starting deer hunting, what rifle?

Question

i'm 14 and i've turkey hunted every year for about 3 years, this winter i'm gonna try deer hunting, i don't wanna shoot 12 gauge slugs, what rifle would be the best choice?

Answer 1

.243 best round made

Answer 2

The best choice is honestly the one that fits you best. There are lots of calibers that will take down deer. From .243 to 458 win. The thing is the rifle.
Are you a big guy or little guy?
Do you have long arms or short arms?
Are you burly or thin?

The rifle is what matters most. Actions matter. Do you like pump, lever, bolt or auto? What type sights will you be most comfortable with?

I started all of my kids with Marlins and Winchesters in 30-30. Comfortable guns that did the job well. I carried a lever action Savage in 308 when I started. The best thing you and your dad or mom can do is go to the gun shop and test fit rifles. Hold them testing fit and sight comfort. The rifle has got to fit you.
Then think of caliber. 458 win will knock the snot out of you. 243 or 308 are less liable to make you gun shy. .243 . 308 and 30-06 offer a bunch of choices for reloading and convertibility to use. 30-30 is the best teacher that exists not to mention the very best caliber for brush hunting.

Now your ready to do the job. You have a rifle frame that fits you, a caliber that will hunt deer and the want to go hunt. The next thing is practice. Run rounds through that rifle and get accurate. If you need a scope because of eye limitations or preference, go get one, then practice. Once your accurate your ready to hunt.

One more thing, I cant stress enough! Keep the rifle clean and oiled. When you buy the rifle buy a cleaning kit to fit it and use it. Most of the guns that I repair are damaged by dirt and gunk. A dirty rifle breaks down or kills it's owner.

Answer 3

Your choice depends on the kind of hunting you're planning to do, your budget, and your personal preferences. If your hunting is all in close cover, a levergun with an aperture sight in a cartridge with a large bullet at modest velocity is your best bet. My personal pick in that circumstance is the Winchester model 71 in 348 Win caliber. They're hard to come by these days and expensive, but Marlin makes some great ones in 45-70, and there's nothing wrong with the good old 30-30.
If your hunting is all long-range, a flat-shooting cartridge like 270 Win in a bolt-action rifle with a 3-9x scope will be your best pick.
Most of us hunt in circumstances where we may have a short shot or one relatively long. No combination of rifle, cartridge and sight system will be perfect for everything, so a compromise is called for. I'd suggest a bolt-action, perhaps a Remington 700 or Ruger 77, in a balanced cartridge like 7mm08, flat enough for any shot you're likely to take, and powerful enough as well. A variable power scope of 1.5-6x range, or 2-7x, is all you'll need for the longest shot, and if you keep it on the low setting in the woods, it'll have plenty of field of view for the occasional jump shot.

Answer 4

This is a good question. But most of the answers your going to get are going to be the personal opinion of people who don't know your needs and abilitys.

The right questions are more like:

#1 Are you of a small or large stature?
Example: A 4 ft 9in man might not want to shoot a 300 Savage.

#2 Are you going to be shooting open sights or with a scope?
Example: The Mossberg Atr-100 is a fine rifle in caliber .243 through 30.06 but it doesn't come with open sights.

#3 Are you shooting in open country or a forest area?
Example: I have hunted national forest property in Arkansas for well over a decade and never took over a 60 yard shot. Its just that wooded.

#4 What can you afford?
Example: At 14 I doubt you want to spend $1000 bucks on a rifle and another $300 on a scope.

#5 Whats your Dad or mentor shooting?
Example: In our state its illegal for anyone under 16 to hunt alone. And since you'll most likely be hunting with an older partner you can try out their rifle.

#6 What are your areas hunting restrictions?
Example: Lots of states have shotgun only hunting areas now. To use anything else in certain zones is illegal.

My 12 year old daughter uses a Rossi single shot, break over in 7.62x39 with a 40 dollar Simmons scope. We cut the stock down 2.5 inches and added a recoil pad. The 7.62x39 is almost ballisticly identical to a 30/30. And it doesn't beat you up while shooting it. She can put most men to shame at 65 yards and she gets better all the time.

There are lots of other issues but since its your first deer rifle here is my advice. Keep it simple. Don't buy a huge caliber rifle. Don't break the bank buying your first rifle. Good luck and good hunting.

And use extreme safety while hunting!!!

We like to keep younger hunters coming back.

Miketyson26

Answer 5

If you live in a rifle state, it would be hard to go wrong with a Marlin M-336 in .30-30 WCF. If you will be hunting places that routinely offer 200 yard shots, you ought to think about a .308 Win, or .30-'06 Sprfld.

My favorite rifles are Browning BLR's which can be had in both .308 or .30-'06.

A less expensive, though good quality alternative would be a Savage M-110. It is not uncommon to find one with a Simmons 3-9x40mm scope for under $500.00 in Wal-Mart.

Doc

Answer 6

I am glad to hear you are starting to go hunting. I am 14 also, and I have hunted for 3 years for deer and one time for turkey. My first year hunting, I used a Marlin Model 336, 30-30 Win., as well as a Winchester Model 70, 7mm Rem. Mag.
The past year, I used my Savage Model 111 30-06, and again, the same 7mm Mag. This year I plan to use my 30-06, 8mm Mauser, and my grandpa's 7mm Mag. again. As for you, any of those rounds will kill any deer, and are also great choices. They have never let me down, so look into those calibers. Best of luck.

Answer 7

A Winchester or Marlin 30-30 lever action rifle, has been the answer to this question for over 100 years.

And it's still the answer today.

Fast, Accurate, Humane...
...not to mention COOL.

You can go other ways,
but these rifles have been well proven as deer-getters.

Your Dad's Dad's Dad could have told you that,
...and maybe his Dad too.....

Answer 8

Check the state laws, some dont allow use of rifels for deer. If you can, i would look at a .243, or 25-06 because they are both flat shooting and dont recoil too much. they both have plenty of power for deer to 200 yards, myabe even more. If you dontlike those, id go to a .270 It shoots pretty flat and has a littel more knockdown power. Good luck.

Answer 9

I'd say a 30-30. More game have been taken with 30-30 in the history of hunting than any other caliber.

Answer 10

Nothing smaller than a .243 Winchester. A .25-06 Remington is actually better.

Good luck.

H

Answer 11

i personally don't like a .243 win. i think its too small, yet its very popular. don't let people tell you that bigger calibers like .270, .30/06, or .308 are for more experienced hunters. I'm 14, about 5'4" and about 150 lbs and i shoot a 12 gauge all the time which I've heard is similar in recoil to the .30/06,
if i couldn't have a .30/06, i would get a .270 or a 7mm-08. both shoot 140 grain bullets which are good for whitetail, and both can shoot heavier bullets for black bear.
good luck