The Search For My Perfect Muzzle Loading Rifle Begins

I loved hunting with traditional black powder rifles. I loved everything about them except the occasional misfire. Heck, I never minded cleaning them! I resisted buying an inline black powder rifle for many years. However, being an deer hunter first and foremost, I finally gave in and started looking at inline muzzleloading rifles.

I figured that if I was going to use an inline black powder rifle, then it should be a flat shooting rifle. It should also be able to take advantage of modern technology but be a simple to operate rifle as well.

And just as important, it should feel like a rifle and not a toy.

I looked at all the rifles on the market at the time. I either borrowed my friend's black powder rifles or handled all the latest offerings at the local Sporting Goods stores.

I finally found the Millennium Designed Muzzleloader's 'Buckwacka' model in .45 caliber. It's called the 'Nitro Magnum'. I ordered the model with a Stainless Steel barrel and action with the Mossy Oak Breakup stock.

One reason I went with the .45 instead of the .50 caliber is because of the lighter bullets that can be used with the .45. Lighter bullets mean flatter trajectories. However, I didn't want to go so light as to affect bullet performance on Deer. I still wanted some power when the bullet arrived on target. Especially if that target was 150 or 200 yards away.

The Millennium Designed Muzzleloader's Buckwacka that I ordered has a maximum load of 150 grains of black powder or Pyrodex (according to the paperwork that came with my rifle). The same as the .50 calibers. I've noticed lately that the MDM website states that the .45 now has a maximum load of 200 grains while the .50 calibers are still at 150 grains of black powder or Pyrodex.

Pro's and Con's of the Buckwacka

One of the things I really like about the Buckwacka is that it's a simple design. It's based off of the break open action of the H&R Rifles and Shotguns that many of us had as our first "real" hunting guns. (the photo is courtesy of MDM Muzzloaders)

My Buckwacka Nitro Maganum has a 25 inch stainless steel barrel. It takes a 209 Shotgun primer that slips directly into the breech plug. This I like a lot. You don't need some silly disks, special nipples or other contraption to prime the rifle and make it shoot. Just put a 209 in the breech plug, close the breech and you're ready to go.

The gun breaks down easily for cleaning. Ray Charles could break this gun down and clean it! The simplicity of this design is lost on many of today's gunmakers. It doesn't take a whole lot to make a black powder rifle go 'Boom'. The way some of these new guns are being designed, you'd think it was rocket science!

My rifle came with Williams Fire Sites. These were neat 'Glow' sites, but I had no intention of ever using them. I knew from day one that I would be putting a scope on this rifle. I decided on a 3x9 Bushnell rifle scope. I had to remove the rear site because it hit the bell of my rifle scope.

I have been watching the new Nikon BDC rifle scope and really like the looks of it. One may find their way on my MDM muzzleloader before next season!

One thing that I dislike about my Buckwacka is that is doesn't come with a side hammer. This is a must have if you'll be mounting a scope on the rifle. In fact, I would rather have the side hammer than the Williams Fire Sites. I wish this was an option when ordering the Gun. The side hammer can be purchased from MDM for an additional $12.95.

When using a scope, the hammer can be hard to get your thumb on. The side hammer makes this a snap.

The Buckwacka also comes with a Limited Lifetime Guarantee. Another PLUS in my book.

Shortly after I bought the rifle, I had to call the company to ask which bases to use for the scope, since my gunsmith was having problems finding a matched set. I think I talked to a guy named Craig (although I'm not 100% positive) and he was very helpful and friendly. This counts for a lot when you need to talk to someone who knows the guns!

Matching A Bullet To The Buckwacka

It made no sense to me to use an inline black powder rifle only to stuff it it pistol bullets or heavy conical type bullet!

I wanted a pointed bullet with a good ballistic coefficient. Why use an modern inline muzzleloading rifle and stay with a mini-ball type bullet that was designed for rifles made 150 years ago? If I was going to give up my ole smoke pole, it was going to be for something that made sense and would take advantage of the latest technology in bullet manufacturing.

The bullet I finally settle on was the Hornady SST 200 grain .45 caliber bullet.

With the Hornady SST bullets, the MDM Buckwacka turned in solid 1.25" groups at 100 yards. On some days I would get some groups that were tighter, but overall I can count on tight groups day in and day out.

