Dedicated Deer Gun?

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SqueegeeBob

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I've already got a Savage .30-06 which I bought back in college to be my "hunting" rifle. Now I'm looking for something a with a little less recoil, prettier wood, and more specialization. Ideally I want a caliber that will hold within +-1 inch from about 15-190 yards which is about as far as I can see where I hunt.

My budget, including mounts, rings, and optics is about $1,000.

So far I'm leaning toward a 7mm-08 in the new Winchester Model 70 Featherweight, but I'm not completely sold on it yet.

I've never hand-loaded before, but I might be willing to take it up, if that makes any difference.
 
Ideally I want a caliber that will hold within +-1 inch from about 15-190 yards
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any caliber will do that. It's the quality of the particular rifle and ammunition that will determine if that accuracy is achievable on a case by case basis. And of course your shooting ability is a major factor.
 
jbech123 said:
any caliber will do that. It's the quality of the particular rifle and ammunition that will determine if that accuracy is achievable on a case by case basis. And of course your shooting ability is a major factor.
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Well, a 30-30 or 45-70 probably wouldn't. Basically when I say that I mean I'm looking for a cartridge with a more modern ballistic profile.

In my mind .243, .25-06, and 7mm-08 are the front runners, but I'm not closed to suggestions in the 6.5mm range.
 
Where do you live? Your caliber choice should be a little dependent on that. While .243 is a pretty good cartridge, it wouldn't be the wisest choice here in CO. I have known a few hunters who liked 7mm-08. Personally, I really don't think that you can go wrong with a 30-06. Maybe what you need is just a different 30-06. Also, .308 is a phenomenal round.

Oh, and yes, you can hold 1 inch or less with a .45-70; I've done it with a 12 pound buffalo rifle with open sites time and again. And a Ruger #1. Now that is a classy rifle.

Edited to add: You mentioned a featherlite in 7mm. That's gonna have some good recoil to it as well, if your worried about recoil.
 
I want a caliber that will hold within +-1 inch from about 15-190 yards which is about as far as I can see where I hunt.
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are you talking about ACCURACY or TRAJECTORY?

because in terms of cartridges just about anything will do the former and NOTHING will do the latter
 
Bob, am retirement age and still use my trusty old Md77 Ruger in '06. I bought it several yrs ago to replace my '03 and was pleasantly surprised at its accuracy. First sighting in was at 100 yds and then I clicked up the elevation to 220 yds and touched off another. I still have the Aluminum foil wrapped flattened drink can with a hole exactly in the middle. Have not moved it since. It is the most accurate small barrel rifle I have ever shot-just tickled me. Hope you find a jewel like that in your next one. Nothing quite so aggravating as to have an inaccurate shooter.
 
krochus said:
are you talking about ACCURACY or TRAJECTORY?

because in terms of cartridges just about anything will do the former and NOTHING will do the latter
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I intended that to be trajectory, and I arrived at those numbers after playing with the Remington Shoot program, which seemed to indicate that just about any of the cartridges I was looking at would do within about 20 yards of that.

I do my hunting in East central Texas, so the deer aren't exactly monsters.
 
Caliber isn't really all that important to me, as long as it kills deer every time and thumps less than a 30-06.

Any thoughts on the new Model 70's? Any other rifle I should be looking at instead?
 
I think your on the right track with the 7mm08.( it's a killer, more so than the ballisics charts would have you believe). 260 Rem. in a handy little bolt gun might be something to look at as well.
 
My choice for a deer rifle was a CZ-550 in 6.5x55mm Swedish. The rifle has enough weight to tame what little recoil the Swede round generates yet is still light enough to hike at least a few miles in steep terrority with. Plenty of oom-pah for even big mule deer out a lot farther than you're talking about. Only "downside" is that to get a trajectory anywhere close to what you want you have to handload your ammo. There just aren't the factory offerings to do what you want, from what I recall anyway.
 
Honestly, what I'd like is to just sight it in an inch high at 100 yards and be able to keep it within +-1 inch of the sight plane out to at least 150. That 190 thing was just from looking at the graphs on Remington Shoot.

I just don't want to need a drop chart within the range I'm likely to see.
 
