Ten Top Deer Rifles of All Time?

[roysclockgun]

I do not know what he was smoking when he wrote this list. It comes out of the Dec. 2008 Field & Stream, that I happened to run across. The writer list these as his ten top Whitetail deer rifle *of all time*! Most of the list seems to be from Granpop's day. I also believe that he discounted the tremendous strides forward in off-the-shelf accuracy that has come along in recent years.

1. Savage 99
2. Winchester 94
3. Marlin 336
4. Remington 7600 or 760
5. Winchester 71
6. Mannlicher Schoenauer 1903
7. Remington 600 or 660
8. Marlin 1895 Guide Rifle
9. Jarrett Beanfield Bolt Action
10. And for those who legally cannot use a rifle, Tar-Hunt RSG-12 bolt action

Did he never hear of the Winchester Model 70?
I know it has been done to death, but keeping the retail price of the rifle, without scope or other accessories, below $1500, what are your ten picks for best deer rifles of all time. Also please limit picks to rifles produced after 1890.
Best,
Steven in DeLand

 

[DrMike]

Of course I'll play this game, Steven. :grin:

At least once a year, each hunting magazine prepares such an article. I suppose such lists generate sales; they certainly generate controversy as advocates for this rifle or that rifle present their arguments. If we restrict ourselves to sales alone and don't worry about chamberings, the list is somewhat easier to generate. However, that does not guarantee accuracy.

Winchester Model 94
Remington Model 700
Winchester Model 70
Marlin 336 (and variants)
Browning A-bolt
Savage 99
Savage 110 or 10 (and variants)
BLR
BAR
Remington 7600/760/Model Six

If we include more recent introductions, then many imports (Tikka, Sako, Howa, etc.) would be displacing some of these rifles. Weatherby rifles could be included except we usually think of the swifter and more powerful cartridges.

 

[onesonek]

Yeah,,,I don't know where the writer got his numbers or basis from either.
Not that it was part of some criteria, but I suspect prior to the 1950's, the most used in this country would have been the Winchester 94 or Marlin 336 variants, and of course the 99 was popular as well. The other is the surplus .30-06 Springfield's. Since that time, I still believe the lever's rule most of the deer taken. And the .30-06 in either a 700 or 70 would be close behind. The .270 in eith model wouldn't be far behind those two either.
Other than that, I would have to agreee wit Doc's list and assessemnt.

 

[roysclockgun]

I have to say that would take any of Dr. Mike's choices, if I did not have my own rifle on a hunting trip.
I will to admit, I cut my teeth while reading articles written by Jack O'Connor, so, I am a bolt action guy first and single shot guy second. I never considered needing a rapid 2nd shot and in fact, I believe that in most cases, a hunter does himself and the game no good, when he throws out a second shot before taking deliberate aim. Those beliefs, for me, rule out semi-autos, pumps and lever action rifle and rifles with barrels under 20" in length.
I have never hunted deer where a shot of 250 yds. or more, is not a possibility. Even in the hardwoods of Maryland, there was always a chance to get a firing lane that shows a buck way out there. Again, only my personal choice, but I want a deer rifle capable of holding four rounds inside one inch at a hundred yards, and I want to be certain that I can make a shot with that rifle out to 400 yards. To me, it just makes sense.Why carry a rifle in which you have no confidence of putting a round where you want it at 400 yards? Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it! I was hunting in deep woods, when I flushed out a good buck with a doe. Making to the edge of the woods, I saw the two deer standing on the horizon at over 275 yards. Thank goodness, I was carrying a sporterized Mauser 98, in 270Win. and not a thuty-thuty! My 130gr. bullet took the buck in the chest.
So, my personal list is shorter than ten and it is only in the rifles that I have owned and in which I had a lot of confidence. These, in any caliber that I can shoot as noted above.
1. pre-64 Winchester Model 70
2. Browning B78 falling block
3. Tikka Whitetail Hunter
4. E. Brown falling block rifle
5. Browning A bolt
6. Model 98 Mauser sporter
7. Any bolt rifle capable of performing as noted above.
Best,
Steven

 

[FOTIS]

Winchester Model 94
Remington Model 700
Winchester Model 70
Marlin 336 (and variants)

Good nuff for me. :mrgreen:

 

[Kodiak]

+1 FOTIS' choices,

 

[JD338]

Winchester Model 94
Remington Model 700
Winchester Model 70
Marlin 336 (and variants)

Good nuff for me. :mrgreen:

+2
The 30-30, 30-06 and 270 Win are the top three cartridges.

