Which rifle?

Which rifle?

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stumpers

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Madison, WI
I'm going after Wisconsin whitetails this year after a few years off. I need a rifle suitable for the task of taking 80 to 200 pound deer.

As of right now, I only own a few 9x19 Glocks and two 5.56 ARs - and misc .22 rifles and pistols. I decided not to use my AR with heavy bullets for deer.

I came by a pre-64 30-30 last year that I thought would work out, but ultimately wasn't happy with the butcher job on the gun.

I want something unique. The poll has a few of my ideas, but I'm really looking for something outside the box. Something classic, maybe.

Readily available calibers please. I don't reload and don't shoot enough to start.

Budget is $999 or under. Optics are not necessary. Peep sights are preferable.
 
For your criteria, I would strongly recommend a pre-sporterized Springfield or Eddystone Enfield in .30'06. Note the "PRE" in that. They are often very inexpensive because the value was hacked out of them, but some of the older ones were quite well done and even have nice woodwork on them. Receiver sights are standard with the older sporter jobs, done before optics became widely available.

Right here is an example:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=346618656

It is unique, it's got excellent aperture sights and my senses tell me it was well done. Bubba didn't do that crown or put that high polish on it. Some of these older sporters can be real tack drivers, and most of them were purpose made for hunting.
 
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The Gander Mountain in DeForest has about a dozen Mosins @ $179. That's outside the box and SP hunting ammo is readily available.

Classics? Can't go wrong with a lever-action in 30-30 but maybe a big-bore in .375 Win might be more interesting if you can find one.

With a $1k budget there are just soooo many options.
 
Cosmoline - something like that 1903 is definitely in the running.

Armed_Therapist - Enfield 303 rifles are super cool, but how much of a concern is getting good .303 sporting ammo for a reasonable price?
 
I really don't know your taste in rifles and am not familiar with the Wisconsin terrain. However, in bolt guns there are no shortage of inexpensive military surplus rifles like the Mosin or Swede Mausers where either the 7.62 X 54 or the 6.5 X 55 Swede are good formidable cartridges. Aside from military surplus and older Remington 700 or Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 or 308 would do fine. I am seeing both calibers turn up again. As to lever guns? An older Marlin or Winchester would likely do you fine. There are no shortage of other makes and models the suggested rifles were only examples. Hit a few good gun shows and check your local big box retailers as well as local gun shops for something that trips your trigger.

Ron
 
I voted other. The 30-30 has killed more whitetails than any other, but there are better cartridges. I would say a good savage or remington bolt .308, you said "unique". So i thought of the Browning BLR .308. Otherwise, go with the 1903.
 
M1 garand, if I could only own one it would be one of my top two choices, it's not a typical hunter, has the sights you like. It's very easy to work on and kind of like an AR because most of the stuff on the gun that would break can be replaced by you if you can take it apart and reassemble. And biggest for me, it's a fun gun 365 days a year, 30-30s aren't fun to me, they work well but that's all for me at least. A Swiss k31 would also make my short list, but you want "normal" ammo lol.
 
Find another 30-30 Pre Remington Marlin. Put a set of Skinner sights on it. Factory ammo in 150 gr - 170 gr at $15 a box will take any deer you can see with a peep sight. Light, easy to carry. Proper rifle. If you have very good eyes, get the Hornady Leverevolution and take any deer you want out to 200 yds. 150 - 170 grains of soft nose Core-Lokt arriving at 1600 - 1800 fps will traverse shoulders on any Whitetail natural born.

If you want a bit of class, find a sportered Mauser of the Swedish (6.5x55), Latin (7x57) or Teutonic (8x57) variety.

Should you like a true connaisseur rifle, an older Rem 700 or Winchester 70 in The Bob would be a very satisfactory finesse choice.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2
 
None of those listed. You already have the platform, now just get a hunting caliber for it......get a 6.5 Grendel upper. I've been whitetail hunting south of Superior for a long time, and have used my Grendel for nearly a decade now. When I've had the opportunity to pull the trigger, I have never needed a 2nd shot.
 
I'd probably opt for a current production m70 in whatever caliber you like best, but if iron sights are a must, I don't think you could go wrong with a Ruger Gunsite, or a 6.8 upper for one of your ARs.
 
I'm all about the unique hunts this year. I took my first black bear with an Arisaka cavalry carbine this year and now I'm hell bent on using my 9mm AR15 for deer this year.

I can appreciate taking an old war horse like a 1903 or k98 out and using that. I voted 1903 just because the sights are better for hunting.
 
If you're not reloading, some of my favorites aren't good alternatives. Couple of observations:

1903 vs. K98
30-06 is a slightly better balanced cartridge than the 8x57 (which is no slouch of a cartridge), so for me that would tip the scales in favor of the 1903.

30-30 vs. 1903
30-06 is more powerful than you need. After 15 rounds or so, they aren't fun to shoot anymore. At modest distances, the 30-30 will kill them just as dead.

30-30 vs 45-70
45-70 does speak with authority, but, again, it's more power than you need or can use. After 15-20 rounds, it's no fun to shoot. For me, that tips the scales in favor of the 30-30.

If it were me, I'd probably pick up a decent bolt action rifle in 260 or 7mm08. They are both fun to shoot, they have better range than the 30-30, and they will make a deer completely dead. But choosing from your list, I'd go with a lever action 30-30.
 
30-30 is a keeper

Put a peep sight on it, and go to town (just an expression)!
practice and you should be good to 200 yds, you didn't state the hunting conditions, or terrain; dense woods? wide open fields? etc...
If you need more distance, I'd go 30-06, both of those picks cause you don't reload.
 
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