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Tight Budget Deer Rifle

14K views 22 replies 10 participants last post by  ceader savage 
#1 ·
Hello to all, in the merry land of firearms. If I had one wish it would be a giant personal armory filled with weapons and to have nothing in the world to do but cherish them in every way possible. Unfortunatly, firearms are expensive... very... expensive.

I've loved firearms all of my short life (I'm only fourteen, but I consider myself a bit more... intelligent... than the average fourteen-year-old), and generally understand them, but I'm not very in tune with the current market. Actually, I'm not in tune to any market other than the Soviet Mosin-Nagant market, of which I am a connoisseur.

Now that my introduction is finished, I present to you my problem:

I live in semi-rural Kentucky, prime deer hunting land, and I am on a VERY tight budget. I won't say the specifics, but it is very tight. All of my life I've borrowed firearms from family or friends of family, be it a bolt action 12 gauge deer rifle or a .300 WinMag. I hate borrowing things... anything, really. A pencil from a classmate, money from friends, or a rifle from family. I like being independant and self sufficient.

It's about time I purchase my own rifle so I can stop pestering everyone else. What do you reccomend, specifically? Recoil does not matter in the slightest, I will shoot anything. Take into account where I live, with many rolling hills and a mix of thick forest and open farm plots. Also take into account the cost of the cartridges. I am not opposed to muzzleloaders. Please do not reccomend youth-only rifles, unless it's just a wonderful rifle for the money. I honestly find them to be a little bit lighter and smaller than I prefer.

As a final thought, wish me luck, I'm heading into the woods tomorrow morning for that elusive buck!

Thank you in advance.
 
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#2 ·
Don't be in a hurry to guy a deer rifle. You are most likely still growing. A rifle that fits you well now may not fit you well in the future. To get all the potential accuracy out of a firearm, the firearm needs to fit you well. You also may change your mind about the caliber in a year or two. Would this only be used for deer, or would/could it also be used for bear, elk and/or moose? Recoil does make a difference. How accurate/consistant are you with a heavy recoil gun? I am not talking about a short range shot but a shot of 300 to 400 yards. Go to the stores and check out the regular price of ammo for the different deer calibers. Make sure it is a deer load and not a practice, target or varmint load.

Look for quality and not just price. Do your research. Price does not alway mean quality. The Mossberg ATR is one of the lower priced bolt action rifles, but I am not impressed with its accuracy in the reviews I have read. I suggest a Remingon 700 or a Savage for a bolt action. A single shot is also a consideration. I have not shot them, but people seem to like the Thompson Center Encore. A used gun can be a good deal. However, take someone with that truly knows a lot about firearms and what to look for in a used gun. Have them check everything! Bring your own ammo and test fire a used gun under favorable weather conditions. Some guns are only accurate with a speciic hand load. If they don't allow you to try out a used gun, I would not buy it. Also take an expert with to check out a new gun. I check everything on a new gun before we start the paperwork (trigger, barrel, action, stock, fit, finish, sights, magazine, etc.). More than once, I have found a problem with a new in box gun.

Do you have access to a 22LR rifle that you can shoot often? If not, you may want to consider buying a 22LR first (this could also be a used gun). This is not a deer cartidge, but it is a great practice and small varmint rifle. A 22LR has the least expensive ammo which means you can afford to practice more often. Work on correct shooting form and accuracy. While growing up, I would shoot 1,000 or more gophers each year on my parents pasture lands. This really helped me to develop my shooting skills. I could consistanly have a clean kill on a gopher over 100 yards away with my open sight 22LR. Be aware that a 22LR is more prone to ricochet, and it is still a deadly cartridge. In September, I would take out my scoped 30-06 and shoot two or three gophers. If I could hit a gopher at 150 to 200 yards with my deer rifle, both myself and my deer gun were ready for the deer season.

Good luck and be safe!
 
#6 ·
I am 16 so i know about the fact of being on a limited budget but you also have to remember you get what you pay for. I just bought a gun 2 years ago its a ruger 30-06 wood stock with a simmons 4-10-44 I love my gun and can hit a quarter at a 100 yards but the way you are talkin you probably can't afford something like that if I was in your situation I would probably buy a used Savage in 270 or 30-06 you can probably find a used one at a pond shop for about 250 its not going to be perfect on the outside but it matters what it looks like on the inside. My dad has a savage 7 mm and its has took a beating for 15 years and it still keeps on killing so savage makes some durable guns to say the least but it will kick harder than most ather guns. I would not buy a 243. but thats just my .02
 
#7 ·
Savage makes a great gun for the money. The scope is as important as the gun. I tried to go with a cheaper scope last year and ended up ditching it for a Burriss that I love.

