Deer Gun

[EaternDeerHunter]

I am just getting started in deer hunting in the new england area. I would like to purchase a good gun that I could not only use for deer but someday venture out west and maybe try for a mule deer or even elk. Does anyone have any ideas? Thankyou

[EaternDeerHunter]

I am also curious what action type to get.

[farmer]

Bolt action is the best way to go. The action is very dependable and can be reloaded quickly.

As for caliber there are many options available:

270 and 30-06 are very common and the ammo can be purchased from just about any location. Both are excellent cartridges and capable of taking any of the game animals you listed.

If ammo cost is not a problem then the 257 and 300 Weatherby are available in the Weatherby Vanguard rifle at a very reasonable cost. The 257 Weatherby is about 300 fps faster than the 270 but the bullets are lighter and it is of smaller caliber (still has greater power though). The 300 Weatherby is 500fps faster than the 30-06 with equal bullets and generates over 1000 ft/lbs more energy. If you eventually go hunting in open areas greater velocity will increase your range.

Make sure you spend money on your scope, money really is the deciding factor when it comes to quality of rifle scopes.

[EaternDeerHunter]

Thankyou -Eric

[Todd G.]

If I was looking at a list of cartridges that would cover deer on up to elk I would probably include the following:

.270 Winchester
.280 Remington
.30-06 Springfield
.308 Winchester
.270 WSM
7mm WSM
.300 WSM

If I had to choose a favorite, or two, I'd look at the .280, .308, or .30-06.

Quite frankly, its very hard to argue against a .30-06!

[EaternDeerHunter]

Thankyou for the advice. I have been looking at rifles and I was wondering what is good rifling specifically is 1-10 good? Thanks -Eric

[farmer]

Rifling is the grooves cut into the inside of the barrel, the grooves grip the bullet and force it to spin imparting stabalizing forces. Most manufactures have designed the rate of twist, given in turns per inches, to give the greatest range of use. Given the variaty of bullet weights on the market it is possible to come up with bullets that will not be stabalized in a given rifle and thus require special twists but in general any rifle from a mainstream company will already have the proper twist for almost any loaded ammunition that can be pruchased.
In other words unless you plan to shoot a custom made super heavy or ultra light bullet don't worry about the rate of twist.

[Buckbuster]

I guess it's typically a guy thing to raise up the hood and see what makes a thing work, then try and figure out how to make it work better, but for me selecting a rifle is as much about personal preferences as it is load, muzzle velocity, etc. Bottom line, a .270 put in the right spot will kill an elk just as fast as a .308, 7mm Mag or any other rifle. When the shot doesn't go in exactly the right spot there can be some advantage to having more impact because of the "collateral damage".

Personally, I'd recommend that you shoulder a rifle to see how it fits and feels, work the bolt to see how you like that action youself, and load some rounds in the magazine to get the feel of how easy that is to do. Once you've made the decision, then comes the real challenge. Spend as much time learning how to shoot the firearm you picked out, and become the best shot you can be. And that doesn't mean going to the range the day before the season opens and cranking off three rounds to make sure that your scope is still on target!

Learn to judge distance until you can call a target within 5 yards of the actual distance, or get a laser rangefinder. A .308 that zips over or under an animal, or a shot that is jerked off line to become a gut shot accounts for more stories that are centered around blaming a rifle for not getting a big buck.

I'm talking about investing your time in becoming a good shot/hunter and not hoping that you can get there by buying a better rifle. Every rifle, no matter what the specs, goes where it is pointed by the person pulling the trigger. The shooter is the biggest variable in rifle performance, not the load or the caliber.

That said, have you see the new .243 WSM?

Buckbuster