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Deer rifle, but useful for zombies?

9K views 48 replies 33 participants last post by  Macattack 
#1 ·
Motivators are:
  • Able to take deer: max long shot perhaps 100 yds, brushy woods on property;
  • Useful for family defense if necessary. Can't say I can really imagine a scenario with a happy ending, but it might be nice to have more options than I have now.
Decision factors include:
  • Budget ($400?);
  • Recoil (prefer less, especially if Dear Wife might need to use it);
  • Optics (I wear bifocals, suggesting the need for a scoped rifle);
  • Local laws (need >.230 caliber to take deer where we are);
  • Already have a Remington 870 Express shotgun in 20ga and willing to consider a new barrel but dubious considering probably need for a scope);
  • Willing to wait 'til the New Year to purchase (after deer season and folks get their first after-Christmas VISA bills).
Given those constraints, which rifle(s) would you suggest I consider?

At the moment I'm leaning towards a $290 pawnshop Marlin 30-30 lever action rifle with a Tasco scope at the moment; I was considering a Mosin Nagant for price and durability but am less enthusiastic about it now due to recoil, difficulty of adding a scope, and the brushy nature of much of our terrain (MNs are pretty long).
 
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#2 ·
As I was reading your requirements, I was already thinking Marlin 30-30 before I got to the bottom. I was just putting up a similar post at the same time.

The 30-30 has a brush-gun reputation, and I've read plenty of counter arguments to discredit it, in that regard. However, for what you describe, it really does sound like the perfect platform. I just finished hiking thru 340 acres with one strapped across my shoulder, and there is nothing I that would have rather had with me.
 
#3 ·
That Marlin Model 336 .30-30 is hard to beat for the price. They are plenty accurate from off the bench and .30-30 is a real high-power rifle round.
 
#6 ·
The 30-30 cartridge has served almost every purpose ever dreamed up from it's first day. I would by all means jump on that choice. It will serve you well!!!
 
#7 ·
In your price range, I agree, Marlin 336W, 30-30, 6+1, tapered for scope.
Or
Mossberg 464, 30-30 Win 6+1

For scope in trees up to 100 yards, Probably
Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40mm
Or
for a budget scope, Pentax HR3 3-9x44
 
#8 ·
#22 ·
I would have to agree with Ramrod at the prices and requirements you are talking about.

A bolt action Savage Edge, Savage 200, Remington 770 in just about any caliber you want. Me I'd like to have one in .308. All of these will run just under $300 or just over with scope on Gallery of Guns.
 
#10 ·
Look at the SKS. I've taken several deer w/ one at 100yds+ basically 30/30 ballistics in a semi-auto. They have minimal recoil for a rifle; rounds are cheap (7.62x39)and plentiful; and the gun falls well within your price range. It is not the most accurate gun, more minute of goblin then angle, but 2-3" groups @ 100yds are average. You can get a cheap replaceable receiver cover w/ a scope mount attached to it for ~$25. I use an inexpensive red dot scope and have no problems with aiming w/ contacts or glasses on.
 
#11 ·
In a SHTF scenario, I'm grabbing my Winchester Model 94 .30-30 carbine over my SKS. That thing is the very picture of unreliability; mags not feeding consistently, stovepiping, jamming, FTE, FTF, not cycling properly. No thanks. Even if it did work well, it weighs a ton compared to my carbine, which has a such a natural feel to it. I'll take the more reliable, and more accurate Winchester.
 
#13 ·
I concur; the tried and true lever action... .30-30 probably the most economical :yup:
 
#14 ·
"In a SHTF scenario, I'm grabbing my Winchester Model 94 .30-30 carbine over my SKS. That thing is the very picture of unreliability; mags not feeding consistently, stovepiping, jamming, FTE, FTF, not cycling properly. No thanks. Even if it did work well, it weighs a ton compared to my carbine, which has a such a natural feel to it. I'll take the more reliable, and more accurate Winchester. "


