Ten Top Deer Rifles of All Time?

[onesonek]

All this love for the for the 99 and not a single mention of an 88 or Finnwolf?

I'm a sucker for bolt guns, but I have to admit that these lever guns bring a lot of utility to the table for a deer hunter.

Well considering the gist of the thread is popularity,,,one looks at the numbers.
The M-88 was in production about 23 years and iirc, about 285,000 made.
Not sure on the Finnwolf, other than it was behind the 88.
The Sav. 99 was in production in various forms for 99 years. I don't know the number produced,,,maybe somebody here knows it, or can find it. I didn't in a simple search. But I would hazard a guess it was over a million. In it's earlier days, it was so popular, the military nearly adopted it to replace the "trapdoor". The Krag won that honor, and I would surmise that was due most generally to the fact bolt guns are quicker to break down for field cleaning.

Sorry, I didn't read the OP as being based on general popularity or sales numbers. I haven't come across all that many Jarrett Beanfield rifles or Tar-Hunt slug guns.

Well,,, highly questionable as it is, the "top 10" list by the writer (not OP), suggest popularity. I don't know how else one would take it? But, we agree on the Jarrett and Tar-Hunt. I barely recollect hearing of the of the Tar-Hunt myself, and have never seen one in person. And I also doubt the Jarrett is as popular as the writer top 10 list suggest. Regions may vary, but the only way I can see to figure popularity, is longevity and sales numbers on a broader national scale.
But all I was pointing out, the 99 was very popular and had longevity. The 88, well that might be slightly more regional with you seeing them in the used racks reguarly,,,I haven't seen one in years myself. If guys have them in the area's I frequent, they are hanging on to them.

 

[REDGREEN]

Marlin 1895 XLR 45 70
Weatherby Mark V Lasermark 270 Weatherby Magnum
Kimber 84L select grade 25 06
Marlin Golden 39 22 rimfire
A solution for anything that walks this realm of existance.
BTW hodgeman, dunno where you came up with the idea that a guide gun isn't a deer rifle. DRT and no meat destruction.

 

[BK]

I think the Jarrett and Tar Hunt fundamentally changed deer hunting. Before the Beanfield Rifle, there was no Remington Sendero, no Winchester Coyote or Laredo, no Browning Eclipse, no Weatherby Accumark. And how many manufacturers now build super-accurate slug guns?

As I said earlier, I'm a mule deer guy, so I'll probably never own a slug gun, but I could see dragging a Sendero our after pronghorn.

 

[SJB358]

As I said earlier, I'm a mule deer guy, so I'll probably never own a slug gun, but I could see dragging a Sendero our after pronghorn.

Literally dragging it? HA.. Just messin with you Kurt, but I know they are some fairly heavy beasts after humping them all day!

 

[Ridge_Runner]

As I said earlier, I'm a mule deer guy, so I'll probably never own a slug gun, but I could see dragging a Sendero our after pronghorn.

Literally dragging it? HA.. Just messin with you Kurt, but I know they are some fairly heavy beasts after humping them all day!

carryin the big guns don't bother me, once regular guys get within 200 yards and are ready to take the shot, they've already walked 1/2 mile farther than I would have.
RR

 

[joelkdouglas]

I'm unimaginative. I don't know about "of all time", as I have never even shot a lever action. My rating is for "today".

1. Rem 700 CDL, preferred so long as I have access to aftermarket parts
2. Win 70 Featherweight, as a reliable lightweight alternative, or if I wanted to use it without modification

In chambering I'm even less imaginative.

.30-06

I try and think about some other chambering I would like in a rifle, and I keep coming up with the -06. I know, unimaginative.

 

[SJB358]

As I said earlier, I'm a mule deer guy, so I'll probably never own a slug gun, but I could see dragging a Sendero our after pronghorn.

Literally dragging it? HA.. Just messin with you Kurt, but I know they are some fairly heavy beasts after humping them all day!

carryin the big guns don't bother me, once regular guys get within 200 yards and are ready to take the shot, they've already walked 1/2 mile farther than I would have.
RR

Good point RR! Us average folks take more walking to get within the same zip code unlike you with that big 7! :twisted:

 

[Oldtrader3]

Roy, I can make a 1966 rifle and a 2011 rifle list easily enough. I was 22 years old in 1965 some rifles have have changed and some of the calibers are still the same. The biggest difference is that I had just started hunting elk and had not bought my first .338 WM yet.

1966 Rifles:----------------------------2011 Rifles:
Anschutz-Savage .22 Rimfire------------Winchester Model 63 .22LR
Husqvarna 3000, 7mm Rem Mag---------Mark X Custom 7mm Rem Mag-Custom
Winchester 94, .32 WS-----------------Winchester 94, .32 WS (given away)
Marlin Mod 336, .30-30-----------------Browning FN .257 Roberts-Custom
Husqvarna FW, .243 Win---------------CZ 527, .204 Ruger
Ruger Number One, .308 Win-----------Winchester, Model 70, .270 Win-Custom
Mannlicher Schoenauer, .270 Win-------Sako Model 85, .338 Federal
Remington Model 725, .30-06-----------Winchester 70, .30-06
Remington 722, .300 Savage-----------Weatherby Mark V, .340 Wea Mag

This list is deceiving because it does not reflect the long era in my life when I was collecting Winchesters and owned a lot more guns than I reflect now. Funny, beginning and end are similar in mix.

