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Best public ground deer gun
- Thread starter sheltowee
- Start date
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I would use a smooth bore 20ga pump gun. Ithaca 37 to be exact. Nice and light easy to carry. Saw one at the Elkhart show a few weeks ago. Going up in price on the used Ithaca could get a new 870 for same money also a great gun.
Rem 870 make a synthetic model and a Benelli Nova is another great hunter and is synthetic. My Nova is spot on with field barrel and slugs.
Rem and Nova have 3" mag capabilities.
Rem 870 make a synthetic model and a Benelli Nova is another great hunter and is synthetic. My Nova is spot on with field barrel and slugs.
Rem and Nova have 3" mag capabilities.
The best public ground deer gun is kind of a hard one to answer. It matters what works best for you and your hunting situation. I will take it you don't reload and will buy store bought ammo, it will determine my recommended choices.
If I had to pick a slug gun it would be a Savage 220.
A PCR in .44 mag would be a good choice because I love them for brush hunting.
A muzzleloader is nice because it will cover every gun season available.
My personal favorite is a 45 caliber AR, the 450 Bushmaster, it is very accurate and capable of long shots for a non-HPR public ground legal firearm. The 458 Socom is another big bore AR and can shoot heavier bullets than the 450.
If I had to pick a slug gun it would be a Savage 220.
A PCR in .44 mag would be a good choice because I love them for brush hunting.
A muzzleloader is nice because it will cover every gun season available.
My personal favorite is a 45 caliber AR, the 450 Bushmaster, it is very accurate and capable of long shots for a non-HPR public ground legal firearm. The 458 Socom is another big bore AR and can shoot heavier bullets than the 450.
Well, I ditched my .35 rem Contender rifle bbl.
So was without a public land firearm (I could borrow a few from my dad).
Decided I liked the .35 rem so much, set up that frame as a handgun.
Yup, my public land gun is a Super 14 Contender in .35 rem, w reddot.
Private land is Ruger #1 .243 win, or Savage 99 in .300 Savage.
Pops has a '66 Ruger .44 auto (fingergroove). Took a deer with it yrs ago, but the iron sights kinda suck. Has peep, but also LARGE front bead.
He won't let me swap that out, so I won't use it (sights limit it to about 75 yards and in).
It really needs a 1-4X Leupold on it
So was without a public land firearm (I could borrow a few from my dad).
Decided I liked the .35 rem so much, set up that frame as a handgun.
Yup, my public land gun is a Super 14 Contender in .35 rem, w reddot.
Private land is Ruger #1 .243 win, or Savage 99 in .300 Savage.
Pops has a '66 Ruger .44 auto (fingergroove). Took a deer with it yrs ago, but the iron sights kinda suck. Has peep, but also LARGE front bead.
He won't let me swap that out, so I won't use it (sights limit it to about 75 yards and in).
It really needs a 1-4X Leupold on it
I have had a few shotguns, and for deer (or just about anything else), am sold on the Rem 870.
Deer.............rifled bore.
If I had to go smoothbore, it would be an old Mossberg 500 (in walnut).
I have had great accuracy from my rifled 870s..........and the speed of use, if a repeat shot...........is pretty awesome.
If I don't spot the hit, I whop em again. Better safe than sorry. Stuff happens. Quick insurance is not a bad thing.
So that leaves the bolt rigs out for me.
I don't flip bullets, only take shots I know I'll make. However, stuff happens and what looks easy, might not go as planned.
One time, only one time................but it did happen.............I flubbed a shot. Came back down from the recoil and the next dumped the buck.
It was dang near automatic.
Might have had time to work a bolt gun. Maybe even a single shot.
But with that pump it was BOOM (ohcrap) BOOM.
Plus the history of deer hunting in Indiana............slug guns, that look of the "normal" type, are kinda cool.
Hard to beat an old pump gun.
Deer.............rifled bore.
If I had to go smoothbore, it would be an old Mossberg 500 (in walnut).
I have had great accuracy from my rifled 870s..........and the speed of use, if a repeat shot...........is pretty awesome.
If I don't spot the hit, I whop em again. Better safe than sorry. Stuff happens. Quick insurance is not a bad thing.
So that leaves the bolt rigs out for me.
I don't flip bullets, only take shots I know I'll make. However, stuff happens and what looks easy, might not go as planned.
One time, only one time................but it did happen.............I flubbed a shot. Came back down from the recoil and the next dumped the buck.
It was dang near automatic.
Might have had time to work a bolt gun. Maybe even a single shot.
But with that pump it was BOOM (ohcrap) BOOM.
Plus the history of deer hunting in Indiana............slug guns, that look of the "normal" type, are kinda cool.
Hard to beat an old pump gun.
If wanting a more rifle feel, I'd step down from the bigger/fatter guns (12ga) and go with a 20 ga.
An 870 LW magnum, with a high comb stock (walnut- dunno if they ever made em)..........w rifled bore.
That'd be cool. Of course, D&T the receiver for scope mount.
Make it a dedicated rig.
Expensive, but with the regulation changes maybe somebody could score a deal.
Hate to D&T a Wingmaster though, best bet is to pimp out an Express.
But walnut stocks are getting silly prices on the used market.
Thought about putting my 870 Express Supermag turkey into old police walnut. Can't find any deals.
An 870 LW magnum, with a high comb stock (walnut- dunno if they ever made em)..........w rifled bore.
That'd be cool. Of course, D&T the receiver for scope mount.
Make it a dedicated rig.
Expensive, but with the regulation changes maybe somebody could score a deal.
Hate to D&T a Wingmaster though, best bet is to pimp out an Express.
But walnut stocks are getting silly prices on the used market.
Thought about putting my 870 Express Supermag turkey into old police walnut. Can't find any deals.
w_ADAM_d88
Master
Does .35rem still need trimmed or with the new rules is it an allowed caliber without modification? I know that the new rifle laws are not allowed on public land but what about private?
.35 Remington is not a .24 or a .30 so must adhere to the spec of 1.16- 1.8
Private ground or public doesn't matter.
The new rules are for .24 and .30 only, private ground only.
These are an addition to what was already in place, doesn't change the rifle cartridge specs that preceded it.
Not that hard to keep straight folks, not that hard.
Private ground or public doesn't matter.
The new rules are for .24 and .30 only, private ground only.
These are an addition to what was already in place, doesn't change the rifle cartridge specs that preceded it.
Not that hard to keep straight folks, not that hard.
w_ADAM_d88
Master
I asked a simple question, a simple answer was all that was needed. Educate me, don't belittle me.
But anyways, thanks for answering the question.
But anyways, thanks for answering the question.
If new to IN, or haven't read the law or DNR handout, so be it.
If having deer hunted here, esp with rifle............this shouldn't even be a topic.
However, the guys I saw in the shops/stores that thought .35 no longer needed trimmed...........I have seen in the gun/deer hunting scene over the years.
They should know what is what.
The fact that many don't.........is downright scary.
Again, I apologize if putting you in that kind of group.
If having deer hunted here, esp with rifle............this shouldn't even be a topic.
However, the guys I saw in the shops/stores that thought .35 no longer needed trimmed...........I have seen in the gun/deer hunting scene over the years.
They should know what is what.
The fact that many don't.........is downright scary.
Again, I apologize if putting you in that kind of group.
