Starter competition/ Deer Riffle

[MoBoost]

Equipment helps - practice what really makes the shots. With that said I would just get an out of the box .243 or 7mm-08 and waste as much ammo as you can afford.

As far as rifle competition - military bolt would be a great start.

 

[Matt N.]

remmy and 308 will take deer farther than most think,its all in the driver,that being said I run a savage 12

Agreed.

 

[Ksmirk]

Depending on the competition you may be looking at either a 308 or 223 due to restrictions, I had both rifles and they will shoot but they both will need a little work simple stuff like bedding the action, floating the barrel, and the hidious triggers the lawyers have put on them. I know it's not one of your choices but take a look at the Savage/Stevens rifles, the actions are solid and you can swap barrels out pretty resonably and more than likely save you a couple hundred bucks!

Of your picks I myself would go with the Howa! just not a fan of big green anymore. Also on a side note look at a +20MOA base with the Bushnell having a 1" tube it will help you get out past 700 yards with a 308. Later,

Kirk

 

[SERE Guy]

Number 1, in either .308 or .243 and sighted in for 200yds.
The .22 calibers are not ideal for deer sized animals. In fact, in some states, it's illegal.

"Beware the man with one gun; he probably knows how to use it."

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Neither. Too heavy.

The perfect deer rifle (arguably) is a Remington Model Seven in .260 Rem (or perhaps 7mm-08 Rem, or .243 Win, in a power range just on either side of the goldilocks round of .260 rem; or even .308 win). Unethical in my view to take shots past around 300 on deer, and these calibers do just great at those ranges.

So my vote is buy two rifles, one for compet. and one for hunting. Same caliber if you like to simplify your life.

Your heavy competition gun should be in a 6.5 or 7mm caliber - they are superior for long-range (superior even to .300 win mag): .260 Rem, 6.5x47mm, 6.5mm Creedmoor, 6.5x55mm, 6.5mm-'06, 6.5-.284 Norma, .264 Win Mag, .280 Rem, .284 Win, 7x57mm, 7mm Rem mag, 7mm STW, 7mm Dakota, 7mm WSM, etc.

If I was gonna get JUST ONE gun for both long range and hunting (which I wouldn't), it would be chambered in .280 Rem, and be a 24" medium-contoured turnbolt. Or MAYBE 7mm WSM.

And here ya go....

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/riffle

 

[Go_Ordnance]

Let me throw something different out there.

A CZ 550 American in .243, .270, or .308
A CZ 550 Varmint in .308

CZ makes outstanding rifles based on the mauser action.

 

[CritterKiller]

love those set triggers on those CZ`s

 

[dennishoddy]

The .22 calibers are not ideal for deer sized animals. In fact, in some states, it's illegal.

QUOTE]

For the life of me I don't understand why somebody would not allow a .22 cal for deer. Kills hundreds of thousand humans with a fmj. A hollow point hunting bullet woud be a killer for deer. I'll be using one this year. Its all about placement.

 

[MoBoost]

For the life of me I don't understand why somebody would not allow a .22 cal for deer. Kills hundreds of thousand humans with a fmj. A hollow point hunting bullet woud be a killer for deer. I'll be using one this year. Its all about placement.

Unlike in war, they don't allow use of FULL AUTO on deer. Before full auto, in war they used 30 cal.

Just to put it in perspective, with M16:
Vietnam: 50,000 rounds per kill
Iraq: 250,000 rounds per kill

With .308:
1.3 or so?

 

[aeropb]

The .22 calibers are not ideal for deer sized animals. In fact, in some states, it's illegal.

For the life of me I don't understand why somebody would not allow a .22 cal for deer. Kills hundreds of thousand humans with a fmj. A hollow point hunting bullet woud be a killer for deer. I'll be using one this year. Its all about placement.

Its all about preference. Hell, the most famous elephant hunter of all time used a 7mm mauser to kill 1,011 elephants. 175gr FMJ going 2400 fps. Talk about less than ideal.