My buddy has a kid who wants to start hunting, so he asked me “What’s the best gun for hunting deer”?
Well, I started to ask him what’s better – a new Corvette or a restored ’57 Chevy? Answering his question requires a whole lot of what-if’s and how ‘bouts? I tried to answer his question [...]
My buddy has a kid who wants to start hunting, so he asked me “What’s the best gun for hunting deer”?
Well, I started to ask him what’s better – a new Corvette or a restored ’57 Chevy? Answering his question requires a whole lot of what-if’s and how ‘bouts? I tried to answer his question and not just talk about the caliber of the gun. I’ll be right up front with you and say I prefer a .30-06. This all-around cartridge has been hard to beat since it was introduced to the U.S. Army in 1906. A .270 might make a guy my age (I’ve driven a brand new ’57) a bit more comfortable because of a little less kick. I couldn’t argue with a fan of a .308, too, because SWAT Teams sure like it. Those calibers have the knock down to kill a deer quickly with a properly placed shot. I’d have to mention that I like a .30-30 with open sights for convenience when I’m hunting mainly in thick woods with not much chance for a hundred yard shot, and I like hunting with my single-action .45 long Colt, too. But we’re talking about one fire-arm for most kinds of deer hunting opportunities. And when we say deer hunting, most people think white tail. But I have to tell you that my choice of an ’06 applies to a muley and elk, too. I think there’s just that little edge a .30-06 has that makes it an OK choice for a couple of the next larger members of the deer family.
A couple of sages look on while a youth becomes more like them with every shot.
Notice I haven’t mentioned a .223 or .243? I’ve been in camp with a fellow hunter that “hit that deer right in the boiler maker with my .223, but he ran off a hundred yards, jumped the fence, and went where I have no permission to go”. I must say that one should have an agreement with the neighbors who are next to one’s lease or property to pursue a wounded animal. I wouldn’t recommend pursuing without knowing that the neighbors were hunting or not on their property. This hunting thing takes a lot of common sense and planning, doesn’t it? Including a cartridge with plenty of knock-down power.
Now, I realize that a .243 has killed a lot of deer, and it is sometimes considered a “starter rifle” for a kid, but please do a little research, and practice, with lighter weight bullets in a .270 or .30-06. And give those coyotes and prairie dogs heck with the .223.
Practical reasons for a serious deer rifle like an ’06 include:
Knockdown Power. I pretty much covered my opinion about the power that the “best” deer rifle should have in the first couple of paragraphs.
Ballistics. The bullet shouldn’t drop too many inches for sensible distances. Most folks have no business shooting at an animal 200 yards away without having a really good scope and having spent frequent time on the firing range. I’ve killed a feral hog at 250 yds, but I was using a 12 power scope and had a pretty steady rest. It wasn’t windy or rainy. It wasn’t still dark in the a.m. or getting dark in the p.m. If the bullet drops 3 ½” to 4” at 200 yards, and you aim a little high, then that deer will be hit in the kill zone.
Recoil. Let’s face it. We should expect the animal to drop dead from the impact, but we should also realize that Newton was right about that equal and opposite reaction. Use a quality recoil pad and practice on the range so the rifle butt naturally fits in the shoulder properly. Too much recoil means flinching which affects accuracy, and usually an ultra-light rifle increases recoil. Cowboy up as we say here in Texas, but don’t be stupid.
Ammo. Did you ever forget to pack your sunglasses? Rain suit? Skinning knife? Camera? How ‘bout your rifle cartridges? They were supposed to be in the gun case. Right? Somehow, you blame your wife or dog. Right? Well, if you’re shooting a new-fangled deer cartridge like a something-short magnum, or even a .25-06 and forgot to bring the bullets. Well, then, &%A(*@. I bet you’d have a harder time finding them at the next Wal-Mart than a .30-06 in a 165 grain or 180 grain bullet. And then again, one of your hunting buddies in camp is more likely to have some extra .30-06 or .270 ammo than 7 mm mag.
Scope. Some people recommend, and can afford, to spend as much money on the scope as they did for the rifle. Again, I say use common sense and maybe sacrifice a few dinners out to get a real nice scope. I mentioned my 12 power scope earlier. Besides helping on the longer distance shots, it’s real good on the firing range. It’s almost as good as a spotting scope at a hundred yards. Something else that makes good sense is clear plastic scope covers. One of the prettiest deer mounts I’ve ever seen was shot by my buddy, Charles Brown, of Irving, Texas when the buck suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He didn’t have time (or forgot) to take off the clear scope cover.
Trade-offs. Light rifles are good for carrying, but not so good for recoil. My daddy said be moderate in all life’s activities (or something like that).
If you tend to be a bit clumsy like me and also hunt in all kinds of nasty, wet weather, then maybe a composite stock is a much better choice than a fine Claro Walnut or Quilted Maple. Do you want a gun for an investment or to shoot deer?
Do you have the time, or take the time, to properly clean and oil your gun? Maybe stainless steel, or some new outer space material is what you really should buy. Stainless is just a little more forgiving than a pretty blued finish.
What’s a rifle sling for? Ornament? Practicality? It’s for carrying the rifle on the hunt and should have a reasonable size shoulder pad. Forget the giant pads with leather engraving. They can get in the way when you want to shoulder the gun. I even take mine off when sitting in the deer stand. It’s less stuff to hook my coffee thermos and make noise. It can’t make noise as the rifle’s shoved into the window opening if the sling’s lying on the floor in a corner.
The rifle has to fit. It could be a good solution to buy a short -stocked rifle for your kid, or it might be better to have a gunsmith shorten one. He can add a spacer or bigger recoil pad as the child grows up. Another option is trading it eventually on an adult size. But the important thing is proper fit. Skip some more of those dinners out. Sell your empty aluminum cans.
Keeping it safe, and looking cool doing it!
Just remember to be safe in your hunting endeavors. Respect others. Take children outdoors often. There are specific ways to be safe with your choice of the perfect deer gun. Here’s the NRA’s list: http://www.nrahq.org/education/guide.asp
Also, learn and practice the 10 Commandments of Gun Safety from Remington:http://www.remington.com/safety/10_commandments/
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