Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters APRIL - Ask Wayne van Zwoll Questions About "DEER RIFLES THAT ENDURE"

I’ve been hunting for 23 years now so am somewhere in the chasm between rookie and veteran. My first rifle was a well used hand me down Savage 99 EG in .300 Savage. I used it to take several deer over the years. I eventually gravitated towards the .243 and .308 Winchester rounds until I thought I needed a bazooka. Used an 8mm Rem Mag for a few years until selling it. It kicked like a mule. I inherited a .25-06 Remington and bought a .30-06 Springfield. The .30-06 is my favorite rifle and cartridge to this day.

I have bought and borrowed many others over the years but always find myself reaching for the .25-06 or .30-06 for 90% of my hunting needs.

By some accounts, the .300 Savage was an attempt to cram .30-06 vigor into a short action. Despite its modest stature, the Savage exited the Age of Optimism killing deer and elk and moose and big bears. It still can. The .30-06 adds yards, ....WvZ

I liked the article. I always enjoyed your articles in the Bugle magazine, and are quick to read them when I spot them in other publications. The first rifle I used to hunt deer was a Ruger Deerfield carbine in Michigan's north woods. It was an ideal youth rifle.

After moving to Colorado I took up elk hunting. Although I used a scoped Rem 700 at first, what filled the freezer the most was a Hawken caplock replica. In spite of it's weight, it carried and balanced in the hand perfectly. Its easy for me to see why they were so popular.

The old Ruger is lost to time, but my Hawken and my Dads old elk rifle have the scars of use. I keep them clean and well cared for.

Your book Deer Rifles &Cartridges was an inspiration to me. I'm a 35 caliber fan as they lead to short easy to follow blood trails. 2 years ago I got my first deer with my Mannlicher Schoenauer 1905 made in 1921. Last year I made meat with my Remington model 14 in 30 rem made in 1920. I love restoring and returning these old rifles to do the job they were built for. Keep those stories and reminisces coming Wayne we enjoy them!

I haven't read the article yet, I've been busy with other things than guns the last few months but I will as old hunting rifles are very interesting to me.
I have severel rifles in several chamberings but my go to deer rifle is still a 1966 made post 64 Win. Model 70 in .270 Win. Yeah, I know, post 63s are junk with their rattly bolt and varnished pressed checkered stock. But the damn thing shoots like crazy. If you hold your nose while you cycle that rattly old bolt you think it's a pre-64. I was a dumb 18 YO kid when I bought it brand new in 1966. It was the first rifle I ever bought myself and all I'd ever heard or read was how great a model 70 was. I missed the part about 1964. I was so proud of it with its shiny stock and crappy pressed basket weave checkering. But by the time I figured out what I had it had grown on me and I had killed about 10 deer with it. And it killed deer very well thank you. I learned to reload with it and I actually shot it in some informal bench rest meets at our local gun club and won some trophies, this after I pillar bedded it and lightened the trigger pull. Anyway, it's 55 years old now so that should qualify it as an old deer rifle. I love these articles and I love this forum.

Now I'm wondering, do I know earlyagain?

Bought your Elk Rifles, Cartridges and Hunting Tactics book back in 92 and knew I would follow your writing from then on. Great write here, glad to see you on the fire.

jay,

Unfortunately, Wayne hasn't logged onto the Campfire in over a year.