I'd like to see some favorite deer rifles

[Bill Bates]

Here is an old favorite and hopefully a new favorite. My old tang safety Ruger M77 .243, shooting 100 grain Nosler Partions,has put a lot mule deer venison in the freezer over the past 40 some odd years.

The second rifle is my last Fall, Winter and Springs project. I restocked an Interarms Mark X .30-06 rifle. I have a thing for Mauser 98 actions when it comes to hunting rifles. The barreled action was in excellent condition and now wears a much better stock. One with a very traditional style: open pistol grip, straight comb and a beaded cheek piece. I free floated the barrel and glass bedded the action. I put one of my favorite scopes on it, a Luepold Vary-X III 2.5-8x. It shoots 165 Grain Nosler Partitions into nice 3/4 inch groups. In a few weeks I hope it will get first blood on a cow elk.

rifle July 2022

And an add since this posted. The .30-06 filled the freezer with elk meat.

 

[diyj98]

I have prettier rifles, but this if my favorite deer rifle. A Tikka 308 that I’ve been hunting with for over 30 years. Also a photo of this year’s deer.

 

[bgrafsr]

Pre-64 Mod. 70 in .270 Win. with a '60s era Bushnell Banner 4X on it. Was my father's, then my brother's and now it's mine. This rifle kept our family fed. It was a working gun. It has the bluing loss and dings in the wood you'd expect from a gun that spent 60 years in the field. And I wouldn't trade it for the prettiest, engraved one hole certified shooter with a stock made out of George Washingtons cherry tree.

While stationed at Webb AFB, Texas I had the opportunity to go deer hunting with one of the Sergeants I worked with. I had no rifle, so the Sgt. was able to borrow one for me. It was a Winchester pre Model 70 in 270 Win. Loved the rifle, but wasn't able to get a deer.

 

[ispcapt]

Here are 2.
Winchester 88 in .308. I bought it in 1968 for $95 with sling and a box of W-W 150 gr Silvertips. Took my first deer with it that year. It will do an easy 1" or better at 100 yds with 150 gr which is the only weight I've run thru it since that's always done the job.
The other started as a Winchester 1917 in .30-06. Dad bought it in 1957 as military surplus. He spent the winter sporterizing it including making the stock from a blank. I don't know what Dad did to the trigger but it's smooth and light for a military trigger. A tack driver. Sub 1" at 100 yards with 150 or 180 gr with the Williams sight. Over the years it's killed a lot of deer and elk. Throw it to your shoulder and it's like pointing your finger. Sights right on. I own it now.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Glad to see some love for the.243
Mine is a early 80s 77 International/mannlicher with the tang safety.
Small 1-4 scope good for Laurel Highlands woodlots and small fields.

Haven't hunted seriously in several years.... when driving for others I take my little Ruger American in .357 magnum with a 1-3x20 shotgun scope. Handy if I want to take a shot inside 50 yds.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Basic and practical

 

[madmikeb]

Glad to see some love for the.243
Mine is a early 80s 77 International/mannlicher with the tang safety.
Small 1-4 scope good for Laurel Highlands woodlots and small fields.

I would love to find one of these in .243, been looking for years! Closest I've been able to come is one in 30-06.

 

[ladder13]

In the dense woods of NC, 300 BLK.

 

[CH4]

As with my CCW guns, I have an ever-changing deer rifle rotation. This thread was a good reason to pull em out of the safe for some updated pics.

Here are a few of my regulars:

Marlin 336A 35 Rem
Savage 99 358 Win
Christensen Arms 6.5 CM
Winchester pre 64 M70 280 Rem
Winchester M70 358 Win

 

[mauser9]

Some nice lookin wood there fellas! Thanks for the show.

 

[Rockrivr1]

My dad's ol' Savage 99 in 300 Savage with an antiquated Wilson scope on it. This set up has taken more deer then I can count. It's now mine and I still hunt with it.

 

[smithman 10]

Savage 340

Don't hunt anymore but if I did I'd use the only rifle I still have that fits the bill - a Savage 340 in 30-30.

Don't have a photo. Interesting rifle though. Three round box magazine, one locking lug bolt gun. Reckon you could use the new-fangled pointy tip rounds if they fit the magazine.

All these pretty pictures make me want to head to the LGS and browse for a nice used 94 or 336 - although they cost an arm and a leg these days I hear.

 

[garddogg56]

Does it look like this Smithman.
I got my grandson one and his first buck with it was a 13pt mastic deer��

 

[BB57]

It hasn’t seen much use since I transferred to the east coast but I’ve had this Ruger 77VT in .308 since the mid 1990s and it was my go to deer and antelope rifle back home on the high plains.

I bought it at the time as it offered a very good factory trigger and most importantly a 26” medium heavy barrel profile that Ifelt would optimize accuracy and maximize efficiency with the .308 Win. It proved to be very accurate, very stable, and yet still light enough to carry in the field. And with the 26” barrel it delivers .30-06 velocity from the .308. The barrel is old school in terms of being throated for traditional .308 Win bullets in the 150-168 gr range so magazine length 165 gr Game Kings sit just off the lands and deliver excellent accuracy.

The original laminated Varmint/target stock was very stable, but also very heavy and I almost immediately removed it for something lighter. At the time there were not many composite options for the 77VT but I did find a Ram-Line stock that could be made to work.

Its major failing was a fore end that was way too bendy for serious use with a sling or bipod. The Hogue overmolded stock (bottom) Remington started putting on their 700 SPS tactical 20 years later had the same issue.

I addressed it by routing out the fore end for an aluminum beam cut to clear the barrel and then bedded in place, (middle) at the same time I glass bedded the action. The end result was a reasonably light weight sub half MOA rifle with a stock suitable for a shooting sling or bipod.

About 3 years ago I replaced it with the aluminum bedding block version of the Hogue over molded stock (top). Stock options are still limited for the 77VT.

It’s just as accurate and more comfortable in cold weather, but slightly heavier.

 

[BB57]

I also still have my Remington 788 in .243 Win. My first deer and antelope were taken with the .243 Win and it’s still a good youth cartridge and the 788 is a nice sized rifle for field use.

The 788 shot far better than it ever should have and it’s cutting into Remington 700 sales played a big part in Remington’s decision to discontinue it. Its main Achilles heel is a fragile bolt handle that won’t tolerate a great deal of abuse.

 

[CH4]

Some nice lookin wood there fellas! Thanks for the show.

 

[smithman 10]

Spitting image

Does it look like this Smithman.
I got my grandson one and his first buck with it was a 13pt mastic deer��

That's it. Glad to hear your grandson had success with the one you gave him.

Found this article on the old rifle:

Just a moment...

 

[pantannojack]

Pre 64 M 70 fwt 30-06. Weaver 4x post-crosshair.

 

[garddogg56]

Smithman thanx for that article

 

[kscharlie]

My two favorites: Winchester M70 Featherweight in .270 WSM. Absolutely love this rifle. Have killed deer with it from 15 feet to 315 yards. Bought it new in 2006, after Winchester announced the closing of their New Haven facility. Left hand action and controlled round feed. Shoots like a laser. Second favorite is a Remington 700 BDL in .30-06. Bought it new in 1985, and it is responsible for taking the largest buck I have taken, in 2009. Left hand action.

I am right handed, but shoot long guns left handed.