# What kind of rifle is good for starting hunting training?



## samuelcruz

Which is your favorite one for hunting deers from long distances?


----------



## power

First thing might be changing your hunting plans. Long range hunting isn't the best plan unless the country around is flat and bare. The farther a deer is when you kill it the farther you have to go get it and bring it back.


----------



## Sentry18

Welcome to the forum.

What rifle depends on who is in training and what level of experience they have. A child has different needs than an adult, a woman might have different needs than a man, a complete newb might have different needs than someone with some hunting experience. If you are talking brand than any basic rifle by Savage or Ruger is a good option. Remington & Mossberg are okay as well but have hit or miss QC. As far as chambering goes the .243 and the .270 are both good medium calibers that will drop a deer with no issues. .308 gives you a little more knock down power and range.

My personal favorite is the Savage 11 Hog Hunter in .308. I prefer a scoped rifle with iron sights just in case.

These might help:


----------



## mosquitomountainman

samuelcruz said:


> Which is your favorite one for hunting deers from long distances?


Couple of things wrong here: first is new hunter, next is long range. They don't go together. Learn how to hunt and shoot accurately under stress then move to the long range aspect.

Best overall rifle for deer, IMO, is the 25/06. Next is the 270. Lighter recoil and rifles that are good are 7mm/08, and 308. Stick with Savage or another name brand rifle. Bolt action is probably best IMO.


----------



## phideaux

In Kentucky....100 yards is a long shot, and more deer are taken with a 30-30 than any other caliber.

In Wyoming 500 yards may be typical shot , and the best caliber will be more like 300 win mag, 30-06, 7mm-08, etc 

It just depends on geography of the land you will be hunting.

But neither types are really for the new untrained hunter.
They both take practice and some instruction.




Jim


----------



## hiwall

There is little reason to take long shots. I have hunted in several western states and the longest shot I ever took was less than 200 yards.


----------



## CrackbottomLouis

More information is needed to answer your question in a helpful way. The previous responses have been spot on so far though. Hunting in FL or South GA? I hunt in South GA and we have a lot of FL guys that have hunting leases in the area. My preferred calibers for hunting in that area are .308 or 30/06. Your typical shot will be less (most often much less) than 250 yards. Savage axis 2 is a good bolt action budget hunting rifle that you wont outgrow unless you want to and it comes in both of those calibers. If you want to hunt hogs either of those calibers will work for that as well. Comes with a scope and will be around $300 brand new. Deer are better in South GA than FL. FL deer are about the size of large dogs


----------



## TheLazyL

samuelcruz said:


> Which is your favorite one for hunting deers from long distances?


Does your state allow rifles for deer hunting and if yes what are your state's limitations on calibers?


----------



## CrackbottomLouis

You can hunt with any of the mentioned calibers in general gun season in FL.


----------



## primrosecrowther

*My favorite one...!*










AR-10 .308/7.62x51 20" MA-25 Advanced Sniper Stainless Rifle Kit


----------



## oldasrocks

Single shot rifle of whatever caliber. Teaches them to make the first shot count.


----------



## Viking

I like rifles that are inherently more accurate than my abilities, I have two like that, a Ruger 30-06 that I floated the barrel on and an old Remington bolt .22 LR, both are crazy accurate. Most all game I've ever taken was 100 yards or less, to me, the closer the better, many have been under 50 feet, with head or neck shots that dropped the game where they stood.


----------



## LincTex

Sentry18 said:


> These might help:


Interesting how the .223, .22-250 and .220 Swift are excluded for deer.

I know a LOT of laws have been passed in various states against .22 caliber sized rounds for deer hunting, but it's what all of us used when we were young. (Yes, I am getting old).

The First deer I ever shot back around 1979 or so was with a .222 Remington Magnum. Last one I shot was with a lever action .30-30


----------



## LincTex

oldasrocks said:


> Single shot rifle of whatever caliber. Teaches them to make the first shot count.


Or bolt action, really. 
Since you are already spending the money.

With whitetail deer, there is typically no "second shot". I think unless you are REALLY, Really good... but, even a 20 round magazine often won't give you a second shot. Not where I'm used to hunting, anyway.


----------



## Magus

300 WM. from at least 300 yards.


----------



## Resto

Ive never "Taken" Deer Sized or larger, animals outside 30 yards. Arizona has what some folks consider "Long Shots" because of terrain, They say. My advice would be, Learn to Scout, Track and read sign, before anything. Learn the Habits of the animal youre hunting and the land they live on or Hunting is Just Luck. IMO, Shots longer than 300 yards are risky for the average person, that doesn't have good Marksmanship skills and range time. What ever Caliber or Style you choose, make sure its big enough for a clean kill. I find close Hunting Thrilling.


----------



## TheLazyL

Well SamuelCruz. It's been a month since you asked your question. Any updates or reply's to the questions other Posters have ask you?


----------



## fteter

I'll throw in my two cents, if only to keep this thread going...

When we talk about training new hunters, my go-to for all my kids (and now my grandkids) is an old Ithaca falling block .22LR rifle. Only holds one round, requires working the lever and cocking the hammer before firing. We start off with basic safety, then move on to some target shooting. Once they have the basics mastered, they graduation to my Browning SA-22 Takedown for hunting squirrels and rabbits. From there we step up to a bolt-action .223, followed by some time with the semi-automatic Remington 1100 in 20 gauge. Next step up is the SKS in 7.62x39...welcome to the world of semi-auto rifles.

So far as deer hunting, I go old school: Mosin Nagant M44 chambered in 7.62x54r. Bolt action. One head shot...it's like putting the deer to sleep. But I've admittedly never done long-distance with it. My longest shot for a deer was around 80 yards. Most of my deer are taken within 30 yards. Big fan of getting as close as I can.


----------



## Magus

Magus said:


> 300 WM. from at least 300 yards.


Damn it, I thought he asked about "BEARS".
Any quality weapon in 30-06 0r 308 in the lower 48.
I use a 1943 03-A3 some bubba "sporterized" with a Remmington 700 barrel.


----------

