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Post by Dutch on Oct 23, 2012 5:33:49 GMT -5
When I was testing loads in my 260 years ago, I could never get a Nosler to shoot worth a darn. Sierra's were the best, with enough 1-1.25 inch groups to satisfy me. the Noslers just were 2.5-3 inch bullets, and that wasn't what I wanted.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2012 6:54:56 GMT -5
My favorite deer rifle is my Browning A-bolt hunter in .257 Roberts. It is a deer killing machine. While I have a whole bunch of rifles ranging from .243 Winchester upt to .416 Remington Magnum, I keep going back to the .257. I don't take shots at running deer, and wait for an opening where the bullet doesn't have to pass through ten yards of mountain laurel, so the old "brush busting" stuff doesn't apply. A 117 grain Sierra Game King boattail bullet with 48 grains of MRP powder pushing it seems to be what the rifle likes. If we are including black bear in the question, my choice if I could only own one rifle would be a bolt action in .30-06. I dislike pumps except for shotguns. They are fine guns, but not for me. My dad used a 257 roberts--My uncle built it for him using a springfield action, It was topped off wi th a straight 4x unertal scope--that gun took a lot of Pa deer over the years. |
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Post by acorn20 on Oct 23, 2012 13:19:04 GMT -5
I've always liked the feel of the Model 99 Savages. I've got several calibers but my favorite is a .300 Savage pushing a 150 grain corelokt.
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Post by onlytrophies4me on Oct 23, 2012 13:45:43 GMT -5
I'm pretty partial to a Remington 700 in .243 for Whitetails and the same in 30-06 when looking for a black bear.
Some of the folks make me laugh, thinkin they need a big magnum to take down whitetails! My 243 with 100 grain boolit's has taken down more deer than I can remember!!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2012 14:46:42 GMT -5
Bullet placement is the far most important thing, all other things being equal. Perhaps the second most important would be using bullets that are right for the velocity at which they strike the target and to the specific target. For example, I have shot a ton of deer using Sierra Game King boattail bullets out of my.257 Roberts and my all weather stainless steel .30-06. The Game king boattail is a fairly lightly constructed bullet and is not appropriate to be used in a .300 Weatherby because it is not tough enough to stand up to the impact at hight velocities. Such as the Swift A-frame or Trophy Bonded would be better choices for the higher velocities, and also for tougher game. For black bears I use Nosler Partitions or better. I think this is what you want a bullet to do. All of the bullets below were recovered from DEAD animals. Hard to recover a bullet from one that didn't die, but it can be done. I did recover a piece of a bullet from the femur of an elk that I shot in 1999. The bullet had obviously been in the leg for a year or more. It is not included here.  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2012 17:51:26 GMT -5
I've always liked the feel of the Model 99 Savages. I've got several calibers but my favorite is a .300 Savage pushing a 150 grain corelokt. I used to hunt with one as a teen. Man I miss that gun. It was my Great Grandma's and when she died it was put to auction. It went for $450 which was too rich for me.  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2012 17:59:39 GMT -5
I've always liked the feel of the Model 99 Savages. I've got several calibers but my favorite is a .300 Savage pushing a 150 grain corelokt. Amen Dan!! Both my GranPaps hunted with the ole 300 Savage!! Wish i woulda held on to their 99's for sure.  I have quite a few of Dad's treasures though passed on to me!  |
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Post by rommel on Oct 23, 2012 18:47:17 GMT -5
I am a 6.5x 55 fan as well!! Got me a CZ 550fs that is accurate as can be and lays the hammer down on deer
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Post by dennyf on Oct 23, 2012 21:00:42 GMT -5
A former BIL had a M760 in 300 Savage that he bought new in the 60s. When I started hunting with him in the mid 70s, he grumbled that he regretted not getting that rifle in 30-06, but his dad talked him into the 300 Savage.
He handed it to me one night at their camp. I looked it over, then asked him how much deader any of the bucks he'd taken with it would've been, had he gotten it in 30-06. That got some of the guys in the room snickering. He never grumbled about it me to afterwards.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2012 8:47:07 GMT -5
When I first got married I layed away a 760 in 300 Savage for my wife. When I went in to pick it up the gunshop had a new 7600 in 7mm-08 setting there, not even on the rack yet. I asked if I could buy that instead and the shop owner switched my deposit to the 7-08 and I walked out with it. My wife used the 7-08 for three years and she always felt it was too long to suit her so I bought her a Win 94 in .44 mag with a 16" pipe on it. She liked it. Now I was on a power trip back then and wouldn't use anything less than the .30-06 so I sold the 7mm-08. I have regretted that for years and if I would have only kept it I know it would be my go to rifle now.
