# Deer rifle



## Wesy1120 (Mar 27, 2019)

Looking to get a rifle for next years hunting season. Any recommendations?


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## ltroyer (Feb 6, 2013)

I use my dad's 444 cva single shot. Love it


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## FISHIN 2 (Jun 22, 2005)

Got a new ruger .450 bushmaster, 22 inch barrel. Love it, hardly any kick, put a deer down with minimal tracking, 20 yds maybe. Shot was in the 100 yd vicinity. Love the feel of the gun.


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## dugworm (May 23, 2008)

Henry 44mag


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## Blackcat 86 (Feb 11, 2011)

ltroyer said:


> I use my dad's 444 cva single shot. Love it


I use a CVA Scout V2 in .44RemMag. I put a Leupold 1-4x on top and never looked back. Simple. Easy to maintain. Accurate. Makes _you_ make the first shot count. Like Grandpa Little used to say, "Your first shot is your best shot. After that, you're either wasting meat or wasting ammo or both."


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## MagicMarker (Mar 19, 2017)

One shot, one deer, two shots, maybe one deer, three shots, no deer


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## MagicMarker (Mar 19, 2017)

One of the new rifles chambered in 350 legend. Guns are affordable and ammo is cheap


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

For a ohio deer gun it's tough to beat either a 450 bushmaster or 350 legend . 

They are both available in single shot , bolt action , and even in AR frames .


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

I bought a new CVA 450 Bushmaster single shot 2 years ago, and have yet to take it hunting. Put a great scope on it and it shoots great. I may get to take it out on Friday. Still have a tag to fill. I got my buck 2 weeks ago, so next is doe patrol.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

Depends a lot on your budget and use of the gun, if only for deer hunting there is plenty to choose from, myself still thinking of the 350 legend , (that i really dont need) i retired the shot gun throwing slugs..... but that had multiple uses and sometimes my backup , I like having 2 guns that use the same ammo if needed (carbine/handgun) why the 44mag ruger is what I use....., but have other in the same concept that could be used
Good luck in your choice and right now not a good time to look , might even find a used one on here if your quick and watch the marketplace or start your own in a few months ....want to buy ....on there


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## M R DUCKS (Feb 20, 2010)

Muzzleloader !


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## JOE W (Jun 4, 2004)

45/70 or .444 lever gun


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## threeten (Feb 5, 2014)

Shot my first deer with my Henry .44 mag. On Thursday. 
No remorse. 70 yds Deer took three leaps and crumpled. Hit off shoulder so no pass thru. 
Can’t wait to skin it and find bullet and see performance.


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## Bwise (Sep 20, 2014)

ltroyer said:


> I use my dad's 444 cva single shot. Love it


.444 is my choice as well!


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## bad luck (Apr 9, 2009)

What is strongest most high powered rifle allowed in OH? And what would be its mainstream counterpart (i.e......30.06 or 223 or 300 Win Mag...etc....)


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

bad luck said:


> What is strongest most high powered rifle allowed in OH? And what would be its mainstream counterpart (i.e......30.06 or 223 or 300 Win Mag...etc....)


Marlin .444 with 265 Gr Superformance rounds, without question.. No mainstream counterpart, apples and oranges comparison in m mind.


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## jmyers8 (Aug 2, 2013)

I've shot several with my 444 siure does put them down with force. But you better not hit the shoulder cause they will be gone I've gone to neck shots 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

I've owned a CVA in .444 Marlin, a CVA in .44 mag, a Ruger American in .450 Bushmaster, and a Savage Axis II in .350 Legend. They all kill deer very well. The .444 was my go to gun shooting the 265 grain Hornady Superperformance ammunition. Then I won the .450 in a raffle and I've been using it several years now. I bought the .44 mag for my kids, but then upgraded them to the 350 this year for flatter trajectory. I've killed a pile of deer with straight walled rifles. For the money it is hard to beat the single shot CVA's. I really like the 450 Bushmaster and it's little brother the 350 Legend. They both are compact and efficient modern cartridges. The 450 recoil is pretty tame, the 350 recoil is mild. The 444 will kill anything that walks loaded in the Superperformance round, but it also kicks like a mule.


