Deer Hunting Rifles

For most people who are just starting out hunting deer, the choice of rifle often comes down to a bolt action or a lever action. Both are used by hunters all over the world and can easily be purchased on a budget.

Bolt actions are generally a better choice for longer distance hunting. Budget bolt actions such as the Mossberg Patriot, Ruger American, and Savage Axis are accurate and often sold in a package form with a scope that allows you to take your new rifle to the field or range immediately. Calibers like .243 Winchester or .270 Winchester produce less recoil while also having plenty of power to bring a deer down, which makes them suitable for beginners.

The .30-30 lever action is another viable choice, and especially for wooded areas where shots usually do not exceed 150 yards. Lever actions are fast-handling and narrow since there’s no bolt or magazine hanging out the side of the rifle.

The average distance for a "mid-range shot is about 100 to 300 yards. That's farther than a typical woodland shot of 100 yards or less, but short of longer shots requiring knowledge of bullet drop and wind deflection. Within 300 yards, most hunting cartridges drop little, which allows for an honest shot with a simple holdover.

Two of the most versatile bolt-action choices for new hunters are the 6.5 Creedmoor and the .308 Winchester, due to their moderate recoil and excellent terminal performance inside of 400 yards. The .243 Winchester is another solid choice for a low-recoiling and well-performing deer cartridge.

When it comes to lever-actions, the .30-30 Winchester is one of the oldest cartridges that’s still standard for woodland deer hunting. It has harvested deer for over a century, and typically at 200 yards or less.

There's a point when the shot goes beyond 400 yards where you'll want cartridges that will shoot flat and resist wind drift while also delivering enough kinetic energy to make the kill. Some hunters believe it takes at least 1,000 ft-lbs of energy at impact to ensure a clean kill on deer.

Two of the most effective new long range cartridges available today are the 6.5 PRC and the 7mm PRC; both offer flat trajectories and high BCs. Both the 7mm Remington Magnum and the .300 Winchester Magnum have been shooting well over long ranges for years, but both are heavier recoiling than the 6.5 PRC. The 6.5 Creedmoor has solid performance out to around 500 yards with a good bullet choice.

A good deer rifle costs less than you may have thought! Most entry-level bolt-action rifles (e.g., Ruger American and Savage Axis) will fall in price between $400 and $700, and each of these models can shoot circles around the majority of the hunting community.

When we look at prices ranging from $800 to $1,500, we get into rifles that include smooth operating actions, better triggers, and tighter groupings; examples include the Bergara B-14, Tikka T3x, Ruger M77, and the venerable Winchester M70.

Don’t forget to factor in optics when making your purchase as well. Many scopes from Vortex, Leupold, or Burris will be priced between $200 and $600. Most experienced hunters would much rather buy a mid-range priced rifle that has good quality optics on it instead of a high-end rifle with inferior quality optics.