need a new deer rifle

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Revolver Ocelot

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Thus far in my life everytime I went hunting I borrowed someones lever action so I was consider a 1895 marlin but I'm open to any and all suggestions, I have never owned a rifle of my own.
 
You didn't give a whole lot of info as to what type of terrain you do the bulk of your hunting on.
 
I just moved out to murfreesboro tennessee and haven't had the chance to go hunting out here yet so I'm unsure how it is.
 
yes i am still looking for a deer rifle i sold my Winchester model 70 super shadow in .243 wssm i regret it ,that was light enough to be carried all day , u want something powerful enough and light enough to be carried all day and accurate enough past 200+ yards. try Walmart -they have pretty good deals on a decent deer rifle.
 
there are a few things to make your selection for simple,

1. what kind of action you want?
a. bolt action like remington, savage, winchester...
b. semi-auto like ar15, ak47, sks, fal, m1,.....
c. lever action like the 1895 marlin?

at what kind of range you want to shoot? 25-100-200-300-500 yards?

based on your info i recommend

cheap but great options:

1. stevens 200 30-06 ( it kills everything within 500 yards with a good shot)
2. yugo SKS 7.62x39 is about the same as a 30-30 (great semi if you want to shoot under 150 yards

3. a mosin nagant M44 or a 19/30.


more expensive and great.

Remington 700 30-06 or .308
Saiga .308 or 7.62x39
1895 marlin
 
I just bought a Remington 700 in .308 and am in love with it. There are plenty of variants on the Model 700 for you to peruse to find one that suits your preference.
 
A bolt action rifle in almost any caliber from 243 up to 30-06 should be fine. The leverguns are fun to shoot and hunt with but are liomited in range. My personal choices are the Ruger, Kimber or new Winchesters but there is reallly nothng wrong with many other choices such as Remington 700, Savage, Marlin, and the Weatherby Vanguard. I would avoid the Remington 770, 710, or the Mossberg ATR.

You do not give an idea of your budget but the best budget rifles are probably the Stevens 200 or new Marlin. Either can be had new for just over $300 and sometimes the big stores such as Bass Pro have them on sale for under $300.
 
Unless you are shooting across fields you don't need a ton of power. In the woods, the old .30-30 in the 1895 gun has plenty of juice. And the lever action is nice if you need to take a second shot. Accuracy isn't as good in the lever gun, but again, in the woods you won't be making 200 yard shots.

You'll find plenty of guys grossly overpowering their guns. 7mm and .300 mags are great at 300+ yards, but it's just a pointless beating at closer distances. Don't succumb to the temptation to get more power since magnum bolt guns cost the same as standard calibers. If you go with a bolt gun, .308 is a mid powered cartridge that will easily get out out to 200 yards. 7mm-08 is my personal favorite, because it shoots a little flatter and kicks a little less. It's not as common though so you might need to check ammo supplies locally.

A great gun you might consider if your budget allows is the Browning BLR. It's a lever gun that locks like a bolt action, so it can fire the popular deer calibers like .270 and has accuracy like most basic bolt guns. Nearly any maker's mainstream bolt gun will work fine as well, and most are cheaper than the BLR.

I wouldn't recommend junk guns like Nagants because the triggers are terrible and they are cumbersome to carry. SKS rifles aren't much better, although the auto action comes in handy about 1% of the time. You need your first rifle to be an easy shooters gun. If you go ahead and get what you need instead of making compromises you'll come out ahead in the long run.
 
Since the vast majority of whitetails are killed at under 100 yards, there is little better than a marlin 336. But if you must have a bolt action with more power, I'd go with something compact like Remington Seven or Ruger compact in 7mm-08 for max versatility.
 
Revolver, I too live in Murfreesboro. Your terrain will be flat until you go toward Cannon County. I use a Remington 700 in 243.I think it is a good balance of woods and field hunting. Thare are a lot of large fields in the area.
Do you know where On target Indoor Shooting range is on Thompson. Let me know and I can meet you there.The management know a lot on various rifles for various type of hunting. Try and meet some local farmers and you can probably get their permission.They never argue with volunteer help either.The air base AEDC is down the road and it is shotgun or muzzleloader.
 
We don't know budget or terrain/flora mix, so can't give a well-tailored advisory, but since you like leverguns and TN is heavily wooded generally, I suggest you get a Marlin or Winchester lever action in the king of of all woods deer calibers - .30-30 Winchester.
 
I hunt with .257 Roberts to 100-150 yds. 6.5 X 55 out to 200-250. And 7mm Mag up to 300. I seldom get to use the 7mm.

The first two have low recoil and good energy for the yardage stated. Plus they are fairly light to tote around.
 
I personally like the remington 700 best, But you'd probably be fine with most new bolt guns. As far as caliber goes you have a lot to choose from including the more popular selections such as 30-06, .308, .270 just to name a few.
 
One thing to consider. Are you going to be reloading? Is the ammo for the caliber you wind up with easy to purchase?
 
I've hunted Middle Tennesse all of my life. I've taken deer as close as 10 yards and as far away as 300 yards. The Murfreesboro area has some hilly areas mixed with fields and woods so there are opportunities for longer shots. I would recommend a quality bolt action (I like Winchester model 70's but any of decent quality will be fine) in .243, .308, .270, .30-06, or 7mm magnum. A lever action is fine as well, but you will be limited in range. You'll kick yourself when you see a nice buck at 200+ yards and you're holding a 30-30.

If you really like the idea of a lever action and want to extend your range a little you could try a Browning BLR. They have a box magazine and are chambered in the calibers I mentioned above.
 
I use a nice, cheap little Savage 110 in .30-06 for deer hunting(I would feel comfortable using it on any big game in America under 200 yards). Its not a lever but its easy to take care of and much more accurate than I am.
 
I really like the Tikka T3. Accurate, smooth action, and lite enough to carry all day. .30-06 would be great for just about any situation.
 
have you tried anything boltie, a classic remmy say a 721, 788, 600, mohawk, or 660? Just absolutely classic, and price is average, but you will be getting a superior made, old world classic. 243 is the cal I say you should get, no deer stands a chance...
 
Heck is right Tikka T3 in any caliber. Under $500 mine will put 3 shots inside a penny at 100yds using Winchester Power Points.
 
go to walmart and get the mosberg atr-100 in 30-06or 270 for $249 .smooth bolt guns mine shoots good. just my 2 cents.
 
i;d say go with something that ammo is plentiful for if you arent a reloader. like a 243, 270, 30-06, if not got with the 308 its by far my fav round or a 257 roberts are nice too.
 
Why hasn't anyone recomended one of these?

Marlin 308MX or a Marlin 338MX

Both give good range, and are levers.
 
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