Tomorrow Is Opening Day, What Gun 4U?

[Lawdwaz]

Glad this thread got legs.......!!!!

I'll review it in the morning and critique your choices.  

 

[wolc123]

It don't look like I will be able to make it up to the Northern zone for the gun opener this year, but if I can, it will be my Ruger M77 30/06 with 3-9X Redfield widefield scope.  I still have about a box and a half of 150 gr Federal classics for that and I hope to use a few on the range this weekend out to 300 yards, with zero set 2" high at 100.    That is my fair-weather, "sit and ambush" gun if the wind is light and there is no rain or snow.  

If it is windy with rain or snow, then I will be still-hunting with my new open-sight Marlin 336BL 30/30.  I was a little rusty with open sights, but am doing a lot better after several thousand practice shots with my daughter's Daisy Red-Ryder, which I set up with a  "big-loop" and adult-sized stock, to make it almost identical dimensionally to the Marlin.   I will be using Federal Fusion 150 gr in that.  Our late-season Thanksgiving trip to the Northern zone looks good to go, so at least my time will not be wasted sighting in those two rifles.  

For the Southern zone opener, it will probably be my Marlin 512 with 3X Bushnell scope and 2-3/4" Hornady SST's.  If I decide to head into the thick stuff, where shots are all under 50 yards, in the afternoon, then it will be my grandad's old Ithaca 16 ga deerslayer with 1-1/2X weaver scope and Remington foster slugs.  If it is raining or snowing in the afternoon, then it will be my Remington 870 12 ga with short smooth-bore slug barrel with open sights and Remington foster slugs.  

I am hoping to get all (5) of those guns, and my ML and crossbow out on the range by Monday (I just finished mowing it out to 500 yards).   I will zero the two open sighted weapons and the Ithaca 16 ga at 75 yards, and the Marlin 12 ga, along with my T/C Omega 50 cal ML at 100 yards.  

 

[bkln]

7 hours ago, Lawdwaz said:

Tomorrow is opening day of firearms deer season

Pardon the interruption, I might be too confused from watching College Football tonight, but where in the NY world gun deer season starts on Sep 3?

Just curious, please educate me... Only season that I know is open according to DEC is Squirrel, Snipe and Crow ....

[wolc123]

He is talking about zone 4U where gun season opens on Sunday September 3

   

* just kidding,  I think he meant "for you", but I was also a little bit confused by the question.   

Edited September 3, 2017 by wolc123

[grampy]

Sako 85 Classic in 270. Zeiss Conquest 3x9x40. Loading Winchester Power Max Bonded in 130 gr. Can't wait to carry this baby on opening morning! 

[bkln]

14 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

He is talking about zone 4U where gun season opens on Sunday September 3

   

* just kidding,  I think he meant "for you", but I was also a little bit confused by the question.   

Wait... I'm still confused. There is no area in NY that I know of (4U which is southern zone or any other) that has gun deer season open in September, the earliest deer is early bow in northern zone that starts on Sep 27.... am I drinking a bad moonshine...??? :-)

If you can, send me the link to DEC website that says that so I can get educated... Thanks

[Lawdwaz]

1 hour ago, bkln said:

Pardon the interruption, I might be too confused from watching College Football tonight, but where in the NY world gun deer season starts on Sep 3?

Just curious, please educate me... Only season that I know is open according to DEC is Squirrel, Snipe and Crow ....

Page 57 of the syllabus.  

[bkln]

9 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

Page 57 of the syllabus.  

Hmm... still nothing....

[wolc123]

2 hours ago, bkln said:

Wait... I'm still confused. There is no area in NY that I know of (4U which is southern zone or any other) that has gun deer season open in September, the earliest deer is early bow in northern zone that starts on Sep 27.... am I drinking a bad moonshine...??? :-)

If you can, send me the link to DEC website that says that so I can get educated... Thanks

Pappy Boyington use to hunt in a F4U back in the 40's in the South Pacific.

[bkln]

8 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

Pappy Boyington use to hunt in a F4U back in the 40's in the South Pacific.

You too funny wolc, I didn't know people still remember that hard A$$ :-) Baa Baa Sheep... :-) You must be an old salt, way older than me...still cool in my book

[Adkhunter1590]

If I decide to put the bow down and take out a gun it would be my CVA wolf muzzy with a Vortex crossfire II 4-12x44. 110 grains of blackhorn 209 with a 250 grain TC shockwave or hornady SST. Deadly accurate little gun. Still haven't bought myself a new rifle yet after giving my Browning A bolt to my sister. I'm more into using the bow regardless of season but I do like tinkering with muzzleloaders.

[thphtm]

If it is a nice day for a walk around the property one of my Marlin's 30-30 with a 3-9 bushnel ,and remy  round nose  or Marlin in 45LC  , iron sights and Hornady ,225 gr. leverevolution.

