Deer season gun

Just wondering what y’all are using. In a world with more options than one could shake a stick at, I’m curious. Sure this has been hashed out numerous times but people change flavors fairly often. Whatcha using and why?

308, 25-06, 257 Roberts and 280. Roberts and 280 are full custom builds. I use them because they shoot lights out with the loads developed and both get the job done with ease. The 308 was my go to for several years but I kinda put it on the back burner for a bit. The 25-06
Is my ultimate deer gun but it sees little use these days. It’s got too much sentimental value.

Remington Model 600 6mm shooting Remington 100 gr. Core Lokt factory loads. Favorite deer gun of all time for me.

Moosetrot

This season on nostalgic days a mod 1894 in 30/30 and on the more modern thinking days a AR 15 in either 6.5 Grendel or in the brush in 458 SOCOM but I am thinking the 94 mostly just because

Winchester XPR in 30-06 topped with a Burris Eliminator scope firing 125 grain Hornady custom lite ammo. Would normally use a 150 grain bullet, but that gun loves those custom lites. Last 2 years I killed 2 deer within a half hour, and all 4 were heart shots.

I've also got a Remington 7600 pump, also in 30-06, topped with some Hawke glass. Taking it to the range on Thursday to try a handful of different factory loads to see what it likes best. Hoping it shoots the custom lites well, as I may let my city slicker brother hunt with it this year.

I'm old school,I like the old timers.I took the 45/70 and 8mm out today and shot a couple of rounds to make sure they're shooting where they should.Why do I like them?Personal preference.All deer size calibers will work,I get bored really quick when some gun cranks pull out the ballistic charts proving the .30/06 outshoots the .270,the .308 out does the .280,the 30/30 is a piece of junk,blah blah blah.Here in the U.P. of Michigan I either in a cedar swamp or hardwood ridges,and I do just fine with what I shoot.Whatever you can handle,afford,and shoot well is the gun to use.

Browning a-bolt 270 win nikon scope. Weatherby badlands in 257 wby leupold scope and a Begara ridge in 6.5 creedmour leupold scope. Winchester ballistic 130 gr in the 270 . Nosler ballistic 115 gr in the 257 wby and hornady eld 140 gr in the 6.5.

I have some 325gr hornady xtps that are loaded up in my 458socom that i need to test out on something this year. I also have some 168gr combined technology ballistic silvertips loaded in my 308 that needs testing on something this year. Last year i tested out a couple 30-06 loads between barnes ttsx and sierra gamechangers...the gamechangers won hands down and will probably take another couple deer this year with them too. Gonna break out the 30-30 marlin 336 and let my oldest boy do some target practice and try my best to get his first deer this year. Hopefully by next deer season i will be good enough to take out my recurve for my first traditional archery deer.

If you are hand loading, What was your load data on the game changers? I bought a box but haven’t played with them yet and don’t want to waste too many finding a good load.

H&R Ultra Slug gun in 12 gauge shooting 2 3/4 Hornady SST slugs.

Been using a Model 7, 7mm-08 for last few years. Going back to old school, got a pair of Marlins in .35 Remington, 1 is 1958 , other is 1968 . Just feels good to carry these 2 guns.

Have never shot one with a slug so until I get one: Mossberg 20ga with Nikon scope.

742 woods master in 30-06 or a 308 mossberg depends what my son wants to use.

why , cause they make holes in and out

never shot a deer at any long distance and I stock bullets in .308 and load them in 30-06 and 308 as needed.

it doesn't much matter the 30-06 I load for the 742 is going 308 velocity as the 742 gets battered by hot loads, talk about a great handling woods deer gun that Remington screwed up on in so many ways .
shoulders like a shot gun fast and easy to point.

sabots or foster slugs ?

I have a 20ga mosberg with 24 inch rifled barrel and nikon 2-7x32 mounted on it , it is a game changer in a shotgun only area almost a 444 marlin with those sabots

Winchester hollow point rifled slugs, smooth barrel youth turkey gun(changed the choke), Nikon Buckmaster scope because the "iron" sites were horribly off and not adjustable.

Oh man! I didn’t even talk loads but since it’s been brought up, here goes. The 308 runs on a load of 8208 XBR with a Hornady 155 A-max. It zips along pretty fast for a 308 and has killed deer from 15 feet out to 663 yards. Couldn’t honestly tell the number it’s taken in the few years I’ve had it because it was used heavily for CD permits for a bit but inside 200 yards, that bullet typically performs very well. Beyond that it gets a bit funky. Deer die quickly at all ranges so far but beyond 300, it’s probably not coming out of the deer.