I don't understand your post, and I truly am not a SKS fanboy. The SKS has a 10 round box magazine (non-detachable). The aftermarket conversion to a detachable magazine is shoddy at best. You can charge it w/ stripper clips (very inexpensive) for fast reloads, or 'thumb' them in if you want. As for FTF and FTEs, when was the last time you cleaned the gas rod? The SKS is a military weapon w/ much of the vaunted reliability of the AK, and some of its downsides, it will never be a target/sniper weapon. I have truly run 1000s of rounds through mine with no malfunctions. Yes, if I use corrosive ammo, I clean it immediately (left it a few days once after firing ~500 rounds of corrosive, gave a nice coat of rust on the bolt, cleaned it but it has some "stains" etched on it.) If shooting noncorrosive ammo, I clean it eventually, or every 1k which ever comes first. I did not mention in my first post that my SKS is a Chinese build, and I have an aftermarket stock on it. Not that the original stock is bad, but it's short. I do have to say, if yours comes w/ a spike bayonet, remove it, because recoil can cause it to slip a little and impale your hand. All in all it's what the OP asked for, an inexpensive, reliable, low recoil weapon that you can mount an optic on. The added benefit it has over the 30/30 is round count, semi-auto, and ammo costs are 1/2 or less of 30/30.
 
#15 ·
I think I'll join the .30-30 fan club here, it was an option that immediately came to mind when I was reading your requirements. Or another option, although you would probably have to raise your price range by $50 or so, is one of the Savage model 110 package deals. Bolt actions that are plenty accurate in about any caliber you want (.243, .270, .308, .30-06) have all certainly been used on deer and do the job well. They also come with a decent 3x9 scope. Just giving you more options to consider.
 
#16 ·
A .30-30 or .44mag lever-action rifle should do nicely. Based on your requirements (deer, multiple family members with variation in recoil sensitivity, support of "brushy" terrain, ease of adding a scope, low cost, ability to cover a SHTF situation in a pinch), a reliable lever-action rifle should cover the need fairly well.

Uncertain which calibers you have fired, previously. Particularly if recoil sensitivity is a consideration, I would suggest trying out a few first.

I'm partial to the .44mag caliber, myself. If 100 to 125 yds is your limit, I would think .44mag might be a serious option to consider, over .30-30. Something to think about, if recoil sensitivity is a concern.

A lever-action gives you the option of using the iron sights, mounting a scope in the standard position (with 3-4" eye relief), or mounting a scope or other optics in the "scout" position (forward of the "standard position, with ~8-9" eye relief). Some folks use a red dot sight. I've got a 2.5x fixed-power Leupold on one that provides a good field of view to support easy coverage of both shorter and longer distances. Great for shorter (< 125yd) "brush" situations.

In lever-action, I've basically got the same Marlin 1894 in .357mag, .44mag and (prevously) .30-30. The .30-30 was a carbine with 18.5" bbl, while the .357mag and .44mag are both 1894's in the "guide gun" (16" bbl) format. All of them are lightweight, well balanced, easy to maneuver in tight spaces. The 1894CP .357mag and the 1894P .44mag in particular feel wonderful in the hand.

If considering the .44mag, some folks have their lever-action rifles massaged by a gunsmith to accommodate the longer, heavier (> 300gr) bullets that handle busting through brush a bit better.

Nicely, the lever-action format supports a good range of caliber choices, as well. In basicallky the same rifle (ie, Marlin 1894 or 1895), you can find one in .357mag, .44mag, .45LC, .45-70, .308 Marlin. As you know, particularly in the common .30-30 caliber, you can find them for very little money. The .44magnums tend to be a bit more.

Have fun in your search!
 
#20 ·
... Uncertain which calibers you have fired, previously. Particularly if recoil sensitivity is a consideration, I would suggest trying out a few first. ...
I remember the recoil from the Winchester 30.06 I had, and I found it uncomfortable. Sure, I could suck it up and live with it, but I'm not sure I need to since I'm starting fresh. And my delicate little wife, should she ever choose to shoot instead of just tracking, dispatching, field-dressing, carrying back to camp, butchering, cooking, serving, and cleaning my rifles after dinner, well, I would like her to have something a bit gentler. You know, because I care.

Joking about the tracking and dragging, and I clean my own guns. But she IS the butcher of the family (and did our last cow... from grain-bucket-and-headshot to quarters) Gotta add: I was considering $100 for a Mosin-Nagant, and SHE was the one who counseled me to spend more and get something better... and tossed in $100 of her saved Christmas money.

