Thread: Hunting rifle

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I have recently been talking with some friends and cousins about taking up big game hunting. I was thinking something like deer, wild pigs and elk. I read a ton of info on different rifles and have kept coming back to a .45-70 Marlin guide gun. The plan is to get meat for the table(not for trophy) and to be out with friends and family providing for our families.
Anyone on here have any experience with a guide gun? They seem very popular for their weight, size and accuracy. Evidently the shoot fast and fairly straight, especially when loaded with Hornady Lever Evolution rounds.

My husband who is the gun afficando says that it is the same gun that they used to kill buffalo. it should do the job. he says that it is a light gun but will punish your shoulder. he says happy hunting, good luck, and stay safe. the weight should be good for long hikes.

If I had to go to just one rifle, I'd keep the Winchester 30-30. Light weight, readily available ammo, rapid fire, 7 round capacity and you wont need a cart to haul a box of ammo. Been used to kill everything from rats to elephants.

ought 6 will work just fine for doing that plus ammo is everywhere and you can find tons of surplus ammo thats really cheap. heck i like the old brit .303 works GREAT! still find surplus ammo once in awhile but a box of new factory loads isnt bad $. of course if you can find them like you can here, a 100 dollar 8mm mauser will keep you fed for a long time to come and surplus ammo is right on par $ wise with an 30-06 and so are ballistics, but the gun <mauser> is cheaper and will live jsut aslong. my 1942 has required no maitnence at all!

The .45/70 is a very old design, lots of better rounds out there. I'd go for a bolt action, Winchester, FN, or Mauser surplus,to name a few. 30-06, .270, 7mm are good deer cartridges. I have shot hundreds of deer with a P14 Enfield .303 British, now use a .308 Norma Magnum but it doesn't kill 'em any deader than the ol' 303. The magnum is more for moose and elk, but works on everything from muskrats on up.
If you're set on a lever action, get a Browning BLR or a Savage 99. .243, .308, .250 Savage calibres are available. Check out the gun shows, but take along someone that knows guns inside out, there are good used guns around.

I use a Winchester 30-30 with a 16" barrel for deer, you can get shells anywhere, and I use a 300 Winchester Mag for elk & bear. I reload my own.

Pat

Winchester 308

I dearly love my 30-30 Winchester in the Adirondacks but for a cleaner and quick kill on a whitetail deer or black bear my sporterized Lee-Enfield with hard to find 225 grain bullets can't be beat though the 170's aren't too bad - I had some odd ball 190's at one point as well but have never seen another box since. An -06 is as good if you choose your ammunition well - about the same velocity but a bit less energy in factory loads

My 300 Winchester mag is sighted in at 500 yards, and you won't see thru the scope after you pull the trigger, and you might get a black eye if you relax to much. I wouldn't use a 30-30 for that or a 306, 308 at 300-400 yards. My 16" barrel is for brush hunting, I use to use a 8 mm Mauser with a sniper stock, but it got to heavy after awhile.

Pat

What kind of country do you hunt in , bush with mostly quick shots under a 100 yards or the big open stuff like up here.
ive always liked the 45-70 a great close gun lots of bullet weight to plow bush plus hits hard at close range i would assume its a lever action so a quick 2nd shot is always there. over a 100 yards and things get funny due to low ballistic speeds lost of hold over etc
Would you be getting a scope or using open sites ?

I live up where pope does and use a 300 magnum too cause your looking at deer and shooting at them at really long distances so speed and hitting power come into play.

I think a really good all around gun is a 306 pretty good at longer ranges and also hard hitting enought to knock most things down.

To be honest with you can make almost decent hunting gun work for you as long as you know your bullets and the guns limitations. Spend some time with your gun no matter what you get and figure out what you can do with it. you will be surprised at what it can actually do and how accuate you can get

My first gun was a 30/30 marlin which is a slow bullet for this area but i put a scope on it and was knocking deer down at a 150 yards. The 45 70 has a lot more hitting power than it cause of bullet size.

.50 cal with sniper scope. Hit it from a mile away.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

.50 cal with sniper scope. Hit it from a mile away.

Yeah, but there will be nothing left!

45/70 would be a good choice for short range/brush hunting for small and large game. 300 win mag good for long range big game like elk. I'd go with a 270 win, 30-06, or 308 for vesatility.

when hunting wild hogs it is most important to learn to climb trees quickly . worry about the gun after your in the tree

Mooneye, you come across a good deal on a weapon and ammo jump on it. The Obama administration is trying to press a LOT of anti-gun legislation.

Of course, the greatest effect the pending legislation is having, is causing law abiding Americans to buy guns and ammo!

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

Mooneye, you come across a good deal on a weapon and ammo jump on it. The Obama administration is trying to press a LOT of anti-gun legislation.

Of course, the greatest effect the pending legislation is having, is causing law abiding Americans to buy guns and ammo!

Yeah, that's great news!!!! A "law abiding citizen" bought the flippin' gun that was used to kill my buddy Chad while performing his duty as a Deputy Sheriff a week or so ago!!!! Really great news to hear that everybody is going to have lots of guns and ammo!!! Can hardly wait!!!!