Help me pick a good deer/bear rifle!

I've been hunting deer and bear for 40 years and I would recommend the 30-06. There is an abundant supply of new and used rifles in this caliber that are bargain priced. Every firearms manufacturer makes rifles in this caliber and there is a wide selection of factory ammo available. Check out the used rifle selection in your area. Deer rifles are seldom shot out since most people probably put 20 rounds or so a year through them. A lot of them are traded in for the latest and greatest magnum of the month.
 
I've got or shot most of the calibars mentioned. I now pretty much carry a Remington model 7 308. Nothing against my Remington bdl 30-06 but the m-7 is lighter in weight as it is a short actioned designed rifle. The weight issue is a big thing with me as I sheep hunt alot and I've grown quite fond of that rifle. I got it before the current rage in s/a light weight rifles appeared on the scene.
 
I've done most of my deer hunting with a 7X57 Mauser and been well satisfied with it BUT I have also hunted deer with a 308 and was also satisfied with it. And although I haven't hunted bear I would be perfectly willing to hunt them with either.
What ever you wind up with consider learning to hand load as it will allow you to do a lot more shooting than sticking to factory ammo will and will also allow you to tailor the loads to your rifle.
If availablity of factory ammo is your biggest concern then 308, 30-06 or 7mm Remington Magnium would probably be your best choice.
 
25-06 hands down the best deer round out there, you can also load it down and go coyote hunting with it too, just a good all around caliber. Jeremy
 
If you are a one rifle man and don't load your own, the 30-06 or 270 is the way to go. If you plan on hunting elk then the 30-06 would do you well.
 
270 is tried and true and will take just about any animal on the north American Continent short of maybe a Polar bear...
 
I have two rifles that I use for big game hunting. Both are stainless synthetic Remingtons.

I have a model 700 mountain rifle in .338 Win Mag
and a model 7 in .308

I have used the 338 more and have total confidence in it, but the 308 is a sweet little rifle. Very lightweight and I have killed a couple of nice whitetails with it.

If I thought I'd have a shot at a bear, I'd carry the 338. I was deer hunting in Kansas last week, and the 308 was deadly.
 
Well my buddy and I were out bear hunting this spring, and in the same day we shot our blackbears. His was 6'1 squared, and mine was 6'3. Both skulls were green scored around 18 inches. I hit mine hard with a 338 win mag, and he hit his hard with a 270. Both bears went down pretty quick, but truthfully mine hit hard with the 338, and a 225 grain hornady interlock kicked a little longer than his with the 270.

I also took a decent mule deer, and whitetail with the 338. Truthfully you don't notice the recoil when you are on an animal. And you have confidence reaching out a ways, and shooting through a bit of bush. Right now my 30.06 sits in the safe, and my Tikka 338 comes out with me everywhere.
 
i use a 270 win,thiers no doubt about it when you hit a deer,i would like to move up to the 300 win.
i think those 06' managed recoil is loaded with a 30-30 bullet and less powder,the corlokt is a lighter weight cor lokt ultra.
 
I have a winchester model 70 classic featherweight in 7mm mag for sale. it is stainless w/walnut-very sharp looking and only made for 2 yrs. It is unfired in box. this would be a great all-around rifle ind will take elk or moose also. also have a new in box leupold vari-xIII stainless I bought to go with it. send PM if interested. thanx.
 
I'm partial to the 270, my grampa left me a Winchester pre64 model 70 he used all his life and I also own a Interarms mark V 270 I've had since I was 12.
I use 130gr for deer and black bear here in NEPA.
Never had experience with it on elk or other big game.
 
I would stay with the .30 cal, but I am not a fan of the 30.06. I watched a bear get up and run after three rounds and never found the bear. And it was premium ammo. I shoot the 300 ultra mag. All one shot one kills. I fill the 30.06 is over rated only because everybody has a grandpa that shot. They are a good deer rifle but i think they lack the ability to break bones and put a bear down. Then again I was in Alaska were the bears are bigger. Remember a bear's heart rate is way slow and it takes longer for them to bleed out. They also have a lot of fat that can sill up a wound and leave you with no blood trail, (I have seen it with the 30 cal). If I had to buy a gun for both I would stay with the 300's, winchester, weatherby or the remington ultra mag. If you are hunting up north in alaska or were there is grizzly present I would jump to the .338 or .338 ultra mag. Sounds like alot of gun but have a grizz charge and tell me if there is such thing as too much gun for the job.
 
The best part is there are so many that will do the job that you can't go wrong. Heck I would buy one for deer and one for bear just to have an excuse to buy 2. I've killed plenty of deer and two bear with my 308 savage. An old savage 99f with the rotary magazine. I've loaded my savage so it was equal to or more than the 06.
 
Back
Top