What’s your go to?

[Ringbill27]

With the 2024 rifle deer season around the corner and I’m unusually excited for it this year.

I’m curious what your rifle/cartridge combo of choice for hitting the woods?

Mine is a Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39. Shooting a 123gr Barnes TSX at 2500fps. It’s the one rifle that I know is ready 99.9% only the time for all conditions.

 

[SwampDonkey55]

I use my dad’s Interarms Mark X in .30-06 with 150 gr. Remington Cor-Lokts.. it’s all I need for whitetails in the northeast. Only think I’ve done is put it in a cheap hogue stock (to save the wood stock) and put a timney trigger on it

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Browning X-Bolt chambered in 308 shooting 150 grain Fed. Premium Nosler Partitions. Bang flopped 4 deer last year with this.

 

[Macintosh]

 

[Luked]

Ill be using my Savage in 6.5 CM this year.
Might also tote the 243 around possibly.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

My wife and I are giving the .223 with 77 TMK's a go this year on big northern whitetails. We will both be shooting Tikkas. Hoping to put down 3-4 each.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Mac, is that a 760? Almost half the old boys in our deer camp in Northern WI shot those.

Mine, a BAR in .270. It's odd, as it is my only hunting rifle I don't reload for. After several years of tinkering with dozens of different loads, I just could not get it feed properly. It shoots 150 gr Remington Core-lokts flawlessly. I'm thinking of dialing down to 130's as I put the serious meat-wasting hurt on a doe last year.

 

[knale87]

Close to 20 years I carried a Rem 7600 chambered in 30-06 shooting 180gr core lokts.

Last year I used a Tikka 6.5 with 143gr eldx’s

This year I’ll likely use my Tikka 223

 

[Macintosh]

Mac, is that a 760? Almost half the old boys in our deer camp in Northern WI shot those.

7600 carbine, 30-06. I bought it used in the late 90’s or very early 2000’s. It shoots pretty well…for a 7600!
It definitely feels right to be trucking up mountains and through swamps in the snow, though!

 

[br459]

Short yardage/thick woods Ruger Ranch 350 legend, open fields Bergara Carbon 6.5 creed

 

[Pilarczyk85]

Ohio. I'll be using my marlin 45-70 with the hornady leverevolution in 325 grain, and in Pa this year I'll be taking a ruger american in 308 with the federal fusions 168 grain.

 

[Natebonebusta]

Youth day will kick off my season so I’m going to put my Howa 1500 6.5 Grendel in my daughter’s capable hands. Load will be 120gr Nos BT, 27.3gr of Tac 2,290fps

Opening day we’ll have a little more range so it’ll be the Xbolt in 6.5 Creedmoor. Load will be 130gr Sierra TMK, 42.6gr of H4350 2,840fps.

 

[cnelk]

Same as last year and all the years before.

Winchester M70 270

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Tikka 25cm and my oldest will probably use my tikka 223.

 

[WJS23]

I have been using my tikka t3 in 7mm-08 since 2007 and this year I just picked up a kimber mountain ascent in 280 ai.

 

[Ringbill27]

Short yardage/thick woods Ruger Ranch 350 legend, open fields Bergara Carbon 6.5 creed

What bullet are you running in the legend?

I have been using my tikka t3 in 7mm-08 since 2007 and this year I just picked up a kimber mountain ascent in 280 ai.

That’s awesome paint or dip? job on that tikka. A 7mm08 tikka has been on my want list for along time. And 280ai has been on my build list.

 

[SloppyJ]

I built an 18" 6 creed specifically for this year. Planning on using a Berger 108 elite hunter around 2850fps.

Youth will be the first rifle hunt and I built my son 16" Tikka .223 for his birthday and picked up 500 77tmks for it.

I have one field I can get roughly 400yds on and I've been shooting out to 1100yds with my 300prc with 215 Bergers. Might try that one too around the rut. Overkill, yes. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see the performance.

6 creed:


223 and 300prc:

 

[Wolfshead]

I will be using my Tikka T3X compact in .308 Win.
Last season I used 150 grain Nosler Accubonds, but this year if I can settle on a good load for them, I’ll be using 130 grain Barnes ttsx.

 

[Fogalo]

In Wisconsin - 35 Whelen, Winchester m70 with Barnes 180 ttsx. I haven’t had to do much tracking with this set up.

 

[Ringbill27]

I will be using my Tikka T3X compact in .308 Win.
Last season I used 150 grain Nosler Accubonds, but this year if I can settle on a good load for them, I’ll be using 130 grain Barnes ttsx.

I loaded up those 130s for my wife’s 308. I believe I was able to get the MV to 3150fps with good accuracy. She hasn’t shot anything with it yet.