Recommend a good deer hunting gun for a beginner

[DorkVader]

@Kevbo

<snip>

One thing that has not been mentioned: Ask around about borrowing a rifle. The owner will most likely have it all sighted in and have a good handle on what loadings it shoots well. If you are youngish, then it might come from the dad or uncle of a friend. Hunting is hard work and takes up a lot of time, so many men stop hunting when they hit their 40s or so…and the cherished memories associated with a rifle are hard to part with, so mostly they don’t get sold off while the owner can still fog a mirror. <snip>

(bolding mine)
keep in mind that hunting also requires skill, if you’re a novice hunter go with somebody experience and good at it, and try to learn from them. I used to hunt every year. When I turned 18 Dad gave me a 7mm bolt action and single shot break action 20gauge shotgun and told me from now on I had to pay for my own hunting. I quit after a few years because I am an awesome hunter, but suck at finding any game to bag. Money for gas, bringing lunch, hunting license and game tags, ammunition, adds up pretty quick for a walk in the wilds.

[Martin_Hyde]

I think a .30-06 is ideal for a beginner deer hunter, I’d go with a Winchester Model 70.

I personally use a Remington Model 7 in 7mm Remington Ultra Mag, but would not recommend it for a beginner hunter. For one you do not need the range as a beginner hunter, as you should not take long shots if you are not supremely confident you can humanely kill the animal at great range. For two, last time I stocked up .30-06 was about 50% cheaper than 7mm UM.

[Tranquilis]

For a beginner, I’d hesitate to go with a full-up .30-06. It can be a bit of a beast in a lightweight rifle. The .308 Win has very similar terminal ballistics, while still being a lighter, handier round in general. You can take most north american game with a .308, and realistically, what are the odds he’ll be hunting brown bears, grizzlies, or bison? Anything less than will fall quite nicely to a .308.

That said, I’d agree that .270 or similar load would also be just fine.

Don’t much like the 7.62x39 as a hunting cartridge - it’s got balistics similar to the .30-30. Not entirely unsuitable, but not anywhere near my first choice.

[DorkVader]

@Martin_Hyde

I think a .30-06 is ideal for a beginner deer hunter, I’d go with a Winchester Model 70.

I personally use a Remington Model 7 in 7mm Remington Ultra Mag, but would not recommend it for a beginner hunter. For one you do not need the range as a beginner hunter, as you should not take long shots if you are not supremely confident you can humanely kill the animal at great range. For two, last time I stocked up .30-06 was about 50% cheaper than 7mm UM.

yeah, I agree. When I hunted, I started out at age 12 with a 7mm because thats what Dad had. I spent that summer target shooting a minimum of 20 rounds once a week just to get used to it and proficient with it before going out and actually hunting.

[Gray_Ghost]

@lieu

I find this interesting because my experience with the M77 is completely to the contrary. I bought one probably 30 years ago in 22-250 and it’s been the standard against which I measure the accuracy and reliability of all my subsequent purchases. In short, it’s never been anything but perfect. I’ve had a dozen one shot kills on whitetail and antelope and have shot through the neck on a half dozen turks. At 150 yards 3 bullets will be within a dime and my hunting buds enviously curse the fact it’s me and not them that own the rifle. Bolt action is smooth and clean and this Ruger is why I also bought a Ruger #1 in 7mm mag. That’s strange that our experiences should be so disparate but I gotta throw a little love for it out there. It’s my most trusted and dependable rifle by a pretty fair margin.

Yet another owner of a M-77, this one in .270 Win. My experiences fall between yours and Crafter_Man’s. I like the thing, and it’s taken a few deer, but I’m not in love with it. It does have noticeable recoil, but then again, so will anything sufficient to easily handle deer. Mine is not a tack driver—maybe 1.5 MOA?—but it is sufficient for deer at any range I have business shooting them at. It was improved by a glass bedding/stock re-finishing job, which is a bit more work than a new shooter may want to do.

Though I know a .22-250 can take deer, I wouldn’t go lighter than a .243 Winchester. Personal preference. A nice thing about .270, and .308 and .-06 is that you can find ammo just about anywhere in the USA.

Definitely go heavier than lighter. A flinch, if you get one, is a PITA to get rid of. (Guiltily raises hand). And how much walking are you going to do, anyway? It’s not like you’re elk hunting…

[mac_bolan00]

one grandpa across the street from my brother’s house owns three winchester pre-64 m-70 rifles, all in 30-06 and all in great shape (one with a lyman target sight, one in military peep and one with a weaver variable.) i suppose the degree of separation puts me far down the inheritance order. one, even just one!