Bolt action or semi-auto for deer

[Alan]

I'm old school, use a bolt action. My buddy uses an AR-10. We argue about it every season. He says quick follow-up shots matter. I say one good shot is all you need. What do you guys actually hunt with?

 

[71R/T]

I have always hunted with bolt action rifles. I make that first shot count.

 

[axeslinger]

I am even older school. I use a lever action Marlin.

 

[Creeker]

Mostly a bolt gun over the years but the last one was a single shot.

 

[444Marlin]

I know this is kinda old, but what the heck....

My first deer gun was a Savage model I don't know pump in 20 ga(Sometime in the early'80s, A piece of garbage). The first rifle was a Win m94 in 32 Special that my dad RIP borrowed for me. Christmas Day, my grandfather gave to me a 1972 Winchester m94 in 30-30. I fell in love with that rifle. I sent it to JES Reboring and he made it a 35/30-30.

Sighting it in

I put on a Williams FP aperture sight because my eyes ain't what they once where!!! Or the deer would go blurry, messing up my shot.

I hunt in PA, but I used to go to WV to hunt for years. My brother had a p!ace around Clarksburg and we hunted it and the Fairmont area. But I had a stroke about 14 years ago and now I am stuck hunting at home.

In PA the semi autos are a no no, so I never hunted with one. Bolt actions, around where I live, didn't come out until the late 1990's into the early 2000's. It was either a Remington pump in '06/270 Win or a Winchester m94 in 30-30. Marlin 336 were there, but it was a drop in the bucket. There was a smattering of bolts actions and even some Ruger # 1s. Oh, I remember some Savage m340 in 30-30 too. My dad RIP had the 340 as his "Do you happen to have a gun I can hunt with?" gun.

 

[Wvcruffler]

Usually hunt with a bolt gun. You can get off accurate follow up shots with a bolt rifle in 99% of the same places youd get one off with an AR. I found the AR a very uncomfortable rifle to shoot and hunt with. Had a couple of them and sold them off a few years ago. I know people love them but its not my cup of tea.

 

[444Marlin]

I use mostly single shots now...

444 Marlin with 280gr WFNGC

500 Linebaugh with 450gr LFN

 

[30calflash]

I've hunted with both. The first time I went was with an HK91, yeah I know. What a heavy SOB that was to haul around but it was the only CF rifle I owned. Later went a bunch with a Remington 600 in 308, an 06 Savage and some military mauser sporters and leverguns after that.

Maybe a single shot this coming season, or maybe not. If not I'll practice with whatever I'm going afield with, so I've no excuses either way.

 

[Alan]

I've hunted with both. The first time I went was with an HK91, yeah I know. What a heavy SOB that was to haul around but it was the only CF rifle I owned. Later went a bunch with a Remington 600 in 308, an 06 Savage and some military mauser sporters and leverguns after that.

Maybe a single shot this coming season, or maybe not. If not I'll practice with whatever I'm going afield with, so I've no excuses either way.

At that point it’s less about the rifle and more about being completely dialed in with whatever you take afield