deer rifle

[jastclark]

while deer season is months away for me i am starting to get the itch, i was wondering i am considering using a marlin 444 ported this year. being a previosu shotgunner with slugs i am not sure what this would be like but am getting a good price on it what does anyone think about this gun and it's use with deer and a possible elk hunt

[Greyfox]

Golly, that is a whole lot of gun for whitetail.

[texcattlerancher]

I think you can shoot up to a 300 grain bullet with that rifle. It is a good round for elk, moose, and grizzly bear. This is more like a small cannon really that shoots a nice sized rock. Like Fox said, it is a lot of gun for a whitetail, but it will certainly do the job.

My only caveat is the type of range where you will be hunting. I would not use this rifle for 150 yard plus shots. I think it has a lot of drop, and I would not be confident in my ability to compensate for such, even if the bullet still offers substantial shock at longer ranges.

[fatt_tony]

If you are going to use for whitetail and elk maybe consider a .270. It is just under a .30 caliber so it will have have the knock down power and will also give you plenty of distance.

[jfever311]

I think you can shoot up to a 300 grain bullet with that rifle. It is a good round for elk, moose, and grizzly bear. This is more like a small cannon really that shoots a nice sized rock. Like Fox said, it is a lot of gun for a whitetail, but it will certainly do the job.

My only caveat is the type of range where you will be hunting. I would not use this rifle for 150 yard plus shots. I think it has a lot of drop, and I would not be confident in my ability to compensate for such, even if the bullet still offers substantial shock at longer ranges.

+1

To add on here, I personally use a 4-10 slug gun when I am hunting in any thick stuff. It is a flat shooting dependable weapon, will go through significant brush, and has plenty of power to stop a whitetail.

For fields or any other spots that may require shots in excess of 100 yards, I use a Winchester model 70 30-06.

[theperfectstorm]

If you are going to use for whitetail and elk maybe consider a .270. It is just under a .30 caliber so it will have have the knock down power and will also give you plenty of distance.

Just to keep the Texas stereo-types rolling, I agree. Anything around .30 cal will be plenty. Long days hunting humping around that 444. Hard on the ol' shoulder too.

[BD1970]

I shoot a Remington 30-06 just because that's what I grew up shooting. The 30-06 is a solid & dependable, multi-use caliber. And it's easy to find ammo for!!! If I ever change, it'll be to a .270. Great round. Plenty of knock down power & flat trajectory. If you ever want to try a real shoulder canon, get your hands on a 7mm Mag, .375 H&H Mag, or a .300 Win Mag. :smile:

[dpm]

If you are going to use for whitetail and elk maybe consider a .270. It is just under a .30 caliber so it will have have the knock down power and will also give you plenty of distance.

+1

You can also get them loaded a little heavier if you need, but a properly aimed .270 will take down any deer you're likely to encounter.

This will be my first deer season. My Remington 700 LSS .270 is ready to go!

[boboakalfb]

If you are going to use for whitetail and elk maybe consider a .270. It is just under a .30 caliber so it will have have the knock down power and will also give you plenty of distance.

Great all around caliber, that's what I shoot. Deer and Elk I might opt for a 30-06...or .300 Winchester or Weatherby.

[jastclark]

in ky where i hunt and live it is hard to come across a shot that is longer than 250 yds without a hill or tree in the way, so distance isn't a huge concern, decibel level on my ears is becoming a concern though. there are ammo forums where fellas talk about knocking deer off their feet with this sucker, that's a little enticing after tracking them with slug shots going all the way thorugh and deer still running decently long distances....

[boboakalfb]

Shot placement is the most important part of this whole discussion.

[sullivanpm]

Shot placement is the most important part of this whole discussion.
Bingo
You can drop any animal with a well placed shot in any caliber.
I use a 308 for deer in alabama, but for years I carried a lever action 30-30, and killed a whole heck of a lot of deer with it.

