Dilemma

hooligan1 · October 15, 2017, 08:11 AM

Okay so I have a dilema, which rifle to take deer hunting this season.
Mark X .270 win that I have recovered after 20 years.
New M38 mauser build, 6.5 Creedmoor.
Or the 1903a3 .270 win I had built 2 years ago.....
Kind of find myself wondering, all have super capabilities and dang fine results with great hunting bullets. Range from 20 feet to 350 yds possible...

NoSecondBest · October 15, 2017, 08:33 AM

Hunt more states and/or states where you can take more than one deer. Then you can use all of them. I have the same problem here in NY, but you get enough tags to use a couple of them every year. Another option is to go mainstream: only own one gun....blasphamey.

2damnold4this · October 15, 2017, 08:35 AM

Take all three to the range and fire on shot out of each from a field position. Whichever one fires the bullet that hits closest to the mark gets the nod.

Art Eatman · October 15, 2017, 09:43 AM

Concur with 2damn. As usual, hitting where you aim is what's important.

jmr40 · October 15, 2017, 09:45 AM

The one you like and shoot best.

buck460XVR · October 15, 2017, 10:21 AM

Since they're all reliable deer cartridges being shot from similar platforms, I don't see how it matters at all which one you take as long as they are sighted in at the range you intend to shoot. To me the choice might come down to, ease of carrying and the risk of damage to the firearm from terrain or inclement weather. When it rains and I'm tromping thru nasty brush, I generally take a gun that if it suffers from it, I don't care as much. If I'm still hunting, I prefer a lightweight, shorter, easy to maneuver carbine over a long rifle that works better from a blind/stand. Most of my deer firearms are so different as to platform or caliber/effective range, that generally the type of hunting I'm doing that day, dictates what firearm I take. Since I don't have several similar platforms with the same or very similar cartridges to choose from, I don't have your dilemma.

hooligan1 · October 15, 2017, 10:27 AM

The 03a3 is a bonified killer and super accurate out to whatever distance under 400.
The MarkX does have a BnC synthetic stock and as usuall it shoots lights out even with 150's which is what I wil use.
The Creedmoor is the rifle Ive tested the most since I had it built and I got the stock finally finished where I wanted it.
So the problem isnt which one do I shoot best, its which one do I just have to have in my hands opening morning.
Im leaning towards the Creedmoor, and if I dont score on the opener maybe the MarkX the following morning.....

Mobuck · October 15, 2017, 01:04 PM

I "start big and work my way down". The last few years, I concentrate on filling my any deer tag with a nice buck first. With that in mind, I carry a rifle with power and reach until Bucky is down. Then I work on filling the freezer with antlerless deer using lighter calibers at shorter ranges.
Before the CWD scourge, I got unlimited doe tags and frequently used 3-4 guns as the season progressed. Quite often I started with a 25/06, then a 257 Roberts, next the 6.8 SPC, and finishing with an AR pistol in the "alternative methods" season.

hooligan1 · October 15, 2017, 02:33 PM

After my range trip today, Id be wrong to not use my Creedmoor this opener.
I shot a dime size group at 100 yds that is 2 inches high and a heartbeat right, or 1/2 right of center.
Load is a 140 grn Accubond over a stout load of rl19.

2damnold4this · October 16, 2017, 07:00 AM

Nice!

Buzzcook · October 16, 2017, 01:35 PM

Sounds like you need a new rifle;-)

hooligan1 · October 17, 2017, 04:31 AM

Buzzcook, I do plan a new build next winter if all the pieces fall right, .264 winchester Magnum is the cartridge, and a Rem 700 action will be the donor.
This Creedmoor rifle is one I had built last winter and finally finished this Spring and some loads were tested, and suprisingly this rifle is finicky about certain things, but its coming together now..

Picher · October 17, 2017, 07:39 AM

Last year, I used three different rifles, but we don't have to travel more than 5 miles to deer hunt. Have a fair-weather one, a bad weather one, both .270s.

Ended up shooting a buck with my .243 Tikka, just because I had to carry a pop-up blind up a hill and wanted to keep the carry-weight down.

I was kind of ticked-off, because I'd bought a new rifle/scope to shoot a deer and hadn't shot any game with it (until the recent moose hunt).

JP

FrankenMauser · October 17, 2017, 12:38 PM

Borrowed rifle with borrowed ammo.

It has never failed me.

