hardcastonly

I don,t know how many of you gentlemen have been hunting long enough or with enough friends over the decades to have noticed trends in what the guys are selecting or used.
back in the 1970s I and many of my friends used a 270 win-30/06, and most of us had found they worked well,
some guys stayed with those rifles for decades,
bolt actions were almost a standard.
but the 7mm mag and various 300 mags and 243, 25/06 6mm rem, were gaining popularity.
all the magazines stressed the need for flat trajectory,
in the 1980s-90s the 7mm and 300 mags , even a few 338 mags were more common in use,
many guys still used bolt actions but a few single shots were not all that rare.
by the later 1990s and early 2000s the 35 whelen, 338 win even a few marlin 444, and 45/70s were not all that rare,
in the hands of the guys I hunted with, and while not common the BAR and lever guns like marlins and BLR, were not unknown
but as time went on, the magnums ,seemed too loose favor, many guys reverted to the 308 win 7mm 08 and 30/06,
guys wanted shorter and lighter rifles and carbines, as they realized shots made over 300 yards were not all that common,and dealing with recoil was not all that necessary.
I reload for most of the local guys ,
I noticed as my friends aged, the cartridges like the 358 win,450 marlin,45/70, 308 win, 35 whelen,
and even the 7mm 08 gained a following and longer ranges capability were not considered as important.
lately I see guys at the range 25/06, 6.5 creed-more and 270 win , and 308 win, and 270 win are back in favor
Ive reloaded for several guys and I go to the range frequently.
as my friends gained experience , and seemed reluctant too carry a heavy rifle , they seem far more comfortable
carrying a carbine.
now your experiences could easily differ but I find that many of the guys I hunt with have become rather comfortable,
using carbines in moderate power cartridges, like the 308, 358, and 7mm 08
most of the guys I hunt with consider my use of a 340 wby or 375 H&H excessive , yet no one has ever suggested it fails to work, very well.
only that it weights too much and recoils to much, and costs too much.

Berserker

I read on long range hunting forum many guys going to 6 or 6.5mm for long range shooting, due to less flinching. Which is important at many hundred yards. While I havn't hunted since the 70s I am somewhat of power monger, 30-06 or 45-70, which isn't magnum. My dad went to 308 around 60 for kick. My grandpa shot his last deer around 85 with 30-06. But he was not the type to spend money. My buddy late 60s still 30-06, which is just standard in this part of the conuntry. In 2000 in IN I could find them, one gun shop said outdated.

Bullets do expand a lot better than they used to. So I do understand going smaller. This last year was the first time not making shot at perfect angle. 45-70 was nice.

hardcastonly

while many of the guys I know and hunt with have purchased and used several new rifles, over the decades,
a couple guys have seemed to swap rifles as often as many gals swap purses and shoes styles.
Im sure the firearms industry loves those guys. as they also purchase scopes, mounts and other accessories.
Ive seen an impressive and rather expensive selection of different rifles and calibers paraded through our hunting club camps,
and while I'd be the last guy to suggest someone not try something new, I've yet to see something fail miserably too kill deer or elk if the guy using it was a decent shot.
Ive got one old geezer like me, thats used a 257 roberts win mod 70,for decades successfully, and my late hunting partner thought anyone not using a 358 win BLR, was at a sever disadvantage.
I long ago came to the conclusion, that the skill of the guy using the rifle was far more important than the case head stamp.

Chadillac

My favorite "go-to" hunting rifle is my Remington 308 built around 1969 I believe. It's cheap, pitted barrel from from use in inclimate weather and probably nothing special to someone else. But it's special to me and I will keep that gun until I die or one of my kids show that they will treat it with the same respect I have over the years.. It's an old gun and has been responsible for filling many of freezer. That being said, I have a 6.5 for backup in case I ever need one for deer hunting. Also, I like target shooting at long distances and it's fun to shoot. Those are the only deer hunting rifles I have in my collection and I have no desire to buy a high dollar, decked out rifle.

c-rad

For 25 years I used my 270 my dad gave me. 3 years ago I bought a 243 and been using that. This year I bought a 20ga slug gun and I am going to use that in the shotgun and rifle areas I hunt

mackesr

I started with a Marlin lever action in .35 Rem and then bought a Rem 700 BDL in 7mm Rem Mag. Both were used and have killed their share of deer in the past thirty years or so. I have looked at other rifles and have the funds to buy a new one, but those two rifles do so well I just have not been able to talk myself into a new one. I have heard a lot recently in regards to the 7mm - 08 and am interested in maybe buying one just for something different after all these years but still not sure. I like tried and true myself.

flags

Grandfather shot a 7mm Mag. Father shot a 7mm Mag. Brother shoots a 7mm Mag. I shoot a 7mm Mag. Guess you could call that a trend.

buffybr

I think you nailed it!

CalHunter

The guys I've hunted with for decades are pretty much using the same standard calibers they've always used. For deer, black bear and antelope, 2 use 30-06's, 1 uses a .243 and I use a 270. For bigger animals like elk and moose, 2 use 300 WM's, 1 uses a 30-06 and I use a 338 WM. Although I wouldn't mind trying some of those other calibers just for fun.

Daveboone

I was discussing this with some friends...
Back in the seventies, at least half of the deer guns used (Central and northern NY) were birdguns drafted for deer. Many single shot shotguns, several bolt action 12 gauges, many pump guns...both slug guns and bird barrels were in use. Actual rifles were probably split fifty fifty with one half being surplus conversions. Mausers, Enfields, Lee Enfields and Krag Jorgensons were very common. The balance were most frequently Model 94s, Remington and Winchester bolts...30-30, 06" and 270.
For the most part, those are the most popular cartridges still with the addition of .308s. Not many magnums in the deer woods in NY, and the slug shotguns have been largely retired.