I sighted the gun in with a 100 grains of Pyrodex. I use the 5o grain pellets. They're quick and involve no mess. Another technology advancement for muzzleloading rifles!

I have since started using 3 of the 50 grain pellets. I'm not sure what my group sizes are because I haven't shot it for groups with the 150 grains of Pyrodex, but my bullets were right on when I fired test shots at targets set up at 75 and 100 yards from a clean, cold barrel.

Hornady SST 200 Grain .45 Caliber Bullet Performance

Right off the bat, I'm going to tell you that the Hornady SST 200 grain .45 caliber bullets are the most devastating bullets I've ever used.

The first year I had the Buckwacka, I shot a Coyote at about 80 yards. It looked like the Ole Boy had been in a bad car wreck!

This year, I shot Deer at about 70 and 90 yards. The 8 pt. buck I shot first was staring at me when I dropped the hammer. The bullet went between the left should and neck at an angle - breaking the neck and lodging somewhere in the back of his body cavity.

When I field dressed the buck, it looked like I had shot this ole boy with a modern centerfire rifle. The inside was literally soup. Total devastation.

When I skinned this deer, the wound channel was so large, I started to take pictures. However I thought better of it because I know some people wouldn't appreciate these pictures. Trust me when I say it was very impressive!

The antlerless deer I shot was the furthest. It was nearly broadside when I shot. It was a rather small deer so the bullet didn't have room to really expand before exiting.

When I skinned the Deer, the exit wound under the hide was about the size of a tennis ball. Very impressive for a 200 grain bullet on a small target. The exit hole in the hide was more than double the size of the entry hole in the hide.

I feel a lot of the effectiveness of this bullet is due to pushing it out of the barrel with 150 grains of Pyrodex, but I'm equally sure the damage would be impressive with 100 grains also.

Summary

This is an simple, accurate and reliable blackpowder rifle. It has few moving parts and no extra parts you must carry around to make it shoot. No special nipples or special caps to carry.

Anyone who's hunted with black powder rifles for any length of time know's how easy it is to forget caps or other essential gear. I've never understood why some of the blackpowder gunmakers keep designing and making guns that you have to carry extra parts with to make them shoot.

That's one thing that appealed to me about the MDM Buckwacka. Simple and accurate. I have all I need to make the gun shoot in my speed loader. I can shoot several times without cleaning the barrel and when I get it home at the end of the Season, it's easy to take down and clean.

This rifle would be an excellent rifle for small framed hunters as well. There's no doubt in my mind this rifle with 70 grains of Black Powder or Pyrodex would be lethal on Deer, especially with a 200 grain or lighter bullet. I'd choose the Hornady SST for this loading also.

For people who hunt Western Big Game like Whitetails, Mule Deer and Antelope, your long range muzzleloading rifle has arrived, it's called the MDM Nitro Magnum Buckwacka in .45 caliber! This also goes for you Eastern hunters sitting over open fields and clear cuts. This would be the gun if I had to hunt in a Shotgun or Muzzleloader only state like Iowa. There is no shotgun out there I'd rather have than my Buckwacka! You don't have to be limited to 100 yard shots any longer!

Best of all, the Buckwacka feels and shoots like a "real" gun!

Here's My Pick of Rifle Cartridges For the Beginning Deer Hunter

Note: This list is in no order. Any of these cartridges are more than enough for any Whitetail or Mule Deer buck that walks.