 

[DrMike]

And do you kick yourself for giving away the Model 94 (32 WCF), Charlie?

 

[bullet]

Winchester model 94
Marlin lever action rifles
Winchester Mod 70
Remington Mod 700
Savage 99
Ruger Mark II Standard
Weatherby Mark V
Savage 110
Remington 7400
Remington 7600
Browning BAR

and the one that will top my list for the rest of my life is the M48 TGR which my grandson one day will have in his list of the top deer rifles of all time. :mrgreen:

 

[Oldtrader3]

And do you kick yourself for giving away the Model 94 (32 WCF), Charlie?

Nope, because I know that it is good hands and he will not sell it. That was the first original Winchester (1947) that I ever bought and I had it for a long time. Time to pass it on before he gets too old to see the iron sights. Plus, he has young son.

 

[DrMike]

Good move, Charlie. Passing on the heritage is always a wise move. Knowing when to pass it on is a mark of wisdom. May I show as much discretion is sharing my firearms when the time comes to thin the herd.

 

[Elkman]

Most popular "deer" rifle

Win 94 far and away. of course its also the oldest.
Marlin 336 or variant
Savage 99
1917
Rem 721
Rem 700
M 70
Rem 740 or 760.

I have added a special feature to get the juices turning, "the least popular"
Weatherby
Savage bolt guns
Blaser
Any cartridge with an S in it.

 

[bullet]

Most popular "deer" rifle

Win 94 far and away. of course its also the oldest.
Marlin 336 or variant
Savage 99
1917
Rem 721
Rem 700
M 70
Rem 740 or 760.

I have added a special feature to get the juices turning, "the least popular"
Weatherby
Savage bolt guns
Blaser
Any cartridge with an S in it.

OOOOHHHH!!! WOW!!! Man that is like sticking an Evinrude in a septic tank, talk about stirring things up!!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[DrMike]

Bill,

I'm glad you are not opinionated, or I would think you were trying to stir up a stink. :lol: Least popular would have to surely include any of a number of the Turkish, Yugoslavian and Russian produced hunting firearms.

 

[Polaris]

Let's see, anything with and S in it... Mauser rounds are out, Winchester rounds are out, Savage rounds are out, 30-06 is out, Seven mm's out. Six mms out, 25Sevens out, Guess that leaves us the 35 whelen or 44 rem mag and 8mm rem mag.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Shoot no! We can not have any opinionated folks on this forum!

 

[SJB358]

Shoot no! We can not have any opinionated folks on this forum!

No sir, get that guy Moderators! He is heckling our peace and tranquility! Scotty

 

[DrMike]

He is heckling our peace and tranquility!

Yes! And compelling us to hear discouraging words. Shortly, there will be neither deer nor antelope playing and few buffalo roaming.

 

[Elkman]

mike says
I'm glad you are not opinionated, or I would think you were trying to stir up a stink. Least popular would have to surely include any of a number of the Turkish, Yugoslavian and Russian produced hunting firearms

I was going to add those in along with Ruger, Browning, and a fair host of others, but they are so few in the actual numbers, it was not worth the ink, and abuse of my arthritic fingers. Remember I mentioned juices. The post was titled "Ten Top Deer Rifles of all Time". There is a reason that most of the non 10, I posted are not there. Price, take Weatherby for example. Few blue collar workers in the 50's owned Mark-V's, 50 years later they produced a very fine rifle the Vangard, but they haven't been around long enough to count as yet. Browning sufferes the same distinction, a very nice rifle but priced upper end.
To even be near the top ten a rifle must have been selected by a lot of hunters and around a long time. When I was young the 721 and 700's were very popular because of the pricing. Those that really wanted the best ( as I believe they are, even though I don't own one) bought the pre 64, M-70. Everyone had a "30-30" or 300 savage in their closet. As big game hunters in the west were transitioning to the bolt action rifles more and more levers were left in the dust. I think perhaps that transition took longer in the east primarily because of shorter ranges, but eventually overcame the majority of lever rifles. So fast forward 50 years and most are hunting with a bolt rifle. Sooooooo what bolt rifle are most hunters using, again the term "most" , they are using the 700 or 70 because they have been around much longer. Muchhhhhhh longer for instance than the Marlin bolt, or even Savage. So how does a rifle that has been around 5 or 10 years compete for the "deer rifle of all time" when its the newest on the block? It doesn't, to become great you have been around and used for quite a while. .
You all feel better now ????
If you think my thought process is flawed check out the "If you could only own one rifle", post
Went clam hunting today, sunny 40 degrees, great afternoon. Limited out in about 40 min. Have another tomorrow, with not quite so "sunny" of a forecast.

Merry Christmas all, have a great weekend and travel safe. !!!