What rifle?

[SteveNY]

With the Southern Zone Regular Season just a few days away, I was wondering what everyone was carrying into the woods opening day.

(Don't hate me if I don't post your caliber!)

I'll be carrying my trusty 30-30 Win.

Edited November 15, 2011 by SteveNY

[covert]

Southern Tier I usually carry my .30-06 but this year I am thinking about carrying my Mosin 91/30 in 7.62x54 just because I think it'll be neat. Northern Tier I usually carry a .450 Marlin or .30-30 because the levers are a little quicker handling and it is pretty thick where we hunt so shots are fast and close.

Edited November 15, 2011 by covert

[Fantail]

One day I'm still after a lever, 30-30 or 35 makes an excellent woods rifle. Not to mention an excuse to buy another safe .

[SteveB]

Other - 50 cal Triumph mz.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I dont hunt a rifle zone, but alot of the times use my TC Encore pistol chambered in 260 Rem. If I were to buy a rifle just for deer, it would also be a 260. I do have a 30-30 that I use when I do hunt rifle areas.

[G-Man]

Other 45-70gov lever action.. my woods are thick shots out to 100 are rare. big bullet big hole, like having a multiple shot muzzloader!, not much deflection, will take any game in north america!! and its a great 200 yard gun. And i never have to worry about tracking!

[TreeGuy]

6mm REM, smaller caliber but ridiculously fast and flat, tac driving accuracy at any range and has a habit of doing nasty things on impact. But It's tradition that the 870 aka the " thunder stick " goes out opening day

CAN'T WAIT !

[Lawdwaz]

First couple days I'll be in Ontario County slinging Parker Bullets out of my 50cal smokeless NULA. If, by chance I score a good buck early in the day I'll grab the XP 100R in 260 Remington and head to another spot looking for a doe.

When I do hunt Wyoming County the first weekend, I'll be toting a 243 stuffed with handloaded Barnes 80gr TTSX at 3450fps.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I will be bringing my double gun case to camp for the week. I will have as my primary, Remington 700bdl in .30-06. Back up will be my Model 94 winchester in .30-30.

[joe12]

i use my grandpa's remington 30-06. I also use my Marlin lever action 30-30 when I am hunting some thicker spots.

[bushnell]

Other. I will be using a Remington 7600 .280 cal.

[steve863]

Same gun that I have carried since 1985 when I bought it. Remington 700bdl in .270 win. I am a strong believer in picking a gun and sticking with it. Having one for rainy days and another for sunny days doesn't work for me.

[Dinsdale]

Lots of variety here; all look like some fun choices.

For long walks in the hills this year an 8x57 with a small red dot.....just over 6 1/2 lbs.

Haven't shot a "big game" animal with the 375 in a while and had some fun with it on woodchucks this summer......so that'll go if I'm gonna sit for a spell. Fun to shoot and accurate, but heavy to walk all day with.

[damore81]

Tree stand hunting I will bring the scoped Winchester .270. If I am still hunting or stalking I will bring my Winchester .30-30 with no scope. I hunt alot of thick woods and brush so my small .30-30 comes in handy during a stalk or still hunt.

[Grizz1219]

Personal favorite is the 25-06, hits them and they don't go anywhere... next favorite is 30-06...

[Pygmy]

Other..My primary whitetail rifle for the few years is my Rem 700 Mountain Rifle in 7mm08.

It wears a Burris 2 x 7 and shoots 120 grain Barnes TSX at around 3000 FPS MV. into neat little groups. It drops deer like lightening.

Another rifle that I carry several times each year is an M1 Garand..My 30-06 handloads push a 150 grain spitzer at about 2700 FPS, which approximates the military load that the rifle was designed for. The rifle weighs 10 pounds, but I really enjoy getting the old warhorse out a few times per season. While my old eyes no longer work well with traditional open sights, I can still use the military peep sight on the Garand to good effect.

If I am hunting an area where long ( 300-400 yard) shots are likely, I often carry my Winchester M 70 lightweight in .280 Rem.

It wears a Leupold M8 fixed 6 power, and I shoot 140 grain TTSX Barnes bullets.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Pygmy

[ellenvillehunter54]

Im leaning towards my winchester 30-06, but im also bring the 300 win mag. I just brought a new box of winchester XP3 Supreme Elites for the 30-06 so im probably going go with the -06

[SteveNY]

Very interesting... I am kinda surprised by the diversity of the answers so far

[gunner1]

Another choice is a 12 gauge slug gun. I have an older Savage Model 210 with a Simmons Aetec 4-12 scope that I use alot because my main hunting areas offer close shots in brushy conditions. HOWEVER, I did buy a Rock River Arms LAR-8 in .308 this spring that has a Nikon ProStaff 3-9x40 scope on it that if I hunt the right areas will totally be going with me!

[damore81]

Very interesting... I am kinda surprised by the diversity of the answers so far

Well I think that comes down to a few things. First is the varied terrain in NY from large open fields to cramped woods and brush land. Secondly I think alot of people have emotional attachments to their gun of choice.

[Elmo]

Well I think that comes down to a few things. First is the varied terrain in NY from large open fields to cramped woods and brush land. Secondly I think alot of people have emotional attachments to their gun of choice.

What! The .308 gets no love? Honestly, I prefer the 30-06 but the gun I wanted was chambered for .308 and under 200 yards, they are basically the same caliber.

[Pygmy]

Elmo..I suspect that is just co-incidence. When I hunted with a 20 member club in the Adirondacks a few years, probably HALF the guys used .308s.

Unless you are talking heavy bullets ( heavier than 180 grain) there is not enough difference between a 308 and a 30-06 to sneeze at.

[tughillhunter]

30.06, hunting fields, ruger 44 for the woods

[Dunc08]

30 06. Don't really have any other choice not that I really want one. it shoots straight and thats ask I need!!

[BizCT]

where's the .270 weatherby magnum?