1. 260 Remington - This round is basically a 6.5mm bullet with a necked down .308 case. As you would expect with any round based on the 308, it's accurate. The 260 Remington has low felt recoil and excellent accuracy. You can get it in a range of rifle styles, from compact to standard weight.
2. 257 Roberts - An age old classic! The 117 - 120 grain bullet used in the standard loading is good Buck medicine. This caliber comes in just about any rifle combination you want, especially if you're looking at a bolt action rifle. The 257 Roberts is a necked down 7mm Mauser case and the felt recoil is nil. Most modern rifles can handle the 257 Roberts +P loads. However, always check with the manufacturer first, just to be on the safe side.
3. 7mm-08 Remington - My favorite rifle at this time and it has been for many, many years! Even though I'm what you'd call a "Big Ole Boy", I love the low recoil and nail driving accuracy of the 7mm-08. I haven't had any rifle that I've owned in this round to shoot bad. In fact, my current rifle chambered in the 7mm-08 is a Featherlight Winchester. The light whippy barrel will still hold 1.5 inch groups with most factory ammo.
4. 250 Savage - You might have to look around for a while to find a 250 Savage, but it will be worth it! This quarter bore is deadly on any Deer, Antelope or Black Bear you want to tackle. In most bolt guns, it will give good accuracy and virtually no recoil.
5. 30-30 Winchester- Ahhhh! I can already hear some of you scream now! But let's face it. Many hunters, especially those back East, will never shoot a Deer at 150 yards away. Most will never kill one at 100 yards. The 170 grain soft point is more than enough medicine for any Buck that wants to walk past you, or Black Bear! Yes, I prefer the heavier 170 grain bullet. In a rifle like the Marlin 336, the 30-30 Winchester has low recoil with more than adequate energy delivered to the target!

Why didn't I mention rounds like the 7x57 Mauser, .270 Winchester or the .280? Simply because the rifles listed above usually deliver less recoil and just as much accuracy.

One of the biggest problems I see beginners or Parents make is buying their self or their kids a Deer rifle that is larger than what they need. I guess for some it's a Macho thing to tell other Parents that your 10 year old shoots a 30-06 or .270 Winchester.

Small framed hunters can do better. If it's one thing that will ruin a lot of new Hunters, it's recoil. If it's not fun shooting, they're not going to become good at it!

Not all deer hunters have gun cabinets full of $1000 deer rifles. Some deer hunters can't afford such rifles and some only hunt deer once a year and can't see spending hundreds of dollars for a rifle.

For the bargain hunting deer hunter, military surplus rifles can offer a great way to get their hands on a good hunting rifle at bargain prices.

I picked these rifles because you can get them for a song. These military surplus rifles are solid and come in good deer calibers, plus the rifles in the list are budget priced. Many can be had for under $300.

Even though the M1 Garand, Springfield 1903 and M-14 Semi-Auto's are more than adequate for deer, or any other big game for that matter, you won't see them on the list due to their price tags. Some of these guns can set you back a grand or more!

I also do not consider the M1 Carbine an adequate deer rifle, even though I'm sure it has taken a few. Besides, it's hard to find a "bargain" M1 Carbine!

It should go without saying, but I'll repeat it here. You should have any Military Surplus rifle thoroughly cleaned and checked out by a competent gunsmith before shooting it.

Here are 5 Military Surplus Rifles for budget minded deer hunters.

SKS Rifle

I'm going to start with the most popular military surplus rifle on the market today. Probably even more popular than the AK-47 semi-auto knock offs.

A budget minded deer hunter can get a SKS for under $200 (much less in many cases). The nice thing is, many manufacturers now stock a huge variety of accessories for the SKS, including Sporting stocks and Scope mounts.

The SKS rifle is a semi-auto that shoots a 7.62x39 round. It's 30 caliber round that has less power than a 30-30. I'd consider the 7.62x39 cartridge a 100 yard round at best. Soft nose expanding type ammo is easy to find.

Click here to browse SKS Rifles online for sale.

NOTE: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU USE FULL METAL JACKET AMMO FOR DEER HUNTING IN ANY CALIBER!

Yugoslav M48 Mauser

The Yugoslav M48 is a Mauser rifle that is chambered in the 8mm round. This round is more than suitable for and Deer that walks.

Of the Mauser M48 rifles that I've shot, accuracy tends to be hit or miss. Some that I've shot are very accurate (2 inches or better at 100 yards with iron sights) and some are questionable (worse one was about 4 inches at 100 yards). Overall though, these rifles are known to be accurate shooters. Many were put into service as Sniper rifles in several countries.

I'd certainly check the bore and crown before I bought one of these rifles, then have it checked out by a Gunsmith. A good Gunsmith can probably accurize one of these rifles if you have one that wants to shoot crazy.

Expect to pay between $100 to $200 for a Yugoslav M48 Mauser rifle. I have seen some in Pawn Shops for less than $100, but not often.

Click here to buy Mauser Surplus Rifles and Accessories.