No, she doesn't have a sister.
 
#17 ·
My Marlin 336SS, a stainless in 30-30 is my favorite perimeter/hunting rifle. They've been around for a long time.
 
#19 ·
Check out the new leverevolution ammo for the 30-30 and you will be plesently suprised with the ballistics that it allows the rifle to hit, we even use them in Montana where the shots are 250 yards away.
 
#36 ·
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^YEP^^^^^^^^^^^


Here is a paragraph from a writeup on it;

These new Evolution bullets deliver a markedly higher ballistic coefficient than the round nose and flat point bullets previously loaded in cartridges designed for use in lever action rifles. Downrange, these sleeker bullets retain more of their initial velocity and deliver more energy on target.

The new bullets are claimed to be exceptionally accurate and to deliver terminal performance (penetration and expansion) comparable to a conventional 170 grain FP bullet at short range and far superior at long range. During Hornady's ballistic gelatin tests the Evolution bullet gave substantial expansion and produced a large wound cavity even at 300 yards, while at that range the standard 170 grain FP bullet simply sailed through the gelatin block without expanding. The early independent tests and field reports that I have seen tend to confirm that the Evolution bullets' terminal performance is approximately as claimed.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/leverevolution.htm

30-30 will be fine


And as far as the advice on the SKS; I have one and its a great rifle for deer(5 round detatch. and the hi cap mags work fine




There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore looking like an idiot
 
#21 ·
Sure appreciate your comments... one followup, though:

The rifle I'm looking at (for $290) has a Tasco 3-9 power zoom, about the same diameter as all the other scope (40mm?), looks 'clean' mechanically, but has what appears to be vitiligo on the wood. The finish is much lighter in patches, as though paint had chipped. My inclination is that if there are a few rifles at the same price and one trusts the price-setter (and I do), the uglier one is likely to be better mechanically and I won't cry if I bump it.

Thoughts? And does someone have a link to a good page on what to look for in a used rifle?
 
#25 ·
Thoughts? And does someone have a link to a good page on what to look for in a used rifle?
ChuckHawks.com has a write-up on what to look for when evaluating used rifles: click.

And you can run a Google search with the following terms, to find a number of write-ups: intitle:"a used rifle"
 
#26 ·
Iron sights could easily be added relatively cheap by a gunsmith. I looked at prices of lever guns the other day in my area and they run about $450-500. I would rather pay $250 for a Savage edge and then pay a gunsmith $100 to drill and tap for a front sight and dovetail the barrel for a rear sight.

JMO
 
#24 ·
Since VA has no restrictions on magazine capacity for hunting deer I say go with an AK. Ballistics are very close to a 30-30 and you have higher magazine capacity.

I've shot a few deer in VA and the farthest one away was only about 35 feet. AK will do just fine.

I now hunt with an M1a with a couple of 20 Rounders. I came across a big poaching camp about 4 years ago. So capacity is protection from the two legged critters as well as my hunting rifle.
 
#29 ·
Years ago, my first deer rifle was a Glenfield 30-30, the economy version of the Marlin 336. Great gun, never let me down. In fact, I let it down by selling it!

The 3x9 is probably overkill for a 30-30 scope. But as long as it's mounted and works....

While there are many better HD choices, a 30-30 will certainly get the job done. After seeing what a 150 grain softpoint did to a deer, no BG is going to need a followup shot.
 
#30 ·
Sure, if your scope breaks in an emergency shtf situation, just run to Wally world and get you another one. Then spend valuble time and rounds to re sight in the rifle. The zombies will wait until you are finished.
 
#31 ·
:smile: Like I said have Irons mounted on it your still cheaper or the same cost of most marlin's nowdays and you have a better caliber selection.

If he can pick up the $290 marlin he talked about in the first post. Otherwise I would get the bolt or a Saiga 7.62x39 with a side mounted scope. That way I don't have to run to Walmart and get a screwdriver to take the busted scope off. Just poking a little fun at ya glockman.
 
#32 ·
A 30-30 or an SKS would both do everything you want. The up side to the SKS is that it's faster to reload and has a bigger magazine. Ballistics and accuracy are about equal.
 
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