What is your "go to" deer rifle?

[sigp220.45]

I got old ugly in a trade - I think I had a Mini-14 that I couldn't make shoot and I swapped it intending to trade this one off. Its a Ruger M77 stainless with the canoe-paddle stock, in .300 Winchester Magnum. It was in its original trim then, with a cheap Simmons scope aboard.

I took it out to give it a try. It kicked, but wasn't terrible. The scope was cheap but clear and stayed dialed in. I wrapped it up in camo tape and hunted with it for a season, intending to still trade it off for something else.

I still have it, 15 years later. I've taken many deer and antelope with it. I've only shot one elk, and I used a .338 for that since I had it and what else would I use a .338 for? The .338 is gone, but old ugly is still with me.

It is on its second or third paint job. When it gets really nasty I just paint it again. The Simmons is still clear and still dialed in. It is heavy and homely and has an awful trigger pull and I reach for it first when its time to kill something.







I've heard the old saw about life being too short to hunt with an ugly gun. I have pretty shotguns I like to hunt with, but for deer and antelope (and elk if I ever draw) old ugly still fits the bill. I've never had to shoot anything twice with it, even on the occasional way-out-there shot.

Anyone else have a go-to deer rifle?

 

[Faulkner]

I've taken whitetail deer with all sorts of guns including handguns, shotguns, military surplus rifles, and modern rifles. The gun I've taken the most deer with is a Marlin 336 in .30-30 that I started hunting with as a teenager.

But to answer the question, my current go-to deer rifle that I use when I'm serious about putting meat in the freezer is my Ruger M77 All-Weather in .30-06. I've taken a number of deer with this one all with one shot stops and I've yet to fail to take what I'm shooting at with this one.

 

[arjay]

50s era Mauser,Weaver K-4 scope and a douglas barrel.My father bought it in the 50s,went hunting a time or two and put it in the closet.20 years later he gave it to me.The scope was junk and it keyholed,so I hunted with a borrowed gun and took my first deer.A few years later I refinished the stock,had it rebarreled and put a weaver on it.By then I was a bow hunter and it sat for another 20 .Every few years I get the itch and hunt a day or two with it.Ive never taken game with it,but it's nice to have around .

 

[brucev]

I've taken whitetail deer with all sorts of guns including handguns, shotguns, military surplus rifles, and modern rifles. The gun I've taken the most deer with is a Marlin 336 in .30-30 that I started hunting with as a teenager.

But to answer the question, my current go-to deer rifle that I use when I'm serious about putting meat in the freezer is my Ruger M77 All-Weather in .30-06. I've taken a number of deer with this one all with one shot stops and I've yet to fail to take what I'm shooting at with this one.

Great outfit. Handle anything in N. America. Steiner 8x30 binoculars are about indestructable!

 

[pace40]

Easy answer

 

[DR505]

Remington 700 in .270 Winchester. It started life as an ADL, but now resides in a Hogue Overmold stock with a full length aluminum bedding block. It wears a Leupold Vari-X III in 3.5x10 scope. Sorry, no photo.

 

[Will Carry]

Winchester 94 in 30/30 for me. No scope, open sites.

 

[BearBio]

Also "ole Ugly"==A Smith and Wesson 1500 (Howa) in 300 Win Mag. Have taken ground squirrels to elk, at up to 400 yards.



This is its third paint-job on its second stock.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

My old Mod 88 Winchester .308.

 

[Farmer17]

Old Marlin 336W 30/30 with a Weaver V1-3X on a Warne base and low Weaver rings. It is THE lowest way to mount a scope on a Marlin and is very fast handling.

 

[Maze 686]

Remington 721 30.06 for Pa. hunting .
Beretta A303 shotgun for NJ hunting .

 

[steelslaver]

My go to deer rifle when not in elk country is my Remington Mohawk 600 in 308 with a 4x Redfield wideview. Accurate, light, and handy with its 18" barrel. When in elk country where I might need the range I use my Ruger 77 in 338.

 

[Goldstar225]

Remington 700 in .308 with a Leupold VX-1. Nothing fancy, just effective.

 

[Straightshooter2]

Remington 700 in 30-06. It now has a Redfield scope and a plain old black synthetic stock as I couldn't see banging that wood around getting into a tree stand.

CW

 

[brucev]

My deer rifle is a Remington 1903-A3 that I used as the basis for a 04 reproduction. It has a period correct Weaver 2x scope and w/ Greek HXP M-2 ball it produces nice round five shot groups of 1.25 inches CTC. When I actually have some time I intend to develop a nice hand load that will allow me to use the rifle effectively out to 300 yds. or so. This will be the first time I've used a scope for hunting as for the last 30 years I've always just simply used one of my 03-A3 rifles or else a M-1 Garand. They have been supremely effective. In fact, I'm strongly considering using a Amega Mount to scope my M-1 so that I can use it for hunting.

 

[BigBill]

Betsy is my first choice to go deer/bear hunting. She's a '94 Remington 700 in 338 Winchester magnum. I installed a Bushnell scope that has the BDC (bullet drop compisation) it's adjustable bullet drop adjusts from 100yds to 500yds with no error. You just dope the scope with the distance. The
338wm has 4,000ft.lbs. @ muzzle and 2,700ft.lbs. @ 200yds. That's the muzzle energy of a 30-06 @ 200yds.

I researched and wanted to bump up from my 30-06 and at the time there wasn't all these new calibers we didn't have the choices back then like we do now. I been very happy with the performance of the 338win.mag. I fear nothing when I'm in the woods hunting. Distance isn't a problem power wise. I can put two bullets through the same hole at 100yds. I can hit a dime at 170yds. I did it on a bet.

I have a B&C Record breaking buck near my camp. It keeps its distance but it does show itself. I figure if it shows itself even at a distance I can make the shot. I just need one bullet and one chance.

 

[hittman77]

Lots of brushy bottom ground around here so, nothing fancy and no scopes, just a Savage 170 in 30-30 pump. Same gun I've used since the mid-1970's.

 

[Old Corp]

Somehow I've accumulated way too many deer rifles. Everything from short-range woods guns like the Ruger .44 auto carbine and Win. Trapper 94 in .45 Colt, all the way to Weatherby Vanguard rifle in .300 Weatherby, and Ruger No. 1 in .45-70.
My go-to 'meat gun' is a sleek little Rem. M7 SS/Synthetic in 7mm-08.
Short, light, accurate and deadly.

 

[G.T. Smith]

When I was a kid in the later '50's it was a Sears and Roebuck Ranger .22LR. Now days it is a Mossberg 500 with rifled slugs. Both work just fine although the .22 is much more accurate. I have been shooting it for 55 years and It is the gun that I would "go to" if I just had to have meat on the table now. My family and I depended on it quite a bit in the 50's and early '60's I still use it for small game and it is a pure pleasure to shoot.
Living around these hills, an average shot is probably 20 to 30 yards for deer. The old Mossy works fine.
Peace,
gordon

 

[bigolddave]

Remington 721 30/06, barrel cut to 20 inches and a Mannlicher stock. Leupold compact 2.5 on top. Go to deer and bear rifle since 1968. Take along a Winchester 94 with no finish on the receiver for rainy or wet snow days.