Which gun would you use for deer?

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A.J.

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 25, 2017
Messages
485
Location
Michigan
I'm thinking about getting an in line muzzle loader for deer hunting. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,142
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
"My brother and I grilled a couple of the venison steaks yesterday. To me, it tasted just like beef, just a tad leaner and tougher, but still delicious. No gamey taste at all. I'm a believer! Already planning next season's hunt.

I'm considering a muzzle loader. I know NOTHING about them, but if I start hunting with muzzle loader, it essentially gives me two additional weeks of hunting time."

First off, if you grilled them & they were tougher,, I'd bet good money you cooked them too long. Remember,,, venison does NOT have the fats that beef does.
Also,, I've used a few marinates on some when grilling,, to give me a different flavoring.

Muzzleloaders.
Many good ones out there. An inline is a good idea. Even better are the ones where you can remove the breech plug for cleaning etc. I'm a T/C fan,, so I use a Pro-Hunter model. Others are less expensive but can be quite good. I also recommend stainless over blued guns in general.
 

Ethang

Blackhawk
Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
759
Location
Michigan
I killed a lot of deer using the Mossberg 500 I bought with lawn mowing money when I turned 14. I used it for 30 years until I switched to a rifled barrel 1100, then a TC Encore ML, but only hunted a few years with that one. Loved it, very accurate, much more so than the 500, and noticeably more than the 1100 shooting sabots.

That said, sounds like you live above the shotgun zone. Your shotgun will do fine, but why not get some soft point 30/06 and use that? Garands are still very capable rifles, just need a better bullet than FMJ.

I picked up a 350 Legend a couple years ago since the law has changed below the rifle line but have not taken a deer yet.
 

A.J.

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 25, 2017
Messages
485
Location
Michigan
Ethang said:
I killed a lot of deer using the Mossberg 500 I bought with lawn mowing money when I turned 14. I used it for 30 years until I switched to a rifled barrel 1100, then a TC Encore ML, but only hunted a few years with that one. Loved it, very accurate, much more so than the 500, and noticeably more than the 1100 shooting sabots.

That said, sounds like you live above the shotgun zone. Your shotgun will do fine, but why not get some soft point 30/06 and use that? Garands are still very capable rifles, just need a better bullet than FMJ.

I picked up a 350 Legend a couple years ago since the law has changed below the rifle line but have not taken a deer yet.

The Garands require a softer firing 30.06 cartridge. Using a modern 30.06 will,damage it. I'm sure somebody makes a soft point round that will work in a Garand. I just haven't found it yet. Ammo is in such short supply right now. I've pretty much given up with fancy ammo options.
 

Ethang

Blackhawk
Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
759
Location
Michigan
A.J. said:
The Garands require a softer firing 30.06 cartridge. Using a modern 30.06 will,damage it. I'm sure somebody makes a soft point round that will work in a Garand. I just haven't found it yet. Ammo is in such short supply right now. I've pretty much given up with fancy ammo options.

I am no expert on the matter but have done some research since getting a Garand. I think you will find numerous modern soft point 30/06 rounds that are completely safe in a Garand. Finding them in stock might take some hunting however...
 

A.J.

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 25, 2017
Messages
485
Location
Michigan
Ethang said:
A.J. said:
The Garands require a softer firing 30.06 cartridge. Using a modern 30.06 will,damage it. I'm sure somebody makes a soft point round that will work in a Garand. I just haven't found it yet. Ammo is in such short supply right now. I've pretty much given up with fancy ammo options.

I am no expert on the matter but have done some research since getting a Garand. I think you will find numerous modern soft point 30/06 rounds that are completely safe in a Garand. Finding them in stock might take some hunting however...

Finding anything in stock is tough these days. I'm not liking communism. :(

Given Michigan's hunting laws, I think a muzzle loader is the best choice. A muzzle loader will open up two more weeks of deer season and I can use it during firearms season, almost tripling the effective range over my shotgun.

In the meantime, my property is thick with deer.
 

Ethang

Blackhawk
Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
759
Location
Michigan
I never felt under gunned with my Encore and would still be just fine hunting with it even now. Speaking of which, I have not shot it in some years. I need to.
 

langenc

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
471
Location
Lewiston, MI USA
Get a 350 legend or a 450 Bushmaster. The choices you posted are all marginal at best, maybe legal but marginal.

