# Looking For a Good Deer Gun



## Backwater

I'm looking for a new rifle, and I'm currently thinking about the Browning X-Bolt Medallion chambered in either 6.5 Creedmore or 270 Winchester ,assuming I can find one somewhere I like the weight (6.1 Lbs), the barrel length and twist (22"/1-8), and from what I have been reading, the 6.5mm and .270 Winchester rounds provide a pretty stable round out to about 400 yards. Having never fired one, I'm leary about spending that much (@ $1,000) without getting some other folks' suggestions. What are your favorite rifle's, and why?


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## bobk

Where are you going to be hunting?


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## shot1buck

That’s the key question what species are we going after and what type of tag will you draw. What is the optics budget? A great gun with poor optics is not good. 
I hunt Ohio with 44 mag. I fell in love with the Ruger 77 series of rifles! I own 3 of them and each one has impressed enough that I started looking for another caliber to add to the collection. They run $750+. But I feel worth every penny!


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## Buckeye509

It does depend on where you are hunting and how far you can put a shot on target. Generally speaking an number of calibers will do very well and it becomes just a matter of personal preferance. In Ohio I like my TC Encore with MGM 18" 44 Magnum, or Marlin 336 in 375 Winchester. Where I hunt in Carroll County shots/visibility is usually less than 75 yards. If not restricted by regulation and hunting anywhere in the lower 48 states for deer I'd opt for a 308 Winchester


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## Lundy

Of your two possible calibers you mentioned I would take the 270 every time. Proven performer and a lot of ammo from a lot of manufacturers widely available.

As others has asked however what and where you intend to hunt will play a very large role in what the best caliber choice should be.


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## DH56

I have a Browning Gold Medalion in 30-06. I own several Browning's and like them all over the last 35 years. Gun shoots well and I have used mine in several states. One of my Best Mule deer was taken with it at just under 400 yards in Alberta. I have a couple of 270's as well. Both Calibers have done well for me.


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## 0utwest

Just bought a new one my self and chose a nosler 48 long range in 26 nosler caliber , For $1000 dollar price range my pick would be the Tikka T3x lite roughtech , Caliber depends on what your main game would be and your maximum shooting distance . Good luck there are a ton of opinions out there .


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## ironman172

About the only thing on the shelves around, in my travels is 270 & 7mm mag.... myself I would consider the availability of ammo .....and where your going to hunt (state)


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## Drm50

The 270 is good all around choice for deer rifle. If I was in the market for a rifle I would be looking hard in the used racks. The market is full of nice hunting rifles used. Prices are soft because the main focus today is anti personnel weapons. Nice rifles and shotguns are at a low in price. I had several 270s. Only one left is Ruger 77, 1st year production. I just sold the Browning and Rem 700 the last few months and just traded off a Rem 760. Most cartridges for deer rifles are personal choices and opinion. They all are deer capable. I would pick one that is not the latest fashion that may be gone after fad blows out. Also remember the feather weights and ultra lites kick more than standard rifle. Pencil barrels can also be finicky. I let a Weatherby MK5 300 / 3x9 go by the other day for $600. I had no use for it and not even a good chance to trade it off. That’s sad when you think gun is going for $400 and scope $200. Stack that up against what new low end rig would cost.


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## privateer

for PA and other Eastern states in open woods and farms, i go for the .270 in a Remington pump gun (760 or 7600). for brush busting (me, not the bullet) the Marlin 336 in 30-30 is light weight go to... Ohio would be the 45-70 in an older model Marlin or if newer Marlin, remove that damn side safety... if going out west, going long range with a 300 RUM to push that 1000-yd range.


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## Popspastime

I would opt for the 270 based on your choices. I've owned many and they are true performers with bullet weights from 90 grain to 170 grain. Also I wouldn't cut it short with a 24 inch barrel. I'd do the 26 inch all day. Why give away the extra speed? A new Winchester in a Mod 70 would be my choice, they have everything already done from the factory for accuracy, and their still worth something when you pass them on. Spend as much as you can on a good optic, it's the heart of the whole system.


