Beginner deer hunting
 

Hi I would first like to say I'm new to the forums, read as a guest, lots of good info here.
Anyways I would like to geI want a high quality gun into deer hunting.
I've hunted squirrel with a . 22lr effectively for a while. Turkey hunting with a 20 gauge
(not trying to act cool just giving info)
Last time my brother took me I killed my first deer with a 25-06.
My questions are what should I be looking for gun wise as a beginner? My brother has a. 308, 30-06,and 25-06 bolt action.
I need something strong enough to kill a deer(Florida, no thick thick stuff) with a good shot to heart or lungs at a moderate range, I shoot realistically.
I want something not too heavy. Also it's important that finding and or buying rounds be easy, price doesnt matter I want a high quality gun. Any info and if you share a preference please say why.
Thanks for the info

You have to decide if you want blued or stainless, synthetic, laminate, or wood.

My advice for your particular condition is a Ruger 77 Compact Stainless/Laminate in 7mm-08, with a Leupold VX2 2-7x32, and an Uncle Mikes black nylon mountain sling with sewn in swivels. The 308 would be my second choice in this rifle. The length of pull will feel a little short at first, but with some hunting clothes on and that sucker buried up in your shoulder pocket for a season, you'll want for nothing else.

http://www.ruger.com/products/Hawkey...ct/models.html

http://www.opticsplanet.com/mountain-sling.html

http://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold-...x-reticle.html

Two things will happen when you buy this rifle/combo, You'll be happy for the rest of your life, and everyone who picks up your gun will buy one.

Happy Hunting

Go to gun shops and handle as many different brands of rifles as you can along with some of the different models (for example a Remington 700 and a model 7 ). Get the one that YOU think feels right for you, remember all here are really suggestions as that is what fits them.

I like shot actions my self if I could only have one deer rifle and that is all I was going to hunt I would have a 243 (which I do 2 of them a Remington 700 and a Ruger 77) I also reload for it and shoot it a bunch at the range, coyote hunting, crow hunting, whistle pig and black bear. I have harvested more deer with the 243 than any thing I own but the 20ga. slug gun is a very close second.

I also own 2 7mm08's one a Remington model 7 which is ideal in the very thick cedar swamps at my UP deer camp. The other is a Remington 700 mountain rifle my wife bought for me. I use it to shoot across the cranberry bogs.

I also own a 308 Bought it many years ago when I had planed a moose hunt in Canada that never came about. I still deer hunt with it some.

Scopes many will tell you to spend more on than the rifle. I disagree with that. How ever I do suggest one with a life time warranty. I have Bushnell Banner on my Remington 243 and one was also on the Ruger that was once my dads. They are the oldest scopes I own and have never been returned for service.
In 1996 I bought a Leopold VXII because it is what my son wanted for his 243. A year later it was sent back to the factory because it would not adjust. It sets in my safe today and a Simmons Aztec is on the Ruger 77 243.

:D Al

Alleyooper's advice about fit and feel is spot on. Every factory grade rifle will feel different one from another .. balance, length of pull, etc. Don't overlook the trigger. A heavy pull, rough trigger should be avoided, though many such triggers can be safely adjusted by a quality gun smith. I respectfully disagree with Alleyooper (and others) with regards to what to expect to spend on a scope. I have not had good luck at all with economy scopes. Certainly there is a point of rapidly deminishing returns for your dollar spent, but as a rule of thumb my advice is for you to buy the best scope that you can possibly afford. It is not my opinion nor my experience that only the top end scopes are the value buy, but it is my experience that such scope are extremely high performing, with superb optics and excellent low light performance. No way you are going to get such performance in a low end scope. Because you asked for advice, here's mine on a scope .... the Ziess Conquest, the Swarovski Z3 and the top end Bushnell Elite. And what ever scope you buy, be sure to select a rugged mounting system.

As for cartridge. I hunt SE Alabama. Probably somewhat similar to Florida habitat. There are any number of cartridges that will work well. My personal prefernece is the 308 Win. Excellent for deer and feral hogs for sure. Ammo is readily available, relatively inexpensive and offered by numerous manufacturers in a wide variety of loads. Something in the 165 Gr. bullet weight does fine. If you are going to hunt primarily from tree stands, box or ground blinds as I do, would suggest a "short" rifle. Something like a Ruger Compact or Styer Pro Hunter "Mountain".

However, these are only 2 of a number of many good factory grade rifles out there at reasonable, competitive prices.

If you don't care if its blued, then a new Remington Model Seven with Talley Low rings and the same scope and sling will be a great option.

The Mod 7 has a longer barrel and makes real good use of 243 in addition to the other calibers mentioned.

Its very important not to get the extra low rings, you want enough space under the scope for your gloved thumb, it makes a huge difference in the one handed carry.

Sorry, what is a rugged mounting system? Also is it possible to have a bipod and foregrip?

I'm out. :party0005:

For deer hunting except for shooting across bean fields I say NO BIPOD. Not useful in a tree stand get in the way in a box blind and hang up on brush and other stuff when still hunting. Fine for coyotes hunting from a prone position but not for deer.

:D Al

No Remi for now
 

I would pass on a 700 remi for now. Trigger problems. I'm sending a new one back. There great rifle's. I would look at a Savage 110 in 25-06, 7mm-08 or a 243 cal for were you hunt. My personal cal has always been the 30-06 for the load options.Get a savage 110, blued or in SS, a good scope to match the rifle and were you hunt.Good luck.:cool:

There are cheap scope bases and rings available, and there are good mounts and rings available - and you do get what you pay for. Many shooters aren't aware how much error and inconsistency they introduce by using inferior hardware to mount their optics.

I can understand and relate to the desire to have a bipod, as I often hunt off of a bipod, I almost exclusively shoot hunting rifles from a bench using bipods, and frankly, I even use short bipods as a "kickstand" of sorts just to keep my rifle out of the wet grass while hunting. But bipod hunting isn't a faultless endeavor. Shooting sticks, or my personal preference of Primos Trigger-Sticks are a more versatile option. Bipods add weight, and aren't easy to maneuver on the stand.

The vertical foregrip, I must say, just doesn't make much sense to me on a full size bolt action unless you have some sort of disability. Vertical foregrips give better muzzle stability for short carbines, but on a full length rifle, they only add weight and bulk. You'll find yourself snagging it on things, or find it digging into your shoulder/back while portaging, and not actually helping your accuracy or shooting stability in the least. And to be brutally honest, it will just look dumb on a bolt action rifle. I do use them on a couple AR-15's, but only in 16" barrel versions that don't have enough room under the nose for my hand.