JD338

 

[Oldtrader3]

I guess that if you consider the Mann Schoen. 1903 as the Model 1952, I have owned four of his listing of "best guns". The Model 94 is the only one mentioned with 5 million made that should even be on the list IMHO. The 7600 should not even be on there outside of Pennsylvania and most people do not hunt deer with a .348 Winc Model 71. Plus, they only made 65000 of them. I don't even know why the 600, 660 Models even made this list? Do you know anyone that still owns one? Or the Jarrett which is a quite expensive :"bean field rifle" for one region only.

It would be more interting to make a 1935 list, 1965 list and 2010 list and see what the commonalities are and what passed by the wayside. A listing of what people really did/do use and why.

 

[Mountain Goat]

I don't hunt white tail, they don't live in my part of Oregon, but the claim of "all time" forces us to put choices on the list that might have a much lower significance today. One example: the Winchester 94. This would be my very last choice for a deer rifle. I just can't get a feel for a thin 2x4 like plank with Bullwinkle rear sights. Between a '94 and a muzzle-loader, I will take my bow. :lol:

 

[BK]

most people do not hunt deer with a .348 Winc Model 71. Plus, they only made 65000 of them.

Wondering about that myself. I didn't know how many Winchester made, but I knew it wasn't that many, and I bet a lot of those were shipped to grizzly country.

I admit to having a late 20th century bias, plus a mule deer/blacktail bias, but just off the top of my head I would choose:
1. Winchester M1894
2. Remington 700/7
3. Winchester M70
4. Savage 99
5. Marlin 336
6. Marlin 1895
7. Savage 110
8. Browning BLR/BAR
9. Remington pump rifles
10. Browning A-Bolt
I suppose I should figure out how to get sporterized military rifles on there somewhere.

 

[6mm Remington]

Ruger MKII or Hawkeye
Remington 700
Remington Model 600
Ruger #1's
Marlin 336
Winchester Model 70

 

[Kodiak]

BK's right about all the converted military rifles. Lots and lots of 'em hit the hunting country in the '50s and '60s. I remember bein' in hunting camps back in those days and those rifles were all I saw hunters carrying afield. Many were 6.5x55 (Swedish?) mausers and 03 Springfields.

Ahhh, the good ol' days :grin: .

Jim

 

[Guy Miner]

I haven't done a lot of whitetail hunting, mostly mule deer. My personal favorite deer rifles are:

.50 T-C White Mountain Carbine
.45/70 Marlin
.30-06 Model of 1917 (Mine is a Winchester)
.308 Win Rem 700
.25-06 Rem 700
6mm Rem 700

Why? Because they've all put venison in the freezer for me! :grin:

 

[BK]

most people do not hunt deer with a .348 Winc Model 71. Plus, they only made 65000 of them.

Wondering about that myself. I didn't know how many Winchester made, but I knew it wasn't that many, and I bet a lot of those were shipped to grizzly country.

I admit to having a late 20th century bias, plus a mule deer/blacktail bias, but just off the top of my head I would choose:
1. Winchester M1894
2. Remington 700/7
3. Winchester M70
4. Savage 99
5. Marlin 336
6. Marlin 1895
7. Savage 110
8. Browning BLR/BAR
9. Remington pump rifles
10. Browning A-Bolt
I suppose I should figure out how to get sporterized military rifles on there somewhere.

Whoops, I forgot the Ruger 77. Ditch the A-Bolt.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know where these guys get this stuff...maybe a list of rifles drawn from a hat?

I'd have a hard time calling a Winchester 71 in .348Win a deer rifle in any sense of the word...or a Marlin Guide gun for that matter.

 

[roysclockgun]

Oldtrader3, I would take part in your listing by eras. You first!

About the converted military rifles; I did list the sporterized M98 rifles as one of my personal favorites. I've owned six in various calibers.