As for caliber, anything from .243 to .300 Mag will do. Don't get caught up in the endless "best cartridge" debate. I'd say get the biggest caliber you can comfortably shoot, but don't turn down a good deal just b/c it's not a certain round.
 
#8 ·
Whootsinator, how did the hunt go?

I used Dad's 30-30 until I bought my own deer rifle. When I bought my deer rifle as a teenager (I was about 16), it was a 30-06 that I bought on sale after the deer season. I could not afford a high dollar scope as I did not have a lot of money and neither did my parents. For a scope, I ended up putting on a Bushnell 3-9 X 32 as a recommendation of the salesman at the gun shop. This scope was also on sale. That was many years ago, and I still have the same scope, bases and rings on that gun.

I recently bought a different brand scope at 1/2 off in 3-9 X 40 that I will eventually be putting on this gun. I will also be upgrading the rings, but I have not decided on the bases. IMO, one of the biggest factors in a scope is being waterproof, fogproof and shockproof along with the manufactures warranty and the coatings of the optics. Also look at the field of view (FOV) at 100 yards. This will be very important as you stated you could also be hunting in heavy cover. I have never used a power setting higher than 3X for deer as all my deer were shot while brush hunting, while they were running up a hill or running from cover. I have not shot a deer over 200 - 250 yards. I did use the 9x setting for gophers. I also used the 9X setting for a very long shot on a furred predator.

A person could spend thousands of dollars on a scope. I would suggest taking a look at a Tasco World Class. The price is reasonable, and they are a decent scope. You will find many favorable reviews on these scopes on the internet. There is a post on this forum about a hunter who purchased a $250 Nikon scope, but he is not happy with it. According to this hunter, his Bushnell is just as clear at 1/3 the price. Until recently, all my scopes have been Tasco or Bushnell, and they have served me well.

Be more concerned about having a quality rifle and less concerned about the glass at this time. This rifle should last you a lifetime, and you can upgrade the optics later. You could even go with open sights for a time. I have one deer rifle that is not scoped, and I do not have plans to scope it. Dad's 30-30 also has never been scoped.

Don't buy a scope or rings until you buy a rifle. Not all scopes have a center tube long enough to be mounted on a long action rifle. The objective size of the scope will determine the height of the rings needed. Be aware that some scopes have a 1 inch center tube and some have a 30mm center tube. Be careful if you use a bench rest. Some guys have cracked their stocks because their bench rest had little to no give under recoil. This is something to look for on a used rifle.

I sugget that your rings have screws with either an Allen Wrench or Torx head. Stay away from rings that have a standard or phillips screw head. Message me if you would like a suggestion on sighting in the rifle from a bench or the bullet weight if you go with a 30-06.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for all the tips guys. Unfortunatly I didn't even see a deer today... atleast not while hunting. I saw about 10 in various places on the road, and my uncle got one big doe while his friend got two smaller ones.:thumbdown: Oh well... gave me a few hours alone to think, at least... even if they were spent cramped in sub freezing weather...

I've really been looking into a Savage 110 or Stevens M200. I borrowed a Savage 110 today in .243, and thought pretty highly of it. The action was very smooth, it was considerably light, and outperformed it's owner's .300 WinMag today.

Whatever I get, I just found out that one of my good neighbors is actually somehow connected to one of the local gunshops. I'll be sure to ask him about whats in stock and to keep an eye on things.
 
#10 ·
Sorry you did not get a shot at a deer. Sometimes that is the way it goes. However, a day outside in God's creation and a safe hunt is always nice.

The Savage 110 is a nice rifle. Did that one have an Accu-Trigger? I have a 111F that I recently bought without an Accu-Trigger (have yet to shoot it), but it still has a decent trigger.

I agree with 10point regarding the 243. I consider a 243 to be a varmint rifle that is capable of taking deer and antelope with the correct load and right conditons. However, the 243 offers very little margin for error. Be aware that some states and/or private ranges do not allow the 243 for deer hunting. Before I bought my deer rifle, a relative of my dad said he never took a shot at a moving deer with a 243. He was a sniper in the military (stationed off the Japanese islands in WWII), a FFL and very knowledgable in firearms. He suggested the 30-06 as it is capable of also taking bear, elk and moose (although it is not the best bear, elk or moose gun). A 7mm Rem Mag and 30-06 are great on deer and can also take larger game. The 7mm Rem Mag has quite a bit more kick (and more of a snap) than a 30-06. The 7mm Rem Mag ammo is usually much more expensive than 30-06, but it is a better big game gun than a 30-06. My brother has a 7mm Rem Mag in a Rem 700. My 30-06 is a Winchester Model 70.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I asked the owner of the Savage 110 about the Stevens M200, pretty much a clone of the 110 without an Accu-Trigger, and he said he wouldn't even think about buying it. He bought his Savage 110 at Walmart just recently, brand new for under the MSRP of the M200. The 110's do come with the latest Accu-Trigger.

