What's your favorite saddle hunting firearm for whitetails?

[BudgetBuck1]

My son has finally grown big enough to use a saddle and he has taken over my favorite saddle gun. It's a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington. I now need a new "saddle rifle." That being said I want a shorter and lighter set up since I am aging at a more rapid pace than I would like to admit. I was considering a Ruger Ranch Rifle in .450 bushmaster since it is 5.9 lbs. I hunt mostly in very thick areas and never shoot more than 150 yards. Just wanted to hear what you guys use as your go to rifle. Thanks in advance.

 

[Nutterbuster]

My go-to rifle is a Tikka t3 lite stainless 30-06. It's about perfect.

Shorter rifles seem to be popular, and I do like them. The tikka in .308 would be awesome. But here's the thing, a bolt-action rifle will kill deer close and in thick brush. A brush gun wont kill deer 250 yards away on a gas line.

Will it, @kyler1945?

 

[boyne bowhunter]

My son has finally grown big enough to use a saddle and he has taken over my favorite saddle gun. It's a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington.

I have the same issue with my daughter. She has claimed my beloved Marlin .35 as her own. I'm willing to give it up though as it keeps her hunting with me.

 

[BCHunter]

I was considering a Ruger Ranch Rifle in .450 bushmaster since it is 5.9 lbs.

Definitely a nice gun, my buddy has one and I've shot it a little. big ol bullet going down range. If my state didn't have restrictions I would go for something that has longer distance capabilities for those few times that I do want range. Ruger American Compact has .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, etc... and is a 6lb gun with 18" barrel.

 

[BudgetBuck1]

My go-to rifle is a Tikka t3 lite stainless 30-06. It's about perfect.

Shorter rifles seem to be popular, and I do like them. The tikka in .308 would be awesome. But here's the thing, a bolt-action rifle will kill deer close and in thick brush. A brush gun wont kill deer 250 yards away on a gas line.

Will it, @kyler1945?

I have plenty of long range rifles. They do make a Tikka T3 Lite Compact in .308 that I was looking at though. How much do you like your Tikka?

 

[kyler1945]

My go-to rifle is a Tikka t3 lite stainless 30-06. It's about perfect.

Shorter rifles seem to be popular, and I do like them. The tikka in .308 would be awesome. But here's the thing, a bolt-action rifle will kill deer close and in thick brush. A brush gun wont kill deer 250 yards away on a gas line.

Will it, @kyler1945?

It’s not my fault, or the open sights .444 that the big fella decided to bed 30 yards away and not move until I get up to drag your deer out!

Yes a little extra reach would’ve been nice when he checked up at 200 yards.

All that said, gimme something compact with open sights still!

 

[Sipsey]

My favorite hunting grounds are state owned and is limited to black powder or slugs. I recently bought a youth model Savage 20 ga. This is one accurate little gun. First trip up the river with it the other day I shot a meat deer at about 160 yds.

 

[BudgetBuck1]

Definitely a nice gun, my buddy has one and I've shot it a little. big ol bullet going down range. If my state didn't have restrictions I would go for something that has longer distance capabilities for those few times that I do want range. Ruger American Compact has .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, etc... and is a 6lb gun with 18" barrel.

I had considered this but was wanting a barrel that's threaded for a suppressor for when I am hunting near houses. They don't make the 18 inch barrel threaded. I guess I could take it to a gunsmith and get it threaded. How was the kick on the .450 in your buddy's ruger ranch?

 

[Vtbow]

Lots of good choices around--and in my safe:
remington model 700 mountain rifle SS in 7mm08. bell and carlson stock
Tikka t3 lite(I really like this rifle) 300WSM
winchester model 70 featherlite stainless converted to mtn rifle. Barrel chopped, custom recessed crown and fluted 300wm


The winchester is my go to and is silky smooth and will reach out and touch them at both 25yrds and 300+. I'm lanky and rifles that are too shot just dont point well for me. And I'm a bolt guy. ...

 

[Bwhana]

Love my Kimber 84M Montana in 308. Ultralight, accurate, fun to carry and shoot.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[dalton916]

My favorite for saddle hunting is my 25-06 A Bolt, but it needs new glass. I’ve carried it a few times and it handles better in the tree that my weatherby .270, but.....that weatherby has been my baby since 1988 and I’ve killed an insane amount of deer with it. Both of my saddle kills this year have been with the weatherby.

