us would head back out for an afternoon drive. My wife knew not to have Thanksgiving dinner until late or if it got too late, I just got leftovers.
Man, I miss those days.
Sorry. Got to rambling. Nothing to see here.
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I haven't hunted in probably 25 years. But when I did these were my two go-to rifles.
Top is a Ruger M77 ultralight .308 with a Burris Mini 2-7X. Bottom is a M77-22 with a Burris Mini 4X.
Top is a Ruger M77 ultralight .308 with a Burris Mini 2-7X. Bottom is a M77-22 with a Burris Mini 4X.
max503
Member
My favorites have been this 1926 26” Model 94 rifle in .30-30 and one of my three 20” Model 94 carbines, also in .30-30. All are equipped with vintage Lyman or Marbles tang sights.
I’m also fond of my Big Bore 94 in .375 Win (bottom) as well as a few .38-55s.
The Legendary Frontiersman (top) is arguably the best value in a .38-55 as it will take a steady diet of modern smokeless rounds (255 gr bullet at around 1700 fps and Buffalo Bore “Heavy” rounds, (255 gr bullet at 1950 fps, only 50 fps slower than their .375 Win load). It also has a 24” barrel that is light weight by Model 94 rifle standards making it lightweight and well balanced.
I’m also starting to like my Miroku Winchester 20” Model 94 take down rifle (right). The tang sight didn’t work out well given the location behind the tang safety, but it’s working great now with a Williams receiver sight.
The .38-55 does a great job on deer and it’s a much better choice for black bear than the .30-30.
I am a Cheap-skate with a capitol "C" but I could see springing for a tang sight for my Model 94. Thanks for the pics.
THE PILGRIM
Member
In our club. We would surround a big patch of woods or swamp with "standers" with shotguns and buckshot. The a driver(dog pack owner) or 2 would turn the hounds loose and go into the woods/swamp whooping and hollering to jump the deer. When the dogs jumped a deer you could listen to the hounds to tell which way it was going. Hopefully by one of the standers. It's a ton of fun to shoot a deer with the afterburners on as it comes by. Lead him like a bird and shoot. We shot 00B and #1's with tight(full/extra full chokes). inside 40 yards it was/is a deadly combination. Twice I have put 3 on the ground at one time.......Sadly I don't own a pack of hounds anymore. But I still hunt with a dog club a couple of times each year.
Charlie Foxtrott
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Thank you, it is, at least to me. I have had it a long time and it’s always been a good honest rifle. Very accurate and reliable.
Charlie Foxtrott
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A few of my favorites.
A group shot: Win. Mod. 70, pre 64', 1945, re-chambered to .300 Weatherby; Win. Mod. 70, post 64', .243; Kimber Mod. 82 Gov. (not a deer rifle but, in the shot) .22 LR; Sako Mannlicher, .30'06; Sako Mannlicher, 7mm magnum;
DPMS Oracle 308-LR with last years 8 pt.;
Mod. 70, pre 64', 1954, .30'06, in a Bell and Carlson Stock with an 8pt. from a couple of years back.
A group shot: Win. Mod. 70, pre 64', 1945, re-chambered to .300 Weatherby; Win. Mod. 70, post 64', .243; Kimber Mod. 82 Gov. (not a deer rifle but, in the shot) .22 LR; Sako Mannlicher, .30'06; Sako Mannlicher, 7mm magnum;
DPMS Oracle 308-LR with last years 8 pt.;
Mod. 70, pre 64', 1954, .30'06, in a Bell and Carlson Stock with an 8pt. from a couple of years back.
Attachments
My old 30-06
FN Mauser action,Douglas barrel,plain walnut stock and a weaver k-4 scope
FN Mauser action,Douglas barrel,plain walnut stock and a weaver k-4 scope
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