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Post by berkscoflinter on Oct 24, 2012 9:39:57 GMT -5
I have an older model Remington 700 in .270 cal. that made meat on many occasions, but it has been cased and in the closet for several years, receiving an annual cleaning and oiling, and a quick peek through the Leupold 2 X 7 scope. If I venture out at all during the "rifle" season, I carry my flintlock. |
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Post by gemihur on Aug 24, 2022 20:29:57 GMT -5
I just really dig the break-actions I've been addicted to contenders for years but recently got into encores I'm always shaping wood so I trimmed up a chunk of walnut  |
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Post by Loggy on Aug 25, 2022 4:57:58 GMT -5
Very nice!!!
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Post by davet on Aug 25, 2022 6:02:22 GMT -5
I just really dig the break-actions I've been addicted to contenders for years but recently got into encores I'm always shaping wood so I trimmed up a chunk of walnut Very nice work!! I use to have two Contender frames....one for a .223 and the other for a pistol. Had a 7-30 Waters pistol barrel that was a 100yd one ragged hole shooter. Killed a groundhog at 130yds with it. Sold all my T\C stuff except my Encore. That's my decade turkey shotgun!! |
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Post by timberdoodle on Aug 25, 2022 16:53:50 GMT -5
Well my grandaughter "borrowed" my 22-250 and killed two bucks back to back years. She hasn't hunted since then so I don't know if she will get back into it or not. Two weeks ago I travelled to Md to pin a badge on her. Montgomery County Police Department. She sent me a picture today in a text saying she won the best shooter patch. I thought well good for you girl. I was wondering what caliber so I called her but no answer. She called stated she was working till 5:00 PM and couldn't answer. Told her I was proud of her and inquired as to the caliber of the rifle she was shooting. She said it was a sniper rifle and she put three in the head at 450 yards. I said great What caliber? Not a clue. She doesn't know .... three in the head that's all that mattered. You can put a girl in uniform but you can't take the girl part out of it.  |
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Post by CoureurDeBois on Aug 25, 2022 18:34:49 GMT -5
I really don't have a go to rifle or caliber for deer. I have killed deer with a 222, 22-250, 243, 257 Roberts, 7mm Mauser, 7mm-08, 30-30, 32 Winchester Special, 308 and 30-06. Those calibers have been in either a bolt action, lever actions, or pump actions and a couple of those calibers have been in 2 different actions types.
If for some reason I had to pick and only hunt with one it would probably be a 308 in a pump. But then again I've killed a lot of deer with a 243 in a Remington pump.
The only rifle in my cabinet that I would consider a go to rifle is, if I'm hunting elk, my Ruger Model 77 in 30-06.
When it comes to Bear, the 222, and 22-250 is out, and the 243 is questionable .
My go to rifle the last couple of years has been determined more by weight and ease of handling than by caliber or action type. I have two rifles that fit those criteria, a Winchester Model 94, pre 64 in 32 special with a peep sight, and , just purchased last year, a Ruger American Youth model in a 308 with a 2x7 Leupold scope.. Both will handle deer or bear, so those are what I now carry.
At the same time there will always be a place in my heart for my Remington 7600 308.
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Post by moosemike on Aug 26, 2022 6:59:35 GMT -5
Interesting thread. Most of the posters are deleted
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Post by davet on Aug 26, 2022 7:28:51 GMT -5
I've been fortunate enough to take a buck during archery season. Last year that didn't happen and I did venture out (IIRC) 3 days during rifle. First time out I took a Savage that I wrenched together (wicket accurate rifle) in 6.5x55 Swede. That rifle proved to be a bit clumsy when trying to maneuver around the upright roof post on my cart. So, the following two times I took a Winchester 1894 in 30-30. I call it my "concealed carry rifle"  as the barrel (all of this rifle is factory) is 16.125" long and the LOP is 13.5". It's very handy to use, easy to "swing around" and for the distances I was shooting at, would have done the job on any whitetail. But....alas...no deer last year. But I did get some post new-year pics of what today is (I think) that 10PT buck. |
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I have quite a few of Dad's treasures though passed on to me! 
as the barrel (all of this rifle is factory) is 16.125" long and the LOP is 13.5". It's very handy to use, easy to "swing around" and for the distances I was shooting at, would have done the job on any whitetail.