30-40 Krag

I hesitated to put this gun into this list because good quality Krags are getting harder and harder to find and when you do find them, they can be pricey. But, I'm still seeing a few Krags for under $400 at Gun Shows and every once in a while I'll see one in the Classified section of the local paper for peanuts.

The 30-40 Krag rifle is pretty darn accurate, at least in the rifles that I've shot it in.

The Krag comes with a side magazine, something I'm not crazy about but most people do get used to it after using the rifle for a while. The box magazine will hold 5 rounds. Most ammo manufacturers offer at least one flavor for the 30-40 Krag.

1909 7.65 Argentine Mauser

My first contact with a 7.65 Argentine was at a deer camp many moons ago. I had just gotten married the Month before and my new brother-in-law invited me to a deer camp to hunt. The deer camp turned out to be an old school bus in the middle of the woods, with no heat other than a single burner propane stove! It got down to 19 degrees that night. Needless to say, I couldn't wait for the sun to come up the next morning!

My brother-in-law came out carrying this carbine military rifle and explained to me that it was a 7.65 Argentine. It had a shortened barrel and an attempt had been made to "sporterize" it. He swore to me that he'd taken several deer with it already, but I didn't believe him 100%. I about laughed when he handed me some of his "hunting" rounds. The were mil surplus FMJ's!

I said "Bub, you're using FMJ. I think you need to get some sporting ammo" and after a little bit more discussion, he agreed. The next surprise I was in for was finding ammo for the 7.65 in the middle of nowhere. We finally found a box of Norma's at a Pawn Shop a few towns away and boy were they pricey!

That gun shot like a dream though. It shot a helluva lot better than my brother-in-law could shoot it. Anyhow, I tried to buy it off of him several times and he refused. I tried to trade it to him and he refused (I suspect it was because he didn't like me...go figure).

The 7.65 is close to the .308 in size. Performance wise, it can handle any deer you want to take on. It has more than enough "power" for deer sized game.

Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $200 for a good quality 7.65 Argentine Mauser. I've seen a short version of the 7.65 Argentine and I'd try to find one of those, the standard model has a 29 inch barrel!

Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 .303 British

The Enfield No. 4 can be found in quite a few variety's and most can be had for under $200. The 2A Enfields made in India in the later years are chambered for the 7.62 NATO round (.308).

There is also a "Jungle Carbine" version of the Enfield 303, but from what I've read, they're notorious for being inaccurate.

The .303 Britishround is more than enough round for any deer that might walk by your stand. Most of the standard model Enfield No. 4's are more than accurate for deer hunting. Ammo is reasonably easy to find for the .303 unless you're in the middle of nowhere!

Click here to see some British Enfiled Military Rifles for sale.

Sporterizing Military Surplus Rifles

Many of these military surplus rifles can be sporterized. Just remember it comes at an additional cost!

I've seen many sporterized version of military surplus rifles and many need to be in the local junk yard. I've owned a few of these also!

Some of the most beautiful rifles I've even seen have been sportorized mil surplus rifles. Make sure the Gunsmith that sportorized your rifle is competent. Ask to see some of his other work.

If you're buying one already sportorized, look it over real good. On some of the military surplus rifles, the bolt will hit the scope bell when thrown up. This means you'll have to either use see thru mounts or have the bolt turned down and possibly even ground down a bit.

Make sure any rifle you buy is looked over by a competent Gunsmith.

These military surplus rifles will give you years of service with little maintenance. Because that's the way they were designed!

Need military surplus ammo for your surplus rifles? Click Here to view a full line of ammo.

If you listened to all the hype, you'd think that older guns and standard calibers were no longer adequate to kill a deer, or any other game animal.

Yet, millions of older guns sit on gun racks of local Gun and Pawn Shops just hoping someone will come along and put them back into action in the deer woods. I believe many of these old firearms are some of the most durable and accurate guns ever made. A hunter looking for a deer rifle can't go wrong when selecting one of the rifles from the 7 listed below. Not on the list are the Remington Model 700, Winchester Model 70 and Savage Model 110. Any deer hunter, beginning or veteran, probably knows these rifles are top notch in any of the standard deer getting calibers. 

But the list below consist of some rifles you may not have heard of. I want to tell you about 7 of my favorite ones in case you find one tucked back into the corner of a gun or pawn shop somewhere. Then you'll recognize it for the deer getter it is.

