What gun do you carry and why?

[Big John]

New look to the .308.

[BigVal]

I usually carry the Remington 870 express mag that my father gave me for my 15th birthday, it's reliable, and I know it will get the job done at the ranges I hunt so why change? But I do also carry a 308 occasionally lol. 

[wolc123]

I use five different guns/sight combinations, depending on the season, zone, and weather conditions.   With few exceptions, these have each got the job done every time, even when I pushed their effective range a bit on several occasions.  Since most of my hunting is in shotgun-only zones, I will start with those.

My first deer gun was my grandad's old Ithaca 16 ga, 37 deerslayer pump.  On my first year hunting, I missed a buck with it clean.  Back then it had open sights.  I mounted a 1-1/2X Weaver scope on it the second year and have been 100% with it since.   I suspect "buck-fever" and a poor sight picture cost me that first miss.  A long time ago, some folks said I got "lucky" with this combination on my largest antlered buck (I know different) as it was a bit over 100 yards on my first shot.  My shot struck low, below the vitals, but breaking the bone high on a front leg.   Fortunately, the buck was also missing a back hoof, from another hunter's poor shot a week or so earlier, and I was able to close the range on foot as he struggled to get away on two good legs and the stump (a young hunter is a bit faster than a deer on two legs).   A point-blank shot to the neck finished him off.   I still use this combination a few times a season, and killed my second largest antlered buck with it just a few years ago (at a 10 yard range). I like to use this gun later in the season, after the deer have been forced into cover, where shots are expected to be under 75 yards.

Seeking to extent my reach a bit, I picked up a used Remington 12 ga, 870 Wingmaster pump.  It came with a short, smoothbore barrel with open sights, and I mail-ordered a long, rifled, cantilever scope barrel and a 2-7 Redfield scope.  That combination was a dissapointment, vertically stringing shots like a thermometer, depending on how warm the barrel was (someone should start a thread on what guns they don't carry and why).  In the couple years I used this gun, I missed a few deer clean, on real cold days, and hit and killed several, but not always where I aimed.  I ended up trading the barrel and some cash for a T/C 50 cal Omega ML (I put the Redfield on that).   Oddly enough, that 870 has been 100% for me with the open sights and the short barrel it came with.   I killed a nice 8-point with it a few years ago at 75 yards, when he showed up 2 minutes after I had dropped a doe with the Omega.  I don't like scopes in the rain, so I still use this gun on those days and have taken several other antlerless deer with it.  

For a few seasons, I used the T/C ML throughout gun season in the shotgun zones, until it let me down one time when I pushed the range a bit on a 1-1/2 year buck, late in the season.   The shot was about 150 yards and likely struck the buck right where I aimed.   I ended up loosing that deer and not finding him for a week, half eaten by coyotes.   I was confident in the shot, with the buck quartering away, having a good rest and having practiced from that range.  The issue here was energy, with not enough remaining to deliver adequate shock at that range, or to drive the bullet all the way through.  He was standing on fresh snow, and showed no reaction of a hit at the shot.   I followed his trail for more than 400 yards until loosing  it, then grid searched a couple hours, never finding a drop of blood.  I ended up finding him later, with the help of the crows.   The bullet probably had passed thru one lung, based on the 500 yards he traveled, but there was no exit wound and not a drop of blood or hair where he stood when shot or along his whole trail.   I have killed many other deer cleanly with this combination, but now I only use it during ML season.

My go-to long range shotgun now is a 12 ga, Marlin 512 bolt-action with a 3X Bushnell Banner scope.   This thing is a tack-driver, holding tighter groups on the range than the T/C Omega, but best of all, packing more than double the energy at long range (and two extra shots - rarely needed though).   My longest kill with it was a doe at 163 yards where it literally knocked her off her feet.  My only problem with this gun, as a confirmed cheapskate, is the cost of the ammo.   That is the main reason I still tote the old, foster-slug using, Ithaca pump on occasion.   I also don't like the Marlin when it is real cold because it froze up on me once and would not fire on a nice fat doe at a 15 yard range.  I hope that a disassembly and good cleaning of the bolt has corrected that problem.

In rifle zones and Western hunts, I use my Ruger 77 bolt-action 30/06 with Redfield 3-9X scope.  This one has got the job done every time  at ranges up to 300 plus yards.   It is a little heavy for my liking up in the Adirondacks however and I am thinking of getting one of those Ruger Americans .243 caliber.  If either of my daughters decides to get into it over the next few years, I will have to get one of those for sure.     

  

 

 

       

 

    

[uberyan]

Anyone use a ruger predator? 

I was pretty set on the tikka t3x but the ruger seems like a really good budget/value proposition. 

[Bowguy 1]

Im not gun poor n use my stash so I guess it depends on season or just simple whims. Often for deer it's a toss up between a Sako 300 win mag or a 700 in 243 for rifle but it varies. 

[Bowguy 1]

On September 8, 2016 at 4:14 PM, uberyan said:

Anyone use a ruger predator? 

I was pretty set on the tikka t3x but the ruger seems like a really good budget/value proposition. 

There's no way, I'm gonna offend some people n for that I apologize but ruger sucks. Get the tikka n do yourself a giant favor 

[bugsNbows]

Concur^^^. RAP is not near the gun that the Tikka is. 

[squirrel slayer]

Gun of choice. 20 ga Ithaca deer slayer with 24 in barrel was my gun of choice. It was my grandfathers gun. Used it one season. After he passed away it was given to my dad and since has been stolen from his house and never seen again.

Now I carry a 30-06 and the wife has a .270.


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[ApexerER]

When I started hunting with my dad, where we hunted was shotgun only. My Dad purchased a Remington 870 12GA for me with a smooth slug barrel and a bird barrel. I don't want to sound like I wasn't thankful for that shotgun but I always hated it. I still do....It fit me terrible and never felt natural in my hands at all. I can't tell you the last time it was out of my gun cabinet. When it changed to rifle my father gave me his old Remington 600 bolt action .308. I really liked that gun, it was very accurate and looked like it was brand new since my Dad never got to hunt with it since it was shotgun only. I hunted with that rifle for several years. Everytime I went into a gun shop I would handle the Browning BAR and I loved that rifle. Just something about the weight, balance and the way it felt when I shouldered it...I felt like it fit me like a glove. I never felt like I would have the extra $$ to spend on a $1000 rifle though. Well one day a a couple of years ago a buddy of mine and I were at Cabela's in PA and they had a beautiful BAR there with a wood stock in .308. The exact gun I wanted. The one I was told would take my local gun store at least 6 months to get if I were to order it. I purchased that gun and that is what I always carry now. I love the gun and the way it feels but it isn't as accurate as my 45-50 year old Remington 600. That is a little disappointing to me but I still love it.

[eagle rider]

Here's my go to x 2



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