well its about time for my first deer rifle
07-25-2006, 05:04 AM
#21
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Evadale, Texas
Posts: 625
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
Marlin 30 30. Enjoy.
07-25-2006, 09:47 AM
#22
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
Here's what I would suggest:
Go around to the local pawn shops, Attend a couple of gun shows... Find the best deal on a good used Remington 700,Browning A-bolt or Savage bolt action. Caliber isn't all that important so long as its a 243, 308, 7mm-08, 25-06, 30-06, 270, or 280....The 280 remwould be my first choice.
I would avoid any of the belted magnums Ie. 300 win mag, 7mm Mag, 338 win, 264 win mag...as wells as the small bolt face short actions ie. 223, 22-250, 220 swift... These are all excellent cartridges but may be a little more recoil than you can handle starting out, or not well suited for the intended purpose.
Next you will need a good low power scope. Somethinglike a good 2 - 7 power range. Avoid the high magnifications. Buy a good scope. Find a Nikon, Burris, Leupold,Weaver Grandslam,or Bushnell Elite. Be prepared, you will spend as much on the scope as you will the rifle. Avoid Tasco, BSA, & Simmons scopes.
Go around to the local pawn shops, Attend a couple of gun shows... Find the best deal on a good used Remington 700,Browning A-bolt or Savage bolt action. Caliber isn't all that important so long as its a 243, 308, 7mm-08, 25-06, 30-06, 270, or 280....The 280 remwould be my first choice.
I would avoid any of the belted magnums Ie. 300 win mag, 7mm Mag, 338 win, 264 win mag...as wells as the small bolt face short actions ie. 223, 22-250, 220 swift... These are all excellent cartridges but may be a little more recoil than you can handle starting out, or not well suited for the intended purpose.
Next you will need a good low power scope. Somethinglike a good 2 - 7 power range. Avoid the high magnifications. Buy a good scope. Find a Nikon, Burris, Leupold,Weaver Grandslam,or Bushnell Elite. Be prepared, you will spend as much on the scope as you will the rifle. Avoid Tasco, BSA, & Simmons scopes.
07-25-2006, 11:19 AM
#23
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Evadale, Texas
Posts: 625
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
just have a quikie, not jumpin on NEone just wondering. Why sggest odd off the wall caliber rounds? 280, 7mm-08 things of this nature. I can go in any gun store or hardware store local, as well as a few gas stations and pick up the popular 30-30, 30-06, 7mm, 243, 270, and shotgun shells but i have yet to see 7mm-08, 280, 41mag or any of those outside of a special order catalog or maybe 1 box on a gunshop shelf...maybe.
07-25-2006, 11:30 AM
#24
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
Well,The availability of ammo is a very valid point.
But, I never considered the 280or especially the 7mm-08 "off the wall". In the past 280 ammo was a little more difficult to find but its popularity has rebounded in recent years. I even seen 280 ammo in wal-mart. I thought that 7mm-08 ammo was as common as it comes. Maybe thats just in my area. I reload so its not an issue for me. If its a concern I would stick with 270, 30-06, 243, 308, 25-06. Ammo for these can be found almost anywhere.
But, I never considered the 280or especially the 7mm-08 "off the wall". In the past 280 ammo was a little more difficult to find but its popularity has rebounded in recent years. I even seen 280 ammo in wal-mart. I thought that 7mm-08 ammo was as common as it comes. Maybe thats just in my area. I reload so its not an issue for me. If its a concern I would stick with 270, 30-06, 243, 308, 25-06. Ammo for these can be found almost anywhere.
07-25-2006, 07:15 PM
#26
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
One's first long guns:
22LR
12 Gauge
30-06
Add on smaller or biggeror more specialized after that.
All of these are within the abilities of a 16 year old.
You are young, but you will grow and so too (hopefuly)will your ambitions.
Apologize to no one, cheap quality ammo everywhere, many fine rifles available.
Universal.
Versatile.
22LR
12 Gauge
30-06
Add on smaller or biggeror more specialized after that.
All of these are within the abilities of a 16 year old.
You are young, but you will grow and so too (hopefuly)will your ambitions.
Apologize to no one, cheap quality ammo everywhere, many fine rifles available.
Universal.
Versatile.
07-25-2006, 08:34 PM
#27
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 218
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
You will probably be a one gun hunter for a while, and this is your first gun, so choose wisely. Try them all for size, and fit, go to a large gun shop and make some poor salesman hate his/her job. Once you find the one you like, don't buy it. Try to find someone that has a similar gun that will let you shoot it. Also see just how many differentchamberings of guns you can try, friends and family can help you, local gun range patrons too.
Don't rush, the most fun of buying a new gun is all the planning, reading, studying, and dreaming.
May I suggest your first gun say MADE IN USA on the side, remember why you have the right to own a gun.
Don't rush, the most fun of buying a new gun is all the planning, reading, studying, and dreaming.
May I suggest your first gun say MADE IN USA on the side, remember why you have the right to own a gun.
