Buano

Before picking the right "gun", you need to determine the right caliber. There is no "perfect caliber", each has advantages and disadvantages. Once you know what caliber or gauge you want, picking the right gun for you and your budget is a lot easier. How much "kick" are you comfortable with? Most people under 120 pounds aren't comfortable with a 12 gauge or a 7 mm mag. Most people under 175 pounds can't tolerate a .300 magnum. On the other hand, if you grew up doing farm work (or wrestling) to build up your shoulders & have been shooting since you were 10, you are probably going to be able to tolerate the kick of any reasonable hunting gun. If you are hunting dense cover, power is less important than fast-handling, being quick on target, easy to shoot & quick with a follow-up shot. Most prefer a shotgun with slugs or light rifle with a LOW power scope in the woods. If you go with a shotgun, you need to decide if you want the flexability of a shotgun that also handles shot for rabbits & birds or if this is a dedicated deer gun, in which case you can opt for the rifled barrel. (A few shotguns are available wit interchangeable barrels.) I personally won't use a non-rifled barrel for slugs, but I also have the option of reaching for different guns for different situations. You may not have that luxury. You know your situation better than I do. If you opt for a rifle, I do NOT recommend a 30-06. The 30-06 is a good caliber, but there are better calibers for deer, especially the .270, 25-06 and 7 mm Rem. The .270 has a flatter trajectory than a 30-06 & nearly the same weight bullet. Amo for a .270 is available EVERYWHERE. The 25-06 shoots as flat as a 7 mm Rem magnum, yet has very little kick and is a joy to shoot. the 25-06 also leaves you a deer that doesn't look like it was blasted with a bazooka if you happen to get one at close range — something that can't be said for the 7 mm Rem or the .300 magnums. Both the .270 and 25-06 are capable of 250 yard clean-kills on deer — and that's farther than most hunters can shoot! If you anticipate deer 300+ yards out in a corn or soybean field, I would opt for the 7 mm Remington magnums. Shells are available for the 7 mm Rem to hunt anything from antilope to Moose. I absolutely love my Browning Stainless-stalker in 7 mm remington mag, but it's also too much gun for most hunts. My personal favorite for deer hunting is a 25-06 I swapped a varmint rifle for a few years back. Browning, Ruger & Remington each make a lightweight 25-06, although Browning rifles have a reputation for accuracy that few can compete with. The 25-06 shell can be fired from a very light rifle with only minimal kick. (A 7 mm Rem mag in a light rifle will knock your teeth out.) A light rifle is quick to get on target in the woods — when that 12 point jumps up 30 feet from you & takes off at 90 miles per hour! The 25-06 will also consistantly pop holes in an apple 250 yards away, so if I find a deer at the far side of a field as I'm entering the woods I can reach out and touch it! As to a question of brands, I will simply say that you should buy the best gun you can afford. Franchi, Benelli & Beretta each have great shotguns to choose from depending on your budget. (There's a new Benelli on my Christmas list.) For a rifle, I would suggest you look at a Browning, Remington, Winchester, or possibly Ruger. If you can't afford such a weapon, Mossberg & Savage make low-priced weapons that shoot fairly well. I hope this helps! Buano