I've owned most all the guns and caliber combinations mentioned below and can personally vouch that these old guns will still bring home the venison. They're not flashy mega magnums or some new whiz-bang gun of the day, they're just well made deer guns that will do their part if you do yours. These are the 'deer rifles' you can past down to your kids and theirs for generations.

7 'Old School' Deer Rifles That Can Still Get It Done in the Deer Woods

Note: To see some great vintage gun ads of the guns in this list, click on the thumbnails.

Marlin 336

If memory serves me correct, this model was introduced in 1942, or somewhere around there. You can pick up a good used Marlin 336 for a song in most shops these days. The most popular rounds it was chambered for were the 30/30 and .35 Remington. The 30/30 has killed more deer than most all other calibers combined. And every year it ups it's total as millions of hunters take to the wood. The 30/30 is a good caliber out to 200 hundred yards if you know what you're doing. Beginning shooters and those who only dust their rifles off once a year the day before season opens, should limit their range to around 125 yards or less.

I still shoot the Glenfield Model 30A (a subsidiary of Marlin) that my Dad gave me many years ago. He purchased that rifle used in New Mexico the year I was born. That was his "Deer Gun" and it didn't matter whether or not it was Mule Deer or Whitetails. I love looking back through old photo's of him and my uncle with Mule Deer hanging from meat poles and my Dad with me on one side and that old Glenfield Model 30A on his other knee.

It was the rifle I took my first deer with and one I've since killed more deer with over the years.

I've seen Marlin 336's in Gun and Pawn shops fetching anywhere from $125 to $300. I'd expect to pay roughly $200 for a quality 336 in good condition and hopefully it would have a decent scope on it.

Ruger 44 Carbine

The Ruger 44 Carbine's are getting more and more scarce each year. If you find one of these little brush guns, grab it up!

The Ruger 44 Carbine is a great first time gun for a young hunter or for a hunter who'll never be shooting out past 100 yards. This little carbine tames the 44 mag round and makes it manageable for those shooters who are slight of build.

The 240 grain 44 Magnum is plenty for any buck who ventures into your stand area. The rifle is compact and quick handling and comes with a rotary clip magazine. You can find clips for these old deer getters on ebay and some gun shops still carry a few.

I've heard of a few reports that this gun would not cycle reliably with factory bullets heavier than 240 grains, but I can not personally attest to that. I never found the need for anything heavier than the good old 240 grainer, but it's something you should be aware of if you'll be trying bullets of different weights.

As I said above, the Ruger 44 Carbines are getting harder and harder to find. Expect to pay in the neighborhood of $300 to $500, and possibly even more, for a Carbine in Excellent shape.

Savage Model 99

The Savage Model 99 is an old favorite of many deer hunters across the country. Whether your after a Whitetail Buck in the expansive forest of the Northeast or a Mule Deer buck in the Rockies, you can do far worse than carry a Model 99.

The Savage 99 is a lever action rifle that is most known for the two Savage cartridges it was chambered for early on in its production, the 250 Savage and the 300 Savage. Both are good deer rounds, although ammo may be hard to find on the shelf for both in most parts of the country. Later 99's were chambered for the popular .243 and .308.

Early models of the Savage 99 were not tapped and drilled for scope mounts, although any good gunsmith can do this relatively cheaply. The rifles had a rotary magazine until 1984 when Savage introduced the '99 with a clip magazine.

The Savage 99 came in both a solid frame gun and a take-down model.

The '99 was made for nearly 100 years and was chambered in a range of calibers all the way from the 22 Hi-Power to a version that was chambered for the .410. 

Savage introduced the  250-3000 Savage in 1915 and it was the first commercial cartridge to break the 3000 fps barrier. Later the name was shortened to .250 Savage.

These rifles have smooth actions and are plenty accurate for hunting needs. Expect to pay anywhere from $300 for a well worn '99 all the up to a $1000 or more for a rare caliber Model 99 in excellent condition. Most of the .300 Savages and the new production run of clip fed Savage 99's in .243 and .308 in good shape can be had for around $400 to $600.

Remington Model 788

The Remington Model 788 was introduced by Remington as an answer for the economy minded hunter and shooter. I doubt they realized how popular this gun would become.