07-25-2006, 08:47 PM
#28
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 116
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
I would go with a Winchester Model 70 or a Browning a-bolt.Bolt auction guns are the most accrate and they are fail safe in most cases.They are also a bit cheeper than a semi-auto.If I where you I would get a 30-06.You can use a 30-06 from Deer to Moose.You can shoot so may diffrent animals with one gun when you have a 30-06.If you just want a deer gun than get a .270 or .270WSM.
07-26-2006, 07:31 PM
#29
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 294
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
well, t. mobley; I would first like to welcome you to the forum and commend you on your interest inthe great sport of hunting.
I, like many of the others on this forum, will tell you that you do not need a cannon or magnum size rounds to take down and kill whitetail deer.
Alot of factors must be looked at first before you choose which kind of gun you will want to invest in.
First, I would like to take a look at my "application". What I mean by application is, what is the terrain and surroundings that I will be hunting in. And also I would want toconcentrate on whatdistancesI would be making "safe" and "ethical" shotsfrom. That is,Knowing your gun's capabilities of trajectory, velocity, and energy thatthe bullet will have left at the distance you will be shooting atand being able to apply all your knowledge and experience you gained at the range and bringing it to the field.
Second, I would want to look at how "seasoned" of a shooter you are before you purchase. Alot of people think that they are seasoned shooters, but if you spend any time at your local rod and gun club you will see how many people are not very seasoned. This actually causes alot of people topurchase the wrong guns...."for themselves".For some reason, so many people " now a days" are under the impression that they need magnum sized loads for deer.
Here is a prime example. JoeBlow's friend owns a 300 win mag. so 3 months later Joe Blow is out buying one. The two of the friends decide to go to the range on a nice saturday morning andfire offa couple boxes of ammo each. After 5 or 6 shots Joe Smoe..."this is Joe Blows friend by the way" starts to complain that his shoulder is hurting and that he can't seem to get a good group on the target. The two friends decide to adjust the scope and fire off 3 more rounds to see ifJoe Smoecan get a better group this time around. To no avail, Joe smoe's group did not get any better, but now hes holding on to his shoulder in pain...and refuses to fire anymore rounds that day. Now its Joe Blow's turn. He fires his first 5 rounds and they are not even hitting paper. They dont know where the bullets are hitting so they dont know where to make adjustments on Joe Blow's scope. At that moment an elderly man from the club walks out to the range. He asks if everything is alright. The two men tell the man that something must be wrong with thier guns becauseJoe Smoecant get good groups and Joe blow cant even hit paper. The older man checks the scopes to see if they are tight and checks for any other mechanicalmalfunction that he feels could be the cause of an accuracy problem. He then asks if he could see one of them shoot, Joe blow volunteers. He tells Joe to shoot 3 rounds and reminds him not to flinch. The old man watches Joe Blow shoot and claims that Joe blow is flinching even before he pulls the trigger. This causes Joe Blow to become very upset because his reputationas a very seasoned shooter is being questioned by some old timer at the range. It is at that moment that the old timer picks up Joe Blow's gun and asks if he could test it out a couple times. Joe Blow agrees. It is at that moment that the old timer squeezes off 5 rounds out of the 300 win mag. Much to Joe blow and Joe Smoe's suprise, the old man has a very tight 5 shot group in the upper left side of the target. Not a bullseye, but a group none the less. The old man gets up and say's there is nothing wrong with this gun at all. he compensates the man for the cost of the bullets and tells them dinner is waiting at home for him.
As funny as this story sounds....I will garauntee that it occurs at ranges around the country alot more than people would like to think. Every time I go to the range"ATLEAST", "ATLEAST" one person always leaves without a group to go on or sometimes, theyleave without hitting paper at all. And the thing that scares me the most is that...these people hunt with these guns . They decide to hunt with a gun that cannot group or hit paper at all.
Iremember waiting for 2 guys at the range one day two years ago. They were shooting a 7mm mag. I can remember what the one guy said to the other before he shot. He said " have you ever shot this gun before?" And the other guy said " NO, BUT I BET THIS SUCKER CAN KICK" ........ anyways, halfway through thier shooting session, the idiots took off thier shirts and folded them in a ball and put it between the gun and thier shoulder because they said it was "kickin too hard" I didnt get to shoot that day because these idiots used up so much time wondering why they cant get a group thats acceptable.
This is my point, If you have to roll up a shirt and put it between your shoulder and the gun, you have no bussiness shooting it.
A whitetail is very resiliant, but it can be killed with a 243.
The whitetail has been killed with all of the following, plus more.......
243, 250 savage, 257 roberts, 264, 25-06, 270, 7mm, 7mm-08, 300 savage, 30-06, 308, 280, 38-40,38-55, 45lc, 44 mag, 32 sp., 30-30, 244 rem, 35 rem, 32-20, and 25-35
Today, some of these are seen as obsolete. But many of these calibers stood the test of time.
I would stick with 30-06 or less for most applications. I like the recommendations of the 243, 7mm -08, 270,and the .308
If you even get lucky enough to pick up an old relic, a 257 roberts was also a nice deer cartridge too.
There are also alot of people out there that can shoot the magnums and shoot them well. If you feel that you are one of those people, then you could also opt for the magnums too.
But as for me, anything from the 243- 30-06 is fine...for whitetails.