[rickw]

The.270 Win is a 30-06 variation. Same basis case necked down and slightly longer. Others are the 25-06, and the 35 and 400 Whelans. If you are in an area where a 30-30 Win is good, the 7.62-39 will also be good. Similar ballistics and can be even faster on a followup shot.

[texcattlerancher]

in ky where i hunt and live it is hard to come across a shot that is longer than 250 yds without a hill or tree in the way, so distance isn't a huge concern, decibel level on my ears is becoming a concern though. there are ammo forums where fellas talk about knocking deer off their feet with this sucker, that's a little enticing after tracking them with slug shots going all the way thorugh and deer still running decently long distances....

Decibel level on your ears, huh? Well then, go and shoot that "ported" cannon you are thinking about and you will have all the decibels you could ever want. Porting helps reduce felt recoil and muzzle jump, but it makes a rifle exponentially louder.

[FlatFork]

I've used my Browning A-bolt .308 for years with no problems, "if it's brown it's down". :biggrin:

[Howard Newell]

The.270 Win is a 30-06 variation. Same basis case necked down and slightly longer. Others are the 25-06, and the 35 and 400 Whelans. If you are in an area where a 30-30 Win is good, the 7.62-39 will also be good. Similar ballistics and can be even faster on a followup shot.

The only problem is that ammo for the .35 Whelen is kind of hard to find (like the 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser).

[mulepackin]

While it certainly sounds like overkill for whitetail, it is a very effective elk round, particularly in brushy or timbered country. My hunting partner has one, and although he has numerous other rifles at his disposal, it seems this is what he ends up having in his scabbard. He has taken more elk with it than all his others combined. It is somewhat limited in range, but you might check out the new Hornady LEVERevolution ammunition which has been specifically engineered for this type of caliber and tubular magazine lever actions. Previously only soft tipped ammo was available, this is now a polymer ballistic tipped round.

[BD1970]

Decibel level on your ears, huh? Well then, go and shoot that "ported" cannon you are thinking about and you will have all the decibels you could ever want. Porting helps reduce felt recoil and muzzle jump, but it makes a rifle exponentially louder.

The shotgun I duck hunt with is ported & I get alot of complaints from the guys in the pit with me. It'll really ring your ears when the echo from my shot catches that metal pit just right. :w00t:

[NeckShaver]

I shoot a .270 Winchester, which is a good straight shooting gun which I need as most of my hunting has been in the rolling high desert of northern Nevada, where 200 yards is considered pretty damn close.

[Jim]

I am in the .270 fan club as well. Whitetails as well as Mule, have all been dropped with 1- 130 grain Nosler partition. You could do far worse.

[texcattlerancher]

So many like the .270 here. I shoot that as well in a Remington M700 mountain rifle.

[Mr. Gillette]

Great all around caliber, that's what I shoot. Deer and Elk I might opt for a 30-06...or .300 Winchester or Weatherby.


There's a mouthful. .270 as a great all around caliber, and we're suddenly into .300 Winchester or .300 Weatherby Mags--- from a nice easy shooting gentle cartridge to something that rattles my teeth just thinking about it!

I personally like the .270 in relatively open country OR in wooded terrain. In the thick woods of Northern Michigan where I do most of my hunting, the old dependable .32 Winchester Special works just fine, considering you can't shoot more than 30 yards without hitting a big hemlock tree...:lol:

[joel]

444 for deer is overkill.... it was like when I was using a .338 Lapua Mag for boar.

What's your budget, what kind of gun are you looking for, and what distances are you shooting?

I've had my eye on one of those Benelli R1's.... god those things are gorgeous, built impeccably, and seem like a hell of a lot of fun.

[jastclark]

not really sure where my budget would end, this possibility only came up because the seller and i share hunting stories and black powder pursuits. funny you bring up benelli i my shotgun i shoot slugs with is a Super Black Eagle II and what a great versatile powerful gun! hard on the wallet but so far worth it. if i stayed in the $500 -$600 range, i could please myself and my sig. other. I would love to find something with a decent range, great knockdown, and a scope.