I bought a used 788 in .308 in the early 90's. That rifle was the 2nd most accurate rifle I ever owned (the first was a Ruger 77V in 6mm). This rifle would easily hold 1 inch groups at 100 yards with most factory ammo and sub MOA groups with my handloads with Speer 165 grain Hot-Cor's.

The Remington 788 is a rugged "meat and potato's" type gun. It's far more accurate than most people can shoot. The clips can be easily found on eBay should you need more than 1.

The 788 was chambered for most standard short chamber cartridges including the 22-250, .243, 7mm-08, .308 and 30/30.

If you happen to see a Remington 788 on the gun rack at your local gun shop, be sure to grab it. You won't be disappointed!

Remington 760

The Remington 760 is as fine a deer gun as you can find. It's a solid pump rifle that many Eastern deer hunters have relied on for years. TheBenoits of New England have probably done more for the popularity of pump rifles as anyone.

The Remington 760 and 7600 come in standard calibers such as the .243, .270, 30-06 and .308. You can also find some of these older guns in deer getting calibers such as 35 Whelen, 300 Savage and the 7mm-08.

These pump rifles are amazingly accurate as well. In fact, although one thinks of Eastern hunters when they think of the Remington pump rifle, they're used by many a Western big game hunters as well.

Remington pump rifles come in a standard 22 inch barreled version as well as a 'Carbine' version with a 18 inch barrel. If memory serves me correctly, the Carbine comes in 30-06 and 308 only...just don't quote me on that! The Carbine is a quick handling gun in thick timber. One reason it's a favorite among Guides who go after dangerous game like Bears in thick cover.

Expect to pay in the $300 to $600 range for a good Remington 760 or 7600. Extra clips are easily found on GunBroker.com and eBay.

Winchester Model 88

The Winchester Model 88 has been around since 1955 when it was introduced for the then new .308 Winchester. The Winchester 88 is a lever action rifle that is chambered for short action rounds such as the .358, .308, .284 and .243.

The Winchester 88 uses a detachable clip magazine which allows the use of spire pointed bullets for greater velocity.

In the late 60's Winchester introduced a Carbine version of the 88 that was chambered for the .243, .284 and .308. It had a plain stock rather than the checkered stock of the standard version.

The Winchester 88 is very accurate due to its rotating bolt lugs. Rotating bolt lugs very similar to a bolt action rifle. This is one solid gun.

I believe the Model 88 failed to 'catch on' because it was ahead of its time. It really didn't look like any of the traditional deer guns of its time. The .284 and .358 weren't the most popular calibers, although they enjoyed far more favor back then than they do today.

Expect to find a good used Winchester 88 for $400 to $700.

Ruger No. 1

I know that it's said the Model 70 is the 'Riflemans Rifle' but I don't agree. I think the Ruger #1 is the 'Riflemans Rifle'. Like it or not, there's just something positive to be said for someone who has the confidence to use a single shot rifle.

Although the Ruger #3 is also a fine single shot rifle, it was only made in a few calibers including the 30-40 Krag and 45-70. Both of which are more than enough for any deer walking, but the rifles their self are scarce.

The Ruger #1 on the other hand are still being made. These are accurate single shot rifles. One reason I preferred the No. 3 to he No. 1 is because the No. 3 was a 'Basic' rifle with little to no frills and was accurate. The No. 1 on the other hand is a high class big game rifle and the price reflect that. 

The No. 1's come in a wide range of calibers depending on the Model. You can get them in anything from a .204 right up to the .458 Magnum. 

Another advantage of the Ruger #1 is that the standard length barrel is 26". Even so, since there is no action, the Ruger #1 is shorter than many standard bolt action rifles with 22 " barrels.

My 'Perfect' deer rifle would be a #1 or #3 with a 22 or 24" barrel chambered for the 7mm-08. Since that combination is not available (or wasn't the last time I looked), I've been thinking about a No. 1 in the .257 Roberts. (another favorite round of mine)

Ruger No. 1's aren't cheap. Expect to pay $500 to $800 for a No. 1 in Good condition.

Good Guns That Didn't Make My List

There are many good rifles that didn't make my list. Guns like the Browining BAR and BLR's, any number of Sears and Western Auto contract rifles, Remington Automatics, etc. Some rifles I just don't like. Others, I have never used or have been around.

