What's your gun and ammo for deer season??

[SPOOK331945]

If I'm hunting my stand with long distance potential I'll be using the 308 with 165 gr handloads from the ruger. If i go to my thick woods stand the
ole marlin lever in 45/70 throwing 405 gr lead reloads. I'm covered....

Got a marlin guide gun myself and shoot the same load.. Packs one hell of a thump!

 

[NKBJ]

If (big if) bambi goes in the freezer it'll be with one of these (on the left) from a TC New Englander altered to .458 bore.

 

[Mgderf]

I'll start the season on Monday, the 12th, with the Marlin 1894 running Sellior & Bellot 240gr JSP .44mag. (State park reduction hunt)
The load gate screw broke in half on me last week, but I found replacement on Midway and it should be here tomorrow.
I have plenty of time to affect repairs.
I mounted a scope and sighted it in today, one shot at a time, since I have no load gate.

When the regular season opens I'll use a high-power.
Likely either a Thompson Center Compass in .243Winchester or a Howa 1500 in 6.5 Creedmoor.

There is one property that I hunt (private) that doesn't offer a long shot, so I might just take out the Marlin 1895 .45-70Gvt, the Marlin 336 in .35Remington, or the Mossberg 464 in .30-30Winchester.

I like variety.

 

[DadSmith]

I use a DPMS ORACLE LR 308. 165gr nosler ballistic tip powered by 46.7gr CFE 223 and a CCI large rifle magnum primer.

 

[teddy12b]

This year, I'm going to be taking a neighbor on the first hunt of his life. We've been getting together to get him tuned up and ready. I laid out a selection of rifles for him to choose from based on what he shoots well, and works for him. He handled a 92 44mag, M1A Scout with 2-7x 308, and a Rem 700 308 with 6-24x FFP. He instantly leaned towards the scoped rifles and I think that was a great choice for him. The M1A Scout was too different with too many moving parts, so he settled on the Rem 700 bolt gun. He shot well at 100 & 150 yards which is all that's available in our narrow shooting lane. I'm going to be sitting next to him in the blind and I'll either have that 92 44mag with me or a GP100 357 on my hip. We've both go licenses, but I still have meat in the freezer from last year so I'm just hoping to get him dialed in this season.

 

[laf]

I'll be taking my TC Compass in .308 out with handloads topped with Hornady 165sst. Also be using the suppressor this year. Otherwise it would have been the Marlin 336 .30-30 with the similar 160ftx's from Hornady on top. Worked well last year, just wanted to use the suppressor this year.

 

[patience0830]

I use a DPMS ORACLE LR 308. 165gr nosler ballistic tip powered by 46.7gr CFE 223 and a CCI large rifle magnum primer.

I have an Oracle. . . And a suppressor. Hmmm. An option I hadn't considered.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

Oh yeah, I just remembered I have a 243 buried in the back of the safe, hasn't seen daylight in maybe 20 years. Maybe this is the year to throw a scope on it and take a deer. Also would like to use the old O3A3 that Dad gave my 40 years ago....

 

[jajwrigh]

.450 Bushmaster with the 250gr Hornady factory loads!

 

[cavemike]

On public land Marlin 1894FG (that is the .41 mag)
On private land a Marlin336 in .35 Rem (vintage 1952)

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Well poop.

The 629 has a crack in the front lense of the scope. It's a beautiful Leopold. Dammit. Not sure if it's fixable or not. I haven't dropped or abused it, so not sure of the cause. Concussion? Dunno.

Anyway, got out the blackout pistol and started working on it. I'm good to 100 yards now. Next chance I get I'll stretch it out a bit and see how she does.

 

[Ithaca45]

Old Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag. or maybe my new Kimber Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[Skullglide]

I had my 77/357 out yesterday. All sighted in with federal 180 JHP at 100yds. For kicks I took my 18 1/2” 870 20 gauge and 21” 1187 20 gauge out too. Slugs at 100yds were pretty easy. The .308 scout rifle is also good to go.

MGderf, good luck at Prophetstown, I used to hunt off of Huston Rd, 25 years ago.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

.450 Bushmaster with the 250gr Hornady factory loads!

Word. The original 'thumper'.

 

[CZ evo3]

My TC contender carbine. Custom 19" Bullberry barrel in .357 Remington Maximum. Trijicon accupoint 1x4 green triangle reticle.

 

[Hohn]

Does anyone know why .243 is considered to be marginal for deer when a 30-30 takes so many deer with comparable power? (or less, beyond 50 yards or so).

 

[Hookeye]

.243 win deer bullets are around 100grains.
Small diameter too.

On the old days bullet performance was reportedly iffy.

Pop a few deer and tell us if you like it.

 

[Hookeye]

I double lunged a buck w .243win..... 100gr WW PP.
He was not down and out as quick as I expected.
Switched to WW Deer Season XP 95 gr last yr, but nothing big enough to test.

I'm content to be running 200gr .35 rem this yr.
No, I haven't dropped any with .35 rem "in their tracks".
But have clipped shoulder blades 2 for 2 and had them dead within 75 yards.
Run and crash dead. I'm content with that.

 

[NKBJ]

Does anyone know why .243 is considered to be marginal for deer when a 30-30 takes so many deer with comparable power? (or less, beyond 50 yards or so).

Uncle Jimmy told us chil'ens .30 caliber or bigger. He was right about that deer hunting and stuck with his .35 lever action.
"Out to 200 he's mine but past that I don't know where that bullet goes!"

 

[Colt]

Marlin 1894c 357 mag with Leopold 2.5 power scope. Very small and handy. Ammo: 180 gr. Hornandy XTP with 15 grains of Lil'gun, but the load is too hot. The bullets tend to fragment. Next box I reload, I will reduce the powder. Usually drops the deer in their tracks with a neck shot, but I like to be up close to the deer, like I was shooting with my bow. I like my Marlin, but since the rifle has a magazine I always feel like I have to put a few bullets in it. I find it a PIA to unload at the end of the day. Cartridges end up in the dirt or lost. One shot almost always does the job, so I think the perfect gun would be one of those new Ruger Single Shots in 44 Mag. Anybody use one for deer hunting?