I wouldn't recommend the practice, of course. But it has always paid off for me.

hooligan1 · October 17, 2017, 03:06 PM

Frankenmauser, do you need to borrow one of the other 2?
Well truthfully in the begining of this rifle build, I told myself if it was ready deer season Id take it hunting, but some of my loads just werent as good as they were touted in other forums, and I usually work up my own stuff no matter what bubba and his kinfolk load.
I was just trying to take an easy route and save components.
Well after testing 8 different bullets and 4 different powders the rl 19 worked the best with 140 grn Accubonds, and I like me some Accubonds....
But the other two may see some action with maybe an antlerless tag, later in the season....

FrankenMauser · October 17, 2017, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Frankenmauser, do you need to borrow one of the other 2?

I'm good. Thank you.
I have stuff here that I haven't even fired yet. They may as well be borrowed rifles.
Worst case... I slap the Jap type 38 bolt in the barreled action, hose-clamp the assembly to a tree branch, and run it as a single-shot.

You know I like Nosler stuff, as well as RL-19. Seems like they get along well together in several cartridges.

std7mag · October 19, 2017, 07:54 PM

None of the above...

I'd buy a new rifle in 257 Roberts...

But thats just me...

NHSHOOTER · October 20, 2017, 02:16 AM

I go along with NoSecondBest, I hunt NH and SC, here in NH I only get one rifle tag so its either muzzleloader or model 7 in 7-08. In SC I can shoot multiple deer so I bring my favorite 3 down there..

RaySendero · October 20, 2017, 11:24 AM

Why not just go deer hunting 3 times???

hooligan1 · October 20, 2017, 02:52 PM

Ray if I must go more than once to deliver the freezer bounty this is exactly what I will plan to do...

RaySendero · October 22, 2017, 11:35 AM

Ok, If me I'd first take the most interesting one (again to me):

The 1903a3 build in 270 !!!

Sure Shot Mc Gee · October 23, 2017, 07:15 AM

Mark X. Its the lightest of the three too> tote.

ZeroJunk · October 23, 2017, 08:31 AM

I have a hard time seeing much difference in any of them.

hooligan1 · October 23, 2017, 06:47 PM

Ray that is an interesting rifle, super accurate with everything Ive tested, and it handles nice.

doofus47 · October 26, 2017, 10:56 AM

That's a nice problem to have.
Take the 6.5 C (but I'm a 6.5 bigot...)

October 15, 2017, 08:11 AM	#1
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Dilemma Okay so I have a dilema, which rifle to take deer hunting this season. Mark X .270 win that I have recovered after 20 years. New M38 mauser build, 6.5 Creedmoor. Or the 1903a3 .270 win I had built 2 years ago..... Kind of find myself wondering, all have super capabilities and dang fine results with great hunting bullets. Range from 20 feet to 350 yds possible... __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 15, 2017, 09:45 AM	#5
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,808	The one you like and shoot best. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

October 15, 2017, 10:27 AM	#7
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	The 03a3 is a bonified killer and super accurate out to whatever distance under 400. The MarkX does have a BnC synthetic stock and as usuall it shoots lights out even with 150's which is what I wil use. The Creedmoor is the rifle Ive tested the most since I had it built and I got the stock finally finished where I wanted it. So the problem isnt which one do I shoot best, its which one do I just have to have in my hands opening morning. Im leaning towards the Creedmoor, and if I dont score on the opener maybe the MarkX the following morning..... __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 15, 2017, 02:33 PM	#9
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	After my range trip today, Id be wrong to not use my Creedmoor this opener. I shot a dime size group at 100 yds that is 2 inches high and a heartbeat right, or 1/2 right of center. Load is a 140 grn Accubond over a stout load of rl19. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 17, 2017, 04:31 AM	#12
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Buzzcook, I do plan a new build next winter if all the pieces fall right, .264 winchester Magnum is the cartridge, and a Rem 700 action will be the donor. This Creedmoor rifle is one I had built last winter and finally finished this Spring and some loads were tested, and suprisingly this rifle is finicky about certain things, but its coming together now.. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 15, 2017, 08:33 AM	#2
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	Hunt more states and/or states where you can take more than one deer. Then you can use all of them. I have the same problem here in NY, but you get enough tags to use a couple of them every year. Another option is to go mainstream: only own one gun....blasphamey.

October 15, 2017, 08:35 AM	#3
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	Take all three to the range and fire on shot out of each from a field position. Whichever one fires the bullet that hits closest to the mark gets the nod.