If I were to get a Savage 110, I would most definitely get it in either .270 or .30-06. I don't want to go up to 7mm, but don't want to go down to the .25-06. These are the only standard calibers currently available on the 110. (The short action 110 is no longer listed on Savage's site.)
 
#12 ·
Most gun companies make stocks that are not custom but average cut for all, so growing into a stock is a mute point, unless you buy a youth cut stock. Caliber is a distinct difference and so open for better discussion. You say you can shoot anything, well the question is how well? Big magnums generally kick hard and do you really need it? Starting with the 25-06, 270 win, 30-06 ect ammo can be purchased reasonably. I would look for and be patient for a good used scoped rifle in a commom caliber. Even a 300 sav for your neck of the woods would work well. The ideal cal may be a 308. I'm not a big Savage person (except my 99) but I hear the 110's are accurate. Don't be in a big hurry to purchase as you want to enjoy the gun for many years. Good luck.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I was thinking the same as you as far as the stock goes, and I probably won't grow but a few more inches at most. I'm already taller than my mom and an inch behind my dad, both of whom aren't very tall. Height just isn't in my family. I'm currently '5"6. In the end I'll probably slap an aftermarket stock on it anyway. Of what I've heard, the Savages' stocks are their only downside.

When I said I could shoot anything, I wanted to point out that I was capable of comfortably and efficiently firing a cartridge that would be used on deer. I don't want an over-sized cartridge, and I'm not a big believer in 'Bigger is Always Better'. I think I've narrowed my decision down to .30-06, and I have my neighbor keeping an eye out for a cheap one in the local shops.
 
#16 ·
Bah! This is why I hate mixing Imperial and Metric measurements when it comes to cartridge size. Metric measurements are just so much more precise, and easier to compare... You know EXACTLY how large the cartridge is, no hidden unmentioned lengths or diameters like the Imperial system...

I guess I'll continue my research.

Thanks for enlightening me.
 
#19 ·
I think for your age and said size, that would be a great choice. It would take a few hunting seasons for you to outgrow or just grow tired of that particular model. By then you would be old enough for a job and steady income to make another gun purchase to suit you or add to the collection. In respect, you do seem quite mature for a 14 year old. Take care of the rifle you purchase and it will take care of you.
 
#20 ·
Thankyou, Whitetailer. I'd like to think I'm at least a bit above my peers, because most of them are pretty darned stupid... especially my friends. Most of the 'smart people' in my school are rich and stuck up, so I steer clear. It seems like very wealthy people are either extremely intelligent or absolute morons who skate by freely. Rarely have I found anyone in between with large sums of money. Meh.. that's completely offtopic.

This is a rifle I plan on taking very good care of, especially since I'll be purchasing it myself. Some day I hope to pass it on as my first rifle. I doubt I'll ever sell it.
 
#21 ·
My 12 year old son just shot his first deer with a .243 and the deer did not go 50 yards. with that said we spent considerable time practicing. I plan on buying him his own NEF handi rifle in .243 for his birthday. We hunt in OK so I know all about dense cover and open farm ground shot placement is important but that should be a consideration anytime with any round. my father still hunts with a Marlin .44 MAG but he waits patiently until he has a good shot in Range. The .243 in a 100 grain softpoint handload is what we use, I also watched a cousin drop a decent buck with the Winchester supreme ammo out of a .243. Don't rush the right deal will come and you'll know it Recoil is always a consideration!!! GOOD LUCK
 
#22 ·
Different people prefer different calibers. A 243 is capable of taking deer cleanly, but the margin for error is greatly reduced. Some have even used it effectively for black bear or other game (be sure to check you local caliber requirements). However, we can't control all the factors like wind gusts, deflection, animal movement and bullet performance. IMO, there are other calibers with low to moderate recoil that offer better to much better performance on deer sized game. Hypotheically speaking, if a person were to shoot 100 deer with a 243 and would then shoot the same 100 deer with the exact same types of shots and weather conditions and shot placement using a 30-30, 308, 7mm-08, 280, 270, 257 Roberts, 257 Ackley Improved or similar cartridge the second 100 deer would provide cleaner/quicker kills. Unless things have changed recently, some states and ranges do not allow the 243 for deer hunting.

Personally, I consider a 243 to be a varmint round that is capable of taking deer sized game. Because of this, it is a round that I personally don't like for deer. Our family has shot many 2 to 3 year old beef steers using a 22LR for a head shot. However, there is again a very small margin for error. Some years back we moved to a pistol caliber carbine, which works much better.
 
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