If you are staying under 200m I'd give 7mm08 the edge over .25-06 just on stopping power. Though, recoil-wise, .25-06 is a dream in my opinion.
 
krochus said:
Wants less recoil than 30/06 and doesn't shoot beyond 190yds


Just buy a nice 30-30 and call it a day.
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The funny thing is that when I started looking at getting a new rifle I was thinking about a .30-30 and shooting with iron sights, but somehow managed to convince myself what I wanted was a new bolt gun.

Ya'll aren't helping sell any model 70's.
 
+1 for the 257 Roberts. I have a Ruger RL and really enjoy it. Very effecitve round.
 
I just bought a Model 70 in 7mm-08 and put a VX2 2-7x33 on it. 1" groups at a 100 aren't a problem.

I chose the round because I appreciate a 1/2 lb weight savings (for this rifle), short action, and it will do anything I need it to in TX. I like the 25-06 but I didn't want a 24" barrel, which is recommended for the round. A also like 243 but wanted more punch for hogs. I really like the 243's ability to shoot a 55 grain bullet as well so I will be adding one eventually, probably the same rifle.

I chose the gun because for the price I don't think you can beat it right now. I think its prettier than just about any rifle out there, I love the mauser action and its light! I am also very pleased with the fit and finish, not so pleased that she got into a fight with my Beretta 391 in the safe but hey, she has her first battle scar.

This is the only rifle I could find that met my requirements of: Made in the USA, 22" barrel, 6.5lbs or lighter, 7mm-08, good looking wood and blued, and under $1000 w/scope, which I did...barely.

Pic shows mine on the left, ironically next to my 30-06. Get one! Its at the top of my favorite guns list and I have only had it a few months.
 

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I actually like .243 quite a bit...we have a beautiful loaner here at the shop (Rem 700 BDL) with a nice 3-9x40 VXIII on it that's killed a mountain of deer at the hunting club. We've found the plain cheap Remington corelocked 100 grain ammo does just great...the lighter bullets tend to act more like varmint bullets and make a mess....however I'm sure there are exceptions to that (Hornday Interbond ect) and

keep in mind most of our shots here are 40-100 yards with a few odds spots you can even reach out a few hundred yards (and a nice powerline cut-through of 800+ yard shots we use off season for fun shooting (mostly Tide jugs full of water and the occassional watermelon) 610 yards is my personal best comfirmed Jug kill-LOL I've never shot a deer past 150 yards I can recall...never needed to! Out west on bigger game....well our members learn on the pipeline and are glad for the time they spend before the high dollar Elk hunts. Point being -you sound like you know exactly the nich you want filled and the limits you want to stay within recoil wise. .243 would be fine...but since we are fine tuning I'd preffer 7-08 with the 139gr Hornday being my starting point on loads. To me that's about perfect for the normal 100-240 pound range most whitetail will be in with the correct bullet and load your rifle of choice likes. If you go super light on the rifle then maybe I edge back towards the .243 a bit....either one will work fine all day long...I just preffer the weight range of 120-150gr for deer and that it be within the happy balance-point for the chambering it's in...so 260 rem or 7mm-08 would probably get my vote...I've always wanted a .260 rem to play with. I really would look at a deal on a new or slightly used Rem model 7 if I wuz in yer shoes...just about perfect for what you want. Look around gunbroker.com and find a dealer with reasonable transfer fees.
 
My East Texas deer gun was a Ruger #77V, in 6mm Rem.. Great cartridge, recoil aint bad at all.

I gotta say though, I'm still partial to my .308.
 
Consider reduced recoil .30-06 ammo, it is a lot cheaper than a rifle. A buddy with a bad shoulder didn't want to go with a new rifle so he tried the Remington 125gr managed recoil .30-06 out of his Model 70. They have worked just dandy on Eastern MT mule deer for him for 2 years now. If you reload you could certainly make your own similar load.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/rem_managed_recoil.htm
 
Your Savage that you own can be converted to another caliber of your choice, by buying a new barrel and headspace gauge and barrel wrench. Buy a nice replacement stock to fit and save yourself some money.
If you do not plan to use your '06 barrel anymore, sell it on one of the gun sale sites like Gunbroker.com.


NCsmitty
 
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