When you’re out in the woods at your stand or stalking your prey in an open prairie, you want the hunting rifle that will bag your buck.
You’ve got to be able to trust your tool. It’s like your own limb. You wouldn’t leave home without it.
So, since you’re choosing a trusted companion, you’ve got to have the knowledge about what makes a great hunting rifle great.
There are five different characteristics you should look for in a hunting rifle.
Weight
Depending on what you’re hunting and where, you might want a lighter or a heavier rifle.
If you’re hunting in the United States or Europe, you’re not going to need an elephant gun.
If you’re packing it in, you probably want something a bit on the lighter side.
Heavier is actually better sometimes.
If you’re in shape, a nine-pound rifle shouldn’t be a problem. And if you’re out of shape “what the [hey] are you doing out there in the first place?”
So, deer rifles really shouldn’t be over ten pounds for those who plan on hiking in.
Distance
A longer barrel provides more accuracy over distance. Inside your barrel are grooves that add spin to your bullet.
The longer the barrel, the longer the grooves, the more the spin. Both the spin and speed of your bullet improve accuracy the higher they are. Which is why you’ll see really long barrels on sniper’s guns.
If you want to shoot distance, you’re going to need a good scope. A good scope will allow you to quickly line up the shot at 350 yards or more.
Standard scopes typically have some sort of adjustment nobs so you can adjust for elevation and wind. You’ll want this adjustment if you’re going to be anywhere but a tree stand.
Action
Action refers to the manner in which a round is chambered. In a hunting rifle, there are three methods. Bolt. Lever. And Semi-auto.
Most deer rifles are bolt action.
Bolt action is easier to maintain than either lever or semi-auto. It’s also the most reliable method to chamber a round.
Semi-auto has the possibility of getting jammed. And lever can get debris stuck in the mechanism too easily.
The sign of a good hunting rifle is its ability to eject cartridges and chamber a round without risk of jamming.
Chambering
Chambering, or better known as caliber, will either enhance or hinder your hunting.
The best deer hunting calibers include .423 Winchester, .25-06 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Remington, 7mm Remington Magnums, and .308 Winchesters. And the best overall is the 7mm-08 Remington.
Anything less than this will require more shots to kill your buck. Don’t waste your time.
Recoil
This is probably the least important with a deer hunting rifle. You will most likely shoot one round at a time.
If you’re a new hunter, recoil might be intimidating. So you might want to find a rifle that compensates for recoil.
Conclusion:
A lot of what determines your loyal hunting rifle is personal preference. If you have friends with multiple rifles or have multiple hunters as your friends, have them take you out to the range to shoot their guns. Find out what you’re comfortable with.
Also, don’t go for the Walmart or sports store rifles. Get your rifles at a reputable place like Christensen Arms Guns. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your gun. Don’t sell yourself short.