Ain’t she purty???

 

[fbwguy]

I use several different rifles from the saddle, but my Ruger Ranch 450 BM is by far my favorite. The Bushmaster is super light and very compact.Easy to carry in on public land journeys. The 16.1" barrel makes a perfect saddle gun. I have a 1-4x scope that's perfect for the deep woods. It nestles very nicely on my bridge.

 

[Nutterbuster]

I have plenty of long range rifles. They do make a Tikka T3 Lite Compact in .308 that I was looking at though. How much do you like your Tikka?

Quite a lot, but.... I inherited this one. If it was up to me I would have ended up with a Savage 110. Substantially cheaper. I had a used one on layaway at the local pawnshop when my granddad pointed out that his wasn't getting used.

The tikka feels nice, and shoots well. But so does a Winchester model 70, a Remington model 700, a Browning A-bolt, a Weatherby...

You get the idea. I'm a believer in .30 caliber bullets, synthetic stocks, bright optics, and 200 yard zeroes. The logo on a gun doesn't do much for me.

 

[BudgetBuck1]

View attachment 8420I use several different rifles from the saddle, but my Ruger Ranch 450 BM is by far my favorite. The Bushmaster is super light and very compact.Easy to carry in on public land journeys. The 16.1" barrel makes a perfect saddle gun. I have a 1-4x scope that's perfect for the deep woods. It nestles very nicely on my bridge.

I am tempted to go with the Ruger Ranch in .450 BM. How is the kick on that thing? I had a buddy that shot a really big 8 point this year with his and the shot was back through the guts but exited the liver quartering away. The buck dropped straight down and didn't move. I was impressed that the .450 imposed it's will on that deer with such authority on a poorly placed shot.

 

[EricS]

I really like my tikka t3x lite in 308. I thought about the compact but decided against it for no real reasons. Shorter barrels are louder. To the shooters ear. I really only wish for a shorter barrel when hunting from tower stands because there is a top to the window. Normal length barrels don’t bother me but my 25-06 and 7mm magnum both sport 26 inch barrels and routinely hit the top of a window in a tower stand.
My biggest likes for the tikka is it is lite. Has a decent stock unlike the Ruger American and most savages. It’s accurate. It’s stainless and synthetic. It has become my beating around gun but is also my travel gun. It’s about as nice a gun as I could have without worrying about bumps and scratches or getting misplaced on a flight.
I guess cons would be magazine capacity of only three and louder to load from the magazine but that only applies in comparison to Mauser type actions with controlled round feed. I’m still testing loads but once I’m completely satisfied that it is my rifle it is getting painted, cerakoted or dipped. It has a Matt stainless finish but when I see something coming I like to lay it across my bridge. While waiting for critters to come in and positioning for a shot. The matte stainless still shines in woods. Most likely if I decide it’s my forever rifle it will just be painted with krylon. It will scratch easy but if I ever get tired of the color I can give it a whole new paint job for about 3.50.

 

[fbwguy]

I am tempted to go with the Ruger Ranch in .450 BM. How is the kick on that thing? I had a buddy that shot a really big 8 point this year with his and the shot was back through the guts but exited the liver quartering away. The buck dropped straight down and didn't move. I was impressed that the .450 imposed it's will on that deer with such authority on a poorly placed shot.

Keep in mind, I am not recoil sensitive. I find the recoil very reasonable on the 450 bushmaster. The only drawback, is it is very loud with that enormous muzzle brake on the end.

 

[JBDaddy]

I have a Rossi M-92 carbine lever in .357 that's fun out to around 100y, and my son has pretty much claimed it from me... and so I replaced it with a 450bm upper for my AR. The recoil's not bad at all, but it makes me wonder about having a longer tether so I can go "wheeee" as I swing around the tree.

 

[bigjoe]

I have been using my Winchester 94 30-30. I think it is hard to beat a lever gun in the saddle.

 

[EricS]

Keep in mind, I am not recoil sensitive. I find the recoil very reasonable on the 450 bushmaster. The only drawback, is it is very loud with that enormous muzzle brake on the end.

Have you tried shooting it with the brake removed?

 

[Whispers Death]

I like my Winchester Lever 94 AE in 44 mag with a Skinner peep and 16" barrel or my MechTech 10 mm Glock carbine with paratrooper stock and a Vortex Crossfire red dot or my scoped Contender in 7-30 Waters.