Rifle Choice for a New Hunter?

yes it is. i don't know what state you are in, but our bag limit is two. besides, if you need more, that's why they made pockets and shell holders.

A day of hunting? Six should be enough for a week of hunting. Or maybe even a season of hunting, depending on how hungry you are.

I'd imagine that more whitetail have been taken with lever action .30-30s than any other rifle. It'll do, unless you're harboring the distressingly common fantasy of sniping deer from the next county over.

Kylaen said:

Is 6 shots in a tube enough for a day of hunting?

Click to expand...

If it isn't then I don't think any more ammo capacity will help. Hopefully you will drop your target with a single shot, and certainly won't need 6. If you plan to harvest more deer in accordance with your State's bag limits, then you can always reload the rifle. The deer certainly won't be sticking around for you to take pot shots at.

If you can hunt with a .30-30 legally, then I would certainly suggest that over a .44 Mag, unless you just fancy the .44 Mag. .30-30 is more powerful and has a much better range. I would go for a Marlin 336.

.30-30 by a long shot. Add hornadys leverevelution rounds and things get even better lol. During graduation season I used to some times take 1/2 dozen or more deer in as short a time as i could manage. Some times a day, most often two or three. Not once that i can think of did i manage to snag more then 3 out of a herd.

I would have to say a 30-30, but man I sure do love a Rem. Model 700 in .243win. for deer.

marlin 336 30-30 or rem 700 30-06. Either one will last forever.

The answer is clear: 30-30

i would rather hunt with a .44 mag than a .30-30
but over both id use my Howa M1500 in .308

The 30-30 is superior to the 44mag with regards to deer hunting. Six rounds is plenty, you'll only shoot once or twice if hunting responsibly. Hunting is not combat.

30-30 in this:

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/Youth.asp

HOOfan_1 said:

The deer certainly won't be sticking around for you to take pot shots at.

Click to expand...

That's what I thought until last year. Four doe in a line walked out of the woods into the field 50 yards from my stand. I shot the biggest one (which was leading), racked the bolt and shot the second one in line. I only had two tags so I couldn't take another one, but they stood there long enough that I could easily have taken a third. In fact I had my cell phone out, dialed it, and my buddy's phone was ringing by the time the last two deer turned and ran into the woods.

Also last year, I shot a deer with my ML from about 80 yards. Less than half of the deer in the field ran into the woods. The rest just looked up and went back to eating.

Of course, six rounds in a lever action would have been more than enough in either of those situations.

I will be using a lever-action carbine exclusively on deer.

Click to expand...

I own both in a 20" barrel lever gun. Rossi 92 in .44mag and Ted Williams 100 (Win 94) in 30/30. For deer I prefer the 30/30. I am more confident in it at further ranges, should the need develop.

i would rather hunt with a .44 mag than a .30-30

Click to expand...

Why?

It only takes one....

Seriously, I would almost always carry a 30-30 over the 44MAG(pistol round) for deer slaying!

"why"

i dont like 30-30's
cant stand them, not even my dads' brand new marlin. i dont like them, although, i like 44 mag carbines.

why does this guy want a lever?
get a .308 bolt action or somthing chambered in a far better round.

"why"

i dont like 30-30's
cant stand them, not even my dads' brand new marlin. i dont like them, although, i like 44 mag carbines.

why does this guy want a lever?
get a .308 bolt action or somthing chambered in a far better round.

Click to expand...

Better for what? The 30-30 is a proven killer of black bear, deer & hogs. You just have to be a better hunter and get a little closer.

why does this guy want a lever?
get a .308 bolt action or somthing chambered in a far better round.

Click to expand...

Future, there were levers out well before bolt actions. They are a proven action. And the 30/30 lever has taken more game in North America than all of the other actions and calibers combined. From Coyote to Grizzley, it has proven itself time and time again to be an efficient weapon for putting meat on the table. It was around LONG before the .308 and will be around long after many of the "magnums" are gone and forgotten. You are 14 years old bud. Before you go slamming the venerable 30/30 maybe you should get some experience under your belt.

i don't slam the 30-30
or a lever action, but a .308 rifle typically shoots more accurately.
main reason is because one of my old stepdads. the one i still enjoy being around, not the violent one..
had told me not to consider a 30-30 because the accuracy problems he had as a boy with one. and remembers when he got his 700 in 7 Mag and says every shot he has fired at a deer has killed a deer with that rifle, thats a lot. since he cant tell me the number due to losing count.
but i just dont like an innacurate rifle, and i like longer distance shots. dont jump me for my age. If I hadn't told you nobody would know.
but Im not a liar. so I told yah.

but i just dont like an innacurate rifle

Click to expand...

I have seen several Marlin 336 carbines that regularly put three shots under 1.5" & that is about all I could ask for in a deer rifle.

Get a Savage Edge scoped combo in 30/06. I think they're around 350.

I dont own but one high powered rifle, my Howa, I don't consider it a deer rifle, there is no such thing, a rifle is a rifle, the title "Deer rifle" spits "Innacurate" to me.
I own an accurate rifle, the variable, is me getting better.

Not "jumping" you bud. I think it is great that our young ones are out there learning. But for your learning here is some advise, ONE persons experience with a poor shooting rifle does not make the entire line bad. I had a 30/30 for close to 40 years that killed more deer than all my other rifles combined. I finally parted with it last year (didn't go far my oldest "adopted" it) and I am sure it will continue to slay whatever it is pointed at with ease.

It is a MUCH better option than the .44 carbine in both distance and accuracy. Don't get me wrong, the .44carb has taken many deer and is a fine woods weapon but it is in absolutely NO way superior to the 30/30.

there is no such thing, a rifle is a rifle, the title "Deer rifle" spits "Innacurate" to me.

Click to expand...

I assure you that there exists many deer rifles. Just like there are Deer Camps. If you ever get yourself to a real live Deer Camp, you're sure to lay your eyes on some real live Deer Rifles.

Im finally old enough for the family deer camp in west virginia, Im honestly not sure if I'm going. I dont like my mothers side of the family, they're all yankees and Im a georgia boy, we don't really click most of the time.