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## ezbite

I agree with the .270 I have a buddy ive hunted with in PA for many years and he always uses a .270 he never lost a deer he hit. I remember one year he did the old texas heart shot at a running deer, man that thing was one big bloody mess when he cut it open to gut.


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## Drm50

A few years ago I shot damage permits with my Ruger 77/ K6x scope. Used 110gr BT Spitzers. Was head shooting from rest. We were making jerky and didn’t want any meat damage we could avoid. We wouldn’t shoot further than 200 yds. We weren’t shooting bucks at all. 270 with that load literally blew off their head. They would stand a few seconds then fall over. Never had one take a step after hit.


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## Backwater

shot1buck said:


> It does depend on where you are hunting and how far you can put a shot on target. Generally speaking an number of calibers will do very well and it becomes just a matter of personal preferance. In Ohio I like my TC Encore with MGM 18" 44 Magnum, or Marlin 336 in 375 Winchester. Where I hunt in Carroll County shots/visibility is usually less than 75 yards. If not restricted by regulation and hunting anywhere in the lower 48 states for deer I'd opt for a 308 Winchester


Sorry I missed everyone's input - I checked the email button, but apparently it didn't work right I intend this rifle for deer hunting out to about 400 yards. I hunt out west with my brother, but don't take many shots over 400 yards, and here in Ohio I'm hunting in heavy brush and the distances are much closer 75-100 yards. I'm looking for a light rifle, and for me that means a fairly short barrel. I use a Weaver Kaspa 40mm scope, which isn't top of the line, but has been good for me in the past. I had a Savage Model 12F/TR in 308 that I used for about 10 years, but screwed up the receiver on my last hunt. The sucker had a 30" barrel and weighed about 12.5 lbs, which made it heavy to lug around and tougher to site in smoothly in brushy areas. It was a target rifle that my father gave me, and so it had a lot of sentimental value. I'm thinking a 270 round will give me all the power I need for deer hunting, and the shorter barrel length (22") and lighter weight (6.1 Lbs) will make hunting a lot more fun With the 1-8" twist, my rounds will have more spin and hopefully less wind deflection. 
of the Medallion will make it


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## TimberTall

Will sell a Stainless Ruger .270 with a Nikon 50mm scope. And ammo....


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## TimberTall

TimberTall said:


> Will sell a Stainless Ruger .270 with a Nikon 50mm scope. And ammo....
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk













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## TimberTall

The other stainless Ruger is a .300 Win Mag, with or without the Zeiss scope...


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## Backwater

TimberTall said:


> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Looks like a nice rifle, but I prefer a wood stock and blued barrel. How long is the barrel and what does the rifle weigh?


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## ezbite

TimberTall said:


> The other stainless Ruger is a .300 Win Mag, with or without the Zeiss scope...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have that Ruger .300 win mag, after a muzzle break and thumbhole stock I can actually shoot it more than 3 times with out flinching and I'm able to move my arm the next day pain free.. so what im saying is.. that thing kicks like a mule..


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## Blackcat 86

I have a classic deer rifle for you to consider. It's a seldom used Remington M760 Gamemaster in .30-06 Springfield that will take down anything in North America in the wild, and most of what's in the zoo. It has a steel Weaver K6 scope mounted on tip-off rings, sling, and field case.


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## DUCKHEAD

Check out the new savage impulse. It's a straight pull back bolt action.


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## Junebug2320

Blackcat 86 said:


> I have a classic deer rifle for you to consider. It's a seldom used Remington M760 Gamemaster in .30-06 Springfield that will take down anything in North America in the wild, and most of what's in the zoo. It has a steel Weaver K6 scope mounted on tip-off rings, sling, and field case.


I plan on using one for an elk hunt in November! New Vortex scope on top.... 


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## wildromanian

Backwater said:


> I'm looking for a new rifle, and I'm currently thinking about the Browning X-Bolt Medallion chambered in either 6.5 Creedmore or 270 Winchester ,assuming I can find one somewhere I like the weight (6.1 Lbs), the barrel length and twist (22"/1-8), and from what I have been reading, the 6.5mm and .270 Winchester rounds provide a pretty stable round out to about 400 yards. Having never fired one, I'm leary about spending that much (@ $1,000) without getting some other folks' suggestions. What are your favorite rifle's, and why?


