Author Topic: opening day rifle of choice? (Read 1054 times)

andrewtheelder38 · « **on:** October 26, 2009, 10:50:43 AM »

I am still torn!.....I cannot decide if I want to take the .270 Ultra, the 30-30 or the 45-70 handi out opening day. What are you all planning to pack? I will mist likely hunt right around my house as I have a nice buck with a big rack right in the neighborhood ( I caught him eating my flowers twice this summer less than 40 feet away ).........and i will never ever shoot more than 100 yards max........I guess in this thick woods I should take the 45-70.

yukondog · « **Reply #1 on:** October 26, 2009, 10:57:16 AM »

Any of your guns will work just fine,but given that they are thick wood's I would go with the 45-70.Good hunting.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 26, 2009, 11:01:46 AM »

My choice is easy, my only Handi is a .45 Colt so that's what I'll be using.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #3 on:** October 26, 2009, 11:19:59 AM »

Ok here is what you do.
take a nickel
a dime and a Quarter.
Assign each gun a coin.
toss all three at the same time.
what ever gun comes up odd from the other two
that's the one.
If you get the quarter with a head and the other two with a tail then it's the gun assigned to the Quarter.
Good luck as all are great deer rounds.
While I do not like 270 as I think it ruins too much meat it is still a popular round. If close I would use heavier 270 bullets in the 150 grain round nose class.
Good luck on your hunt.

whitetailmaniac · « **Reply #4 on:** October 26, 2009, 12:32:50 PM »

I will be using the ole 45-70 opening day. I dont have a 30-30 in a handi but if I did it would be a tough decision for me. Good luck!

Chris

schoolmaster · « **Reply #5 on:** October 26, 2009, 01:10:31 PM »

Being an Indiana hunter I am limited in my selection of caliber and type of rifle. I will probably use my Savage/PacNor custom barreled .45 caliber muzzleloader. When I go to Wisconsin the following weekend I am taking my Remington model 700 in 7mm Weatherby Mag and my Remington 740 in 30-06. Depends if I am hunting in the woods or am in the tower.

spikehorn · « **Reply #6 on:** October 26, 2009, 01:15:09 PM »

My new Dick's SG H&R 308 needs to get bloody! It's going to deer camp with me this weekend.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #7 on:** October 26, 2009, 01:41:51 PM »

Wait is this a help me deside thread?
or
What will you be using thread?

what I will be using is Dad's Sako Deluxe in 308 Win with 180 grain remington round nose soft points when I get to NC around Christmas.
other than that I will not be hunting deer out west this year.

spikehorn · « **Reply #8 on:** October 26, 2009, 02:16:01 PM »

On the help him decide part of things 45-70

Troyboy · « **Reply #9 on:** October 26, 2009, 02:20:31 PM »

30-30 is a perfect 100yd gun. It has proven itself many many times.

andrewtheelder38 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 26, 2009, 02:43:03 PM »

The venerable old 30-30 is also my most accurate shooter, right now.....have not tested the others enough yet....haven't even put but maybe 60 rounds down range with the .270.....the 45-70 shoots like lightning with a cast load I worked up last year with a slow moving 385 grain cast lead bullet I was nailing clay pigeons dead center at 100-yards with it so I think the coin toss method is going to have to be employed...leave it to fate......

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #11 on:** October 26, 2009, 03:03:20 PM »

I think you just said it the 30-30 or the 45-70.
either will work.
now put away the dime and nickel and just flip the quarter. Heads 45-70 tails 30-30.
best 2 out of 3 wins. Or just flip 3 quarters at the same time.

spooked · « **Reply #12 on:** October 26, 2009, 03:21:56 PM »

Heads the thutty-thutty wins
tails the 45-70 loses
lets go
but , but,but if ya take the 45-70
take some 2 1/2 # 6 fourtens
so's ya can shoot some of them
pesky squirrels we see ever deer season..

kevinsmith5 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 26, 2009, 03:30:53 PM »

45-70. That 385 gr load is the kinda thing that gets you a DRT. 30-30 and you'll risk tracking a wounded buck through heavy brush.

