My wife needs a central OK deer rifle

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rswink

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So, empty nesting and my wife decides she is going to learn to hunt. She has a Marlin 60 and a 783 and loves both and has listened and followed directions well out to 100 yards, we are going to try a different range soon for further and varied distances. All is great on that front. She has also gotten better at the Remington 870 Magnum Express 20 Gauge. But, all 3 are smaller rifles, compact, youth models. I find them all too short.

She has tried my Lever 30-30, 6.5CM Bolt, Pump 12 Gauge, as well as Breech loading 410 and 20 Gauge, the 30-30 and 12 Guage she doesn't like. She likes the 6.5 though, and it is a full length rifle that my 6'2" frame enjoys.

This fall we have a new place to hunt, distances will range from 35 yards to 384 yards. Now, I personally try and stay under 300, but I have taken game further. Her, time will tell how confident she feels. So, deer rifles…..

Oh, and the important part, she has set her budget around $500 for everything. Originally she wanted $250 and I had her go to Bass Pro with me (higher prices to lessen the final sticker shock) and she doubled it.

What would you recommend? She like "older looking" wood and blued metal. But she also has a turquoise and stainless 9mm that she calls pretty. So, what caliber and package?


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dennishoddy

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It's tough to beat the 30-06, although some don't like the recoil. It can be mitigated though with a nice limbsaver recoil pad and a PAST recoil pad at the range. Most folks don't feel recoil in a hunting situation. Good out to whatever yardage you're looking for with the right bullet and load.
Your going to get hit with a dozen or so different calibers by members here, all good suggestions btw. Just read through them, do your own research and make your decision.
 

kirk1978

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Its not the pretty wood but you can build a lightweight AR in several different rounds that are good for deer. I'm going to hunt with the below rifle this year in 6.5 Grendel.


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turkeyrun

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Good deals to be found on ARMSLIST. Winchester, Remington, Savage, Browning, ..
.243, .257 Robert's, .25-06, 6.5 CM, .260 Rem, 6.5x55, 7-08, 7x57, .270, .308, .30-06

All capable of taking deer out to 300 yards.

If you handload, the .308 and .30-06 can be loaded with a 125gr bullet and minimal powder charge to get recoil into .243 or less range.

Other end of spectrum, .223 with 60-65gr bullets, is an awesome deer rifle. The Winchester 64gr PSP is phenomenal.
 

swampratt

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Since she likes the 6.5 Creedmoor I would look for a wood stock gun in that.
Savage Axis makes one as does Mossberg I am sure there are others.
The Axis i have in .223 has shot under 1" for 3 shots at 300 yards My most accurate gun to date.

I also own 2 Mossberg 100ATR rifles one in 30-06 and one in .243 they will shoot under an inch at 100 under 2" at 200 under 3" at 300 and so on.
Really great shooters off the shelf.
I reload all my ammo though. If it was not for owning 2 .308 rifles i may have purchased a 6.5 CM by now.
 

GlockPride

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So many thoughts. Wood and blued, huh? I think I’d revisit that as this ain’t the 70’s anymore. Sure, wood and steel are pretty, nice and classic. However, in and out of cases, bouncing around the truck, in and out of deer stands and animal blood don’t do well on wood and blued steel. I’d look at a quality polymer stock and parkerized, melonite or cerakoted finish. Just my thoughts.

A bolt is great and an AR or semi auto will open the door to more options such as redundant shots if one were pig hunting, etc.

I’ve been a.243win fan for a long time and it will do the work, although 400 yards is stretching the energy. Can you shoot 1k yards with a .243? Yes. But can and should are not always interchangeable.

I just switched to 6.5 Grendel. It has a variety of grain weights, mild recoil, miserly on reloading powder, and seems to hit hard downrange. 22” barrels are shooting out past 1k yards. I’d probably second the poster above, a lightweight AR by PSA in 18” barrel. This will stretch or exceed her $500 though. And then she needs a scope. I’d at least another $2-300 for a decent optic.

Under $500? I’d be in a Savage Axis or Ruger American bolt gun.
 

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