Inexpensive deer hunting rifle

[jtmarine1911]

Fireball, he said inexpensive! Hehehe!! I have been meaning to shoot you an email for some info on your laundry list of calibers though. Have decided I need something interesting and new to occupy my time. But because of recent events at work I will have to sideline that for now. But I will still send you and message for some info.

I have a cure for that notion of yours.

 

[jtmarine1911]

Well here is my 2 cents!

If you go with a shotgun you will save some $$$ on the firearm, especially if you find a used one you like. I see used shotguns of every make, model, caliber, and setup you can think of this time of year, usually cause people need some extra cash or plan on upgrading for the next season. Where it will cost you though comes with the ammo. To turn most, I said most, slug-guns into 100-200yd guns you will have to spend a large chunk of change on quality ammo. I have had the best luck with with Remington Copper Solids 1oz 2 3/4 12ga but here you are looking at $14-$18+ for five. My Moss. 500 likes them very well and it is just a Wal-Mart special with a 24" rifled barrel and iron sights. I have taken deer out to just shy off 170yds with it but I shot alot to get a feel for where it would hit. A scope would have made things much easier on me but I guess I am just stubborn. I also started using Hornady's SST's before I quit using a slug gun and was impressed with them as well. There are many other slugs out there that are super, but that is just what was readily available and luckily mine liked them.

As far as a rifle goes I am just a big fan of a lever action in 44 or 45. I started using a lever action in 45Colt a few years ago and am hooked. The best I have shot are the Winchesters, Marlins, and Pumas, in that order and if you look around you should be able to find one in good shape for $300-$500. I love my Win. 94AE and I cheat a little by rolling my own pushing a 250gr Hornady XTP/hp to the equal of a typical 240gr 44Mag load. Another option to weigh is the Ruger M77's in 44Mag. They are a little higher in the price scale but I have thought several times of buying my own after shooting my buddies.

I haven't been in my usual places for a little while but if I make it in there soon I will look and see what they have and let you know as far as new and used, rifles and slug-guns. A lot of those items go pretty cheap down here this time of year because the dealers have so many and they just can't get rid of them. Which has hurt me lately because I have been trying to get rid of a few shotguns for parts and cash to build my little brothers graduation present!

Hope this wasn't useless babble and like I said, I'll try and let you know what I find so you have some more options!

Have a good one!

J.T.

 

[Delmar]

Middle of the road option is the Saiga 12. Smooth bore, not rifled barrel so it is multipurpose. Same could be said for any pump shotgun.

I do have a 12 ga Stevens SxS

 

[Delmar]

... To turn most, I said most, slug-guns into 100-200yd guns you will have to spend a large chunk of change on quality ammo.

How do hand loaded slugs compare? I can get a Lee 1oz slug mold for $20 and I am getting a pretty good stash of range lead saved up.

 

[Delmar]

Delmar: The Mosin is a sweet rifle thats so cheap that there is no reason NOT to own one. (I just bought a second one with a laminated stock)

Yes but there are enough things on that list that add up to a reason not to buy them all! I have seen a number of Turkish Mausers sell on GB for between $100 and $125. I'm looking at one right now with a cracked stock that is sitting at $80. I would take forever, but I am tempted to try to carve one out of an old cedar fence post.
edit: I just checked on the web, and apparently cedar is not hard enough to make a good stock with. Not every idea that pops into my head is a good one. A cedar stock sure would be pretty while it lasted though!

Unfortunatly as far as I know its not legal for hunting where your are. Actually,Im suprised you even get any rifles for hunting.

Yeah that is a new thing, as of last year I think.

 

[jtmarine1911]

How do hand loaded slugs compare? I can get a Lee 1oz slug mold for $20 and I am getting a pretty good stash of range lead saved up.

Couldn't answer that one Delmar. I have not personally shot any hand cast, handloaded slugs before. I have not stepped into the World of shot shell reloading yet, Yet. I assume that you could get comparable, if not increased accuracy out of handloaded slugs. You do have the ability to tweak and tune the load. And I bet there is a way to go with a small diameter mould and sabot it.

Damn it Delmar! Now you got me thinking and wondering! As if I wasn't sidetracked enough, looks like I have something esle to dwell on.

 

[Zoub]

I do have a 12 ga Stevens SxS

And you stick regular foster slugs in it and you are done. 60 yard gun for the most part. Remember your 311 is a smoothbore.

You need to realize to make a 100 yard+ slug gun you need a RIFLED barrel, not a rifled slug. Then in the rifled barrel you run sabots, typical ones are 50 caliber. Also note rifled means rifled. Not rifle sights on smoothbore barrel but a truly rifled barrel.

So you either buy a pump or semi auto with a rifled barrel or buy the gun and get an additional rifled barrel. Then you have to scope it to get the maximum performance out of it. Remember that pic of an 870 folder of mine in your PG thread. The scoped barrel also in the pic was a Hastings rifled barrel with scope.

If you want a shotgun project, cut that 311 down to 21" barrels, cut the stock and add a nice recoil pad. Then go here: OUR COMPLETE LINE OF SHOTGUN INSERTS TO INCREASE THE VERSATILITY OF YOUR SHOTGUN

One of these days my 311 may wake up a double 45/70.........one of these days. It would be nice if we could get .357 inserts or .458 socom

 

[Delmar]

And you stick regular foster slugs in it and you are done. 60 yard gun for the most part. Remember your 311 is a smoothbore.

You need to realize to make a 100 yard+ slug gun you need a RIFLED barrel, not a rifled slug. Then in the rifled barrel you run sabots, typical ones are 50 caliber. Also note rifled means rifled. Not rifle sights on smoothbore barrel but a truly rifled barrel.

