Guns....

[jacob1]

I don't believe in buying specific caliber guns. Plus I hunt in a wide range of terrain so the extended energy is nice. Ammo is plentiful and inexpensive as well if reloading isn't an option.

I agree I like big guns. I guess it depends where your hunting. Here in Wyoming there's no houses within 5 miles of me and some places a lot further away than that. I was just assuming that in north Carolina there's probably a lot of houses and populated areas. That would be my concern with a long range rifle. But that's an easy fix. Don't miss.. Haha

 

[bahester]

I don't believe in buying specific caliber guns. Plus I hunt in a wide range of terrain so the extended energy is nice. Ammo is plentiful and inexpensive as well if reloading isn't an option.

I didn't even know you were a hunter dude! Right on. I'll probably go 243 or 270 but at some point I will own a 308..just more than I need at the farm right now.

 

[Doug the lefty]

Very true. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up with a Tikka. I've been wanting one for a long time and came very close to pulling the trigger (lol) on one last summer. I haven't priced an 11 really .. gotten a few random prices on some other things from local places around here.

Weatherby Vanguard 2 at 530
T3 Lite at 550

Are the two I got priced. I think that T3 is without the SS barrel though. What size rounds are you gonna put through the 243?

most likely 95 grain. I have a couple boxes of both Federal and Hornady.

 

[SW]

I do a lot of hunting all over NC, its home. Since I hunt from a stand I don't worry about trajectory too much. When I'm in WV I always make sure I'm shooting into a valley. Of course I have the bow or muzzle loader if I want to hunt in a tight spot.

Having only one shot puts the emphasis on not missing, haha!

 

[jacob1]

For what it's worth I think the 243 is the perfect caliber for deer. I have friends out here that hunt giant mule deer with a 243.

 

[Doug the lefty]

I agree I like big guns. I guess it depends where your hunting. Here in Wyoming there's no houses within 5 miles of me and some places a lot further away than that. I was just assuming that in north Carolina there's probably a lot of houses and populated areas. That would be my concern with a long range rifle. But that's an easy fix. Don't miss.. Haha

Any high caliber rifle that can legally take deer will travel a long way....

 

[jacob1]

I do a lot of hunting all over NC, its home. Since I hunt from a stand I don't worry about trajectory too much. When I'm in WV I always make sure I'm shooting into a valley. Of course I have the bow or muzzle loader if I want to hunt in a tight spot.

Having only one shot puts the emphasis on not missing, haha!

Man I love bow hunting. I've got a bow tech. That's what I hunt elk with. Oh and elk season for bow opens up Monday!!!!!

 

[bahester]

most likely 95 grain. I have a couple boxes of both Federal and Hornady.

Very nice. Thats what I was thinking as well.

I do a lot of hunting all over NC, its home. Since I hunt from a stand I don't worry about trajectory too much. When I'm in WV I always make sure I'm shooting into a valley. Of course I have the bow or muzzle loader if I want to hunt in a tight spot.

Having only one shot puts the emphasis on not missing, haha!

Where at in NC? Have a good size plot of land in Bladen County and I have a few 8 pointers on the trail cam from last year. Hopefully they make an appearance this year! All my hunting is from a stand as well, I don't worry too much about stray bullets but when I hunt a few other plots of land things can get dicey with less land available.

For what it's worth I think the 243 is the perfect caliber for deer. I have friends out here that hunt giant mule deer with a 243.

You can kill just about anything with a good shot!

 

[Doug the lefty]

Very true. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up with a Tikka. I've been wanting one for a long time and came very close to pulling the trigger (lol) on one last summer. I haven't priced an 11 really .. gotten a few random prices on some other things from local places around here.

Weatherby Vanguard 2 at 530
T3 Lite at 550

Are the two I got priced. I think that T3 is without the SS barrel though. What size rounds are you gonna put through the 243?

And you mentioned scopes in a previous post. I have used Camerland NY for 3 refurb Zeiss Conquest scopes. Great customer service with decent prices on GREAT scopes, IMO.
http://cameralandny1.reachlocal.net/demos-zeiss.html

 

[jacob1]

Any high caliber rifle that can legally take deer will travel a long way....

