Hi guys,
I’m 38, and I occasionally hunt deer with my uncle in NH (near VT) and with my cousin in VA (Southwest, near the national forest). I always borrow their rifles because my job keeps me moving, and I don’t actually own my own hunting rifle. I’m currently working in a country which ranks a full tier below the “sh**hole” level of Haiti. It sucks, but I’m making some money. I want to get a deer rifle and scope as my little gift to myself, and the more I research and think about it, the harder it gets to narrow down the choices.
I’ve already figured out what I basically want, but still, the choices are overwhelming. Thanks to danger/hazard pay, the realm of custom rifles and high-end scopes isn’t off limits to me. I know many deer are taken with a Ruger American and a $100 scope, but I’m not spending a year of my life in this place to worry about money for my first rifle. So I’m leaning toward “high end” rather than “low end.”
About the type of rifle I am looking for, the NH and VA woods I hunt in are generally thick (not impenetrable swamp brush, but relatively dense woods) and somewhat hilly. I don’t recall being in a position we ever hunted in where I could have made more than a 75 yard shot (maybe 100 yards max). One thing that has influenced me is the time I shot a button buck with my cousin’s .270 at about 20 yards and gut-shot the heck out of him (thankfully the bullet went off a rib and hit his lung). The rifle was sighted in, so we figured the relatively-light .270 bullet deflected off of a twig or branch. So I’m wanting a “woods gun” with a heavy bullet and enough oomph to drop deer in their tracks. The way we hunt, I’ve never had to carry a rifle more than half a mile or so, so it doesn’t have to be a light “mountain gun.” It can be a bit heavier (9 pounds altogether or so), especially to tame a thumper caliber. On the subject of “thumper,” I don’t live in Michigan or Indiana, but I’ve been reading about the .450 Bushmaster and how much it has grown on folks there.
I know some might think I’m crazy for even considering a .450 Bushmaster bolt gun (not the AR variant) since I hunt in NH and VA and have the choice of any rifle caliber I want, but it’s on the list of calibers I am considering. I’m not dead-set on it. I’m just thinking about it. Seems the market has responded well to the new rules out there, and there appear to be some custom rifle smiths in Michigan making some really nice .450 Bushmaster bolt guns that people are loving. Lever actions are also on the list of possibilities. 30-30 is a possibility, although I’d probably lean toward .44 magnum or 45-70.
Let me say that my cousin and friends usually hunt with high power rifle calibers (30-06, 300 WM, etc.). Unfortunately, I’ve seen them turn enough deer meat into deer jelly. I see a lot of value in a heavy, slower caliber that drops a deer quickly, but in a different way… Now they say they can hit stuff at 600 yards, and I believe them, but I’ve never seen them hunt at those distances.
Regarding scopes, I’m debating between topping my “woods gun” with a fixed-power 2.5x or 4x scope or a “tactical” 1-4x or 1-6x scopes. You can pay whatever you want for one of those, but I’m willing to go up to $1,500. Of course, a fixed 4x Weaver costs $200, and the fixed 4x Leupold costs $300. I’m looking hard at the Weaver tactical 1-5x at $700. Nikon also makes a good one in that price range. I would like my “woods gun” to be an absolutely reliable tack-driver at 100 yards that can drop Bambi (or his dad) dead in his tracks. It doesn't matter to me if things drops off precipitously at 200 yards, so I don’t need a caliber or scope capable of 200+ yard accuracy -- but within 150 yards or so, the performance of the equipment (assuming I’m doing my part) must be perfect, and I’m willing to pay for it. If it helps, my budget is probably $3,000 to $4,000 at the high end for the entire thing (rifle, scope, mount, rings). I’m not hell-bent on spending that much, but I am willing to spend that much, if that makes sense.
Even having a pretty good idea of what I want, when I start looking at calibers and builds and custom makers and options, it gets overwhelming. I’m thinking I should just pick something up my alley, order the darned thing, and enjoy it. Any thoughts or suggestions? Am I way off in my thinking about calibers? About scopes? Any testimonials or suggestions?
