# Rifle Suggestions for Ohio Deer Hunting?



## AFadenholz

Well my birthday is coming up and my lovely fiancé has offered to buy me a rifle! I know I want a rifle that I will be able to hunt with in Ohio but I also want something that I can take out west and hit something that is a pretty good clip away. 

I have done some research but I was hoping that the experienced rifle users may have some suggestions on a brand and caliber! 

I have a $400-$500 spending limit

Any suggestions will be much appreciated.


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## Redman1776

Get a muzzleloader. 
The straight walled cartridge rifles legal for deer hunting are not long distance rifles. I have a .45-70 and that's arguably the best distance/power caliber legal and I would not take it out west. 
IMO, You will not be able to get a quality pcr rifle and quality scope in your price range.
I'm not sure what you hunt deer with now but if you want to hunt out west get a real rifle and just stick with what you've got in Ohio.


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## buckeyebowman

Like Redman said! The pistol caliber rifle cartridges that are legal in Ohio won't do much for you out West. They are two different jobs that require two different tools. Might as well tell a carpenter to drive nails with with a screwdriver! 

If your fiance wants to buy you a rifle, and you want a pcrc for Ohio then have her buy you that. Then save up for your "western" rifle.


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## bobk

Look at a good quality muzzleloader instead? You could use it for both seasons in ohio and out west as well. Just a thought.


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## sherman51

you should help her out just a little and buy a real rifle for hunting out west then keep using what you have now for hunting ohio. or do what others have said, get a good ml for ohio and a rifle for out west.
sherman


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## Lundy

I guess you need to determine what you would need for out West hunting

There are a limited number of calibers legal for rifle hunting in Ohio. Of those choices If you want one gun that is an easy 200 yd gun, no matter what state you happen to be standing in when you pull the trigger I would suggest a .444 Marlin. It will easily kill any game animal we have in North America, even those out West, and both (H&R or CVA single shots) are easily purchased within your budget.

PS: I hunt with muzzleloaders a lot. There is no ballistics advantage from a MZ (non smokeless)over a .444 Marlin. In fact they would have an ballistics advantage over most MZ's by a wide margin and a MZ would cost you a lot more money.

A 45/70 is another viable choice it just shoots a bigger bullet 400 FPS slower that the .444 and has a little more rainbow downrange, but will surely get the job done easily out to 200 yds.


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## buymore

AFadenholz said:


> Well my birthday is coming up and my lovely fiancé has offered to buy me a rifle! I know I want a rifle that I will be able to hunt with in Ohio but I also want something that I can take out west and hit something that is a pretty good clip away.
> 
> I have done some research but I was hoping that the experienced rifle users may have some suggestions on a brand and caliber!
> 
> I have a $400-$500 spending limit
> 
> Any suggestions will be much appreciated.



If you shop right you may be able to pick up a T/C Encore in that price range. Get the 444 or 45/70 barrel for it and then you can add a tapered centerfire barrel later for out of state.


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## slashbait

buymore said:


> If you shop right you may be able to pick up a T/C Encore in that price range. Get the 444 or 45/70 barrel for it and then you can add a tapered centerfire barrel later for out of state.


I have a H & R single shot 444 Marlin with a Nikon monarch scope, awesome set up to 200 yards!


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## supercanoe

I have a CVA .444 with a 3-9 Leupold. Total cost was $450. The CVA rifles come with a dura sight one price base and rings. You could do a CVA rifle with a Nikon scope for $400. The CVA is a nice rifle for the cost with a crisp factory 3 pound trigger. I Have 2 of them now. These rifles shoot 1" groups. I have lived and hunted out west and killed elk, Mulies, and antelope with bow and rifle. The 444 would not be my first choice of caliber for out west, but you could definately make it work. If your budget only allows for one rifle I would buy a gun that is legal in your home state. A trip out west as a non resident in is very expensive. A single tag will cost you as much as your $400-$500 rifle budget.


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## Mad-Eye Moody

I took a doe at 274 yards with a .444 in Ohio last year, and that was not really a stretch for the gun and load.

If I bought an Ohio straight walled cartridge rifle again I would get a 45-70 for ease of loading and finding ammo. The long shot was a fluke opportunity.

If I were buying an all around rifle I would get a 30-06 or similar, which I own, and shoot something else in Ohio. There have been and will continue to be a lot of deer killed here with slug guns.


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## Redman1776

OP are you there? Have any further questions, are we helping you make a decision? I'm interested in what you decide to get.


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## saugmon

buymore said:


> If you shop right you may be able to pick up a T/C Encore in that price range. Get the 444 or 45/70 barrel for it and then you can add a tapered centerfire barrel later for out of state.


Bingo!!! The frame is the pricey part,but after that,you have a wide assortment of barrels,stocks,and forends. I've got the 45-70 ready to roll,along with a .50 muzzleloader and a 22-250 barrel.


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## the czar

I have a ruger .44 mag and it's dead on at 100. Drops 4.5" at 150 and still knocks them down good. Ammo is cheap and the gun weighs about 4lbs very nice to carry all day recoil is very low good luck


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## Saugernut

Brother where are finding ammo cheap for your .44? I'm thinking about getting one but looked at ammo prices and decided against it.


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## the czar

Fin,feather,and fur has hornady leverolution ammo for 19.99 a box that's a buck a round. Its 2 to 3 a round for sabots


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