eagle rider

Re slugs. Grew up hunting in areas that were slug and now turned rifle. A lot of why slugs don't mangle meat has to do with construction. The new sabots are about as devastating as a rifle round. I'm talking about the Hornady SST slugs specifically.

I'll make sure I put the pic in when I cape him put. The pic is a caped deer from a 444 Marlin.

great post country! Do you hand load that 150 gr loading? If so what is the recipe?

definitely a distinct sound when the trigger is pulled.

444 is a massive wound channel. It's a nothing more than a 44 cal pistol bullet with a huge fuel supply behind it. The bullet performs like any pistol bullet does. It definitely tears up meat. Meat damage is all about bullet construction. Bullets that are tougher and expand slower at velocity retaining more weight. They do less damage than those designed to shed a lot of energy quickly. A Barnes or GMX Hornady will make less hamburger than a Ballistic Tip or an SST bullet will. The bullet that shoots well in my 300 Mag will do some damage (Game Kings). They're tough for what they are but designed to shed weight. Lastly, luster on barrel and scaring game,.... Come on now. I have yet to see a deer spook from stainless barrels, high luster blue or matte barrels. There's just too much shadowing in northeastern woods to get light reflecting like that. Even in the fields on bright days. It doesn't happen. For deer it's all about smell. So if you can drop them where they stand further out.... No worries. Back to my point here, rapid shedding energy in the boiler room, no problem. Some meat is wasted yes but in most cases, you'll find them dead in the same spot they stood. I hit a deer squarely in the neck a few years back. He was an older spike, a mutt. He stayed a spike for 4.5 years when I finally decided it was enough. I was using a 35 Rem in tight cover. Also a lever action Marlin with a Leverevolution round. The deer ran through camp roads and across two pasturers for 3/4's of a mile. That is a bullet designed to retain weight. There wasn't enough meat in the neck to get it to transfer its energy fast enough. So not much of an exit wound. I finally found the deer three hours later. Still alive but dying. I put another one into its chest. That one worked just fine. So I leaned from that to be humane its all about the right bullet and high percentage shots. I started using cup and core heads then like the Game Kings and Nosler Ballistic tips. Even at modest velocities they die where they are shot every time! The most I ever saw one move was one leap then they pile up. They're just not survivable wounds. I still use the Leverevolution bullets in the lever guns when I'm in tighter cover or on a drive. But here's the thing, I only shoot into the chest with them. Since I've had the 444 I have never out one into a chest or through a shoulder that took a second step. In fact the Leverevolutions going through whitetail shoulders in the 444 is a guaranteed knockout punch. Okay, this was supposed to be about the 300 Win Mag lol. Anyway, the general consensus is use it as planned, so I think I will.

considering my in-close gun is a 444 Marlin lever action,..... I'm okay with some hamburger on the lower 1/3 of the rib cage. I have pretty much used the 30-06 (I have two bolt actions and a 7400) or the 243 in a Savage 14. I really liked the quality and accuracy of the Savage so when I had a change to get another in 300 Win Mag, I jumped on it. My 165 gr Spitzer tip Game Kings are coming out of the muzzle at 3110 fps. and like I said they are cutting the same hole at 100 yds. The rifle is comfortable to shoulder (esp cause the rifle has a Limb Saver pad on it ), and the glass is great (Bushnell Legend). My only beef with the rifle is that it's a matte finish bluing. I wish it was a higher luster. Lastly the Savage Accu-Trigger is just amazing. If you have not shot one you really have to.

I have a Savage 114 that is cutting the same holes at 100 yes using 165 gr Sierra GK's. I know its on the heavy side,.... but it shoots nice and I'm thinking it will be perfect for opened fields.

150 does well in the 06 for deer. The Win BT's are a good round. I shoot Noslers BT's in my 06.

Deer for me. Heavier constructed bullets do well for me.

I've recently become really fond of the new Bushnell Legends.

brush deflects everything. Rule of thumb is that slower heavier stuff deflects less in light brush. 270 through a twig,... I'd rather not unless what I was shooting at was a foot behind the twig and still would feel great about it.

I sure as hell didn't need another big game gun, but it has a certain quality. Still all of those fast handling pluses of the 35 and the 30/30, but its 44 Cal. Tried one at the range a while back that some guy was shooting. Wound up zeroing his scope for him. The recoil isn't that bad in the straight wall cartridges. No worse than an '06 sporter.

Waited a long time to find one. Wanted one since I was a kid. I'd way this rifle is a 9 out of 10.

Put a 2-7x Pentax on it. Now if I can just find ammo for it I'll be in good shape.

Was in the gun shop today, put an offer in on a Marlin 444 lever rifle. I always wanted one. Well he went for the offer and the gun is now in the safe. Anyone ever use one?

Yeah I'm not sold on the idea it either, but it seem interesting.

Anyone ever hunt with a 30/30 or a 35 set up as a scout rifle?

Interestingly enough I once heard someone say a 270 necked down from a 30-06 case is just a waste of a great cartridge. I never wanted wanted to like 30-06 when I was a kid because it was all my father, uncles and brothers wanted to talk about. When I got older and smarter I wish I never chased a bunch of substitutes just to get back to the 06 myself. I wish I had all that $$$ again. I think if my safe had a 243, an 06 and a 35 I'd be just fine.

Read this: guns.wikia.com/wiki/.270_Winchester

I own both and I will tell you the difference in recoil isn't that much at all. In fact felt recoil is more of an effect of recoil velocity than force. The recoil velocity (the old physics law that every action has an equal and opposite reaction) isn't really different between a 150 gr 30-06 and a 140 grain 270. It's about 1/2 pound. The same with the recoil energy. Get what you like, but do your research and invest your money wisely. BTW, I attached the link for the recoil velocity and force table below. http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

270 is not necked down 30-06. It's parent cartridge was the 30-03. It was the short lived predecessor to the 30-06 and I believe one version was also rimmed.

no, i haven't..... I would check it out.

Got a bottle of the Krischner's Silver Top today. Without a doubt its the most authentic smelling lure I have ever tried.

asking deer hunters what better an 06 or a 270, is like asking are blondes as hot as red heads. They're both awesome, in tighter cover or even better out further 100 yds or better they both shine. If versatility were the issue and you were a little less recoild shy the 06 will likely do you better. The 270 is great for everything up to brown bear (not a real issue in NY). If it we're me and I was 15 again (they barely had electricity when I was 15, hehehehehe, okay I'm not that old), I'd get the '06 and learn to deal with the recoil. If you have someone to hand load it for you, I'd ask them to try to develop a lighter recoil loading. If not I think Remington and maybe Federal are now are making light recoil loads for 30-06.

Anyone ever try Bob Krischner's products. He's a PA hunter and outdoor writer. I've read some stuff on his lures, but I don't know anyone who's tried them. I also think non blended is BS. I've had just as much luck with blended for 1/2 the price as I have for single animal collection (supposedly) at double the price or plus.