One that didn't make my list and that I'm very familiar with is the Winchester Model 94. I know it's a popular deer rifle, but I just don't like the 94. I don't like the early versions because it takes a good gunsmith to mount a scope with them and the newer side ejection models still benefit from using see through scope rings. I hate see through rings!

No Magnums Here

I also didn't list any Magnums. I have never felt the need to use a Magnum caliber on a deer. They're just not needed. Few hunters can actually shoot one well and if a deer is so far off that you feel you need a Magnum, you need to learn to get closer to the deer.

Case in point. I used to work with a guy who talked his wife into buying him a .340 Weatherby Magnum one year for Christmas. At the time I lived in Arkansas and he hunted the same general area I did. The Ozark Mountains. His excuse was that he needed the rifle to "reach across the clearcuts to touch 'dem big boys".

He only shot this rifle a day or so prior to the Gun opener and only in camp. Which meant the target was never more than 100 yards away (I visited their camp several times). After the first few times of shooting the gun he became afraid of it and would try and have other people site it in for him. I shot the rifle on several occasions. Needless to say, of all the years I knew him, he only shot two deer with that rifle and both were under a 100 yards. Both were badly mangled due to one bullet hitting the front shoulder first and one hitting the rear leg bone on the other.

Another guy I worked with bragged to everyone in ear shot that he used a 7 Mag and a .338 Win. Magnum for deer hunting. The other guys at work who hunted out of his camp said he would find a spot where he could see the furthest, usually a clear cut, and open up on anything that walked into few. The running joke in camp was "When is Bud starting the Revolution?" Surprisingly, for all the firepower this guy had, he never killed a buck large enough to enter into the company's big buck contest. Go figure.

If you run into any of the 'Old School'  guns listed above on a gun rack, know that they'll do a good job for you. Don't hesitate to put the gun back into the field. Hey, chances are they're experienced deer killers anyway!

Marlin has come out with the 308 Marlin Express. The 308 Marlin Express has ballistics that are comparable to the .308 Winchester. This means we know have a lever action rifle capable of reaching out and touching that buck at 400 yards.

Since this is a new blog and most of you don't know me, I'm gonna start early with a confession. I love lever action rifles. I can still remember as a pre-Kindergarten kid looking through my Dad's Sears and Western Auto catelogs at the rifles and drooling over the lever actions. I can also remember looking at his Glenfield Model 30 30-30 on the gun rack of his bedroom and dreaming of the day I could shoot it.

I've probably killed more deer with a lever action rifle than with any other type of weapon, even bolt guns. Oh yeah, most of those deer were taken with that Glenfield Model 30! I have that gun now and it goes with me when my more expensive and better shooting bolt guns stay at home.

The Marlin 308MXLR

Marlin has chambered two rifles for the 308 Marlin Express. The first one is 308MXLR. This lever gun features a 24 inch stainless barrel with a full pistol grip and a black-grey two toned stock. Sharp looking gun. You can check it out by clicking here.

This new lever action weighs in at 7 pounds and comes with a 5 shot tubular magazine. It goes without saying that this new rifle comes with buckhorn sites and is tapped for a scope.

The Marlin 308MX

The Marlin 308MX is the blued version of the 308MXLR plus it comes with the standard pistol gripped Walnut stock. It also comes with a 22 inch barrel instead of the 24 incher on the MXLR.

The 308 Marlin Express

As I stated earlier, this new round will have nearly the performance of the .308 Winchester. According to Hornady, the 308 Marlin Express had to have a case shorter than the .307 in order to use a longer bullet, thus giving the 308 a higher BC.

I'm not going to bore you with all the technical details, if you want to know more about the round, click here.

The ballistics on this round are excellent. I've also been hearing good things about the Leverevolution bullets that Hornady has been cranking out for other lever calibers like the 30-30 Winchester and .35 Remington, so I have no doubt the 308 Marlin Express will be more than capable of dropping your buck under 400 yards.

This Guns & Ammo Review of the Marlin Lever Action Rifles and the Hornady 308 Marlin Express round stated that the Stainless Lever gun was going for around $800 and that the Blued version with shorter barrel would retail for around $600.

I'll certainly be on the watch for them. I've never owned a stainless steel lever action rifle!

You can find ammunition for the 308 Marlin Express by clicking here.