If it is a crapy day and have to sit in the blind Sako 75 in 30-06 ,3-9 Lupold , 165 gr. fusion or My .260 custom , 3-9 Lupold , 140 gr. hand loads,

A light dusting of snow would be nice. 

[Lawdwaz]

Lots of great choices.........nice to see a few are still toting their ML'rs.

It's neat to see the diversity in CF rifles too.  There's "gun guys" that get a lot of enjoyment in their rifles, there's guys using guns with sentimental or historical value and then there's those that will be using "package" guns while sporting a Rolex on their wrist. 

I think it's all great.  I'm a "gun guy" through and through and always have been.  Not necessarily old historic or sentimental stuff but could turn that corner at some point too.  Synthetic stocks wrapped around lightweight barrelled actions are what I'm into.  That said, my wood stocked Sako 375 H&H could easily get pulled from the shadows for an easy evening hunt in favorable weather.  Or the 257 Roberts Remington 722.............

 

[GreeneHunter]

I'll be using my trusty 30-30 Winchester '94 ... but later in the season I'll be hunting nearer to home using an old 270 with a flip over scope trying to fill a couple doe tags !

[Buckmaster7600]

Lots of great choices.........nice to see a few are still toting their ML'rs.
It's neat to see the diversity in CF rifles too.  There's "gun guys" that get a lot of enjoyment in their rifles, there's guys using guns with sentimental or historical value and then there's those that will be using "package" guns while sporting a Rolex on their wrist. 
I think it's all great.  I'm a "gun guy" through and through and always have been.  Not necessarily old historic or sentimental stuff but could turn that corner at some point too.  Synthetic stocks wrapped around lightweight barrelled actions are what I'm into.  That said, my wood stocked Sako 375 H&H could easily get pulled from the shadows for an easy evening hunt in favorable weather.  Or the 257 Roberts Remington 722.............
 

722 in 257, I'm drooling. Got any pics?


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[Dinsdale]

29 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

 

  Synthetic stocks wrapped around lightweight barrelled actions are what I'm into.  That said, my wood stocked Sako 375 H&H could easily get pulled from the shadows for an easy evening hunt in favorable weather. 

 

Not light and not near as classy as that wood Sako; but got spare scope sighted in yesterday for my Oct 1 opener.....375H&H with 1.5-5x20 shooting 300gr Woodleigh Solids and 300gr Swift A-frames.

[Lawdwaz]

43 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

 

722 in 257, I'm drooling. Got any pics?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No pics handy but I'll try and snap a couple after a bit.  Still drizzling here now (I think, tough to see from my chair... ) and I have some things to take care of first.  I take my best pics outside......

[Lawdwaz]

47 minutes ago, Dinsdale said:

Not light and not near as classy as that wood Sako; but got spare scope sighted in yesterday for my Oct 1 opener.....375H&H with 1.5-5x20 shooting 300gr Woodleigh Solids and 300gr Swift A-frames.

Ahhhh the "Kenny" rifle.  THAT is a cool gun that does NOT need to be light!

[BigVal]

First day Ruger American 30_06 after two days if no kills my 870 that my dad gave me for my 14th birthday, I've got a deer with it for a few straight years

[steve863]

I don't know if it's sentiment or the knowledge that a newer gun won't kill them any deader, but I've used the same gun since 1985 when I bought it.  A Remington 700 BDL in .270 with Leupold 3-9 VX II.  I've used more expensive ammo in the past, but have gone back to standard Federal Power Shock 130 grain which in my experience seems to work just as good as anything else.

[Pygmy]

Steve, Old Buddy ....I spotted that straight bolt handle...What is it  ?   I'm guessing a M96 Swede...

You know I love vintage military rifles !

[steve863]

5 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

Steve, Old Buddy ....I spotted that straight bolt handle...What is it  ?   I'm guessing a M96 Swede...

You know I love vintage military rifles !

Not quite!  It's a Mosin Nagant.LOL. I got it at Cabelas in PA for $25 after my Cabelas points.  Couldn't resist getting it.  Shoots better than I expected.  Would not think twice hunting with it if I had nothing else.  Could always finish the deer off with the bayonet and not have to waste a round!!

[Pygmy]

I have a MN  and mine is very accurate also...Judging by its condition, it was probably captured in the 1939 Winter War and re-arsenaled by the Finns..  I would have no qualms about hunting with mine, but it is currently on display along with some of my other milsurps at the local American Legion Post..

[GreeneHunter]

Gonna use the top one for mid season !

[airedale]

Got my Dad's old Winchester 88 284 out of the safe last year and sighted it in with some new ammo (139 gr Hornadys) I picked up at the Syracuse gun show, no shooter buck for me using it last hunting season so I will probably be using the 88 most days I Deer hunt again this year. I would like to take at least one Deer with it just because it was my Dad's.

Al