Hunting Rifle Recommendations (Whitetail Deer)

[NECowboy]

Hey all:

Looking at buying a rifle for whitetail deer season. We have a few mulies too but mostly whitetail where I go hunt. Reading about take-down power and caliber I think I like the .30-06.

Any recommendations on hunting rifles?

Needing to go to Cabela's one of these weekends and take a look.

 

[TCRanch]

30-06. May want earplugs

 

[dun]

Anything from a 257 Roberts through as big as you want to go. 25-06, 270, 308, 30-06, 260 Remington, 7mm 08, there are just too many to choose from. I would first find a rifle that I liked and could afford then think about caliber.

 

[Caustic Burno]

7mm-08 hard to beat plus has resale
Local gun shop has plenty of 06's just not popular anymore.

 

[True Grit Farms]

The 300 Remington ultra-mag, or a 30-378 Wby. mag. You'll have all the knockdown power you can handle. Both are great long range calibers and they buck the wind excellent. Doesn't the wind blow hard out there NECowboy?

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Just get the 06 you can buy ammo for them anywhere and will do the job just fine.

 

[Brute 23]

I like the .243, .280, .308 calibers as opposed to .270, 30-06, ect. They have the same knock down with out the recoil.

 

[Duramaxgirl]

I use a 6.5×55mm Swedish Mauser. And its perfect for deer and elk. For lager game I think a .06 would be better. I like how my Swedish Mauser doesn't kick as hard as the .06. My dad bought it for me when I was like 14.

 

[jltrent]

Just get the 06 you can buy ammo for them anywhere and will do the job just fine.

+1 You can buy them for a good price and ammo available for anything all the way up to elephant. Also they want break you shoulder like some of the newer magnum rounds.

 

[callmefence]

Just get the 06 you can buy ammo for them anywhere and will do the job just fine.

+1 You can buy them for a good price and ammo available for anything all the way up to elephant. Also they want break you shoulder like some of the newer magnum rounds.

+2
O6 Will do the job and you can get ammo anywhere .

 

[Boots]

I use a 243. Recoil is very manageable for me.

 

[greybeard]

I don't find that my Wetherby .270 kicks all that hard at all. Have shot my brother's 300--it's a little harder but not much.

 

[kenny thomas]

Anything from a 257 Roberts through as big as you want to go. 25-06, 270, 308, 30-06, 260 Remington, 7mm 08, there are just too many to choose from. I would first find a rifle that I liked and could afford then think about caliber.

Dun, you and I may be the only ones on CT that owns a 257 Roberts. Mine is in a Ruger 77 tang safety.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My 06 hasn't been out of the gun safe in 15 years except to oil, gave my 7mm mag to a cousin that used to like me.
When it gets down to deer just hard to beat the old 30-30 and 06 both have lost popularity with the younger generation.
The most popular in this neck of the woods by the city hunters who fill the deer lease here would be 270 and 7-08.
Just necked down 308 and 06.

 

[greybeard]

My 06 hasn't been out of the gun safe in 15 years except to oil, gave my 7mm mag to a cousin that used to like me.

Hey--I Like ya...... :kid:

 

[SJB]

The chambering won't really matter. .243 and up. If you're on a budget, the new ruger American rifles are hard to beat for the money. Get you one in 7mm-08 or .308, or .243, or 30-06 and go kill stuff.

 

[kenny thomas]

The chambering won't really matter. .243 and up. If you're on a budget, the new ruger American rifles are hard to beat for the money. Get you one in 7mm-08 or .308, or .243, or 30-06 and go kill stuff.

Yes the new Ruger's seem to be good rifles. And the aim is more important than the caliber. When I was young I killed more deer with a 22 than I ever have with a rifle since.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I've got a couple ranging from a 243 to 300 Mag, but my favorite is a Thompson Center in .308. IMO, the scope is as important or maybe more important than the rifle in longer range situations. I have a Trijicon, mainly because it's an awesome low light scope. However most of the deer I kill here are under 150 yards. Killed no telling how many with a 30-30 and an old Tasco scope.

 

[NECowboy]

The 300 Remington ultra-mag, or a 30-378 Wby. mag. You'll have all the knockdown power you can handle. Both are great long range calibers and they buck the wind excellent. Doesn't the wind blow hard out there NECowboy?

Yeah it does where I hunt is not far from a river and lot of trees down there so not as bad as in the hills.

 

[ez14]

The chambering won't really matter. .243 and up. If you're on a budget, the new ruger American rifles are hard to beat for the money. Get you one in 7mm-08 or .308, or .243, or 30-06 and go kill stuff.

i've been looking at getting a .308 and its going to be a ruger american predator with the research i've done thats what i would recommend

I've got a couple ranging from a 243 to 300 Mag, but my favorite is a Thompson Center in .308. IMO, the scope is as important or maybe more important than the rifle in longer range situations. I have a Trijicon, mainly because it's an awesome low light scope. However most of the deer I kill here are under 150 yards. Killed no telling how many with a 30-30 and an old Tasco scope.

if i wasn't going with the ruger id probably get a Thompson Center but there a little more money