Do not forget good used guns as their is a million used bolt action deer rifles out there often for sale a bargain basement prices..

The most reliable bolt gun is still the 98 Mauser and its variations including the Husqvarna which is actually built on a modified Mauser 96 not 98. They often sell very reasonably. I saw one a few months ago for $400 bucks at the local gun store and it was like new and in 3006. Remember you can change out a broken extractor or firing pin in seconds with a 98 Mauser, you will not do that with a commercially made gun like a Remington 700 etc. The pre-64 Winchester is also a good gun but very expensive but do not rule out the post-64 Winchesters as they were much superior to the Remington 700 as far as reliability goes. The Savage 110 guns can often also be found at very reasonable prices.

I will make a recommendation that may surprise you but one of the fastest bolt guns in the world is the sporterized British .303 Enfield which cocks on closing. Many can be found for only a song in price. They, unlike many modern sporting rifles are very dependable and many can have their parts replaced in the field with little or no tools. Military rifles were built to take it and keep on ticking in the harshest of dust, dirt, and cold and they include the .303 British, 98 Mauser, 7mm and 6.5 Japanese Arisaka and 1903 Springfield or 1917 Enfield all of which can be found sportsitized and often at very rock bottom prices even in these days of rip off new gun prices. No modern bolt gun is as reliable or as well built or has the workmanship or is as easy to repair as the old military rifles.

If you are permitted go with a semi-auto. I used to shoot across NRA the course and we regularly shot out the bullseye at 600 yards with the M1A in .308 with iron sights but they are very expensive even used. You can find commercial guns like the Remington and Winchester semi-auto guns in 3006, .270. Win. , 280 Rem and .308. Remember a fast follow up shot with a semi-auto is superior to any bolt gun or even a pump gun.

And remember that field shooting is much different than shooting off of sand bags. The idea that you will get a shot much over 100 yards and connect is mostly pure fantasy and longer shots under field conditions are very difficult for the average guy who only knows how to shoot off of sand bags. That is why 3 position competition really sets apart the real riflemen from the weekend sandbag plinker. Learning how to shoot from the standing, sitting and prone positions is far more important than worrying about what caliber to buy or what model gun to buy. This all takes a lot of time and practice you will not learn it in a few hours, more like a year of intensive practice is necessary to really be able to connect on difficult shots under difficult field positions. Since ammo now is selling at obscene prices practicing with a .22 rimfire in 3 position shooting is probably your best alternative.

And do not forget about exercise,as too many once a year hunters cannot even walk 25 yards from their vehicle without being winded. In some places you may be required to climb or walk for miles not yards. Many a heart attack was caused by being overweight and being totally out of shape for vigorous exercise in the field.

And if you have a wife or family pay up on your life insurance as many an older hunter dropped dead on a hunt when they were breathing cold air and experiencing hard walking and climbing and were out of shape physically.

Just remember that the majority of old time African hunters did not, I repeat did not, use expensive big bore blaster large caliber guns. They were actually game wards, or poor white farmers who used the cheapest military surplus rifles they could find and used surplus military ammo and they regularly killed all the big game of Africa with nothing more than the 6.5 Mannlicher, .303 British and the 7x57 and 8mm Mauser rifles. You do not need a big bore or a magnum rifle either. The ubiquitous 7x57 can and will shoot right through an elephant so why buy a magnum rifle and get the fillings in your teeth knocked loose every time you pull the trigger. Flinching with big magnums just results in a lot of missed shots and often at very close ranges.

One last bit of advice the biggest mistake people make is buying an expensive rifle and then buying a cheap scope. In reality it should be the opposite. In telescopic sights you get what you pay for and under hazy, dark field conditions especially in inclement weather the cheap scope is about totally worthless. And remember even name brand scopes like Leupold have their bargain basement line too. I have one 3x9 Leupold scope that is almost useless even for seeing groundhogs on a bright sunny day at 200 yards proving how worthless the bottom of the line econo brand models really are.


