1st deer rifle
 

What was your 1st deer rifle. Brand, model, caliber/cartridge.

Mine was actually a loner from my father, a Rem.700 in .308.

The 1st one I bought was Marlin 336 in 30-30.

So lets hear about your 1st.

Mine was an old Winchester 30-06 with a custom stock, trigger, and barrel that I bought from the estate of a local preacher when I was a teen. He had quite a large rifle collection and wanted them to be sold to local youth if possible. I would bet that that old Winchester weighed at least ten pounds but it did shoot well. I cut a lot of grass to buy that rifle.

Sporterized 03A3 in 30-06 that my Dad made and gave me in 1973. It had a gorgeous walnut stock he made from a blank chunk of wood. I finally quit using it with that stock and dropped it into a black synthetic Ramline stock 20 years ago and now only use it up in northern MI for whitetails. The wood stock is wrapped up and kept in my closet just to look at once in a while to remember him and the good old days we had together!

Thompson center hawkins 50cal that my dad buit for me from a kit

Marlin Levergun Model 336C in .35 Rem.

Grew up in New Jersey and a lot of us hunted the Tri-state area because you couldn't hunt with rifles in NJ.

The .35 Rem was recommended for those who wanted to hunt black bear after deer season.

Still have that rifle although I don't use it much now that I live out here in California.

I killed my first deer when I was in college, hunting in northwest Colorado with one of my roommates and I borrowed a Win 94 chambered in 32 Win Spl.

The next year I hunted with him in that same area again and I had both a deer and an elk tag in my pocket. That year I carried a sporterized .30-40 Krag. I killed a 5 pt bull elk.

The following year I bought my first centerfire rifle, a .30-06 Herter's Model U-9 barreled action that I put into a Herter's semi-inleted stock. I used that rifle for about 8 years, then had it rechambered to .30 Gibbs and it became my elk rifle, and I built a .257 AI on a Mauser Mark X barreled action that I put into a Fajen stock. Now after almost 40 years later, that is still my primary deer rifle.

Mine was an old Sporterized Enfield. In 30-06. Still had the Original Barrel, Bolt, & Sights. It was a HEAVY Rifle. Thing mustve weighed 20 Pounds! (Or atleast it did when I was 12)! It was a hard hitting, flat shooting, Rifle. Killed many a deer with that old gun.

Thats awesome Top!

Yep, Dad got me started when I was 5 or 6 way back in the early 50s and he had two original Springfields that were in excellent shape. I don't even recall where/when he got them it's been so long ago. He sporterized one for me and had it blued, the barrel cut off slightly and recrowned, the bolt turned and the safety redone on it. I had bought property up in northern MI early in 73 and then a new Chrysler to get back and forth reliably from down here. I didn't even have a rifle to hunt with up there, as it is all shotgun down here in lower MI where I live and after buying the land and car the money was a little tight. He surprised me and brought it up from Texas that November deer season and I ended up killing a nice 8 pointer in an all out blizzard opening night when I shouldn't have even been out hunting. I guess it was just meant to be because that buck almost walked right over top of me it was snowing/blowing so hard. I can remember that just like a lot of other hunts just like it happened yesterday! I killed an awful lot of stuff after that with it until I sort of retired it and started using the pre 64 Model 70, Ruger, and Sakos he passed on to me when he quit hunting in his early 80s. He died 5 days shy of 89 on 9/11/11.

Sheridan, that was my primary gun this year.
Truth of the matter is I don't think it killed deer any deader than its 30-30 counterpart but 35 loyalist will tell ya different.

You know, I always wanted one of those in a 30-30 or 35, but never got around to buying one and it's been all bolt actions for me.

Nice guns under certain circumstances. I've owned 2 no complaints.

Wow! Great story. It sounds like your dad was a good man.

Winchester Model 1894 in 30-30. My Grandfather gave me and my brother both one when we were 8. Took my first mulie ( a 3x3) with it when I was 9. I've bought and sold a lot of guns over the years but that old 30-30 will be in my guncase until they put me in a casket.

