Deer Rifles Old and New

HMMMMMMMMM- EVER WONDER IF DEER ARE HARDER TO KILL TODAY THAN BACK IN THE 40'S AND 50'S?

I have mentioned a few times in my posts, that I am a fan of lower power variable scopes mounted low to the bore. In my opinion, they do not ruin the ergonomics and seem to add balance to a rifle and just plain look good. They make it possible to acquire your target faster, have a wider field of view, and provide all the magnification needed for most shots at whitetails, especially in the North East.

I have a variety of rifles capable of taking whitetails east or west, mostly because I am and always have been a "Gun Nut". In these posts and on my website (UNDER RE-construction/http://deer-hunting-information.com/, I have written about range tests on several of these rifles. There are posts on the BLOG on the .270 Winchester using 150 grain soft points, the .308 using 150 grain power points etc. I also have articles on some older favorites like the Marlin lever action .35 Remington using 200 grain round nose corelokts and the Marlin mdl 1895 using 300 grain HP bullets at around 1800 fps. I also own a Ruger Hawkeye with stainless bbl and synthetic stock in the recently added .338 Federal cartridge. I have taken most of my whitetails with an old Ithaca 12 gauge bored improved cylinder using Foster Slugs topped off with an old Weaver fixed 2.5K scope.

I have been reading about deer rifles that were popular back 50 years or more ago and in light of all the whiz bang magnum .30 caliber rifles being touted today as ideal whitetail rigs, one has to wonder how the last generation of hunters made do with the rifles available to them.

I am talking guns like the Remington Model 8 in .25, .30, .32, .35 caliber (later upgraded to the Model 81 Woodmaster). Other favorite deer slayers were the 32-40 WCF, .30-30 Win, .32 Win Special, .257 Roberts, 7X57 and an old favorite in the .300 Savage. The .300 Savage in the Savage lever action series was a classic as was the .250/3000.

Being a certified gun nut, I LIKE them all including a nice half stocked .50 Caliber Hawken. I have stated many times, that most deer, especially in the N/E are still taken at less than 100 yards. Any of the guns listed here were capable of doing a fine job at under 100 yards and rifles like the 7X57, .257 Roberts, .300 Savage etc. could easily double that distance.

Seems our fathers and our grandfather's were really not handicapped at all in the whitetail woods.

Dan
www.deer-hunting-information.com

Factoid on the Revolutionary War: "During the Revolution approximately 20 percent of the American population were Tories who supported Britain; 20% were neutral toward the war, 20% were slaves whom the British offered freedom. Only about 40% of the population actively supported the cause for independence" (Source) "It Happened in the Revolutionary war by Michael R. Bradley

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