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btroj
11-06-2011, 10:46 PM
Am I e only one here who struggles each ear to decide what gun or what bullet to use during deer season?
I plan on taking the Marlin 45-70, Marlin 1894 CB in 45 Colt, and the SRH in 44 mag.
All have killed before but each would be usi a bullet that hasn't killed before.
The 45-70 has taken 3 deer but all were with different bullets- the 425 and 350 ranch dog, the NOE 350 ranch dog HP, and this year the 460420 plain base.

This seems to be an annual problem for me. Am I alone in this?

geargnasher
11-06-2011, 10:54 PM
Nope. Good problem to have, though. I bought a gun, boolit mould, learned to paper-patch, and worked all Summer getting a combo together for short-range, quick-kill stalking on my small, brushy, hilly property (almost lost a lung-shot deer last year because he bolted toward the neighbor's property only 75 yards away, fortunately he doubled back before expiring. Swedish Mauser with a boolit too hard and I missed the center of the heart 2" low due to mis-calculating the POI at close range), now I realize how much I still love and trust my thutty-thutty. And several others. Maybe, if the Axis keep hanging around, I'll get to use several of them.

Gear

btroj
11-06-2011, 11:44 PM
I got one with the 30-30 a couple years ago.
Next year may be the year the 1894c in 357 mag gets a shot. Where I hunt a 25 yard shot is very possible and I feel comfortable with the 357 in a rifle. I have thou long and hard aout the 32-20 but just don't know. I HATE losing a deer.

badbob454
11-07-2011, 12:02 AM
stick with the 45/70 and one of the 350 gr boolits ,, enough gun to do the job.. and more just in case

RP
11-07-2011, 12:56 AM
Well a year or two ago I was on a mission to take a deer with every firearm I owned that was legal to hunt with. I made it maybe half way. Then this year I have mixed it up to only using cast boolits to hunt with so far a doe has fallen to a cast out of my BP rifle. Working on getting a deer with my 30/06 or 300 blkout with a 247gr cast boolit then its off to my thirty thirtys. It will take a few seasons to catch up on the rest of my guns so Iam starting with the ones that I have not taken a deer with. So to answer your ? no your not alone.

Olevern
11-07-2011, 02:15 PM
I struggle with this every year. this year, a friend has invited me over to hunt his private farm, handguns only, so, at least for the first two days I will be shooting either my Lipsey Bisley 45 colt (5 1/2") or my Blackhawk 44 mag (same bbl length).

We just thought it be fun to limit ourselves to handgun for the first several days.

After that, either a 1903 A3, sporterized with peep sites or a Marlin cowboy 44 mag.

KCSO
11-07-2011, 02:54 PM
Before season I sight in about 4 or 5 rifles and fondle them a lot. Then opening day i take down the old Krag and grab a fist full of cast bullets and go kill another deer. Then for the second deer I never know what to use.

firefly1957
11-07-2011, 08:12 PM
I have the same problems most years but this year I have not thought of using anything other than 30-06. Oh I will clean and prepare a couple more to but who knows I can change my mind.

btroj
11-07-2011, 10:36 PM
I have decided that if I am hunting in an area with under 50 yards only I will use the SRH 44 mag, otherwise it is the 45-70.
The Marlin 1894 CB in 45 Colt is my dedicated "follow up a deer" gun of it is needed. Light to carry, quick to shoot. Swings like a shotgun with the longer octagon barrel. Love that rifle. Shoots the 290 gr flat nose group buy bullet really well too!

DIRT Farmer
11-07-2011, 10:40 PM
It will definatly be the 50 flinter, Then the 28ga flint trade gun, both with round ball. If I stray out of state then it might get confusing.

Janoosh
11-08-2011, 07:51 AM
NY State southern tier is a shotgun, pistol, muzzle loader zone. This year I'll start with the 20ga. H+R and then use the 50 cal muzzle loader. Yes, I have the same problem of making the decision of which firearm to use. But aint it great to be able to? To live in a country where I can decide which firearm to use?

firefly1957
11-08-2011, 07:13 PM
Heck which gun which Remington shall I deer hunt with this year?

Mk42gunner
11-09-2011, 01:47 AM
For sevaral years before I retired I brought whatever rifle I was building or playing with that year, and my 98a Carbine actioned .30-06 home on leave. I would hunt with the new rifle until I had the first deer or the last two days of season- whichever came first, then the '06 filled my tags.

This year if I even go I wil use my new .35 Remington, with the same '06 backing it up.

Robert

runfiverun
11-09-2011, 02:13 AM
i started picking a gun for the year after hunting season.
then i just haul that one gun around with me every where i go.
reloading the load and casting a few different trial boolits for it till i find what i like.
and then shoot it every time i go to the range or just shoot rocks with it when i can.
it then goes hunting.
i shoot others throughout the year too, but i shoot just the one every chance i get all that year long.
it makes the hunting decision much easier if the gun is already in the truck or by the door ready to go.
it also makes taking the shot that much easier because you just practiced it about 4,000 times already.

EMC45
11-09-2011, 09:55 AM
I thought I was the only one............