True but most will lose there knock down power.

 

[bahester]

And you mentioned scopes in a previous post. I have used Camerland NY for 3 refurb Zeiss Conquest scopes. Great customer service with decent prices on GREAT scopes, IMO.
http://cameralandny1.reachlocal.net/demos-zeiss.html

Nice, will check that out. Luckily where I hunt I don't need anything super high powered but a good scope is always nice to have. 3x9 tends to do me pretty well and as long as it performs decent in low light I'm pretty much good to go.

 

[SW]

Very nice. Thats what I was thinking as well.

Where at in NC? Have a good size plot of land in Bladen County and I have a few 8 pointers on the trail cam from last year. Hopefully they make an appearance this year! All my hunting is from a stand as well, I don't worry too much about stray bullets but when I hunt a few other plots of land things can get dicey with less land available.


You can kill just about anything with a good shot!

Heck yeah man, hopefully they've grown a tad too. I hunt game lands in WNC, Needmore specifically. A few small tracts around where I grew up in Union/Stanly county. I'll also get up for urban archery if work allows for it. Lastly a few farms in the 95 corridor near the Va line. Love hunting down east, its different down there. Haven't hunted Bladen in years, lots of fat does down that way though.

 

[Rhyno]

In the market for a new deer rifle sometime late this fall or early winter. Honestly thinking of going .243 considering we don't get massive deer here in NC and theres really no reason to carry around a 30-06. Ruger just came out with a new rifle, the Ruger American. Also looking at the Weatherby Vanguard 2, Tikka T3 Lite, and Savage Model 11 XP. Any suggestions?

Stay away from the American, cheaply built with cheap components. Also stay away from the Savage Axis/edge and Remington 710/770.

Honestly hands down nest bang for the buck rifle is a Stevens 200. But I don't know how Mich work you want to do, I take it you want a shooter out of the box? With little work to it. Look at the Savage rifles (non axis/edge) look for something with the accustock ( a junk stock but better them most of their options. Good for what it is. And best bang for the buck)

As far as caliber, I think you are dead on with the .243, one of the best all around calibers you can get not overly powerful to create bad habits plenty to take white tail. And I cannot preach this enough practice practice practice.

Also get good glass! I don't buy anything worse then a Nikon but Bushnell and a few others have nice offerings. Rifle is only good if you can trust your optics.

My original plan was to buy a 1911 of some sort on my 21st birthday since it was the 100 year anniversary of the 1911-never got around to do it haha-I want to take some Conceal carry courses before-wait NM is still open carry lol

Open carry is tricky, a lot of states it's legal, but I would still advise a carry class. Carrying a firearm is no small deal. And open carry can be tricky, you really have to be comfortable with carrying a firearm, if you saw a guy carrying one and he was twitchy it wouldn't look right. People get illegally stopped when they open carry it right. But its something ore people should do, with proper training.

I've shot a bunch of guns, don't own one yet. I really like the Glock 17, and was about to buy one... Then I shot a Kimber 1911 and :beauty:. I loved it. Problem is the price tag...

Limbers are expensive, and IMO are not worth it. Compared to other handguns. If you want a .45acp a 1911 is the way to go IMO. But personally I don't care for the .45acp. I would check out the Smith and Wesson MP line in 9mm and 40s&w as well as the Springfield XD, and XDM. I chose the XDM in 9mm over the Flock because of the grip angle much better for me. The MP was second.

308 is a lot of gun for a deer rifle. Not to mention that bullet will travel a LONG way.

No farther then a .243, actually one could argue the .243 is better ballistic ally, certainly 6mm shooters would. Heck a .308 is a fine deer rifle, especially considering when you see people toteing magnums for the same thing. I use a .308 which is a step down from the 30-06 I use to use. But when I get the money to I'll go to a custom .243 or 6.5, lightweight decked out... just wish I had an extra $1200 laying around to do it. Ah well next summer.






I got my R700 out the other day. Man I can't wait to shoot it, got 100 rounds loaded up for it just waiting for the right time.



~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

 

[Doug the lefty]

308 is a lot of gun for a deer rifle. Not to mention that bullet will travel a LONG way.

