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The Deer Rifle #6527206 11/04/16 06:59 PM
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chital_shikari Offline OP
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I found this wonderful article about the "modern dilemma" of American deer hunters. You can read it here.

What are your thoughts on it? Some may be triggered (pun intended smile ) by the handloader vs. factory ammo observation but other than that, the writer seems pretty much on point.

I personally love a classy rifle more than a tacticool one, for the heritage and culture of the "chase" associated therewith. At the same time, I am also dying to get in on the long range "fetish" that is mentioned. ARs reside in the gray area just as "hunting v. killing" is, to me anyway. They're bad-butt guns, but I don't wanna shoot a deer with them. 2cents

What are y'all's opinions on this conundrum? popcorn

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527213 11/04/16 07:05 PM
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Mr. T. Offline
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I enjoy hunting with an old classic style of gun... Wood stock, etc. I don't own any AR's, I don't have anything at all against them or the people who hunt with them. They just are not for me.


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Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527221 11/04/16 07:12 PM
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I own two rifles with synthetic stocks. One's a Christian Arms and the other is a custom built .222 with a 20" bull barrel. Other than those, my rifles are all either bolt actions or single shots. All have wood stocks, one is English, one is Claro and all the rest are Turkish Circassian walnut. All custom built. I prefer classic style rifles with extraordinary walnut stocks, heavy barrels and Schmidt and Bender, Swarovski or Kahles optics.

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527240 11/04/16 07:28 PM
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Wood stock, bolt action, is what I prefer. Probably would buy a new one before hunting with anything different.

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527241 11/04/16 07:28 PM
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While I have an appreciation for beautiful rifles with intricate wood, first and foremost the rifle is a tool and it has a job to do. As long as it shoots well and isn't incredibly ugly or disjointed (Ruger RPR, for instance), I'm fine with it. I don't show up at the ranch or lease trying to impress anybody with how my gun looks. I have synthetic bolt guns, a wood bolt gun, a laminate bolt gun, a wood semi-auto 10/22, and an AR platform. My shotgun is wood and while not expensive, is pretty.

That said, if any of you would like to purchase the Win 7mm-08 Featherweight in the classifieds and give it to me as a belated birthday gift, I can promise you I'd hunt with it. A lot.


[Linked Image]

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Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527261 11/04/16 07:45 PM
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Don't confuse my pretty rifles with someone trying to impress anyone. I love beautiful wood and rifles and I hunt with all of them. They've all got the nicks, dings and scratches to prove it. You're correct, they're nothing more than a tool to be used and used often up

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: fouzman] #6527268 11/04/16 07:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: fouzman
Don't confuse my pretty rifles with someone trying to impress anyone. I love beautiful wood and rifles and I hunt with all of them. They've all got the nicks, dings and scratches to prove it. You're correct, they're nothing more than a tool to be used and used often up
up


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Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527297 11/04/16 08:16 PM
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My rifles fall into two categories. First are the tools of my trade. Utilitarian, rugged instruments with a job to do. Looks are secondary. I use them daily on my job. Secondly, I have a nice collection of sporting arms. Most have classic wooden stocks and are bot action or single shot. However there are one or two lever actions, semi-auto and pumps. They range in caliber from .22LR to .308 Norma Mag. Some American and some European and one or two Japanese. I generally top them with Leupold glass. Most were handed down from grandfather to father to son. Someone once quoted that "only accurate rifles are interesting". I disagree. I have a certain appreciation for the artistic creativity put into a firearm. I could never afford one, but many of the double rifles and shotguns produced in Europe are amazing.


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Hunt near Freer
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527306 11/04/16 08:25 PM
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txtrophy85 Offline
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I prefer wood stocked guns. I have two synthetic stocked rifles, one in .22-250 and it was a gift. stainless rifle it makes an awesome truck gun or general purpose ranch rifle.

I also have a Weatherby Accumark which was bought to hunt out west. I really wanted a Mark V deluxe but the fine folks at weatherby made a left handed action a custom gun and I could have bought two accumarks for the price of a custom shop rig, so I went with that. I love the rifle and truth be told the way we hunt out there a synthetic gun makes sense.

however, I do enjoy hunting with higher grade rifles stocked in wood. I'm a bit of a rifle snob in that aspect.


For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: QuitShootinYoungBucks] #6527347 11/04/16 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted By: QuitShootinYoungBucks


That said, if any of you would like to purchase the Win 7mm-08 Featherweight in the classifieds and give it to me as a belated birthday gift, I can promise you I'd hunt with it. A lot.


I have a Tikka in 7mm-08 that I love, but I have to agree with you on this one. A nice wood stocked Mod. 70 Featherweight in 7mm-08 or 7mm Mauser would be SWEET! cheers


Originally Posted By: theserxtremedays
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: tth_40] #6527351 11/04/16 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted By: tth_40
Originally Posted By: QuitShootinYoungBucks


That said, if any of you would like to purchase the Win 7mm-08 Featherweight in the classifieds and give it to me as a belated birthday gift, I can promise you I'd hunt with it. A lot.


I have a Tikka in 7mm-08 that I love, but I have to agree with you on this one. A nice wood stocked Mod. 70 Featherweight in 7mm-08 or 7mm Mauser would be SWEET! cheers


When I was a kid our local farm supply store had a .257 Roberts Featherweight that sat on the shelf for years. Every time I went in there all I did was ogle that rifle. At the time I think he had it for $450, that was 30+ years ago.