Mitch in MI · « **Reply #14 on:** October 26, 2009, 03:34:13 PM »

The game isn't big enough to require a 45-70, or far enough away to require the 270 Win, and besides, did you say ultra-comp? If you use the 30-30 you can take a shot at game without hearing protection. Try that with a 270 ultra comp.

kevinsmith5 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 26, 2009, 03:39:29 PM »

Not big enough for a 45-70? Is there a problem, with killing something TOO dead?

harrys · « **Reply #16 on:** October 30, 2009, 02:25:11 PM »

if they all shoot as well then do what i do put em in a hat n draw one.

peternap · « **Reply #17 on:** October 30, 2009, 02:56:24 PM »

Tough decision and a lot depends on what part of the farm I hunt opening day. Either the Ruger in 25/06, Handi in 45/70 or 30/06 or the OU in 12/308 or the Guide Gun in 45/70....but I really hope the 12FH i finished because it's mighty tempting....

Decisions, Decisions

MSP Ret · « **Reply #18 on:** October 30, 2009, 03:57:53 PM »

andrewtheelder38, I know it's late to respond, with the start of the Maine firearms season for deer tomorrow (residents only day tomorrow of course). I also will be hunting out of my camp in Maine again this year, perhaps the last time for a while, and I can think of no more fitting caliber in a Handi for hunting in Maine than the old 45-70. If however you choose to use the 30-30 that will also be a fine traditional choice. Either will serve you well, and all the best....<><....

maglvr44 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 30, 2009, 08:02:06 PM »

44 spl or 357, won't know until I walk out the door.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 30, 2009, 08:06:57 PM »

270 Winchester..or my 336c 30-30 Marlin

Mac

mike@nds · « **Reply #21 on:** October 31, 2009, 01:33:07 AM »

My .357 Max Handi for the woods, and the scoped 30-06 Mauser for the clear cuts.

gendoc · « **Reply #22 on:** October 31, 2009, 01:59:25 AM »

45/70.... fer all conditions

petemi · « **Reply #23 on:** October 31, 2009, 02:44:11 AM »

All three are going hunting this year, all Handis,....45-70, 445 SM and .357 Max. I really want to take a deer each with the last two. The .45-70 took a nice buck last Fall, but the other two have only killed varmints. The .45-70 is dead on at 300, and the other two, right now, are good to 200. I've got two weeks before our season opens.....it's a long wait.

Pete

gendoc · « **Reply #24 on:** October 31, 2009, 03:08:24 AM »

Quote from: spooked on October 26, 2009, 03:21:56 PM

but if ya take the 45-70
take some 2 1/2 # 6 fourtens
so's ya can shoot some of them
pesky squirrels we see ever deer season..

are you for-real !!! you do that ??

Cottonwood · « **Reply #25 on:** October 31, 2009, 11:15:09 AM »

The choice was real easy for me, the 7mm-08 is my packing rifle but I just have not yet found anything to put them cross hairs on yet.

andrewtheelder38 · « **Reply #26 on:** October 31, 2009, 12:26:46 PM »

WELL, THE 30-30 WON OUT. IT IS JUST SO "HANDY" AND ACCURATE AND CONSISTENT AND RELIABLE THAT I GRABBED IT OUT OF THE OLD VOLVO WAGON AND HEADED FOR THE WOODS THIS MORNING.......ALBEIT WITHOUT EVER SEEING A BROWN WOODS GOAT ALL DAY.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #27 on:** October 31, 2009, 12:53:11 PM »

the 30-30 was a good choice, as were the others as well. Best of luck the rest of the season....<><....

workin man · « **Reply #28 on:** October 31, 2009, 05:01:09 PM »

Andrew, out of the three you listed, I would have picked the 30-30 as well for your hunting situation, assuming you bear was not in season as well, or you didn't have a bear tag, in which case I would have taken the 45-70. Firearms season for deer opens on Monday here and I would love to be packing my Savage in 7mm Rem Mag or my 45-70 handy (bear season is open as well and I have a tag), but "firearms" season for deer here is shotgun or muzzle-loader only, so if I get out it will be with my Mossberg 500. Deer firearms ends Friday then its back to one of the rifles if I'm going specifically for bear, or the crossbow if I may run into either one.

Jim