I figured I could come here and get some guidance and suggestions before just pulling the trigger. Any feedback or advice
given the info stated above ,Id be looking for a
browning blr in caliber 358 win you might not be impressed with the paper balistics ,but if you load a speer 250 grain bullet over 44 grains of imr 4064 and use a federal 215 primer like I and several of the guys I hunt with do, and if you shoot well, youll be impressed with the result.
sight in 3.5" high at 100 yards and youll be near dead on at 200 and about 10" low at 300 yards
and a Nikon scope, you could pay more but that combo would allow you to kill anything you could reasonably hunt out to 300 plus yards, my late hunting partner used one for decades with zero problems too, and killed over a dozen elk in 30 plus years using the 250 grain speer bullet, (that is a health chunk of lead,) and a load of 44 grains oh IMR 4064 and a fed 215 primer.
I received a brief e-mail asking why I seem to be promoting the 450 marlin BLR
Im not promoting any caliber or action type, simply pointing out what I see rather frequently, used.
one of my close hunting partners for 3 decades carried almost nothing but a pre 1981 BLR in caliber 358 win, he was quite successful,
enough so that I purchased a post 1981 BLR, in caliber 358 win and later one in caliber 450 marlin,
both are very dependable hunting rifles, that Id carry with zero reservations,
as both consistently are fully able to shoot 1.5" 100 yard three shot groups off the bench rest.
and yes the function and triggers improve as they get a bit of wear and you become more familiar with their use.
having TOTAL confidence in the rifle and cartridge you use is a HUGE factor in making you both enjoy and not worry about your potential success.
I have guys bring up questions , concerning the suitability , range limitations and other factors,that many guys bring up concerning the rifles they select to hunt with,
its been my experience that most of the guys who might stay up nights worrying about their rifle or cartridges potential ability to kill at extended ranges ,
or might worry about the rifle they use, suitability, lack of rapid repeat fire potential, range limitations, or potential lack of lethality,
well, many of the same guys both lack extensive field experience and hands on practice, once you've made a few dozen hunts,
and got in some actual experience,,the concerns over your personal choice in equipment selected seems to fade, or changes get made.
my late hunting partner came to love and depend on a browning BLR in caliber 358 win, for both ELK and mule deer,on several occasions we had new guys in the club ,
ask him if he felt he was at a distinct disadvantage, after all if he sighted the rifle in using the load he came to depend on (44 grains of imr 4064 under a 250 speer bullet)
it was, 3.5" high at 100 yards, dead on at 200 yards and about 10 inches low at 300 yards (certainly a 270 win or 30/06 Springfield, shoots flatter,)
at first that question bothered him a bit, but after hunting for 30 plus years he would just smile,
and point out that he had never once even seen any elk out past about 250 yards, thus the concern over flat trajectory was a non-issue in his experience.
and the lethality of that BLR in his hands was well documented.
decent quality optics are mandatory
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....x42mm-30mm-tube-nikoplex-reticle-matte-finish
match that BLR to a high quality optic and you have a very lethal combo
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....5-2half-10x40mm-nikoplex-reticle-matte-finish
I've used a similar BLR 358 win for a few years and there's not a thing I can find wrong with it for hunting thick timber
learn to hand-load that 358 win ammo and the cost of ammo drops by at least 50% or more
look at this chart, a center chest hold works out to nearly 270 yards, place the horizontal cross hair on the bucks back , and the vertical just on the rear edge of the front leg, if you think its over 270 yards and your good to 350 yards with that 250 speer load in that 358 blr
you certainly not going too need a 458 lott or 458 win to hunt elk, but both rifles hand-loaded
to hot 45/70 power levels make excellent thick timber elk rifles where range under 200 yards are the rule and a 400 grain bullet at perhaps 1800 fps-2200 fps make a very effective elk hunting rifle
https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/Gun_Services/Peep_Sights.asp#Weaver