For what it's worth I think the 243 is the perfect caliber for deer. I have friends out here that hunt giant mule deer with a 243.

True but most will lose there knock down power.

So you don't like 308 because you think the bullet will travel a 'long way', but you think 243 is the perfect caliber for deer? I didn't double check this (yet) on a ballistics table but I am going to go out on a limb and say both 308 and 243 have around 700-800 ft lbs of energy @ 500 yards. So technically, the 243 travels 'a LONG way' as well, correct?
And, the 243 is based of the 308 caliber...its just a necked down wildcat shooting a lighter bullet and shooting it flatter.....

 

[bahester]

Heck yeah man, hopefully they've grown a tad too. I hunt game lands in WNC, Needmore specifically. A few small tracts around where I grew up in Union/Stanly county. I'll also get up for urban archery if work allows for it. Lastly a few farms in the 95 corridor near the Va line. Love hunting down east, its different down there. Haven't hunted Bladen in years, lots of fat does down that way though.

That's awesome man. The 95 corridor area has some nice deer. Hunt a little with a buddy in Nash County sometimes and we've seen a few good ones. Would love to get in to bow hunting but just haven't started exploring it yet. One of my roommates does it and loves it so I imagine I'll take his for a spin sometime. I'll have to send you some pictures from the farm this weekend. Going down to play in the dirt and get the food plots ready for the year. Planted too early last year and they ate everything I had down to the damn roots.

 

[bahester]

Stay away from the American, cheaply built with cheap components. Also stay away from the Savage Axis/edge and Remington 710/770.

Honestly hands down nest bang for the buck rifle is a Stevens 200. But I don't know how Mich work you want to do, I take it you want a shooter out of the box? With little work to it. Look at the Savage rifles (non axis/edge) look for something with the accustock ( a junk stock but better them most of their options. Good for what it is. And best bang for the buck)

As far as caliber, I think you are dead on with the .243, one of the best all around calibers you can get not overly powerful to create bad habits plenty to take white tail. And I cannot preach this enough practice practice practice.

Also get good glass! I don't buy anything worse then a Nikon but Bushnell and a few others have nice offerings. Rifle is only good if you can trust your optics.

Thanks, Joe. I don't mind doing some work to it. I'd heard the same about the Axis/Edge Savages and planned to steer clear of those. I love a good savage rifle so I wouldn't be surprised if I go that route if the Tikka doesn't fall in my lap. Nikon and Leupold are usually the glass I would prefer to use.

I shoot a .270 Savage now that's a bit older but has the accu-trigger and when my grandpa bought it out of the box it was shooting around 1 MOA or so. Haven't had to do much to it. He swapped the glass and it's taken quite a few whitetails.

Just looking for something of my own, mostly so I can convince him to hunt sometimes with me!

 

[Rhyno]

So you don't like 308 because you think the bullet will travel a 'long way', but you think 243 is the perfect caliber for deer? I didn't double check this (yet) on a ballistics table but I am going to go out on a limb and say both 308 and 243 have around 700-800 ft lbs of energy @ 500 yards. So technically, the 243 travels 'a LONG way' as well, correct?
And, the 243 is based of the 308 caliber...its just a necked down wildcat shooting a lighter bullet and shooting it flatter.....

It all depends on the bullet. Your regular spire point .243 vs the same in .308 will both have more then enough energy at most ranges the average hinter will see. The .243 will have a larger energy loss because of the difference in BC.

~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

 

[Rhyno]

Thanks, Joe. I don't mind doing some work to it. I'd heard the same about the Axis/Edge Savages and planned to steer clear of those. I love a good savage rifle so I wouldn't be surprised if I go that route if the Tikka doesn't fall in my lap. Nikon and Leupold are usually the glass I would prefer to use.

I shoot a .270 Savage now that's a bit older but has the accu-trigger and when my grandpa bought it out of the box it was shooting around 1 MOA or so. Haven't had to do much to it. He swapped the glass and it's taken quite a few whitetails.

Just looking for something of my own, mostly so I can convince him to hunt sometimes with me!

The Stevens 200 is the same action as the Savage model 10/100 series. It just uses a cheaper stock, trigger, and barrel.