Use the Garand but get some softpoints 150 or165 grain.
 

mike243

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 25, 2008
Messages
17
I have killed a lot of deer over the years but for some reason have always loved muzzle loader hunting. The distance is better than a shotgun with the proper setup. I shoot a savage smokeless in 50 cal , Going to rebarrel it to a 45 so I can stop using sabots for increased accuracy . It's a deep hole when you start lol.
 
Joined
Mar 29, 2017
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Idaho
As I recall from the 70s when I was shooting the M1 Garand and handloading match ammo. The team guys said to stick with IMR 4064 and 4895 (again as I recall) to keep the pressure correct for the operating rod. To much pressure or to fast of pressure could and did bend them out of specs.
 

Pal Val

Buckeye
Joined
May 30, 2006
Messages
1,553
Location
S.E. PA, USA
Lots of words have gone into the subject: Which is the best deer gun? Mine (with 30+ years experience) is -
Two kinds -
One is whatever you can shoot quickly and accurately at the ranges determined by the terrain, and is not banned by any of the hundreds of mostly worthless hunting regulations that states have in the books.
The other is one of 500 different choices coming from the "experts".

I have never heard a deer complaint about the gun that took him. I have never seen a deer come back after a miss to give the hunter a second shot.

Just my opinion. I could be worng.
 

GunnyGene

Hawkeye
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
9,284
Location
Monroe County, MS
Your decision. All I can offer is that I've been using a Henry .41mag BBSC (scoped) for a few years and it gets the job done on Whitetails out to about 120yds. I prefer Underwood 210gr XTP, but have used 190gr Hornady FTX (LeveRevolution).
 

Diabloman

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 19, 2022
Messages
340
Location
Ohio Territory
I'm just getting into deer hunting. No luck yet. I don't yet own a dedicated deer rifle yet. Here are my current options. What would you hunt with?

1. Mossberg 500 shotgun with 24" smooth bore barrel and rifle sights. Foster slugs. (My current choice. Good out to 50 meters)

2. Ruger AR556 with 5 round magazine and expensive hollow points. Scope.

3. Mosin Nagant rifle with surplus FMJ 7.62x54r rounds. Iron sights.

4. M1 Garand CMP service grade with FMJ 30.06 surplus rounds. Iron sights.

All choices are legal in Michigan to hunt deer.
A good bolt action rifle....scoped.......270 Win. fwiw
 

Snake Pleskin

Banned
Joined
Mar 26, 2022
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2,179
Location
Aiken, South Carolina
Depends on your terrain primarily. You would not want to use the same rifle that works well in deep Pennsylvania woods in the open spaces of Wyoming, IMHO. I took all my deer with a pre 64 model 70 featherweight with a 2.5 Lyman Alaskan on it. My grandfather gave it to me. I loved it. Every deer dropped in its tracks. It was actually a little too much gun sometimes, as the .270 win would go right through the deer many times. It was important for that reason alone to make good shot placement. SInce my shots were all under 100 yds in the wood of NE Penna., it was never a problem using the 2.5 scope etc. One of the most popualr deep riles in those woods were Marlin 35 Remingtons with a 4x scope. I imagine hundreds of deer were taken with one.
 

larry8

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Messages
432
Location
NE SC USA
CVA Wolf - 50 cal with rifled barrel and a threaded breech plug for cleaning the impacted carbon. I use 50 gm. gunpowder pellets and a 360 gm. bullet that I turn the back of it con cave and using a drill make it into a hollow point. It ends up at 300 gm. I found the hollow point will knock the deer down instead of the bullet going right thru and having the deer run away only to die a mile or so away.
 

RCA1504

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Messages
83
Location
NW FL
Take a look for BP supplies before you jump. Pyrodex when burned is as corrosive as BP, but slower in combustion. The Knight has been a staple in the inline BP guns, but many states have now gone to "Traditional" seasons. Using cartridge guns with exposed hammers. Traditional season, makes the 30-30 or 32 Spl or 357 Super Mag (max) single shot a no brainer.
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
5,195
Location
Southwest Washington
In over 60 years of deer hunting, the 30-06 has been my caliber of choice. The rifles include a 721 Remington, Model 700 Remington Mountain rifle and a Ruger #1S.
I have also taken deer with a 44 Magnum revolver, 7mm-08 bolt rifle and 50 cal Thompson Renegade muzzle loader with a 44 caliber sabot. By far though it has been the '06.
 
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