The quarterbores both run 100 grain bullets (NBT’s in the ‘06 with IMR 4350 and Sierra GK’s in the Bob over 8208 XBR) with devastating results for both.

280 is punching a Hornady 162 ELD-X at just under 3k FPS. With velocity like that, I don’t need a 7mm RM. Thinking my niece is gonna use it this year when I take her out opening day.

I guess I’m kinda the odd man out here judging by the replies. For the last ten years I’ve carried the same weatherby vanguard .270 with a 4-16x50 Nikon monarch shooting cheap Winchester 130gr. ammo. I’ve killed many deer with it, my wife and my son both killed their first deer with it. It’s been reliable and accurate. Anytime I head out to kill something bigger than a coyote I reach for that rifle. Is it weird to say I have a sort of bond with it? It’s hard to explain. I just trust it, and when it’s in my hands I have complete confidence that I will hit anything I pull the trigger on. I’ve hiked well over a hundred miles with it on my shoulder, no other rifle feels right.

Not at all. Much respect for the guy that carries one gun. I carried a 270 for quite some time. Still like the caliber but my true love is still the 25-06. Kinda happened on the custom guns in an odd way and seeing what they have to offer swayed me. Keep beating that 270 through the woods man. I’m sure it’s got a lot of stories to tell.

When I get out ...... it’s a .45 cal patched Round Ball and fixed iron sights

Remington Model 31a 20 gauge shotgun, no scope. I never shot a deer with anything else, and even now that I live where I can use any gun, see no reason to change.

Too many "favorites" to pick just one.

Ruger 44 magnum carbine with 1-4 power Leupold.
My other Ruger 44 magnum carbine with red dot scope.
Colt A2 Sporter in 7.62 X 39.
Remington 700 BDL in 308.
Remington 870 with custom stock, cantilever Hastings slug barrel with 1-4 power Leupold.

The hardest part is making the final choice right before I go out the door.

Currently, I am relying upon a Browning Bar3 in 7mm-08 after years of using a Thompson enter Encore in 30-06 with 180 gr soft points. I reload 154 gr bullets for the 7mm-08. The 7mm-08 I s very accurate round with low recoil.

Ruger M77 25-06 my dad bought me when I was 11 been shooting it for 24 years now plan to buy my kids each there own rifle when they turn 10

.270

Been using Ruger M77 25-06 for the past 20+ years, this year I used the Remington 700 .270WSM. It’s hard using anything other than the 25-06, just shoots really nice.

Most years it is a Ruger .44 carbine.

Plain Jane 788 remington .243 carbine...100 gr core-lokts...shoots exactly where its pointed..

Hunting Sitka blacktails in AK, I've taken my Ruger Model 77 .300 Win Mag, with a Leupold VariX-III scope.

Next year, when I plan to hunt in Ohio, I'll use a Ruger No. 1 in .405 Win, topped with a Nikon Monarch 3 scope.

Jim

Ruger Model 77, Mk II in 30-06 when I am sitting on stand at the big farm. Walking/driving I'll carry great grandpa's Model 64 in 30-30.

Muzzleloader season out comes my .50cal flintlock.

Model 94 ae XTR in .307

Howa model 1500 270 bolt action. As to why, I grew up reading Jack O'Connor and he said their is no big game in North America that can't be hunted with the 270. Eric

I probley will take my weatherby 270 I got a few years ago when gander mountain had there store closing sell. I may take my 45 long colt lever gun if I can figure out a way to plug it so it will only hold 7 shells. We cant hold more then seven here.

My dad has a 788 243, great gun. Do you know what year it was made? Dads was sometime in the 80's

I've had my 280 for 25 years, love it,shot ellk,mule deer,prong horn,whitetails with it and a few coyotes.If I was buying another riflr it would be 300 mag,or a 7mm mag possibly a 338 but the 300 would be my first choice along with my 280.

Typically it would be the custom 300 WSM, but I think I will dust off the Sendero 7MM STW this year.

.50 Cal. or the .375 HH magnum, some deer take a lot of killing. The last ten pointer I killed needed two shots from the 5.56 to knock him down, though the first shot would have killed him.

This Year i wanted to carry my Browning A bolt SS in a .25-06. I did and took a Buck & Doe.
Usually I carry my 7mm. Mag shooting 140gr Rem Ultra bondeds. Or my Rem 600 Mohawk carbine in .243

This season I just felt that Rifle calling my name.

700 BDL 6mm had it over 40 years now. BUT this year tried out my new savage axis 270. great shooting rifle. The ole 6 mm comes out now that I have 12 crop tags to fill. 87 grain spritzer

Ruger M77 in .264 win mag is my got to gun. I bought it new around 1990 I believe.
Winchester model 70 pre 64 in 30-06

I use this 308 and have been using it since 2011. Why? Because I like the way it shoots and it was only five dollars...