Savages genius was the cheap way they built the guns. The barrels are held on by a nut, so you can set the head space tight every time. Whereas other manufacturers ream the head space with such broader spec. Also their floating bolt head let's the cartridge center itself better then most rifles.

With a good stock, and a new barrel it can be turned into a shooter for easily under a $1000. Of you know what your doing you can do it all by yourself (lawyer stuff: of you don't know what your doing don't do it head space is critical and done improperly leads to injury or death) my next rifle, and most future purchases will be Stevens 200's that I customize.

Savages are IMO the best bang for your buck rifle. ( minus a few models) and the aftermarket support is second to only The Remington 700's. And they really listen to their customers, and rarely put out sub standard products.

~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

 

[Doug the lefty]

308 is a lot of gun for a deer rifle. Not to mention that bullet will travel a LONG way.

For what it's worth I think the 243 is the perfect caliber for deer. I have friends out here that hunt giant mule deer with a 243.

True but most will lose there knock down power.

It all depends on the bullet. Your regular spire point .243 vs the same in .308 will both have more then enough energy at most ranges the average hinter will see. The .243 will have a larger energy loss because of the difference in BC.

~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

True, and I agree. I was just pointing out that both 243 and 308 will both still have a lethal amount of energy at extended ranges, which is why I was questioning that the poster thought the 308 was 'too much gun' but the 243 was the perfect deer caliber...

 

[Rhyno]

True, and I agree. I was just pointing out that both 243 and 308 will both still have a lethal amount of energy at extended ranges, which is why I was questioning that the poster thought the 308 was 'too much gun' but the 243 was the perfect deer caliber...

I agree great round. So capable I like it as a Coyote gun to, it's just a great round. I use it when I introduce people to hunting because it's mild. Can't say enough about it. I've seen it take much larger game but wouldn't recommend it.

~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

 

[Doug the lefty]

I agree great round. So capable I like it as a Coyote gun to, it's just a great round. I use it when I introduce people to hunting because it's mild. Can't say enough about it. I've seen it take much larger game but wouldn't recommend it.

~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

Yeah, I'm looking forward to trying some lighter weight bullets on coyotes this winter. The ballistics on some of the lighter weight bullets are pretty incredible.

 

[jacob1]

It all depends on the bullet. Your regular spire point .243 vs the same in .308 will both have more then enough energy at most ranges the average hinter will see. The .243 will have a larger energy loss because of the difference in BC.

~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

This is my reason for liking the 243 better for Deere in highly populated areas. If it came down to it a 12 gauge shotgun would probably be what I would use in those heavily wooded/ populated areas. That's all you can use in states like Illinois and there are some huge Deere there.

 

[Rhyno]

This is my reason for liking the 243 better for Deere in highly populated areas. If it came down to it a 12 gauge shotgun would probably be what I would use in those heavily wooded/ populated areas. That's all you can use in states like Illinois and there are some huge Deere there.

Yea luckily I don't live anywhere near that kind of area. I guess I would probably bow hunt again. Though with some of the slug guns they have now I wouldn't be surprised if a good slug gun could hit 200 yards easily.

~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

 

[Tbox]

I currently own 5 guns:

Taurus PT609PRO 9MM
Remington 870 Express Super Mag 12 ga.
Knight .50 cal. Inline Muzzleloader
Remington ADL .243 W/ Bushnell 6x18x50
Thompson Center Encore 7MM Rem. Mag. W/ Bushnell 6x18x50

All of my guns (minus the pistol) are used for hunting. I use the 7MM as my primary deer rifle and the .243 is my backup. All rounds from the 7MM and .243 are custom loaded using Nosler Ballistic Tips. The 7MM is a 120 grain and the .243 is a 90 grain.

I also have a Matthews LX bow. Right now it is shooting right around 294fps.

 

[jacob1]

Yea luckily I don't live anywhere near that kind of area. I guess I would probably bow hunt again. Though with some of the slug guns they have now I wouldn't be surprised if a good slug gun could hit 200 yards easily.

~Joseph~
via Tapatalk

Yeah a buddy of mine has one that's highly accurate out to 150 yards still having some knock down power