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Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527411 11/04/16 10:17 PM
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cameron00 Offline
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None of my guns are attractive, except for the 1 that I inherited.

My main deer gun is a 20-inch fluted barrel 308 with a composite hogue stock. My main shotgun is just a black composite 870. My main carry pistol is a glock.

I do have a Rem 700 with a pretty nice wood stock I inherited in 7mmag, but I barely use it.

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527413 11/04/16 10:20 PM
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majekman Offline
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I'm a Ruger guy and have several.....all wood bolt action plus some old Winchesters from grandfather

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: majekman] #6527419 11/04/16 10:28 PM
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txtrophy85 Offline
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Originally Posted By: majekman
I'm a Ruger guy and have several.....all wood bolt action plus some old Winchesters from grandfather


my "deer" rifle is a Ruger MK II M77.....imo one of the most underrated factory rifles.


For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527422 11/04/16 10:33 PM
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stxranchman Offline
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I have some with the original wood stocks and some with composites stocks. The all mean the same to me and all show their wear from years of use, with the exception of one that is newer. I did not buy or inherit a rifle to look at, I got them all to use. Who I leave them to can do with them as they like. I would hope they continue to use them as much as I have.


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: txtrophy85] #6527441 11/04/16 10:55 PM
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Originally Posted By: txtrophy85
Originally Posted By: majekman
I'm a Ruger guy and have several.....all wood bolt action plus some old Winchesters from grandfather


my "deer" rifle is a Ruger MK II M77.....imo one of the most underrated factory rifles.



Agree 100% ....I have the exact same model in .270. It was always my go to gun and now it's my grandsons....it's on a 17 kill run without a miss.

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527533 11/05/16 12:52 AM
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I have worked for Weatherby since 1994 so I naturally prefer a wood stock. Sad to see the era of pretty wood disappearing. What was considered common Claro Walnut figuring is now considered exhibition grade and you have to pay a huge premium for it.
I am lucky enough to have several older models that have gorgeous wood. I hunt with them too.

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527556 11/05/16 01:28 AM
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It is a tool use for killing. I want it to be powerful and accurate. I could care less what it looks like.


They make ammo specifically for hunting for a reason! nidea
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527560 11/05/16 01:32 AM
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Yeah some wood stocks prices are ridiculous. I have an old M44, some old SkS's with mint condition wood stocks and a Tikka T3X Hunter with a wood stock that is pretty nice. But nothing compared to older hunting rifle stocks. I had an old Remington 700 that I purchased a Boyd's laminate stock for so I could do a bedding job on it in school. It was a nice stock and pretty well made. The 700 came with that cheap plastic stock because the guy who originally owned it wanted to keep the original wood stock. I bet it looked nice with the original stock on it. Some of the wood stock sets I have seen on trap guns and rifles being sold at Briley's Mfg look absolutely amazing. Recently I started getting in to making custom wood grips for the 1911's I have built. My next set is going to be made from Coolibah Burl red.

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6527704 11/05/16 09:24 AM
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I have a variety of rifles I could hunt with, but most likely I'll be carrying a Custom Stocked Savage (stainless) in 7mm-08 to the stand this morning.

Good luck all.

Flint.


Spartans ask not...how many, but where!
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: huntwest] #6527724 11/05/16 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted By: huntwest
I have worked for Weatherby since 1994 so I naturally prefer a wood stock. Sad to see the era of pretty wood disappearing. What was considered common Claro Walnut figuring is now considered exhibition grade and you have to pay a huge premium for it.
I am lucky enough to have several older models that have gorgeous wood. I hunt with them too.


I have always had a thing for Weatherby's

in my mind a Mark V deluxe is the sexiest rifles, hands down, with no distant second when it comes to aesthetics.


For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6528117 11/05/16 08:35 PM
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I've got an assortment but I always seemed to migrate toward my old faithful 30.06 or my Mod 99 .308 lever gun.....Both are over 40 years old and still shoot a pretty decent group! up


HnF

"Prayer is when you talk to the Lord, Meditation is when you listen to what he says"
Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6528158 11/05/16 09:22 PM
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I can appreciate any firearm usually.

That being said, I wouldn't use a chassis/bull barrel/etc. build to hunt where I hunt. They're great, but not needed for what I do.

My next rifle, that I'm saving up for currently, will be a Rigby. Accuracy is great, but I am a diehard for the classics and if it shoots MOA I could really care less about dine sized groups. Obviosuly if it can do both, then I'll be very happy. I'm just at that point right now where I don't "need" a lot of guns, so I'll be buying what I would consider to be one of the best available for my own personal taste and use.

If someone wants to hunt with an AR or a 20lb bench gun, go for it. You shoot better when you really love a gun, I think.

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6528504 11/06/16 03:37 AM
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Sav 99 is just cool.. period..
4x glass and it's just perfect...
you can drive a new truck and they're awesome, but that ol' 65 what-ever is the real deal...

Re: The Deer Rifle [Re: chital_shikari] #6528856 11/06/16 04:18 PM
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I too love wood stocked "traditional" rifles and have hunted with them most of my life. I do not care much for traditional bolt rifles in synthetic stocks. I've never been a huge fan of ARs and had two AR-15s in the safe for years that might have gotten shot every two to three years...that is right up to the time I sold one, Colt w/handle, and bought an AR-10 in 6.5 CM. it has become my go to deer rifle simply because it is extremely accurate out to 600 yds AND I love the 6.5 CM cartridge! The only negative is it weighs about 17 lbs but the hike in is a quarter of a mile to the box blind and it isn't too bad.

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