Beginner Hunter Deer Rifle/Pistol

[INDPrepper]

WHat would you guys recommend for a beginner hunter who wants to hunt deer but only has a budget of around 800-1000 bucks? I know i have a thread in the classifieds wanting to trade for a 308 bolt action or a 300 blackout pistol but i want to hear some opinions. I've settled on those two calibers, but might consider something else. I want something that can be used as a dual purpose rifle/pistol for hunting and tactical situations (SHTF). I already have AR15, 2 9mm Handguns (G19, FNS9) 2 22LR Rifles (10/22 TD, Marlin 795), and a Maverick 88 12ga Shotgun so i feel like i have most of the bases covered in general.

On the hunting side of things it would be a mix of private and public land so the 308 would be out for public land so that's when the 88 would come into play and it's also the reason why a 300 blackout pistol is on the top of my list. Anyways enough of me talking.

 

[Leadeye]

I don't know at what ranges you hunt, but rimmed pistol cartridge lever guns combined with a revolver in the same caliber is a good combination. Marlins in 44 mag or 45 Colt work very well as rifles and Ruger has excellent revolvers.

 

[whiteoak]

Remember the HP rifles are for private land only, if you want to hunt on state land, you need a handgun caliber rifle.
That being said...Get a good multi purpose .308, in a bolt gun and you will be well armed in the deer woods.
Savage hog hunter with a good scope is in you budget. Mossberg has a similar offering.
I really like the short barrel guns for Deer Hunting, I tend to sit a lot of blinds and the short barrels are great in the cramped quarters of a blind. and kind of handy in some stands also. The loss in velocity due to trimming back the barrel, means little to a deer inside 200 yards.

 

[Hookeye]

Please define "handgun caliber"?
I mean, .17 to .50 cal can be had in handgun centerfire

For public and private land hunting, I went .35 Rem trimmed to spec.

LOL, I shot my deer at 50 and 75 yards.

IMHO take a look at a boring old .44 mag CVA scout.

My buddy runs the cheaper version in .35 rem, loves it. I think the Scout version looks better.
I ditched my rifle bbl and put my Contender back to handgun form in .35 rem (no trimming needed, also went from 200gr bullets in rifle back to 150's in handgun).

I hunt mostly private land, so have a couple of rifles for that. 243 win and .300 savage.
Not bought due to cartridge really, bought due to platform.
And neither is super accurate. Good enough. Cool factor is higher though.

Lugging a handgun and rifle in same chambering..........at the same time, seems silly to me.
Pick one. And carry extra ammo.

Less weight, less to clean, easier on the back..........and if you have to belly crawl............your pistol doesn't turn into a plow.
I ditched my Python in the middle of a belly crawl out across a picked cornfield.
That was the last time I took a sidearm in any gun season.

If I pistol hunt, that's it. If I long gun hunt, that's it.

 

[Hookeye]

If you want to handgun/rifle hunt........a Contender/Encore could do both with appropriate furniture and barrels, but that "kit" concept isn't cheap.
In fact I think it so expensive it best to just buy two frames and have one set up as handgun, the other as rifle.
If you like that platform.

Single shot, with possible quirks.........might be best to just get something different.

I have two Contenders. But I like those ugly stupid things

 

[Mgderf]

That Maverick 88 will take deer, and you already have it.
If a new barrel is needed, it's still much cheaper than a new rifle.

If you really want a new toy, my suggestion would be a lever gun in either .357, .44mag, or .45Colt.

All three of those caliber have plenty of revolver choices (models/makers/barrel lengths...) to ponder.

 

[bwframe]

I don't see anything on your list to hunt the muzzleloader season? You can hunt Archery all the way through.

 

[ol' poke]

1892 Winchester in .44-40, loaded with 200gn pills over Goex FFg. (just because it hasn't been posted yet.)

 

[INDPrepper]

I'll try to get a little but of a response to everyone here.

On the lever gun option I thought about a 357 lever gun. Just not my cup of tea for what I'm interested in.

When I'm talking about a pistol I'm mainly talking about an AR style pistol. Easy to maneuver with in basically any situation.

I think my intended range would be 200 yards but I've never been out there yet so I can't tell you for sure.

I also don't have any archery or muzzle loader equipment or firearms. Since I have been out before I'm not too concerned about bagging a deer this year, it's mainly about gaining knowledge and learning tactics and then next year I will do every thing. Archery definitely interests me though.

 

[natdscott]

You need a decent, accurate $500 or less firearm, and spend the rest on practice ammo, and gas to drive to and from your hunting woods.

Only actually practicing the skill set of hunting will build it for you. NOTHING on the internet can teach you how to move silently, play wind, nudge deer where you want them, camouflage effectively, or see minute parts of a deer where only brush had been visible to you before.



That is what is needed. Not a $1,000 rifle. If you are into 'prepping', you already know that it is mostly the skill sets in your brain that will keep you alive, no matter the equipment.

-Nate

 

[MohawkSlim]

^Amen.

 

[INDPrepper]

You need a decent, accurate $500 or less firearm, and spend the rest on practice ammo, and gas to drive to and from your hunting woods.

Only actually practicing the skill set of hunting will build it for you. NOTHING on the internet can teach you how to move silently, play wind, nudge deer where you want them, camouflage effectively, or see minute parts of a deer where only brush had been visible to you before.



