Getting a New Deer Rifle

[dmccarty]

goodleboy,

Either the 308 or 30.06 will work though for the mule deer you might want to stay with the 30.06. Now a days I think its hard to get a bad rifle. Savage has been getting some really good review lately due to it price and out of the box accuracy. Sako is another brand to check out. I think you would have to get a real POS rifle these days that would not be accurate enough to shoot pigs and deer.

You mention you like to shoot. Go find a club that shoots DCM matches. They should have some M1s for you to use and cheap ammo. Its fun and a challenge. I have an M1A from my days going to the matches. I'm real partial to his rifle. It accurate, well made, and fun to shoot.

The other day we had a dog walk up which happens from time to time. This was some sort of pit bull mix with no collar, he is not one of the neighbors and I have not see him before. I grabbed the rifle and let out our dog who promptly chased off the stray. I grabbed the rifle for a couple of reasons. If the stray had gone after my dog and they got into a fight the 308 would end it quick. If my dog was not clear so I could take a shot, the M1A has a real nice metal plate at the end of the walnut stock. I would have been able to reach in and butt stroked the stray.

If this is a woods gun you don't need to mount a scope. The peep side is more than adequate. On our land I would be hard pressed to get a shot over a couple hundred yards. And most of the those shots would be on our road or the property lines I'm clearing. Most of the deer I see are well within 200 yards. Out west though it might be another story.

Later,
Dan

 

[aesanders]

30-06 for me. Also, I'm quite partial to the Browning A bolt. They are sweet guns.

 

[paulss]

If it's versatility you want, the 30-06 is the way to go. Lots of bullet weights to choose from and lots of inexpensive ammo. If you have the need for more power, Federal High-Energy and Hornady Light Magnum loads are 150-200 fps faster than standard loads (almost equivalent to a 300 Win. Mag) and come with premium bullets. Any of the major gun makers are great and don't be afraid to look at a used gun. It basically comes down to how much money you have to spend. Don't put a $69.95 scope on your gun, it will fail you when you can least afford it. Plan on spending $200-$300 for a scope (Leupold, Burriss and Nikon are my favorites in that price range) plus rings and bases. Used guns can be bought with scopes included and the prices are usually significantly less for the whole package. Look at the general condition and check the action, bore, etc. If it looks like it has been well taken care of, it probably will last well beyond you.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

I would get the 30-06.

Now for the gun it self I would put on my hunting clothes and go gun shopping. You will get a million opinions on what brand and model to buy, the bright side is that all manufacturers make a 30-06. Since all of the guns have slightly different stock lengths, and shapes they will fit YOU differently, Buy the gun that fits you the best!!

Have someone hold a scope up on top of the receiver, that may or may not make a difference on what gun you like.

As mentioned any of the major brands will suit you well, fit, operation of the mechanical safety, the safety in your head should always be on, loading, unloading, often overlooked but very important. Would be the personal choice things.

steve

 

[MotorSeven]

I pondered the same question last year. The 308 has a reputation for being more accurate at long ranges(300+ yards), but as mentioned above, is a little light for some of the really big game. I plan on hunting in Canada, so i ordered a Rem 700 in 30-06. Most of my hunting will be under 300 yds. Before it arrived i was at a function and won a Savage 308. Both had the synthetic stock...... . So, more pondering, then sold the Savage to a friend without firing a shot. He stuck a leupold 3x9 on it, and i went with the Nikon 3x9. One of these days we will get around to a shoot-off ! I guess if you wil be hunting in open country, a 308 may give you an advantage.
RD

 

[Slamfire]

In reguards to the suitabliity of the .30/06 or its little brother the .308, they are adequate for ANY game you'll find in North America. Those who find them inadequate for the animals larger than deer are riding a hobby of some kind. Literally thousands of head of every thing that walks have been killed by one or the other in the last 100 years. Yes there have been failures, some due to poor bullet placement, and some due to poor bullet performance. A larger, or faster bullet in either case does not guarantee a kill. The Stevens Model 200 is available in either caliber for less than $300 out the door, shop around. They are low priced but certainly accurate firearms. Your wife may prefer something lighter and one of the 6.5mms would be a good place to look. The 6.5x55 Swede is made by many arms makers both foreign and domestic, and ammo is widely available. The Scandanavians use this cartridge to kill alg, a cousin of our moose. It is noted for its penetration.

 

[CurlyDave]

As a minority opinion, in a bolt action, either caliber is a great choice.

OTOH, my favorite rifle is a Browning Lever Rifle in .308. Back when I bought it it wasn't made in .30-06, so I didn't have the choice. A while ago, Browning came out with a longer lever action which can be (and is) made in .30-06 and .270, but the extra length in the action makes the gun heavier, bulky looking, and slows the action.

Both styles are currently available, but the short actions are very, very nice.

I have never failed to drop a hog with one shot.

BTW, while it is certaily true that there are more bullet weights available for the .30-06 than the .308, you will find that all of the practical bullet weights are available in both calibers. In 25 years I have never felt a need for anything other than 150 grain and 180 grain bullets. Every time you change bullet weights you ned to re-zero the scope...

 

[RobertN]

Eddie had a very good point. For as much attention as you give a rifle and caliber, give as much attention if not more to the glass you put on top of it. You CAN NOT beat good glass, and good glass cost $$$.

At twilight, when there is very little light, a good scope will be clear and have a good image. When it is cold out, a good scope will not fog as bad. Or when the sun is facing you...

It does not matter, a rifle, spotting scope, or camera. You can buy a great rifle, or a pro-grade camera body. If you put mediocre glass on it, your shot on an animal, target, or picture will be mediocre.

I know. I have a nice camera with good glass. Dad gummit it was expensive. But, I have some awesome shots with it too. One of my rifles is pretty nice, but has a mediocre scope. Works well at the range, or on a nice sunny day. Take it out in the cold, or at twilight, and you might as well just go home.

In both cases, the glass is more $$$. For my camera, the glass cost as much, and more than the body. My scope was inexpensive compared to my rifle; I have had to hold off on more than one shot...

We are assuming here, that this rifle will be scoped...

 

[Highbeam]

You have gotten great advice. I own a savage 30-06. In my gun safe is a Remington 308 that I "won" in my buddy's divorce since he wanted the guns out of the house while he went through it. (Got a nice HK 40 too) They are both 30 caliber guns so have the same bullet. The case on the 308 is shorter but it is full of powder where the 30-06's case has air space in it, you can shake the powder around. It has more room for powder but I have never bought a shell that used it all.

The negative to the 30-06 is the long case. To cycle a round is a much longer pull of the bolt. The 308 makes for a quicker second shot if you need it.

For deer, it doesn't matter. For anything bigger I prefer the slightly better specs of the 30-06. You have chosen two fine calibers that each have a military history and will be cheap to shoot. Both kick about the same.

I still vote for the 30-06.

 

[egonegon]

Pick the rifle that feels good. Either caliber will do.

As per Slamfire. Either have all it takes for our north anerican hunting. In our family a 25/35 winchester lever action brought home many moose and elk. A .303 sporterized LeEnfield also accounted for many deer.

My personel choice for deer would be a Mini 14 using the 6.5 cartrige.

Egon