And i'll bet that ole 30-30 will still be killing deer long after youre in a casket.

Marlin 336 in 30 30. Purchased new for $129.95. That was a few days ago.

Remington 700 BDL in 22-250, I topped it with a Tasco fixed 6 power scope...This was in 1970...

A winchester model 70 ranger youth in 243 with a redfield widefield 2-7.

A Marlin 30-30 of course.

An as-issued 1903 Springfield. Took a doe.

BAR in .270 win.

was probably too big for me when I was first starting out, now it feels like a puppy dog.

still have it, loves cheap 130grs.

Kind of want another .270 probably a bolt action, but probably will never sell my BAR.

Growing up and starting deer hunting in the 70's it was a Marlin 336C in 30/30 that I had to pay for with my own money. I mounted an old Weaver 4X scope (circa 1950) that my grandfather gave me. Actually never killed a deer with it. Several pigs in NC.

In the early 80's my dad lost the sight in his shooting eye so I swapped out his Remington 700 in 30/06 for my Marlin. He did kill several deer with it before he passed.

The Marlin is now on loan to a friend in PA and I know she keeps her freezer full. Is a good gun I just never had it with me when a deer arrived on stand.

A remmington in 7mm mauser that my dad let me use. I shot 5 or 6 deer with it while growing up, and then when I was about 19 I bought a springfield in 30-06 for my own first deer rifle.

The first deer I killed was with my dads 1966 Chevy Apache 10
Pickup.
The second one was with the win.30/30 mod 94. .I bought
As soon as I got out of the service.

My first deer rifle was a sporterized Mauser 98 chambered in 6MM Remington. I wish I'd have never parted with that gun!

Remington Model 700 ADL in 30-06. Anything I put through it shot MOA or less except for the Hornady superformance. Now I have a .270 in a 700 and it loves everything I have put through it to.

Sears model 53 in .270 (Winchester model 70 sold under the Sears name). Bought it used for under $200 and never plan on selling it.

If it's a pre 64 you better not, or I'll be coming out to CA after you, LOL!

From what I've read on the internet, about 25% of these Sears rifles were pre-64 with a controlled round feed. Mine has a push feed bolt so is obviously post 64. It's still an excellent rifle and one I won't sell. Now if I find another Sears model 53 with a controlled feed bolt, you can bet I'll buy it. If I happen to find 2, I'll give you a call. :D

The first deer rifle I bought myself was a ruger 77 mkII in 7mm remington.

Goosh I remember when Sears actually had a decent outdoors dept. The good ole before hunting and fishing were dirty words.

My first deer rifle was a remington 7400 semi auto in .243. First deer was killed with New England firearms single shot 20 ga. I used my dad's 1100 12 ga after that. My first rifle deer kill was with grandpa .308 before I got .243.

Marlin 336 (circa 1971) in 30-30.

Paw paw's old Winchester 94 30-30. Killed my very first deer with it and a few after that, I'll never part ways with it!

My first deer rifle was a Winchester model 94 chambered for 30/30. My dad bought it used some place for my birthday After the second year I was able to deer hunt. A fellow dad worked with did reloads for it, I can't remember the powder or grains but it had 150gr. silver tips bullets. I can't remember how many deer I got with it over the years but stopped using it so much in 1971 when I got a Remington 700 in 243. I still have it today, it has a reputation in the family as Al's slum gun. If it was raining or a wet sticky snow that is the rifle I took to the woods.
Today it sports a Lyman #2 peep site tang mounted.

:D Al

Browning A-5 with foster slugs.

My Uncle gave me my Pre 64 model 94 30-30 when I was 12. That was 37 years ago... I still have it and might try and hunt with it this year if I can see the sights!!!

Callhunter I have one as well I paid 175 for mine added a Butler Creek stock and Pentex scope. I have a 270 under 425$ You could not buy that rifle.. I have Abolt in 270 that sits as my Ted Williams is a shooter...