I, like many of the others on this forum, will tell you that you do not need a cannon or magnum size rounds to take down and kill whitetail deer.
Alot of factors must be looked at first before you choose which kind of gun you will want to invest in.
First, I would like to take a look at my "application". What I mean by application is, what is the terrain and surroundings that I will be hunting in. And also I would want toconcentrate on whatdistancesI would be making "safe" and "ethical" shotsfrom. That is,Knowing your gun's capabilities of trajectory, velocity, and energy thatthe bullet will have left at the distance you will be shooting atand being able to apply all your knowledge and experience you gained at the range and bringing it to the field.
Second, I would want to look at how "seasoned" of a shooter you are before you purchase. Alot of people think that they are seasoned shooters, but if you spend any time at your local rod and gun club you will see how many people are not very seasoned. This actually causes alot of people topurchase the wrong guns...."for themselves".For some reason, so many people " now a days" are under the impression that they need magnum sized loads for deer.
Here is a prime example. JoeBlow's friend owns a 300 win mag. so 3 months later Joe Blow is out buying one. The two of the friends decide to go to the range on a nice saturday morning andfire offa couple boxes of ammo each. After 5 or 6 shots Joe Smoe..."this is Joe Blows friend by the way" starts to complain that his shoulder is hurting and that he can't seem to get a good group on the target. The two friends decide to adjust the scope and fire off 3 more rounds to see ifJoe Smoecan get a better group this time around. To no avail, Joe smoe's group did not get any better, but now hes holding on to his shoulder in pain...and refuses to fire anymore rounds that day. Now its Joe Blow's turn. He fires his first 5 rounds and they are not even hitting paper. They dont know where the bullets are hitting so they dont know where to make adjustments on Joe Blow's scope. At that moment an elderly man from the club walks out to the range. He asks if everything is alright. The two men tell the man that something must be wrong with thier guns becauseJoe Smoecant get good groups and Joe blow cant even hit paper. The older man checks the scopes to see if they are tight and checks for any other mechanicalmalfunction that he feels could be the cause of an accuracy problem. He then asks if he could see one of them shoot, Joe blow volunteers. He tells Joe to shoot 3 rounds and reminds him not to flinch. The old man watches Joe Blow shoot and claims that Joe blow is flinching even before he pulls the trigger. This causes Joe Blow to become very upset because his reputationas a very seasoned shooter is being questioned by some old timer at the range. It is at that moment that the old timer picks up Joe Blow's gun and asks if he could test it out a couple times. Joe Blow agrees. It is at that moment that the old timer squeezes off 5 rounds out of the 300 win mag. Much to Joe blow and Joe Smoe's suprise, the old man has a very tight 5 shot group in the upper left side of the target. Not a bullseye, but a group none the less. The old man gets up and say's there is nothing wrong with this gun at all. he compensates the man for the cost of the bullets and tells them dinner is waiting at home for him.
As funny as this story sounds....I will garauntee that it occurs at ranges around the country alot more than people would like to think. Every time I go to the range"ATLEAST", "ATLEAST" one person always leaves without a group to go on or sometimes, theyleave without hitting paper at all. And the thing that scares me the most is that...these people hunt with these guns . They decide to hunt with a gun that cannot group or hit paper at all.
Iremember waiting for 2 guys at the range one day two years ago. They were shooting a 7mm mag. I can remember what the one guy said to the other before he shot. He said " have you ever shot this gun before?" And the other guy said " NO, BUT I BET THIS SUCKER CAN KICK" ........ anyways, halfway through thier shooting session, the idiots took off thier shirts and folded them in a ball and put it between the gun and thier shoulder because they said it was "kickin too hard" I didnt get to shoot that day because these idiots used up so much time wondering why they cant get a group thats acceptable.
This is my point, If you have to roll up a shirt and put it between your shoulder and the gun, you have no bussiness shooting it.
A whitetail is very resiliant, but it can be killed with a 243.
The whitetail has been killed with all of the following, plus more.......
243, 250 savage, 257 roberts, 264, 25-06, 270, 7mm, 7mm-08, 300 savage, 30-06, 308, 280, 38-40,38-55, 45lc, 44 mag, 32 sp., 30-30, 244 rem, 35 rem, 32-20, and 25-35
Today, some of these are seen as obsolete. But many of these calibers stood the test of time.
I would stick with 30-06 or less for most applications. I like the recommendations of the 243, 7mm -08, 270,and the .308
If you even get lucky enough to pick up an old relic, a 257 roberts was also a nice deer cartridge too.
There are also alot of people out there that can shoot the magnums and shoot them well. If you feel that you are one of those people, then you could also opt for the magnums too.
But as for me, anything from the 243- 30-06 is fine...for whitetails.
07-26-2006, 08:26 PM
#30
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: The praries,hillsides and bushes of Saskatchewan
Posts: 179
RE: well its about time for my first deer rifle
I started hunting with an old remington .308 7600 and it was a great old rifle aside from the heavy trigger. I would also recomend the 7mm-08 its a great round.
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MN_Deerman
Whitetail Deer Hunting
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01-03-2006 05:12 PM
