whats a good deer hunting gun for my son?

Question

My son is 17 and has never been hunting until this year with his friends. He likes it and i wanted to get him a decent gun for Christmas for deer hunting. I dont know anything at all about guns or hunting.

I DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GUNS...so kindof tell me like what kind and why and he says he wants a 20/20...what does that mean?? and can someone tell me where to get them...well a good place thats not real expensive.

Answer 1

Your son most likely means a .30-30 calibre. It was a good gun but their are much better calibres out there. I'd suggest getting him a .308 as that will take down just about anything and is easy on the shoulder still. Or go with a .30 - 06. The reason I say these two calibres as they are ballistically better than a .30 - 30 unless you just huntin in the bush in which a 30/30 is just fine...
As for brand and action the winchester model 88 lever is nice

I personally prefer a mauser action but I'm picky... Best thing to do is either get him a gift certificate to go buy one that he likes as a firearm is somewhat of a personal buy... or go out with him and buy one that he would like...

Hope that helps

Answer 2

It depends on where you live, the size of deer he hunts, and the money you want to spend.

The entry level deer catridge has historically been the .30-30 rifle. It is available in a Marlin lever action (like the old cowboy movies). This gun is sometimes sold with a scope. I have seen them at Dick's sporting goods and other stores for $300-$350. This gun has limited range (100 yards or so) unless you use Hornady ammo.

Most folks hunt with a bolt action in .30-06 (pronouced thirty aught six), .270, or something similar. Keep in mind that you will need to purchase a gun with a scope on it or buy a good scope separately. Scopes can be expensive ($100-$200 for a decent model).

I suggest getting the .30-30 Marlin model 336 with a scope included...unless you live somewhere with large deer, bear, or other huge game. You can probably get this at any sporting goods store, maybe even Wal-Mart.

One last thing to note...in some states deer hunting is limited to shotguns (Illinois for example). Might wnat to check you local laws (just ask your son or someone at a gun store).

Answer 3

Hey Jane! I have two options for you that should help out.

Option 1:

Marlin 336 in .30-.30 is probably one of the best calibers for deer hunting. This gun is also a very reliable and accurate gun. I was at Dick's Sporting Goods Friday and saw one with a scope for $320. For ammunition, go with either Hornady LeverEvolution (for longer range shooting) or Remington Core-Lokt. There will be multiple bullet weights, just buy a box of each and your son's rifle will tell him what shoots the best.


Option 2:

A Remington 870 Express 12 gauge shotgun. In my opinion, the best shotgun out there. And they run for about $240 at Wal-Mart. For ammo, Federal 3" 000 Buck-Shot and Federal 2 3/4" Tru-Ball Slugs.


Hope all this helps!

Answer 4

The first thing I would do if I were you would be go to your state Department of Natural Resources and see what the law is in your area regarding what kind of guns you can use for hunting deer.

For example, where I live, you can only use Shotguns (12ga, 16ga, 20ga) but if you go 30 miles north, you can use shotguns or rifles.

The best gun that I've hunted with (and the only one that I've been lucky enough to get a deer) is a Mossberg 500A 12 gauge. It's a pump action and has a surprisingly low kickback to it.

When I worked at a shotgun range, we used Winchester 1200 semi-automatic shotguns which were surprisingly easy to maintain, and on the cheaper side price wise.

Answer 5

Hi Jane. Nothing smaller than a .243 Winchester. The Remington 700 (rifle) is a fine choice. Suitable calibers are: .243 Winchester; .25-06 Remington; .270 Winchester or .308 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield.

If he does want a .30-30, Winchester may be hard to find and costly, but Marlin makes a fine .30-30 caliber rifle, the Model 336. He should probably also take the hunter's safety course.

Good luck.

H

Answer 6

I am also betting that he was talking about a 30/30. There are lot of great 30/30 out there. I love lever action guns Marlin 336 would be the one that I looked at personally, but you might also look at the H&R Handi rifle, single shot gun. Very nice gun for the price.

The 30/30 is a great gun, there is a reason that it has put the most meat on the table, it just works.

Answer 7

He probably means a 30-30 Winchester. That is a lever action rifle. Taken more deer in this country than any other rifle. It would be a fine choice. I would bet Wal-mart would have them. You could always check the local pawn shops and maybe a sporting store or two.

The two most common will be the Winchester 1894 and the Marlin Model 336. Both are tried and true. Link to the Marlin below.

Answer 8

Remington 700 is your gold standard, but offers enough models that you can get one inexpensively. The 700 is what the Marine Corps builds its M40 sniper rifles off of. No one builds a custom rifle off a Savage or Mossberg action, even if they are good rifles to begin with.

My local Wal-Mart has a Remington 700 ADL in .30-06 for $349, and Remington is currently running $50 rebate promotion.

.30-06 is your single most common caliber, but .308 or 7mm will be just fine for deer hunting. A .270 will be good as well, but offers a little poorer ballistic performance than a 7mm.

Answer 9

You need to know the laws about where he hunts, or post another question like, "What guns are legal for hunting in X county of Y state. " Different areas have different laws. would be bad to buy a great deer rifle if he hunts an area that they arnt legal. You can bu a gun from Walmart but you'll end up talking to a bozo who doesnt know anything. Head to an actual gunstore, Bass pro shop, ***** sporting goods, Cabelas, etc. Find out where and what your son hunts, take that info to the gunstore and tell them you are looking for a gift for your son who is ( his height and weight) who will be deer hunting in (county state) the dealer should be able to hook you up.

Answer 10

20/20? My guess is he might have meant a .30-30, which, if that's the case, you'd be making no mistake in buying him a Marlin 336. The .30-30 is a mid size round, and easy to shoot. It'd make a good rifle to start on, and still is more than adequate for deer hunting.

Take a look to see which one I'm talking about: http://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=MA336SS&list=yes

I have a very similar Marlin rifle chambered in .45-70, which is quite a bit larger than the .30-30, and it's a very good rifle. I haven't had a single malfunction, and the stainless steel finish is very durable. Marlin's proprietary micro-rifling is tough and easy to clean, and is supposed to last longer than standard rifling. I'd say your son is making a good decision.