[fatt_tony]

O yeah make sure you buy a decent scope and mount it with Leupold style of bases and rings. I just don't trust the weaver style mounts on a deer rifle of any respectable caliber. They are fine for .22's or other plinkers but I personaly just feel better mounting a scope with Leapold style bases and rings. YMMV

[Chevyguy]

The only problem is that ammo for the .35 Whelen is kind of hard to find (like the 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser).

This is where reloading allows you to shoot a classic caliber without breaking the bank. Also allows you to work up one sweet nail driving load.

[Chevyguy]

So many like the .270 here. I shoot that as well in a Remington M700 mountain rifle.

Thats a sweet rifle, nice and light. I hunt deer and elk with my dad's 1949 remington model 721 .270 win. Load a 140 grain hornady btsp over 49.0 grains of IMR-4350 in a winchester case with a winchester standard rifle primer. It's a nail driver.

Clayton

[Satch]

I have been deer hunting in the Southeast for 30+ years. I have settled on the 270 Win. for deer.

I have owned a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 which had a ported barrel. The piece consistently shot factory 300 gn Winchester hollow points with a sub-minute group at 100yds. I had a nice Leupold 2-7 x 33 scope on it. I anchored a couple of nice bucks in brush crumpled in a heap! Now the down side is that I have lost some amount of hearing due to the ported barrel - it was noticeable painful. I will not own a ported firearm for hunting. I have experience ported shotgun muzzle blast from shoots adjacent to my position when shooting 5 stand which was quite noticeable with hearing protection. I have not use for the things.


I also found myself carrying two guns hunting deer - 45-70 for timber and the 270 for power lines and cut overs. Alot of extra baggage if you hunt different terrain types.


Satch

[Jim]

Thats a sweet rifle, nice and light. I hunt deer and elk with my dad's 1949 remington model 721 .270 win. Load a 140 grain hornady btsp over 49.0 grains of IMR-4350 in a winchester case with a winchester standard rifle primer. It's a nail driver.

Clayton

I use a similar load with the 130 Partitions, the .270 seems to have a great affinity to the IMR-4350. I get outstanding results with this powder.

[Mr. Gillette]

Thats a sweet rifle, nice and light. I hunt deer and elk with my dad's 1949 remington model 721 .270 win. Load a 140 grain hornady btsp over 49.0 grains of IMR-4350 in a winchester case with a winchester standard rifle primer. It's a nail driver.

Clayton

For me, with the .270, Winchester Model 70 Featherweight, Leupold 4x scope. Smooth as silk. That and the Model 94, 32. Win Special, for rainy/bumping through the tag alders kinds of days in Michigan woods.

I would feel confident with the .270 with any deer and Elk that are within range. YMMV

[texcattlerancher]

Sounds like we have a bunch of "Jack O'Connors" here. His love of the .270 for just about everything was legendary.

[fatt_tony]

My recomendation on the .270 was made because my step father loves his and has very good sucess with his. I personaly own an older Remington Mohawk in .308 that was giving to me. But if I ever have a chance to buy another deer rifle it will either be a .270 or a .243. I doubt I will ever hunt anything bigger than Texas whitetail so I really like my .308.

[urr-lord]

i own a variety of deer guns-- 303 british enfield,308 ruger,6.5 swedish mauser,30-30 marlin,250 savage.
the savage in model 99 lever action is what i carry 90% of the time.it has a rotary magazine and for years was the only lever action that was safe to use pointed ammo in.where i hunt most shots are less than a 100 yards and i've only had 1 deer go more than 15 yards or so after the shot.if you ever stumble across one GRAB it.you won't regret it.its light and accurate with low recoil and to quote one writer "magic on deer".the other calibers in this rifle are good too and all are increasing in value.
as you can tell i like'em.

[StickPig]

not really sure where my budget would end, this possibility only came up because the seller and i share hunting stories and black powder pursuits. funny you bring up benelli i my shotgun i shoot slugs with is a Super Black Eagle II and what a great versatile powerful gun! hard on the wallet but so far worth it. if i stayed in the $500 -$600 range, i could please myself and my sig. other. I would love to find something with a decent range, great knockdown, and a scope.

