Walking in the woods rifle

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I will agree with the CZ 527.
I have one in 7.62x39 with a 16" barrel that weighs next to nothing, is accurate as hell, and has a 1-4 Vortex scope on it.
 
This Rem M-Seven in .260 Rem caliber is a near ideal wood walking rifle because it is light and fast handling with moderate recoil. The convenient lever release scope mount allows scope use for testing ammo and long shot hunting conditions, and scope removal for woods walking with open sights.. DSC_0133.JPG DSC_0130.JPG
 
This Rem M-Seven in .260 Rem caliber is a near ideal wood walking rifle because it is light and fast handling with moderate recoil. The convenient lever release scope mount allows scope use for testing ammo and long shot hunting conditions, and scope removal for woods walking with open sights..View attachment 857851 View attachment 857852

Never seen a Remington with a full stock like that! That might be a bucket list rifle for me down to the action, and cartridge choice even!
 
This Rem M-Seven in .260 Rem caliber is a near ideal wood walking rifle because it is light and fast handling with moderate recoil. The convenient lever release scope mount allows scope use for testing ammo and long shot hunting conditions, and scope removal for woods walking with open sights..View attachment 857851 View attachment 857852

I've got the same gun in .350 with a Swarovski 1.25-4X on it. It is an awesome carrying rifle that I bought for a timber Elk rifle, mostly sits in the safe now. Recoil with a 225 going 2700 isn't "moderate", but it is tolerable. It's accounted for a 5x4 bull and a couple deer. I zero'd the irons for 250s at 2500 and that was just "un-fun" in a 6.5 lb gun:

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I've got another in .260 that was giving me fits accuracy-wise, but an HS Precision stock "cured" it. With it's Leupld VX3 2.5-8X it and 7lbs 5 ounce fully loaded it's a very good "all around" rifle:

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I would rather run a Chinese sks than the mini 30, a lot easier to drag thru the woods and more reliable. But that's what I shot my first deer with though, so I have a bias...
An SKS got my first deer also. Used one of those 124 grain hollow points that people say don't work.
Had to drag that thing through 1/2 a mile if tag alder swamp before hiking another mile to a phone so my brother could come get me.
Almost wish I'd missed. ;)
 
You may want to consider a Ruger 77/357 or 77/44. Optic ready, 5.5 pounds, stainless metal with molded stock and loads of options for upgrades and accuracy improvements, plus reloading and/or factory ammo is reasonably priced.
 
The .30-30 can beat it and some of the 7.62x39 bullets can be of questionable quality, but if a 150-gr .30-30 is acceptable then so is a 154-gr 7.62x39.

A 150-gr Core-Lokt at 2,290 fps is going 1,688 fps at 150 yards. And a 154-gr Tula softpoint at 2,100 fps is going 1,748 fps at 150 yards. The energy is already equal by 100 yards. And no one ever needed Leverevolution or 170-gr bullets to kill deer.

Great. There are no LVR 170 grs. And there are very very few good 150 grs 7.62x39 relIable hunting bullets. I’m trying to be reasonable. Don’t make me go off on the Soviet round.
 
Great. There are no LVR 170 grs. And there are very very few good 150 grs 7.62x39 relIable hunting bullets. I’m trying to be reasonable. Don’t make me go off on the Soviet round.

There aren't a lot of heavy bullets designed specifically for the 7.62x39, but there are bullets for the .303 and 7.62x54R which will work fine. Barnes makes a 123 gr which might end up heavier if you managed to recover and weigh them. But .308 bullets will even shoot fine in many rifles. Definitely an option for OP.
 
There aren't a lot of heavy bullets designed specifically for the 7.62x39, but there are bullets for the .303 and 7.62x54R which will work fine. Barnes makes a 123 gr which might end up heavier if you managed to recover and weigh them. But .308 bullets will even shoot fine in many rifles. Definitely an option for OP.
I happened to get very good accuracy with PPU .312 150btsps in my sks. Got them to 2200 with no issue either.
The only animal i shot with them was from my arisaka, at nearly 3k, and the bullet blew up. I'd guess they are soft enough for x39s reduced velocity.
 
I am looking for a rifle for walking through fairly dense woods. I want it to be deer capable. I think all shots would be 150 yds or less.

Here is what I am looking for:
1. Lightweight, must be under 7 pounds.
2. Don't intend to put an optic on it, so must have iron sights.
3. Chambered in a rifle cartridge (not a pistol caliber carbine), something in power between 30-30 and 308.
4. Barrel under 20"
5. Repeater action, but don't care if its semi auto, bolt, or lever.
6. Not so fancy that I will mind if it gets a few dings going through the woods.

I am considering a Browning or Henry lever action in 30-30 or 243 Win. Also possibly a Ruger Mini 30 Ranch. What else should I consider that meet these criteria?
Two of my favorite hunting rifles for hunting thickly wooded areas in West Virginia were my Ruger 44 and my Marlin 444 as both were short handy rifles allowing me to easily and quickly bring either rifle up on target. The 44 Ruger gets eliminated since you don't want a pistol caliber but the lever gun is fine out to 200 yards. There are no shortage of suitable 200 yard easily cartridges in short easy handling rifles to be had.

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Additionally consider a lightly used rifle as I have seen dozens of 30-30 lever guns out there at good relatively inexpensive prices. Really becomes a matter of your personal taste and what appeals to you in a rifle for kicking around in the woods.

Ron
 
Every winter or so I like to put together what I call a "spec." rifle. I usually create a set of specifications and try to make the rifle fit those specifications. About 2 years ago my specs were to build a rifle with the same specs. as yours. The rifle now has a 17.5" barrel, weighs just under 6 lbs. and will take a deer at 150 yds. It is wonderful to carry and shoots great. I started with a Win 94 in 3030. Ammo is cheap if you don't reload, and it can be used for anything from squirrels to deer.
By the way this was a fun project, I found the gun cheap at a gun show because the blue was bad, and it had some pitting, the wood had more than average dents and dings. After filing and sanding the steel I rust blued the gun, sanded the stock and refinished with True Oil and installed a set of Williams sights. Investment was mostly time.
tj
 
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