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## hunt-n-fish (Jun 19, 2007)

Muddy said:


> I've owned a CVA in .444 Marlin, a CVA in .44 mag, a Ruger American in .450 Bushmaster, and a Savage Axis II in .350 Legend. They all kill deer very well. The .444 was my go to gun shooting the 265 grain Hornady Superperformance ammunition. Then I won the .450 in a raffle and I've been using it several years now. I bought the .44 mag for my kids, but then upgraded them to the 350 this year for flatter trajectory. I've killed a pile of deer with straight walled rifles. For the money it is hard to beat the single shot CVA's. I really like the 450 Bushmaster and it's little brother the 350 Legend. They both are compact and efficient modern cartridges. The 450 recoil is pretty tame, the 350 recoil is mild. The 444 will kill anything that walks loaded in the Superperformance round, but it also kicks like a mule.



Whats a good 350 legend round for deer? Thinking about a CVA Cascade w/Leupold VX freedom scope set up for the rifle. A 150 grain round adequate? No 100 yds. shots intended. Good enough?


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

Any round should work as long as you put it in the right spot. I have 2 friends that had some FTF issues with the 150 grain Winchesters. I personally like jacketed soft points in straight wall rifles. I went with the 170 grain Hornady JSP.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Muddy said:


> Any round should work as long as you put it in the right spot. I have 2 friends that had some FTF issues with the 150 grain Winchesters. I personally like jacketed soft points in straight wall rifles. I went with the 170 grain Hornady JSP.


What brand were the rifles that had ftf issues?


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

A savage and a Winchester.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Thanks, a buddy that was here had several ftf with his savage. Started reading about it and it seems to be an issue with some of their rifles. His is going back to the factory.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

Glad to read this, if bought was leaning towards the savage..... if now.... will lean towards a ruger , guess you get what you pay for


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## walleye30 (Dec 25, 2019)

I have the Savage Axis II have had no issues whatsoever shooting 170 hornadys. Sweet shooting gun.


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## one3 (Dec 1, 2015)

A good bolt action., if you go with the .350. I, have been reading good revews about the .350 legend. 45-70 is good, but ammo is expensive. .44mag form what I, get from the balistics, is close to a 30-30.


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## Tjeffords (Dec 28, 2020)

Cva's 444 marlin is nice but for abou $100 less you could go with a H&R handi-Rifle in 444 marlin. Ive shot both and they are just about the same to me. Thats if you want to go with a single shot. Grew up hunting with a NEF 20ga Pardner which is just an H&R with a New England Firearms (NEF) Badge on it. H&R single shot actuons are super smooth plus you can buy other barels and use them on the same frame. So 22 hornet to 500 s&w on any SB2 frame.

So to me H&R is a better buy becuase you buy the first Handi-Rifle with the caliber you want then play less than a third of the price for every other centerfire round you wanna shoot. Keeping a scope on each one already zeroed you can go from hunting rabits to taking elk or bear in less than a min of a barrel change

But then again thats if you dont mind going with a brake action.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

On the FTF issues - Winchester had some documented issues with runs of bad primers. Certainly not saying the firearm shouldn't be checked out, but they have also had issues with their primers. You can find many similar complaints if you run the gun / ammo clubs and forums.

I shot Winchester and Hornady through my Ruger 350 when I purchased it and had zero issues with the Winchester ammo. I prefer Hornady any way, but settled on the 170 Whitetail because my Ruger seemed to love it and it was consistently very accurate with no rifle break in.


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## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

MagicMarker said:


> One of the new rifles chambered in 350 legend. Guns are affordable and ammo is cheap


x 2. I have the Ruger American Go Wild 350 Legend. Pure gold!


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

I have the Ruger Rancher in 450 bushmaster and love it. Light gun and knocks the snot out of them deer. Between me and my 2 kids we have taken 4 deer with it and have had minimal track jobs.


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## Matt D (Apr 14, 2004)

The federal Fusion in 160 grains was the best shooter in my 350. Was very impressed with the performance of it on the buck my daughter shot.

To answer the original question in this thread I would say Savage smokeless muzzleloader as it covers you for all gun seasons and are great shooters and hit hard. Even with4-5 other legal deer guns it’s still what I carry. Check them out.


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## Morrowtucky Mike (May 2, 2018)

Been using my TC encore 209x50 for about 20 years and have had absolutely no reason to change. It with shoot with or outshoot any of the new must have rifles. And I have a bunch of other barrels for it for whatever reason. Nuff said!


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Morrowtucky Mike said:


> Been using my TC encore 209x50 for about 20 years and have had absolutely no reason to change. It with shoot with or outshoot any of the new must have rifles. And I have a bunch of other barrels for it for whatever reason. Nuff said!