For about 550 you can get a Remington 700BDL in 30-06 or 270. I have the 30-06 with a Leupold 3-9x40. It is amazingly accurate with el cheapo 165grain Remington CoreLokt pointed soft points, perfect for white tails. The scope and mounts add about 300 to the price, but are well worth it.

Good choice on the SBE II. I have one I use for everything from trap to goose. I've never put a slug through it though.

[Mr. Gillette]

i own a variety of deer guns-- 303 british enfield,308 ruger,6.5 swedish mauser,30-30 marlin,250 savage.
the savage in model 99 lever action is what i carry 90% of the time.it has a rotary magazine and for years was the only lever action that was safe to use pointed ammo in.where i hunt most shots are less than a 100 yards and i've only had 1 deer go more than 15 yards or so after the shot.if you ever stumble across one GRAB it.you won't regret it.its light and accurate with low recoil and to quote one writer "magic on deer".the other calibers in this rifle are good too and all are increasing in value.
as you can tell i like'em.

I had a Savage model 99 in .300 Savage...it was a workhorse and amazingly accurate. It was a sad casualty of my first divorce...don't ask! Anyway, I loved carrying that thing, loved how it operated, loved how it shot, and it wasn't a bad piece of American Walnut, either. Nice gun.

Strangest gun I ever owned (used to have GAD!!!) was a .264 Winchester Magnum. Had an extremely flat trajectory, and you could hit a woodchuck at about a mile away if you could hold on it. That gun was custom made with a mesquite stock. It was a fun gun to shoot, but I needed the money more than the gun, so I swapped it out.

[sullivanpm]

I had a Savage model 99 in .300 Savage...it was a workhorse and amazingly accurate. It was a sad casualty of my first divorce...don't ask! Anyway, I loved carrying that thing, loved how it operated, loved how it shot, and it wasn't a bad piece of American Walnut, either. Nice gun.

Strangest gun I ever owned (used to have GAD!!!) was a .264 Winchester Magnum. Had an extremely flat trajectory, and you could hit a woodchuck at about a mile away if you could hold on it. That gun was custom made with a mesquite stock. It was a fun gun to shoot, but I needed the money more than the gun, so I swapped it out.

My GAD ended the day I got married.
But I still got most of them.

[Vee1]

I have a beat up 30-06 Springfield that belonged to my Grandfather, and a beautiful .270 Rem 700 that I bought new. Deer don't know the difference. Got an Engineer friend who swears by the 6 mm (~.243), and thats probably theoretically the best, but being a pilot, I can tell you what works: .270 or 30-06!

[jastclark]

after all this discussion here and looking around the web, i will probably pass on the .444 and try to pick either a .270, 7mm, .30-06 they will be a little friendlier to shoot to me and my friends i hunt with plus i can get one in a lefty then since i am a lefthanded shooter. anyone have opinions on savage rifles?

[sullivanpm]

I don't own one but all my Hunting buddies that do love them.
My advice would be: Regardless what rifle you buy, don't buy a cheap scope.

[MikeLip]

A .444 Marlin should oughta do the job just fine and it's fun to shoot. Yeah it's overkill for deer, but the deer isn't going to know the difference. I suppose a .270 or .308 is a better all purpose round. A friend of mine uses a .458 Win mag. for basically everything except ground hogs (he got it for a song, so why not?) and we have a good time with that too. I'm a fan of big diameters.

Yes, it will pummel the shoulder a bit, but you won't be firing it enough to worry about when you're hunting. Practice is another matter.

I like Browning rifles, but Savage makes a good firearm.

[jastclark]

i agree on the .444 would be fun, this particular one is ported and from what i have seen the porting makes it painfully and exponentially louder. One fella even said well if you miss the animal it will be so deaf you'll have a second shot, and I just can't see myself wearing plugs or muffs in the woods because i love the sounds of the woods waking up when i see in my stand. I also hunt with a group from a decking built for hunting so there are 4-5 people sitting around when a herd comes i would hate to deafen my friends... i am not to concerned about a shoulder bruising that's part of the game but more concerned about practicality and maintaining a pleasant experience for all.