My Stevens is a 5100 but yes, I do understand that I won't have the range with it that I would have with a rifled barrel.

So you either buy a pump or semi auto with a rifled barrel or buy the gun and get an additional rifled barrel. Then you have to scope it to get the maximum performance out of it. Remember that pic of an 870 folder of mine in your PG thread. The scoped barrel also in the pic was a Hastings rifled barrel with scope.

If you want a shotgun project, cut that 311 down to 21" barrels, cut the stock and add a nice recoil pad. Then go here: OUR COMPLETE LINE OF SHOTGUN INSERTS TO INCREASE THE VERSATILITY OF YOUR SHOTGUN

I may change my mind at some point, but for now, I kind of like the old gal just like she is.

One of these days my 311 may wake up a double 45/70.........one of these days. It would be nice if we could get .357 inserts or .458 socom

How fun! Those barrel inserts are really cool, but since buying two of them for my SxS would start to come very close to the cost of a brand new Maverick 88 with a rifled barrel, I'm thinking your fist suggestion is a bit more practical.

 

[WLW]

Got to weigh when since a fellow C&P shooter is asking! I hunt with a Marlin lever action .44 Mag. Nice light rifle... isn't real fun to scope as the top isn't in line with the bore and you'll have to shim the scope and use Milet rings that allow for side-to-side adjustments (yes its out of line that bad that I ran out of adjustment capability on the crosshairs). Funny thing is...mine isn't the only one. My buddies is that way, and a fellow at the range the day we were dinking with mine has the same problem. I haven't call Marlin on it yet as it's just a deer gun so it's keeping its spot in the safe for now.

As for slug guns I found this bad boy the other day when opening up the latest issues of Shooting Times. Savage Arms > Firearms > Browse Models Its not a direct link as I couldn't see to pull that off but look for the "220 F Camo." Savage claims that it is more powerful than a 45/70 or .454 Casull and all from a standard 20 ga. 3" shell. I just like the way it looks... a normal bolt action rifle!

 

[NealWright]

Strictly, Indiana Deer Legal (no Mauser's) ...

Single shots are going to be the cheapest (and I have yet to need more). Handi Rifle's are cheaper ... I paid $400 for my Contender 21" 357max, and can probably get that back from it whenever I like.

Rifled shotguns can be had cheap too. Rem870 is a good choice. I just sold a 2 barrel 870 in 20ga for $300.

Lever/Pumps are good alternatives, but none use a 1.62" case without modifying. And, around here ... most still want $600 even used. I haven't found one to consider yet.

Bolt guns are available, but rare. Remington made a 788 in 44mag for a while ... a Rem 600 in 35Rem could probably be modified to something ... the Ruger 44mag carbine is probably the cheapest, and sometimes can be found for ~$400.

Now, if you want to get serious about a CHEAP deer rifle. My uncle had hunted with an old Stevens 12ga bolt gun since a kid. I don't see them very often, they are highly UN-desirable (read cheap), and believe me it's taken care of deer!

Many choices ... what's your idea of cheap?
Neal

 

[Dr Falken]

I forgot about this but a friend just bought a Marlin Slugmaster with a rifled barrel, in 12 guage, BOLT action, for $100 at a garage sale. There is your accurate, multi shot inexpensive rifle.

 

[Delmar]

Many choices ... what's your idea of cheap?

I think if I found I deal like this I would be pretty pleased.

a Marlin Slugmaster with a rifled barrel, in 12 guage, BOLT action, for $100 at a garage sale. There is your accurate, multi shot inexpensive rifle.

 

[Whosyer]

I think if I found I deal like this I would be pretty pleased.

The Marlin Slugmaster is a very accurate slug gun. The down side is, man is that thing heavy to lug around. I used one for years, then switched to a Marlin in .41 mag. ( to go with my Blackhawk)

 

[ol' poke]

Rossi 1892 lever action. 24" Octagon barrel. 10 rounds of .44-40 loaded with GOEX 3f.

It'll knock a deer down today just as well as it has for over a century.

That's MY GAME!

ol' poke.

 

[DanO]

I agree with JW above.

A lever gun in .357 mag will let you shoot .38 spl to get a lot of inexpensive range time or rabbit hunting for practice. A month out, zero it for some high quality cast bullets in .357 mag and get used to that. In a 16" barrel, this also makes a handy defensive package.

 

[NealWright]

I didn't think you could .38spl to cycle through a lever gun setup for Mag? I don't know much about the lever mechanism, but I thought OAL was super critical to function.

 

[Delmar]

I didn't think you could .38spl to cycle through a lever gun setup for Mag? I don't know much about the lever mechanism, but I thought OAL was super critical to function.

My understanding is that some people who do so, don't seat the bullet so deep, so that the OAL is a little long for 38 special. You could also use 38 loads in a magnum case. Your cases would last forever because of the reduced pressure!

 

[snapping turtle]

I properly functioning marlin 1894 357 will cycle 38 special rounds flawlessly. The only problem I have is with SWC lead rounds and in 357 they don't work either. Mine is microgroove so i just use JSP's.

I just do not like the extra gunk in the chamber instead of the 357's I guess prolonged use of 38 could build up crud and cause a 357 round to be sticky. Eitherway i just use 357's in mine.

 

[2cool9031]

I like the Winchesters, Rugers, Marlins etc. that are in this catagory. But do you think if you miss a shot, the deer will stay there and wait for you to take another one? With that in mind, single shots are good too.
Another suggestion would be a pump shotgun with rifled slugs.

 

[hntrdav]

A used .357 lever would be the way to go. A 44 is good also but the 357 is also more pleasant to plink with.