Though I did get a 350 in Thompson Center...I have to agree with Morrowtucky on the above as far as some of the inlines shooting right there with the must have rifles out to about 200's. Have an Encore and Remington ml'er that will both do just that. And have seen/shot others that will do the same.
Granted...they don't shoot near as flat as some of the rifles but the dead deer on the other end doesn't really care about that. 
I was the last in our hunting group to get a must have rifle and had it not been for just the fact of using something different and carrying something much lighter than the inlines, I'd prolly never have got one.
Plus...it was a great rifle to start my G-son out on.


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

No clean-up with a 350 or 450 and they are much lighter and handle better than muzzy. Know don't get me wrong I have a Encore 50 cal and used just like the guys mentioned above and they are great guns.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

I hunted all seasons with a Savage smokeless custom 45 cal for many , many years.. Not a fair comparison with a muzzleloader shooting traditional substitute powders or the 44 mag, .350, 357 Max, or 450, Just in another league with velocity and ballistics. being smokeless there was no cleanup needed.. Drawbacks were weight, and needing to carry all of the stuff required for hunting with a muzzleloader. The new rifles .350. 450 sure simplify the hunting process and in Ohio with the average shot distance the large ballistic advantage on the smokeless MZ is a mute point for the most part.


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## Matt D (Apr 14, 2004)

Lundy said:


> I hunted all seasons with a Savage smokeless custom 45 cal for many , many years.. Not a fair comparison with a muzzleloader shooting traditional substitute powders or the 44 mag, .350, 357 Max, or 450, Just in another league with velocity and ballistics. being smokeless there was no cleanup needed.. Drawbacks were weight, and needing to carry all of the stuff required for hunting with a muzzleloader. The new rifles .350. 450 sure simplify the hunting process and in Ohio with the average shot distance the large ballistic advantage on the smokeless MZ is a mute point for the most part.


agree with your last sentence if talking in the woods and hills but come on up to the more open flat areas and the ballistics advantage really shines here. Also I would be talking about blind hunting so not out walking miles a day carrying it. Plus it’s just damn fun to shoot and what it does to deer is impressive to say the least. 😁


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## bigtracker (Apr 6, 2010)

I appreciate all the good information on this thread. I ended up going with a CVA 350 Legend Cascade with the Leupold 350 legend scope. I have a little boy that will benefit from the tame recoil. Now finding ammo has become the real challenge. I am striking out everywhere I try. I know we are in an extreme ammo shortage but I thought hunting rounds would start showing up at stores. Am I just not in the right place at the right time or is the ammo just not available right now? 


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## King-Fish (Oct 18, 2019)

bigtracker said:


> I appreciate all the good information on this thread. I ended up going with a CVA 350 Legend Cascade with the Leupold 350 legend scope. I have a little boy that will benefit from the tame recoil. Now finding ammo has become the real challenge. I am striking out everywhere I try. I know we are in an extreme ammo shortage but I thought hunting rounds would start showing up at stores. Am I just not in the right place at the right time or is the ammo just not available right now?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Check out fin feather fur in middleburg heights had tons of 350 ammo when I was there week or so ago if in Cleveland area. Or sportsman’s den in Shelby Ohio has it also. Everywhere else I looked it was sold out


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## fireline (Jun 14, 2007)

.350 Legend Ammo


In-stock best prices for 350 Legend Ammo | Cheap 350 Legend Ammunition - AmmoSeek.com




ammoseek.com


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## bigtracker (Apr 6, 2010)

King-Fish said:


> Check out fin feather fur in middleburg heights had tons of 350 ammo when I was there week or so ago if in Cleveland area. Or sportsman’s den in Shelby Ohio has it also. Everywhere else I looked it was sold out


I bought the gun at FFF in Ashland and they didn’t have any and said they can’t keep it in so I assumed the same for Middleburg so I really appreciate the heads up. 
I will check out that link. Thanks for the help!


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## King-Fish (Oct 18, 2019)

Definitely check middleburg heights. They literally had hundreds of boxes and multiple brand when I was there


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## tommyboy (May 12, 2013)

Whatever gun or legal caliber you use is in material if you cant shoot accurately. Shot placement is what counts. Therefore buy something you can afford to shoot and enjoy shooting. Sight it in and practice.


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

The only thing I can add is to pick something ammo is readily available for. There is nothing that is legal in Ohio that won’t kill a deer. I think 350 legend or 44 mg the most practical choices for the one gun guy. 45/70,450, 444 are overkill for white tail deer.


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