[MikeLip]

I guess I'd never port a deer hunting rifle, since it just wouldn't get fired enough to make recoil an issue. Get a decent recoil pad installed and call it good :)

[Chevyguy]

I have a beat up 30-06 Springfield that belonged to my Grandfather, and a beautiful .270 Rem 700 that I bought new. Deer don't know the difference. Got an Engineer friend who swears by the 6 mm (~.243), and thats probably theoretically the best, but being a pilot, I can tell you what works: .270 or 30-06!

I've loaded the .243 win with a 100 grain partition and hunted elk with it. got good penetration at 200 yards, real accurate too. It's all about the bullet, shot placement, and knowing your rifles limitations.

Clayton

[txengineer]

The 444 Marlin came out when I was a senior in high school. I just had to have one. I guess I had hopes of hunting bear one day. Anyhow, Dad and I took it out to the ranch and soon spotted an armadillo under an oak tree about 30 yards away. I took a shot, and when we looked, the armadillo was gone. My dad was curious, and walked over to where the armadillo had been. When he stopped to look around, a piece of the varmint fell out of the tree and hit him on the shoulder. Yuck! At that point, I knew I had too much gun for anything we hunted. I use a .308 now. A Barrett .50 might be fun, though!:rolleyes:

[MikeLip]

The 444 Marlin came out when I was a senior in high school. I just had to have one. I guess I had hopes of hunting bear one day. Anyhow, Dad and I took it out to the ranch and soon spotted an armadillo under an oak tree about 30 yards away. I took a shot, and when we looked, the armadillo was gone. My dad was curious, and walked over to where the armadillo had been. When he stopped to look around, a piece of the varmint fell out of the tree and hit him on the shoulder. Yuck! At that point, I knew I had too much gun for anything we hunted. I use a .308 now. A Barrett .50 might be fun, though!:rolleyes:

Yuk! :biggrin: I once hit a Chickadee (a tiny black and white bird about the size of a small field mouse) with a Garand. It was an accident! He literally flew in front of the muzzle just as I pulled the trigger. I was aiming at a steel silhouette 100 yards downrange. Oops.

[sullivanpm]

A Barrett .50 might be fun, though!:rolleyes:
Barrett .50, For when you have to absolutely kill an elk, but have to shoot through a brick wall.:biggrin:

[Mr. Gillette]

I guess I'd never port a deer hunting rifle, since it just wouldn't get fired enough to make recoil an issue. Get a decent recoil pad installed and call it good :)

I agree on this-- porting just blows the hell out of your ears, and I'd rather get a decent pad, perhaps wear a vest, etc. Where I hunt, it's always cold, so the gun shoulders to layers of wool shirts, wool vests, wool mackinaws, etc.

But this brings us back to the .270...I'd pound one of these all day long, shirtless, even. A nice gun. 7mm...lots of punch with what I consider fairly tame recoil.

I think when recoil becomes an issue, accuracy does, too-- lots of pre-shooting flinching, pulling, squeezing...some involuntary-- it's very difficult to make things happen after getting pummeled. I shot a 300 Weatherby once, dead-on bullseye with a standing offhand shot. But it pounded me, and I couldn't get that out of my head the next few times I fired it.

Finally-- a FUNNY story about a nephew of mine, just last week-- taking a summer internship on a Marine Patrol of a local sheriff department. During the interview process, he had to talk to a psychologist who asked him if he ever had a problem with torturing or being cruel to animals. This kid is a great shot, and a fine hunter. Without blinking (or thinking) he says "No sir, I always try to kill them humanely with the first shot." YES!!!! That's my boy!:lol::lol:

[BD1970]

My advice would be: Regardless what rifle you buy, don't buy a cheap scope.