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## KimmMich

I am writing for those who would like to find a good gun. I've always kept up with Glock 19 updates and the controversy between the Glock 19 and the 19X. I ended up deciding to buy both pistols thanks to Glock 19 Vs 19X - Ballachy to do live comparisons myself. And I realized that they have a simple design are known for ease of use, extreme reliability, and inexpensive ammunition. The Glock 19X is a more rugged pistol than the Glock 19 because it has more metal. The Glock 19 is a more affordable pistol than the Glock 19X, although it lacks some features of its newer counterpart, such as a slightly smaller magazine release button.


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## bobk

Heck ya. Let’s start hunting deer with a Glock 19.


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## fastwater

bobk said:


> Heck ya. Let’s start hunting deer with a Glock 19.


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## Drm50

Looking for a good gun in a Glock shop is like looking for a quarter you dropped under a corner street light, when you dropped the quarter in the middle of the block.


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## ezbite

Drm50 said:


> Looking for a good gun in a Glock shop is like looking for a quarter you dropped under a corner street light, when you dropped the quarter in the middle of the block.


what kind of hillbilly saying is this?


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## ezbite

bobk said:


> Heck ya. Let’s start hunting deer with a Glock 19.


just tell the truth sally, you were and still am impressed how I dropped that doe from 250 yards with the mighty GLOCK 10mm baby..


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## fastwater

ezbite said:


> just tell the truth sally, you were and still am impressed how I dropped that doe from *250 yards* with the mighty GLOCK 10mm baby..


EZ...you made a slight, but I believe honest error in above statement. 
Think you meant to say 250 inches which is actually 6.944 yds.
Still a very impressive shot with a glock.


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## bobk

fastwater said:


> EZ...you made a slight, but I believe honest error in above statement.
> Think you meant to say 250 inches which is actually 6.944 yds.
> Still a very impressive shot with a glock.


And it wasn’t just one shot. I laid on the ground for 15 minutes to make sure the blasting was over. Hack.


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## fastwater

bobk said:


> And it wasn’t just one shot. I laid on the ground for 15 minutes to make sure the blasting was over. Hack.


Aaaah yes...the spray and pray method.
That might explain the new lil round holes in your neighbor's house that suddenly appeared in the middle of the winter that he blamed on carpenter bees.
I didn't have the heart to tell him carpenter bees hibernated in the winter.


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## jkiefer1362

If hunting Ohio can't beat the 45-70. I have used since Ohio made l legal. Great caliber l

Sent from my SM-S908U using Ohio Game Fishing mobile app


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## Jim white

Lots of good stuff here. What happened to a 410,20,16,or 12 gauge for Ohio. I know more guns to buy lol. Lots of calibers will shoot 400 yd and kill a deer, mule deer or even elk. Just know how to shoot the gun well. You can keep your for Glock 😁


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## Drm50

Wait a minute, I want to hear the 250yd deer kill with 10mm Glock story. That would be second only to Elmers 600yd deer kill. But that was with a SA revolver, Ezee would have the record with an auto loader. At 600yds how many deer would fit end to end on your front sight? At 250yds a herd could hide behind a red dot. These deer weren’t killed by bullet, the amount of gunfire burnt up all the availed oxygen and deer suffocated.


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## eyecat

shot1buck said:


> That’s the key question what species are we going after and what type of tag will you draw. What is the optics budget? A great gun with poor optics is not good.
> I hunt Ohio with 44 mag. I fell in love with the Ruger 77 series of rifles! I own 3 of them and each one has impressed enough that I started looking for another caliber to add to the collection. They run $750+. But I feel worth every penny!


I have 2 77/44s and like them, but they are not tackdrivers at all. What ammo have you found that shoots the best in them?


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## Drm50

I don’t own. 77/44 but have mounted scopes and sighted them in. The last 2 were 2x7 Leupolds and was shooting Winchester White Box 240 JHPs. I had just about all the popular 44s in last years since Ohio got rifle season. I thought my old Marlin 1894sr shot good - 1.25” at 60yds. 77/44 would average under 1” at 60yds. I would like to happen onto a Rem 788 in 44mag. That would be interesting.


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## shot1buck

eyecat said:


> I have 2 77/44s and like them, but they are not tackdrivers at all. What ammo have you found that shoots the best in them?


I’ll check in the basement in the next few days. What I was using but it was nothing special. I’ll let you know.


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