If you are required to use a rifle....

[cracker]

I had a marlin 45-70 lever gun years ago really fun to shoot and you could shoot through a tree and still get you're deer. Awesome brush gun. Ron

[AngelDeVille]

M-39 SOV 7.62 X54r

[agd68]

Model 94 30-30 for the bush. Rem 770 in 7mm Rem mag for longer stuff.

[PaulLovesJamie]

What would you guys use?

Now there's a wide open question!
Short answer: I'd use whatever the heck I wanted to.
Longer answer: it depends...
what are you hunting, I assume whitetail?
how much acreage, will there be orange shirts every 100 yards?
beanfields with shots up to 400 yards, or laurel underbrush with a 25 yard maximum?

My buddies accept me for who I am so for rifle hunts with them I usually show up with my flintlock, they couldnt care less.

For "social hunts"... socialization implies being/becoming like everybody else, fitting in.  So if they are looking at your unscoped 94 like you dont fit in, you are either bringing the wrong gun or you will be forever on the edge of the group.  I'd think about what being "a social guy" means to me, then choose a weapon.

FYI, hunting my way means more to me than being sociable, so I generally hunt by myself or with a few good friends.  On rare (for me) social occasions I simply choose to enjoy shooting a modern scoped rifle.

[crooketarrow]

  I have'nt hunted with a rifle since 05 but used a REM 700 ,280 for over 30 years.

  If you hav'nt missed any bucks you like to talk the talk and you hav'nt shot at many bucks (deer for most).

[Josh B]

I certainly can't claim I have never missed. (Too many witnesses  )  but I do know a few that can make that claim.  You might want to think about casting doubt on someone unless your prepared to suffer the same scrutiny on your posts.

AngelDeville- that ol mosin looks pretty good.  I can't say as though I've ever seen one cleaned up and in that good of condition!  It reflects well on you.  Josh

[mullet]

I have more black powder then modern rifles but the gun I hunt with the most is a Ruger #1 in stainless with a bull barrel, a 3x9 Leopold,  in .300 Winmag.

[skyarrow]

I'm with Eddie I use the #1 but mine is 7mm mag

[Patches]

Up until 2007, I used a lever action Marlin Model 336 35 Remington.  It has iron sites and is a great brush gun.   I just cannot get used to looking through a scope, and can't hunt with one.  I still use open sites on my .22 for squirrel hunting, and about once a year break out the 35 Remington.  That gun has many memories, as it belonged to my two brothers before I got it, and my dad had it before my brothers used it.  All of them have passed on now, so it is very hard for me to put that gun on the shelf and leave it...there is just too many memories with that gun.     I finally got to permission to hunt big open crop ground for deer, so I "upgraded" to a Winchester Model 70 30/06 with a 3x9 scope.  I have killed one deer withth 30/06, and he was within bowrange. Now I pretty much bow hunt except when I meet up with my nephews for deer hunting during rifle season. 

[Grunt]

Mostly a Bean family southern mountain 50 cal flintlock. In the rhododrendron thickets in the rain a Marlin 30/30 lever and open country my 1965 Model 70 sporter in 30/06. Killed more deer with the flintlock than anything else.

[johnston]

Interesting responses fellas and I appreciate them. The question was asked because I
figure if a hunter is happy using homemade sticks then it is likely his firearm of choice just
might be unique. Seems to be true.

Me and BeetleBailey are alot alike in that we both hunt the lower half of SC which has a
four month deer season with virtually no limit. And in the last forty years I guess I have
killed between 175-200 deer with ,let's see, eleven calibers and 6 different makes of guns.
Hunted 15 years with a Super Blackhawk in .44 mag. BUT, the point is at my age and with
my hunting experience, I have drifted back to what I really enjoy shooting. People who
know me will tell you that this hound ain't no good in a pack. Could care less what evil
eye is cast upon me and my weapon and I feel sure most of ya'll feel the same.

But I ain't never stuck one with an arrow and do not intend to pull out a firearm til I do.
Ain't it cool to be almost 60 and still have that to look forward to? Now if the poor old
wife gets hungry....after a week or so I may change my mind.

Lane





 

[beetlebailey1977]

Lane I am like you also in that I am on the quest to get one with my bow.

[Buckeye Guy]

I aint touched a gun in so long that I reckon it would have to be up close and personal with and old SxS ! Most likely black powder !

[Eric Krewson]

If I was required to shoot a rifle they better get use to to my favorite, one I built from scratch, my good old flintlock.

[JW_Halverson]

Pity you couldn't get some maple with decent straight grain instead of that durn curly stuff, Eric!