Please help me pick a deer rifle and caliber.

OK -first chambering - not really that important, but I'll cast another vote for a lightweight turnbolt in .243 win, .260 rem, or 6.5 creedmoor, or even a 9-twist .22-250 with heavier bullets (or a 12-twist .22-250 with 64 Nosler bonded flat base handloads).

My deer/black bear season runs concurrent with elk, so I've set the lightweight .243 in the back of the safe for now, and instead grab a 6.5x55, .280 rem, or .30-'06 to be ready for anything. But when I was in the south, a .243 was perfect deer medicine.

Now, the more important question, the rifle choice.

Your options are myriad and it's hard to get a bad one, but among new budget-y rifles, look hard at the T/C Venture and Tikka T3 - great off-the-shelf accuracy and excellent build quality. Avoid Ruger American (contrary to common advice) - junky build. Savages and Stevens are good but ugly. Howa / Vanguard are good but heavy-ish. T/C Compass is the best *really* low-cost option, in my view.

Among new non-budget-y rifles, take a good look a the FN-made Winchester 70s, particularly the featherweight - outstanding quality. Lots of other good choices in this category from CZ, Sako, Steyr, Wby Mark V, and others. Rem 700s and Sevens are pretty decent too. Ruger 77s / Hawkeyes are great but heavy-ish.

Used - look for a Browning A-bolt II (not the cheap A-bolt 3), Rem 700, Win 70, T/C Icon, or any number of other good choices. Dang, did I mention how I love the A-bolt II Medallions - it's a crying shame that Browning dumped these for the ho-hum X-bolt and the cheapened A-bolt 3.

Oh, avoid Kimber like the plague - their customer service is abysmal.

Oh, and if you can up your budget a bit (but still under $2K), get a Bergarra or used Cooper or Nosler 48 or Christensen Mesa, or good used custom, or (lots of options).

Just my opinion.

Wait - just noticed you said "both smaller game and deer", which brings to mind a CZ 527 with a 9 twist .223 Rem as a perfect option - but it kinda depends on which small game animal(s) you mean and whether you mean edible or non-edible, since the bigger stuff (like .243 win) will destroy a lot of meat. Not a big fan of 7.62x39, but a CZ 527 in that chambering would fit your bill very well, though it's limited in effective range (though in the PA woods, that shouldn't bother you at all).

Hate to say this, but .... although I have an unfavorable opinion of the Ruger American due to the ultra-light mag release and cheap mag, my friend's Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39 does not suffer from these maladies - the lock up was positive and the mag was decent quality - can anyone tell me if Ruger just made these changes for the Ranch version or improved their quality across the board since originally coming out with the American? If the latter, then I should quit bad-mouthing them. Regardless, that's another possible good option; extremely light and handy option, since at a minimum, the Ranch version seems to be a nice rig (though I personally don't do plastic stocks on turnbolts).

jmr40 I purchased the RAP 6.5 Creedmoor and made some adjustments before starting to sight in yesterday. First I fixed the front stock: Make sure u have a free floating barrel, Sand or grind the plastic out until U have a good distance between the barrel and stock. The barrel will heat up and effect the stock if u don't have clear space. Then I filled the stock webbing with epoxy. see post below, sorry for the crossing over...
http://rugerforum.net/gunsmithing/335729-rap-6-5-cm-repair-completed-new-style-stock.html
Then I installed the Precision Armament M11 Muzzel Brake which makes the rifle shoot like a 22mag, my wife and two daughters are going to love this thing. Then the biggest upgrade with no cost involved is the trigger repair. I took out the tension spring and took one coil off and re ground it flat. Reinstalled and took the set screw all the way in and then took one full turn out. Thinking I'm around 1 1/2 to 21/2 pounds now. I also used the Burris XTR Signature rings to sight in before using the turrets for adjustment. I had to move 12 to the right and 4 down at 39 yds. WOW well worth the 89 bucks, my opinion

U will love playing wit these rings and they look great!!
This will be a paper gun only and I'm shooting the Hornady 140 gr ELD. Great for target but not for hunting. I did a ballistic calculation on the 140 ELD and I want the gun sighted in for zero at 200 yds. Calculation showed with my settings, zero at 39 yds and 200. I will shoot 100 next and the point should be 1.7" high. Time will tell.
Yesterday's 39 yds groups :


good enough for 39 yds now on to 100
pic of the AP M11


Theohazard:

I choose 308 Win. I've kill lots of deer and hogs. Ammo easy to get and cheep and hits hard !!!

any common from 243 to 30-06; 243, 7mm-08, 270, 308, 30-06 -- easily available and relatively cheap ammo

Sounds like a very good deal. The iron sights is big plus imo.

Now you can start thinking about the scope. My advice would be to not go cheap. Don't hesitate to save your money and spend more on the scope than you did on the rifle. I did the opposite and now I have a closet full of < $300 scopes that are collecting dust.

I have a mossberg atr 308 win very pleased
with the performance and price .

readyeddy said:

Sounds like a very good deal. The iron sights is big plus imo.

Now you can start thinking about the scope. My advice would be to not go cheap. Don't hesitate to save your money and spend more on the scope than you did on the rifle. I did the opposite and now I have a closet full of < $300 scopes that are collecting dust.

Click to expand...

I'd sell them if you're not going to use them.

You might just have to buy multiple rifles. Why not?!

You made an excellent choice. While I really like the .243 (and have taken deer with it, in PA no less), my go-to hunting rifle for years has been a carbine-length .308 (Remington Model 7). It is an outstanding cartridge. As an experienced shooter, you will quickly discover its utility. And you should look into reloading; it's a great hobby that maximizes any cartridge's potential ... a hobby that I regret not getting into earlier in my life.

Enjoy the new gun, and good luck in the field. I miss hunting PA!