October 15, 2017, 09:43 AM	#4
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Concur with 2damn. As usual, hitting where you aim is what's important.

October 15, 2017, 10:21 AM	#6
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	Since they're all reliable deer cartridges being shot from similar platforms, I don't see how it matters at all which one you take as long as they are sighted in at the range you intend to shoot. To me the choice might come down to, ease of carrying and the risk of damage to the firearm from terrain or inclement weather. When it rains and I'm tromping thru nasty brush, I generally take a gun that if it suffers from it, I don't care as much. If I'm still hunting, I prefer a lightweight, shorter, easy to maneuver carbine over a long rifle that works better from a blind/stand. Most of my deer firearms are so different as to platform or caliber/effective range, that generally the type of hunting I'm doing that day, dictates what firearm I take. Since I don't have several similar platforms with the same or very similar cartridges to choose from, I don't have your dilemma.

October 15, 2017, 01:04 PM	#8
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	I "start big and work my way down". The last few years, I concentrate on filling my any deer tag with a nice buck first. With that in mind, I carry a rifle with power and reach until Bucky is down. Then I work on filling the freezer with antlerless deer using lighter calibers at shorter ranges. Before the CWD scourge, I got unlimited doe tags and frequently used 3-4 guns as the season progressed. Quite often I started with a 25/06, then a 257 Roberts, next the 6.8 SPC, and finishing with an AR pistol in the "alternative methods" season.

October 16, 2017, 07:00 AM	#10
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	Nice!

October 16, 2017, 01:35 PM	#11
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	Sounds like you need a new rifle;-)

October 17, 2017, 07:39 AM	#13
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	Last year, I used three different rifles, but we don't have to travel more than 5 miles to deer hunt. Have a fair-weather one, a bad weather one, both .270s. Ended up shooting a buck with my .243 Tikka, just because I had to carry a pop-up blind up a hill and wanted to keep the carry-weight down. I was kind of ticked-off, because I'd bought a new rifle/scope to shoot a deer and hadn't shot any game with it (until the recent moose hunt). JP

October 17, 2017, 12:38 PM	#14
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Borrowed rifle with borrowed ammo. It has never failed me. I wouldn't recommend the practice, of course. But it has always paid off for me. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

October 17, 2017, 03:06 PM	#15
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Frankenmauser, do you need to borrow one of the other 2? Well truthfully in the begining of this rifle build, I told myself if it was ready deer season Id take it hunting, but some of my loads just werent as good as they were touted in other forums, and I usually work up my own stuff no matter what bubba and his kinfolk load. I was just trying to take an easy route and save components. Well after testing 8 different bullets and 4 different powders the rl 19 worked the best with 140 grn Accubonds, and I like me some Accubonds.... But the other two may see some action with maybe an antlerless tag, later in the season.... __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 19, 2017, 07:54 PM	#17
std7mag Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2013 Location: Central Taxylvania.. Posts: 3,609	None of the above... I'd buy a new rifle in 257 Roberts... But thats just me...

October 20, 2017, 02:16 AM	#18
NHSHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2012 Location: Concord NH Posts: 1,002	I go along with NoSecondBest, I hunt NH and SC, here in NH I only get one rifle tag so its either muzzleloader or model 7 in 7-08. In SC I can shoot multiple deer so I bring my favorite 3 down there..

October 20, 2017, 11:24 AM	#19
RaySendero Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2010 Location: US South Posts: 857	Why not just go deer hunting 3 times??? __________________ *Ray*

October 20, 2017, 02:52 PM	#20
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Ray if I must go more than once to deliver the freezer bounty this is exactly what I will plan to do... __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 22, 2017, 11:35 AM	#21
RaySendero Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2010 Location: US South Posts: 857	Ok, If me I'd first take the most interesting one (again to me): The 1903a3 build in 270 !!! __________________ *Ray*

October 23, 2017, 07:15 AM	#22
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	Mark X. Its the lightest of the three too> tote.

October 23, 2017, 08:31 AM	#23
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,589	I have a hard time seeing much difference in any of them.

October 23, 2017, 06:47 PM	#24
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Ray that is an interesting rifle, super accurate with everything Ive tested, and it handles nice. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 26, 2017, 10:56 AM	#25
doofus47 Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: live in a in a house when i'm not in a tent Posts: 2,483	That's a nice problem to have. Take the 6.5 C (but I'm a 6.5 bigot...) __________________ I'm right about the metric system 3/4 of the time.