That is what is needed. Not a $1,000 rifle. If you are into 'prepping', you already know that it is mostly the skill sets in your brain that will keep you alive, no matter the equipment.

-Nate

I completely agree with you man. I got everything but a nice pair of boots which I'll be getting this weekend. I was thinking about just taking the Shotgun out and waiting on a new rifle.

 

[natdscott]

Do that. (But also...do practice with slugs as much as you can tolerate, and get help in learning how to shoot them well, if needed. I won't lie and tell you they are fun.)

Get close, blow a big hole right behind the shoulder, and relax for an hour. Then, the real work starts.

-Nate

 

[Hookeye]

Shoot reg 2 3/4" fosters or sabot.
Don't run the 3" mag or top end velocity stuff.
Your slug shooting will be more fun (less recoil) and softer on your wallet.

I dunno man, my buds and I shot our slug guns for fun off and on in the summer.
Did that for years (but we also tried a variety of guns and slugs- experimentation is part of the fun).

Shooting nice groups when your buds get flinchy, is also fun

 

[patience0830]

I have two Contenders. But I like those ugly stupid things

Me too, Hook. Just bought a third, looking at #4.

 

[Hookeye]

I sold my 3rd one, it wasn't an "easy open".
Might get a stainless one next

 

[oldpink]

Your budget would allow a very nice gun/scope combo.
If you're really into the idea of a single gun solution, do as Hookeye already suggested and get either a Contender in .308 Winchester or an Encore in .30-06, either one with a pistol barrel and a rifle barrel and the appropriate grip stock and forend and butt stock required to use it in either configuration.
Be sure to get the version that is sold as a pistol instead of the one that is sold as a rifle, the reason being that it's illegal according to the NFA (National Firearms Act) to convert a rifle to a handgun without getting a stamp for a Short Barrel Rifle first, but it's perfectly legal to convert a handgun to a rifle (as long as you have the butt stock on it) and back to a handgun.
Using a Contender or Encore so equipped, you'll be within the law to attach the rifle barrel and butt stock on private land, then switch back to the pistol barrel and grip stock for hunting on public land.
If you're okay with a rifle only that will allow you to hunt on both public and private land, get yourself a nice single shot or lever action in one of the handgun calibers currently legal, especially either .44 Magnum or (especially if you're a reloader) .45 Colt.
You could also get a Ruger 77/44, which is a bolt action .44 Magnum with a rotary magazine, but (at least for now) Ruger has apparently very recently suspended manufacture for that particular model, so it may (or may not) be a challenge to find one.
To be honest, it's hard to see what advantage you could gain from insisting on a .300 Blackout, ballistically speaking, unless you have a particular attachment to that caliber.
Another option would be to get a high quality affordable bolt action rifle in one of the scores of calibers in either .243 or .308 bore now legal for the ballistic advantage they offer on private land, then get any handgun you can afford with the money you didn't spend on the rifle for public land.

 

[INDPrepper]

Your budget would allow a very nice gun/scope combo.
If you're really into the idea of a single gun solution, do as Hookeye already suggested and get either a Contender in .308 Winchester or an Encore in .30-06, either one with a pistol barrel and a rifle barrel and the appropriate grip stock and forend and butt stock required to use it in either configuration.
Be sure to get the version that is sold as a pistol instead of the one that is sold as a rifle, the reason being that it's illegal according to the NFA (National Firearms Act) to convert a rifle to a handgun without getting a stamp for a Short Barrel Rifle first, but it's perfectly legal to convert a handgun to a rifle (as long as you have the butt stock on it) and back to a handgun.
Using a Contender or Encore so equipped, you'll be within the law to attach the rifle barrel and butt stock on private land, then switch back to the pistol barrel and grip stock for hunting on public land.
If you're okay with a rifle only that will allow you to hunt on both public and private land, get yourself a nice single shot or lever action in one of the handgun calibers currently legal, especially either .44 Magnum or (especially if you're a reloader) .45 Colt.
You could also get a Ruger 77/44, which is a bolt action .44 Magnum with a rotary magazine, but (at least for now) Ruger has apparently very recently suspended manufacture for that particular model, so it may (or may not) be a challenge to find one.
To be honest, it's hard to see what advantage you could gain from insisting on a .300 Blackout, ballistically speaking, unless you have a particular attachment to that caliber.
Another option would be to get a high quality affordable bolt action rifle in one of the scores of calibers in either .243 or .308 bore now legal for the ballistic advantage they offer on private land, then get any handgun you can afford with the money you didn't spend on the rifle for public land.

TO be honest, i've never looked at the Encore or Contender series of rifles. I just now looked them up and they seem very interesting.

 

[mikebol]

A friend of mine has a Handi-rifle in .44 and his son (youth age) has one in .357. Both are very accurate and have taken deer with them. They are inexpensive guns, single shot breach loaders, but mount a decent scope and you'll only need a single shot. I don't think they are made any longer but new were ~$299, you can find them used cheaper.

This year I use a crossbow most of the season and a Ruger 77/44 during rifle season.

Mike

 

[Mgderf]

TO be honest, i've never looked at the Encore or Contender series of rifles. I just now looked them up and they seem very interesting.

Extremely accurate firearms.
Ergonomic, and very well built.