temphank

Since I only have one deer gun, I chose a Muzzle Loader so that I get a longer season. Here in Southern Michigan its an extra 16 days of hunting in December.

I love my CVA Accura V2 with the Wester Powders Breech Plug and Blackhorn 209 powder!

JagMagMan

Strictly for deer hunting you will never regret a 7MM-08 or .308 Win. for any range, short or long. Also, both are both capable of taking larger game at shorter ranges.

7mag_Jake

I would recommend .270,.308, or 30-06 as the caliber. You can find this ammo virtually anywhere. I personally like the 7mm Rem Mag, thats what I shoot and will likely always shoot. Bullets aren't as common as the more popular calibers, but they are easily found.

Like others have likely said, DONT GO CHEAP on your Optics. It burns a deep hole inside me when I see someone at Academy purchasing a $500 rifle and a $45 scope to go on it. Your making a lifelong investment, don't be chicken**** about it.
I like Leupold optics, they have worked well for us and I have had some work done on a scope or two by Leupold that cost me the shipping there ( I think they covered the return shipping....) A good Leupold scope can be purchased for 300-500$. Or, a new Redfield ( Made now by Leupold) can be purchased. I have 3 of them on various rifles. Dang good glass for $225 or so. Also have a lifetime warranty.
I would personally recommend a rifle with a synthetic stock. I have a winchester model 70 with a HEAVY wood stock. Its nice, but when I walk more than 300 yards, I need a wheelbarrow to haul it around.

flags

Ding, Ding, Ding. We have a winner. Those would be the 2 I would look for as well. Easy to shoot and they are capable of longer shots than the 30-30 that keeps getting mentioned. The . 308 was designed by the military and military cartridges are usually well designed for a reason.

7mag_Jake

Keep this in mind also, if you ever decide to go on a hunt or go hunting with someone else. Their area may not be the same as yours, so if you really only want to buy one rifle buy something in a versatile caliber. The .270, .308, .280 rem, 7mm Rem Mag, 30-06, and others can go from being " brush guns" to reaching out and touching out at 200+ yards. I would also say to buy " cheaper" ammo of whatever caliber you choose and shoot to get a feel for the rifle and to get the scope somewhat sighted. Then when hunting season is getting close, you can grab a box ( or 3 ) of good quality hunting ammo and dial your scope and rifle in.
Another tip, when you can, always buy 2 boxes of whatever ammo you decide to hunt with. I personally use a federal premium and they run about $50 a box, I just take $100 plus shipping and order 2 every September from Cabelas. That way, you'll always have enough ammo.

Ruttin1

Absolutely get something versatile. At 19 who knows where you may end up or where you may hunt in future years. Can't go wrong with a 7mm Mag in my opinion. Great long or short range. Whatever you get I recommend a bolt action rifle. More accurate and a lot less to go wrong with them. If you are getting off 5 shots at a deer with a semi you are not really aiming anyway.

alleyyooper

With this post being 60 days old what did Jimmy bird do?

Did he follow this very excellent advice?
"What I would do is determine your budget then go handle as many rifles that fit your budget and see which one feels the best to YOU.
Then if you have friends or family that have rifles in different calibers and shoot as many as you can get your hands on to determine what YOU feel comfortable with recoil wise.
All of the calibers/cartridges mentioned will kill deer if you put the bullet through the vitals. If you don't reload take into consideration what ammo is available in your area.
Take into consideration as to what glass you want stick on top of it. You'll NEVER regret buying the best you can afford, so leave room in the budget for decent optics.
jerry d is offline Report Post"

Or did he just pull a rabbit out of the hat?

Al

Uncle Nicky

I'd get a bolt action 30-06, if you decide to branch out some day, you can kill practically any animal in North America with it. Ammo's still fairly affordable and easy to find. Put a quality scope on it, and you should be good to go.

White Oak 06

[QUOTE=JimmyBird;4154212]Hey guys, I'm new to deer hunting(this will be my first year) and I need help picking my first deer rifle. I have been squirrel hunting for a few years now and would like to get into deer hunting. I am not a beginner when it comes to shooting guns or anything so no problem there. I will be using the rifle I get simply for deer hunting. Nothing else. Any other deer hunting tips will be appreciated. Thanks in advance

Have you ever shot a center fire rifle ?
Whatever rifle you choose, you'll want a bolt action , a low trigger weight, and your scope to mount low as it can go without touching the barrel, if that's comfortable for your cheek weld.

Monte carlo stocks are good for cheek weld when you position your eye for looking through the scope.

A right palm swell on the rifle grip helps with trigger control. A heavy trigger can cause you to pull your shots to the left or the right, if your right or left handed.





You can shoot a wide variety of bullet weights with the 3006.

These guys are giving you great advice by the way !

These things I've mentioned are all for accuracy.