What is your best deer rifle

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

I've really enjoyed thumbing through this. My most desirable choice for deer is my Roy Hall custom longbow. But, if I had to narrow down a rifle, it would be my 1970s model 700 in 30/06. My dad gave it to me when I was 14. It's killed everything from crows to elk. Actually I loaned it to a guy who shot a Canadian moose with it. Just holding the thing brings back so many memories. Hard to beat the 30/06.

 

[Viper6]

Remington 700 in 270 Win using 130gr Hornady 130gr SP or the new Nosler 130gr AB bullets.

 

[Magvibes]

My patient sit , watch and wait 300 yards from my truck to the intersecting deer trails custom 16 lb. .300 win mag.

 

[Sammydog]

My patient sit , watch and wait 300 yards from my truck to the intersecting deer trails custom 16 lb. .300 win mag.

My vote goes with the 25-06. My dad gave me his old custom gun that was built before it was cannonized by Remington in 1969. He had good luck with the 90 gr *** exp bullet put out by Winchester. I named her Cindy Lou. That gun just killed deer better than it should have, and way out there. My friends and family mostly had 30-06s and 270s and a 308 or 300 Sav, etc. Deer hit in the heart/lungs by those guns would hump up and run off 10-20 yards and tip over. Hit in the same place with Cindy Lou, looked like they'd been hit by lightning! I guess it was the speed is all I can think. I've killed a lot of deer with other guns now, 7mm RM, 280 AI, etc. But the 25-06 is just so comfortable to shoot and I've never seen anything kill deer better or faster than old Cindy Lou!

 

[lacajun]

700 R5 308 150 SST's

 

[stx]

My vote goes with the 25-06. My dad gave me his old custom gun that was built before it was cannonized by Remington in 1969. He had good luck with the 90 gr *** exp bullet put out by Winchester. I named her Cindy Lou. That gun just killed deer better than it should have, and way out there. My friends and family mostly had 30-06s and 270s and a 308 or 300 Sav, etc. Deer hit in the heart/lungs by those guns would hump up and run off 10-20 yards and tip over. Hit in the same place with Cindy Lou, looked like they'd been hit by lightning! I guess it was the speed is all I can think. I've killed a lot of deer with other guns now, 7mm RM, 280 AI, etc. But the 25-06 is just so comfortable to shoot and I've never seen anything kill deer better or faster than old Cindy Lou!

When I got my first 25-06 in the mid 1970s, a friend was shooting the Win 90gr PEP, so I used it for a while until I got dies and begin reloading for it.....and you're right....I don't think I've ever seen a bullet kill as quickly inside 300 yds! Really don't know why I stopped using it, other than liking to "roll my own" loads!

 

[Greyfox]

My Cooper 6.5x284 strikes again.....seven seasons and 26 mule deer/whitetails to date from 200-1000(998) yards. Shot this guy at 754 yards in Wyoming this season.

 

[Sammydog]

When I got my first 25-06 in the mid 1970s, a friend was shooting the Win 90gr PEP, so I used it for a while until I got dies and begin reloading for it.....and you're right....I don't think I've ever seen a bullet kill as quickly inside 300 yds! Really don't know why I stopped using it, other than liking to "roll my own" loads!

When I got my first 25-06 in the mid 1970s, a friend was shooting the Win 90gr PEP, so I used it for a while until I got dies and begin reloading for it.....and you're right....I don't think I've ever seen a bullet kill as quickly inside 300 yds! Really don't know why I stopped using it, other than liking to "roll my own" loads!

That's exactly why I quit using them too. I went to the 100 gr Solid Base Boat Tails from Nosler and had great luck with them too and then the Balistic Tip when it came out. Now it seems it's all about heavy, high BC Bullets. I'm using the Berger 115 now but haven't settled on a load. Funny, 500 yds used to be a long shot, now I feel like I should be embarrassed if I admit to a shot taken inside 300 yds and 1000 yards is the new 500. I kind of miss those simpler days.

 

[lacajun]

My 115 Berger load is 53grn. of 4??? SC cant remember the other numbers but I'll be back

 

[Deputy819]

.338-06 A Square! Puts them down in their tracks....or at least it has for me since I had one built and started reloading for it and hunting with it.

 

[MachV]

I'm kinda fussy about what I go deer hunting with....It has to go bang!



The first was Dads 1200 win in 12ga

Got me a Mossberg 500 in 20ga that was a great shooter, but I just couldn't get used to the action

Bought a 1300 Winchester 12ga and used it for years, rifled barrel and sabots make this almost as good as a rifle

First mulie was shot with my 243 coyote gun

Couple have been shot with pistols, a Ruger SRH in 454 casull

and a Savage Striker in 30-06

A Ruger 77 in 7mag has taken a few, the Savage 6.5/284 was used to get one, the Tikka 6.5x55 was used last year and the Tikka ultra lite in 30-06 was used the year before that and this year

I'm not sure I could settle down to just one deer rifle?

 

[prohuntersmind]

I had most deer success with my
SAVAGE AXIS XP 6.5 CREEDMOOR.

 

[KyCarl]

I like my old A-Bolt in 25-06. Works great!

 

[stx]

That's exactly why I quit using them too. I went to the 100 gr Solid Base Boat Tails from Nosler and had great luck with them too and then the Balistic Tip when it came out. Now it seems it's all about heavy, high BC Bullets. I'm using the Berger 115 now but haven't settled on a load. Funny, 500 yds used to be a long shot, now I feel like I should be embarrassed if I admit to a shot taken inside 300 yds and 1000 yards is the new 500. I kind of miss those simpler days.

Yes, I know what you mean.....I miss them too....when as long as a rifle shot good, it was good enough! We didn't have to have the latest and greatest. And when we saw a buck we liked, we shot him! It wasn't all about management and trying to raise the biggest deer possible! It was just fun to go hunting and shoot something.....not wait 5-6 years until he was ready to "harvest"! Nothing against deer management, that's how I make my living.... but it sure was simpler and a lot more fun in those days!