good deer hunting rifle

[Tom_28]

I'd go with a 308 or 7mm08. They both work great for deer, but the 308 can also shoot larger game to whcih is nice.

[wjh131]

Tikka T3 in 270, 30-06, 308 or my new favorite 338 federal.

[BiG Boar]

In reality, most guns out there in the 30 cal or around there will do the trick. Find something used on the used site here, or on CGN. Lots of stuff for sale for reasonable prices, and with our impending economic collapse, guns should hold thier value.

[1899]

Howa builds really nice rifles. They are under-rated IMO and you can, if you look hard, find a new one for under $500. You don't need a large caliber rifle for deer hunting. Stick to something like a .308 Win. - it will kill the deer just as dead as the magnums.

Other good choices include .25-06, .260 Rem., 7x57, 6.5x55 and the like. There is a place back east that sells really nice used Husqvarnas for cheap. They are great rifles! PM me if you would like more info.

[JeffR]

Have you done any shooting at all up to this point? If not, you will need to put a fair bit of time in at the range and work on your skills, in which case I would say buy a .22 and a couple bricks of ammo and start practicing. Caliber doesn't mean much if you don't hit what you are shooting at. Also, if you are a new shooter, get a deer rifle with manageable recoil like a 6.5x55, 7mm-08 or 308. They are all plenty for deer. You can always work up to a bigger rifle later on, but if you start with a rifle that is too much for you, you can develop a flinch that can be tough to get rid of.

[todbartell]

I'd go with a 308 or 7mm08. They both work great for deer, but the 308 can also shoot larger game to whcih is nice.

I would have zero hesitation to tackle elk & moose with a 7-08 and a quality bullet inside 300 yards, given todays bullet designs.

[elkdom]

I would have zero hesitation to tackle elk & moose with a 7-08 and a quality bullet inside 300 yards, given todays bullet designs.

'ditto' dat dude!

[1899]

I would have zero hesitation to tackle elk & moose with a 7-08 and a quality bullet inside 300 yards, given todays bullet designs.

The largest moose I ever shot was with a 7x57, factory RWS 162gr bullets at just over 200 yards. Placed the first shot right behind the shoulder, the bull jumped and ran forward about 10 yards and stopped. I fired again, and the bull dropped where he stood.

The second bullet entered a few inches from the first. One of the bullets was recovered from just under the hide, it broke a rib and messed up his lungs. The other bullet also did considerable damage to the lungs and also broke the off-side shoulder.

Now the ammo wasn't exactly junk, but it wasn't a handloaded Partition, TSX, A-Frame etc etc either.

Poke a hole through both lungs and the game is yours, its as simple as that. But, as mentioned, practice makes perfect. You need to practice shooting, and not just from the bench. Try offhand, sitting, prone and with a shooting stick. Start with a .22 so you can practice lots.

[ringo]

There are lots of choices, find a rifle that fits you well, feels comfortable, and seems to line up naturally on the target. Look at the broader picture, deer hunting this season may be replaced by elk or moose hunting next season. Think of the ease of getting ammunition at a reasonable price. Good optics are essential, both in rifle scope and binoculars as it assists in shot placement, tine count, and rangefinding. I have taken deer with 6.5x55, 7x57, 270win, 308win, 30.06, 30/284, 7mm rem mag, and 338win mag. They all work as a deer rifle and I have taken larger game also. My favorite deer rifle is a Mauser milsurp FN action fitted with a Kreiger 270win barrel, Timney trigger, with an old Leupold 3x9 Vari XIIc for a scope. Good hunting.

[Sunny]

270 are very good