Island deer rifle

jeffywestcoast

Well-Known Member
know this is a fishing forum but quite a few of you old salts are into hunting ... so here is my question , what would be my best bet for an entry level deer rifle .. say 1000 or less so no Sako this year .. i have already asked a few people and have some idea's but curious what some of you think , we can scratch 338 Wm ,300 Wm and 7 mil RM off the list as i would prefer a smaller calibre .. am i crazy for wanting a 22/250 for an island deer rifle ?
 
EDIT....haha....I see wayne was posting as I was typing. Good advice. ;)

I'd look to a 243, 270 or the old trusty 308. 308 has always been my "go to" for everything from bear to deer to moose. (that is when not using a muzzleloader)

I used to always use a 243 for deer but the only thing I found is on two different occasions I had a small twig (couldn't see through the scope) screw up shots that should have been dead certain. Both times I followed where the bullet travelled and found a twig in the snow that was obviously out of place. First time I wasn't too concerned as it was just a 3x3 white tail....second time it was a 6x5 non-typ with a nice drop tine....when that one missed with the 243 I retired it pretty quickly and 308 became the "go to".

You're going to get a ton of different ideas. If you're just getting into it I doubt you'll be reloading soon so choosing some of the more popular cartridges will help you for more selection.

The big thing to remember....if you're comfortable shooting, place a good shot, any calibre that gets recommended in this thread will kill the deer dead. ;)
 
Look at the 7mm .08. it shoots a 140 gr bullet so it is a little more stout than a .243. They are pretty light and don't kick much. We have even taken an Elk with no trouble with this load.
 
Vancouver Island can offer so many different shot variables. Hunting the Timber or Christmas trees you probably are not going to be shooting far, but hunting cut blocks, or alpine you could very well be shooting across a valley. Our deer are not big, but our bears are, and if your lucky, so are our elk. So don't handicap yourself.

If your not into reloading, I would recommend 270, 308 win or 30-06. All more than adequate for the task. All readily available pretty much everywhere in various recipes. All three are less expensive than most, which will hopefully transfer to you shooting more and building up a higher skill level.

As for the 22-250. I love the cartridge, but as far as deer hunting goes, I would stay away if your not into building a specialty rifle. Most bullets at 22-250 velocity tend to not hold together well on impact. A custom rifle with a fast twist and throated for heavier bullets would be cool.
 
Last edited:
As above.... .243 or .270.
.243 great gun for smallish deer. Exit hole wont be so big. .270 (I shoot) will expand your game size if you decide to come to the mainland. Both cartridges are very popular and ammo can be found anywhere.... Canadian tire should you forget or drop them in the dark. If its your go to gun dont spend big bucks on the rifle. Get a Winchester mod70 lightweight or rem or savage. The gun is going to be use to hunt.. Not show off the the deer you hitting. It will be exposed to rain,sleet,snow and a bush gun is easier to take care of.
 
Last edited:
A little 243 can make a massive hole. It's pretty fast and light. Bullet selection is important.
 
What would I recommend to a new hunter? All else equal, I’d recommend 308 over 30-06 to a new hunter. It is a little bit lighter, the recoil just a little bit less, the action just a little bit faster to use and very accurate. The 308 also happens to be my all time favorite!
 
A little 243 can make a massive hole. It's pretty fast and light. Bullet selection is important.
Absolutely, 130gr REM corlock psp. Never had a problem with the last 20 deer.

Shoot an island deer with a SP and you maybe sticking your fist in there.... Lol
 
Drop into your local gunsmith. They always have a few used and on consignment rifles on hand. Look for one you feel woild comfortable to carry all day. If you aree only going to have one calibre I would look for a 308, or a 30-06. Ammo is easily available, and won't break the bank. For sights, get a variable 2 1/2 - 7 or so with a simple easy to see reticle. Redfield makes a decent one, but l am sure there are others.
 
.270 is my calibre of choice for the island as there is almost no kick on my gun (Ruger M77 Hawkeye all weather), its flat shooting so 300 yards is a realistic shot, and the ammo is readily available and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

If you are looking for something with a clip (which is likely preferable for road hunting) instead of a box magazine, I would look at a savage 116 all weather.

Personally I like the Ruger for the 3 position safety, excellent accuracy, and fabulous recoil pad. I can shoot a box of ammo on my gun and barely feel it.

Whatever you buy, plan to spend the same amount of money or more on your scope (Vortex Viper, or various Leupold's would be good choices in the $500 range), or more importantly your binoculars if you plan to do any sort of cut block or alpine hunting on the island.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

P.S. you probably want a stainless synthetic gun for the island, especially if you plan to do coastal hunts with boats.
 
^^^what Birdman said.

Entry level..308 for sure I did take a moose at 50?yds with one..
but think bigger

I love my stainless 30-06 synthetic stock Ruger.
It's an all round great caliber rifle
Elk draw on island?
Bear..if your into that?
Moose on the mainland?
Good luck shopping
It's so fun spending others $$
 
ALL of the calibers mentioned are great and have seen all of them drop many a animal, I personally use a 30:06 I got it when I was 13 yrs old and it feels like an extension of me its been thru a lot with me ive shot deer,moose,bear and a few elk. You will know which one is right when you put it up to your shoulder and it "fits" like a glove....
If it seems hindering or you have to move your cheek around to make it feel right thats the wrong one for you it should go up on your shoulder look thru the scope and everything "fits". you will know....

Remember it doesn't matter what you shoot in any caliber if you wait for a good shot and double lung an animal its DEAD, wait that extra second . if it gets away so be it nothing worse than wounding a animal and it runs away and you dont recover it.for the island deer stick with what most said, id shy away from the 22-250 great for yotes on open prairie though.....
 
.308 win is an excellent deer cartridge and is suitable for bigger stuff. My first rifle, which I hunted mostly Blacktails with was a 308. Far less meat damage than standard loadings of 270 or 6mm, which I owned after I got the bug.

I wouldn't waste my money with some of the new cheaper offerings out there. Poor fitting and too many plastic parts for starters. For sure buy a good quality scope.
 
But he's looking for entry level DEER gun.

I think what SpringFever552 is getting at is that the dirty odd six is the Jack of all trades and master of none. Its my go to rifle as well in a Ruger Hawkeye.

As an option for a good all around cartridge it's hard to beat. With the right bullets and loads it can be tailored to suit just about any type of hunting in B.C. From varmints to moose. Bullet construction and shot placement play a huge roll in terminal performance (i.e. meat damage) If he was to get just one hunting rifle this would be a great choice. I think Jeff has shot quite a bit so the recoil of the 06 wouldn't be a problem for him. You can get ammo in just about any country in the world but it just isn't sexy and quite boring to a lot of folks lol.

Great recommendations from everyone :).
 
Last edited:
On the topic of meat damage I agree completely with what Sculpin has to say, especially about shot placement.

My dad has a 30-06 in a Savage Axis stainless, which for the money is actually probably one of the better entry level guns on the bottom of the spectrum, and I took a deer with that last year with no more meat damage compared to those taken with my own gun.
 
I haven't hunted for years but back when I did we hunted deer on the south Island and most of the time we were walking the edge of clear cuts that had been re-planted and the new trees were anywhere from 6 to 12 feet high. The deer we saw or encountered were close, 100 yards would have been a very long shot and often the deer were on the move. Me and my hunting buddy both had 30-30 Winchester carbines and open sites. Good gun for the thicker stuff and moving through dead fall.
 
Back
Top