I have one in 222 that is the most accurate rifle I have ever seen. It has a 26 inch barrel and I bought it in 1978 from K-mart for 129.00 . It came with a 4 power tasco scope. Just now read the info below and see they made them in 30-30 and 44 mag



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_788

Which ever strikes my fancy that day really. Of late though my go to has been Remington R-15 (their AR-15) in 30 RemingtonAR. It's by far the best 30 caliber round in the AR-15. Ballistics wise it's between a 30-30 and a 300 Savage.

Smith & Wesson 1500 .270 using Remington 130gr pointed soft point with Nikon 4-12x50 glass.

I guess it'll be sticking with the ole Winchester 94 in 32 spl. Caliber.

Its been awhile since its killed anything. So now is a good time to start.

Always reliable for me. No scope.

Ok. I'll bite. Which raffle won ya that?

I can see something on the stock, but can't make it out on my phone

Just bought the Savage 350 Legend. Iowa limits you to shotgun (slugs) or straight wall cartridges.

me, too...except in .308 win.

Moosetrot and white marlin my first gun was a model 600 in 308 and I have kicked myself everytime I think about the fact I traded it. I still love short guns. I now shoot a Tikka T3 in a 270WSM if my wife won't let me have the Remington model 722 in the 257 Roberts caliber.

This is one that I’m slightly curious about. I’ve found no real world experience with this other than gun “gurus” singing its praises but no one that’s actually used it has stepped forward. It’s a new round obviously so I’m curious as to how it really performs. Keep us posted if you don’t mind. Seems as though it’s got some promise given it’s niche area it’s trying to occupy.

I understand....can't tell you how many times guys came up to me wanting to buy it. My Dad bought two of them (nearly identical, but one didn't have the ventilated rib) in the 60's. My first 5 or 6 years of hunting, Dad and I both used those little 600's. They make a distinctive, helluva "CRAAAAAAAACK!" when they go off. He later started using his Dad's '06.

but this one will never be for sale, as long as I live...too many memories!

I got a Win model 70 in 7MM mag does the job.

Remington 700 Classic 8mm Rem Mag.
Remington 700 North American Custom 8mm Rem Mag. SS
Remington 700 BDL 8mm Rem Mag.

My dad started using the 8mm Rem Mag back when it came out in 1977. I remember tagging along with him in 1978 and seeing him really wallop a deer with it. Years later for my 18th birthday my dad gave me his rifle. I hunted with it for a few years and managed to keep it in very good condition. When Remington released the classic in 8mm Mag in 1998 I bought one and replaced the wood stock with an HS Precision synthetic stock. It is well traveled taking many WV deer, Maine black bear, Maine Moose, Colorado Elk, Quebec Caribou, South Dakota Buffalo, and several Georgia hogs. It fits me perfectly and points like an extension of my arm.

Eventually I want to pick up a 700 280 Mountain DM from the late 80’s early 90’s as I have always liked them.

I have a Rem 700BDL LH in 270, but the last few years I have returned to a Rem 760 BDL LH, I ordered when I was in high school. I paid $250 for it that I earned selling crawdads. Shoot 165gr corelocks. Must be getting older, good memories are more important than getting a deer. Not saying I don't plan on getting a deer and still get serious about it. Might try a Ruger Blackhawk in 30 cal.carbine during the late alternate weapons season.

I just took mine out of the cabinet tonight. Early 80s model .243. It's going to the woods tomorrow. Most likely a deer is coming home. I have filled 26 tags with this gun, and several that others claimed they shot and I let slide. My father put many deer in the freezer with it too. It has multiple kills beyond 300yds, at least 3 beyond 400yds, and 1 at 550yds. It's best day in the woods was 4 deer with 4 shots, should have been 5, but had a bad primer not fire.


I pitty the deer tomorrow.

My go to is a Browning A bolt 280 This girl never lets me down

Haven’t settled on one yet. Might be the Rem 721 264 win mag or the 722 257.

ruger #1 in 45/70.

Looks just like my dads 243. I wonder if they made them with a darker wood stock?

Weatherby 243 - Normal non windy day
Tikka UL 7MM Mag - Windy or i know where a monster is and dont want him to run away!

.[/quote]
Looks just like my dads 243. I wonder if they made them with a darker wood stock?[/quote]



There are several colors.

Most of the .243 I've seen have looked like this. I had a 22-250 that was really dark, that gun had an unfortunate accident and we parted ways. My .44 mag is darker. The others we have, and have had are all light colored.