Don't forget, the American arms manufacturers were slow to get back into the sporting arms race, after producing only military stuff from 1942 to 1945. New commercial deer rifles were scarce for a while. At the same time, the US was swimming in Vet. bring-back war trophies. My one uncle, Bud, brought back an Arisaka rifle and had a target stock and 220Swift barrel hung on it.

The German K98k bring-backs had no 8x57 soft point ammo available for a long time, so Uncle Arthur had his Mauser chamber reamed out to accept 30-06 cases and hunted for years with that 8mm-06 wildcat. My father-in-law just hung his German Mauser on the wall for years, until I got it. I have not altered that one in any way.
There were a number of M1903 conversions to other calibers, but mostly,they were left alone, after being cut-down.

My first deer rifle was a British .303 that I bought in a pawn shop for $12. I chopped the stock and hunted deer with the open sights for a year or two, before moving up to a scope mounted US Model of 1917.
I wish I had some of them now, if only for the nostalgia value.
Steven

 

[onesonek]

I don't know where these guys get this stuff...maybe a list of rifles drawn from a hat?

I'd have a hard time calling a Winchester 71 in .348Win a deer rifle in any sense of the word...or a Marlin Guide gun for that matter.

I would agree with the "71", and up to a point GG. If one looks at die sales as somewhat an indicator, the .45-70 is still in the top ten dies sales from the last figures I can find. It may not be used strictly as a deer rifle, but still has quite a following.

 

[Anonymous]

I would agree with the "71", and up to a point GG. If one looks at die sales as somewhat an indicator, the .45-70 is still in the top ten dies sales from the last figures I can find. It may not be used strictly as a deer rifle, but still has quite a following.

No doubt the 45-70 has a surprisingly loyal following- here in my area they rival bolt guns in popularity and are seen with frequency. As a short range moose/bear cartridge they are excellent. I've heard of some guys taking them on Kodiak for deer but their choice is more rooted in bear defense than harvesting deer.

The "71" was quite popular here years ago and only availability limits them now. An aquaintance hunts with one exclusively but again we're talking moose and bear rifles. Harold Johnson of Cooper Landing converted a lot of them to 450 Alaskan and somr other wildcats years ago and they're still occasionally seen in the field.

I really like both of these numbers quite a bit but both are really overpowered and under-ranged for deer.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Here is my $0.02-

1- Winchester Model 70
2- Savage 99
3- Remington 700, 721, 722
4- Winchester 94
5- Enfield 1917 Sporterized
6- Mauser 98 Sporterized
7- Remington 740, 742, 7400
8- Springfield 03 Sporterized
9- Marlin 336
10- Ruger M77, M77 MKII, Hawkeye

I also submit the following because I love lively discussions-

Top Ten best Deer Cartridges-

1- 30-06
2- 270
3- 308
4- 25-06
5- 300 Savage
6- 30-30
7- 284 WCF
8- 243 WCF
9- 250 Savage
10- 264 Win Mag

Notice I only have a 264 Magnum. Personally I feel a magnum is as necessary for deer as an elevator is for an outhouse. Many of these above cartridges would also appear in my top ten elk cartridges too! Enjoy. Can't wait to see the angry responses this spawns! :grin:

 

[6mm Remington]

Here is my $0.02-

1- Winchester Model 70
2- Savage 99
3- Remington 700, 721, 722
4- Ruger #1 variations
5- Enfield 1917 Sporterized
6- Mauser 98 Sporterized
7- Ruger Model 77, and Hawkeye
8- Springfield 03 Sporterized
9- Marlin 336
10- Sako & Tikka

I also submit the following because I love lively discussions-

Top Ten best Deer Cartridges-

1- 30-06
2- 280
3- 6mm Remington
4- 25-06
5- 300 Savage
6- 300 WSM
7- 257 Roberts
8- 7x57
9- 250 Savage
10- 35 Whelen

Notice I only have a 264 Magnum. Personally I feel a magnum is as necessary for deer as an elevator is for an outhouse. Many of these above cartridges would also appear in my top ten elk cartridges too! Enjoy. Can't wait to see the angry responses this spawns! :grin:

Isn't this what you meant to say!! :grin: :mrgreen: :shock:
David