Dukats Journal of Hunting

Choosing A Deer Rifle

Nebraska Whitetail taken with a Sako SS .270 By far the most commonly hunted big game animals in the United State are deer. The most common method of hunting deer is with a rifle, although archery and muzzleloader hunting seems to gain popularity every year because it extends the hunting season. So what is the best deer rifle on the market?

That question has been asked and answered thousands of times around campfires all over the country. It seems everyone has their opinion on what the best rifle is. Well, I can't resist, I have to provide my two cents. For those of you who already own guns, what is needed is an adequate caliber of rifle that the hunter can shoot well. If you have an old .243 that can shoot holes in a dime at a hundred yards, there is no need to go out and spend $1,500 or more on a brand new magnum rifle with a high dollar scope that can shoot a mile. Many a deer has lived to see another day because the hunter was not familiar with his rifle. The thrill of the hunt is matching your skills with that of the deer and getting close is a big part of that.

For those of you purchasing your first rifle, they come in numerous actions including bolt, lever, autoloading, single shot, or pump, in about that order of popularity. The first thing to consider is the terrain you will be hunting. If you are hunting in the swamps of South Carolina, a pump action shotgun, shooting buckshot or slugs might be your best choice. If its heavy timber in Oregon, the lever action is a very popular choice. In the wide open mountains or plains, the bolt action is by far the most popular, so deciding on the type of terrain you will hunt will go a long way towards picking a rifle.

The next choice is a wood stock with a blued barrel or a synthetic or composite stock with a stainless barrel. Again this has a lot to do with where you hunt. Many folks like the look and feel of the wood stock and blued barrel and this is a great choice. The majority of the deer killed in the last 50+ years have been taken with this set up. The drawbacks of this set up are wood is easily dented or scracthed and can swell with lots of moisture. The same goes with the barrel, with lots of moisture, you need to take special care of a blued barrel and action as they will eventually rust with care. The more modern and durable set up is a synthetic stock with a stainless barrel. The stock can handle a lot of abuse and hold up fairly well. It won't swell or change with moisture. The barrel and action still require care, but for the most part can handle moisture without rust.

Caliber is the next item to consider and again it depends on your location, but I would start at the low end with a .243 and end on the high end with a .338. The caliber you shoot the best when it comes to recoil and practice is the one to choose. If the bullet is placed in the right location, most calibers will perform well out to about 200 yards. Open sights and lever action rifles are normally suited better to about 75 yards, but practice can make a big difference.

Now, my opinion on the best deer rifle. I hunt mainly in the wide open plains or mountains of the west. I normally see the game before it sees me and I hunt in all types of weather. My rifle of choice is a bolt action, stainless synthic .270 caliber. I like the accuracy that can be achieved with a bolt action, the durability of the stainless synthetic and the knock down poower and lower recoil of the .270. I feel comfortable shooting out to about 350 yards and past that have a hard time making the shot anyhow.

So there you have it. Just remember, the biggest factors are where you hunt and practice, practice, practice.

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