+1. This is the best piece of advice in this thread. :thumbup1:

[mulepackin]

after all this discussion here and looking around the web, i will probably pass on the .444 and try to pick either a .270, 7mm, .30-06 they will be a little friendlier to shoot to me and my friends i hunt with plus i can get one in a lefty then since i am a lefthanded shooter. anyone have opinions on savage rifles?

Savage makes very good serviceable rifles. Nothing fancy, fit and finish can be a bit rough. The accu-trigger is one of the greatest innovations to come along in sporting arms in years. Whatever you get, shoot it a lot, get comfortable with it and know it. In the final analysis, shot placement is what brings down game.

[Mr. Gillette]

Savage makes very good serviceable rifles. Nothing fancy, fit and finish can be a bit rough. The accu-trigger is one of the greatest innovations to come along in sporting arms in years. Whatever you get, shoot it a lot, get comfortable with it and know it. In the final analysis, shot placement is what brings down game.

To my knowledge, Savage is about "it" when it comes to decent LH action guns...what's the matter...don't want to reach over to flip the bolt? HAHAHAHAHA... The Browning BAR is another way to beat the Left Handed problem...it's a nice gun.

[Satch]

With respect to left handed actions - Ruger, Browning, Remington etc. make left handed actions.

I grew up cycling the actions on right handed bolt guns. Later on I started purchasing left hand actions on sporting arms and have not looked back.

I have had right hand actioned auto shotguns that would blow burnt powder in my eyes in a good wind.

Get a left handed acton and you will not want anything else.

Oh I have further complicatiosn in that I am cross dominant, left handed and right eyed dominant.

Satch

[mulepackin]

Oh I have further complicatiosn in that I am cross dominant, left handed and right eyed dominant.

Satch

I have the same problem, only reverse, rt. handed, lt. eyed. Never knew it was a problem shooting as a kid, until someone told me I should keep both eyes open when shooting with the shotgun. Suddenly, I couldn't hit a thing. Also, a problem shooting my bow as I shoot a recurve, instinctively without sights. Can't seem to master that with only one eye open.

[texcattlerancher]

I have the same problem, only reverse, rt. handed, lt. eyed. Never knew it was a problem shooting as a kid, until someone told me I should keep both eyes open when shooting with the shotgun. Suddenly, I couldn't hit a thing. Also, a problem shooting my bow as I shoot a recurve, instinctively without sights. Can't seem to master that with only one eye open.

There are several cures for that cross dominate thing with shotguns.

[Mr. Gillette]

There are several cures for that cross dominate thing with shotguns.

The best cure? Shoot nothing further away than 12 feet, load it to the gills, and use no barrel longer than 15"...this should compensate just fine. (It's HELL on Rabbits, though!)

[rickw]

Learn to use either eye and either hand.

[jfever311]

I am amazed that nobody else in this discussion mentioned the trusty ole' 4-10. I hunt some pretty thick woods around my area. I have killed more deer with my little 4-10 slug barrel than anything else!!

[briguy]

Bingo
You can drop any animal with a well placed shot in any caliber.
I use a 308 for deer in alabama, but for years I carried a lever action 30-30, and killed a whole heck of a lot of deer with it.
Agreed. I use a Remington 700 in 7mm Rem Mag, and my friends use a .308 Winchester, Browing BAR 300 Win Mag and an old 303 British. When we shot from 200 yards, the guy with the 303 British shot the best using only iron sights.

[Moose]

My only piece of advice is what not to use. A Mossberg 195KA bolt-action 12ga with a 1 1/4 oz. slug.

I don't know what it would have done to a deer, but it damn near crippled me. :eek:

[Acmemfg]

444 for deer is overkill.... it was like when I was using a .338 Lapua Mag for boar.

What's your budget, what kind of gun are you looking for, and what distances are you shooting?

I've had my eye on one of those Benelli R1's.... god those things are gorgeous, built impeccably, and seem like a hell of a lot of fun.

Boar?? I take all the edge I can get-Marlin 1895 in .45-70 Govt.