VT Outdoorsman

So I am getting a Ruger in the near future for deer hunting. What model and what caliber should i get. Any reccomendations would be appreciated. Thanks

Rammer

Ruger Hawkeye

Stainless if your hard on guns like me.

Standard wood model if you like a nice piece of wood.

cartridge depends on what you are comfortable shooting.

For deer I'd go 243, 25-06, 7mm08, 308, 270, 7x57, 6.5x55, 280...........You get the picture

What kind of distance will you be shooting? Do you ever plan to hunt anything smaller, or Bigger? We need to know some more details before we can help you pick a cartridge to best suit your needs.

Folically Challenged

The one that fits you best!

I'm curious, though... why are you dead-set on a Ruger? Do you get a discount on that brand only? Have you already handled many rifles, & decided that you like the Rugers the best? Do you work for them, or does a relative?

Perhaps I'm reading your post wrong. It sounds, to me, as if you're saying something like, "I'm buying a Ford in the near future. What model should I get?". In which case, we'd all ask if you were towing, hauling, dragging kids around, looking for great mileage, trying to pick up chicks, etc.

As for the cartridge, I'd suggest staying at .270 or below if this rifle will max-out at deer sized game. You'll shoot more often than you will with a larger cartridge, & you'll kill 'em every bit as dead.

Though you didn't ask, a 4x or 6x scope would be plenty, as would a 2-7 or 3-9. If you spend > $150 on your scope, you can get into some pretty good glass.

FC

stalkingbear

You CAN'T go wrong with the best cartridge ever for deer-7mm08.

VT Outdoorsman

Rammer- I was thinking along the lines of a M 77 Hawkeye. I will be using it primarily hunting deer in the woods in Vermont, which means the distances wont be too far. Probably no shots much over 150-200 yards. I would like to be able to use it for some larger game though. So I was initally thinking along the lines of a 7mm-08 or a .270 for deer, but will those do well on say. a bear or a elk? Or should i go to a bigger caliber?

Folically Challenged- I have a family tie to Ruger, so you can see why i am going to be getting one.

Should i consider any other models than the Hakeye? Thanks for the input guys.

Dixie Rebel

I love Ruger rifles!!!!

I suggest you get a new Ruger M-77 Hawkeye with a stainless action/synthetic stock.

As for cartridges, I suggest them in this order:

1. 30-06 Spfd
2.280 Rem
3.270 Win
4.308 Win
5.7mm-08

Rammer

The 7mm08 and 270 will both do a fine job on elk. I would keep shots under 300 yards with both of them, and use a bullet such as a Barnes TSX, Nosler Partition, or a Nosler Accubond when chasing bear or elk.

retrieverman

I have killed nearly 100 whitetail deer with a Ruger M77 Ultralite in 270 WCF. It is a great rifle in an equally great deer caliber. I haven't handled a Hawkeye, but I do like their looks.

Brown Dirt Cowboy

VT Outdoorsman,
I was looking hard at that "hawkeye"; consider Remingtonand Savage as well.
Hay - Rammer, no mention of 30-06!!!!!
The most popular big game cartridge in the USA, and with good reasons.
Ask for more feedback/imput from "Rammer"; I think this guy knows what he is talking about.

..."too hot for the band"...........................E.J.

Folically Challenged

My Outfitter in SE BC guides for Moose, Elk, Black Bear, Grizzly, Mountain Goats, Bighorn Sheep, et. al., in his territory. They stipulate .270 as their "camp minimum". Other places want a .30-'06 or bigger. I think either one would serve you well. However, ifdeeris your quarry 95% to 99% ofthe time, I'd trend toward the smaller calibers. Heck, if the larger game would come in a "hunt of a lifetime", surely such an event would warrant the purchase of another rifle, would it not???? That's what we all LIVE for!

Here are some more thoughts on the subject, from Mr. Randy Wakeman:
[blockquote]
What we are left with at present is the spectacularly boring concept of adequacy. It is has been said in different ways over and over again over the last 100 years, and proven for at least that long as well on the game fields, that the entire genre of .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .308 and variants, and the 7mm Rem. Mag. all do pretty much the same thing. The difference is more our own ability to accurately place a shot based our familiarity with rifle, cartridge, trajectory, our own self-control, and our attention to proper bullet selection for specific game size, toughness, and impact velocity.

There are very few recorded instances out of tens of millions of examples where an appropriate bullet with proper shot placement from anything in the .308 to 7mm Rem. Mag. genre has failed to do its job on anything with hooves.

Thisarticle from Chuck Hawks talks about choosing 1 rifle for all your hunting: http://www.chuckhawks.com/one_rifle_hunter.htm

FC
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