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What's your weapon of choice, for the upcoming Deer Gun Season?

OhioWhiteTails

Senior Member
Supporting Member
8,482
191
Flatlands
I was able to accomplish the same in the AR platform with a Vortex strike eagle on top. I haven't pulled the trigger on game yet, but at the bench this will out shoot my 870 Wingmaster all day. Not to mention only a 9" drop at 200 and packing a punch doing so.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I'm going to eat a bit of crow here. A buddy of mine brought over his CVA break-action in .450 Bushmaster to sight it in today. He won the gun at a raffle last season. It's nothing fancy... just a synthetic stock, single-shot break-action with a cheap Simmons 3-9x on top. He brought a box of Hornady 250 grain rounds. Zeroed at 50 yards, it shot about 1.5" high at 100 yards. The accuracy of this gun was IMPRESSIVE. All three shots at 100 yards were touching... sub-1" group. Recoil was comparable to a 20-gauge shotgun. And this particular gun does not have a muzzle break, so it wasn't obnoxiously loud either. So, are there better options than the .450 Bushmaster? Maybe. But this option is more than viable. It flat-out shoots. Better than my 220 actually.
That is the gun I’ve been talking about here for a couple of years. For what they charge...I really don’t see spending money on something else. They are damn nice guns. Maddys is chambered in 44 mag and had the same results. I believe they are CVA Hunter models. I don’t remember for sure though and don’t feel like looking it up. 😂
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
CVA hunter looks appealing to me too. I carried a lever action 45 colt a couple times but never shot anything with it. I will probably carry the muzzleloader if I go out this year.
 

dante322

*Supporting Member*
5,506
157
Crawford county
New England 45/70 with 2x7 scope. Second season with it maybe this will be the year. My handloads cast over Unique. Shoots good and recoil is somewhere between. 12 and20 ga slug. Joe

405 grain hard cast over 13 grains of unique... fun load to shoot. I started getting them coated to avoid leading the bore, I'll never use anything else
 
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bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
You guys tote some good lookin' firearms. I'll feel a bit silly toting my Rossi Youth .410 single shot topped with a Bushnell Marksman 4X scope. But it is deadly accurate shooting Brenneke slugs.

It's all about shot placement and that gun will definitely do a good job of it! Lots of deer have fallen to Rossi .410s over the years.

I'm making a switch. I got a good deal on this Savage 220 from @WoodCoDep and it impressed me as I knew it would. The 11-87 holds it's own, but I like the idea of a bolt action gun and the trigger is super crisp like all Savage guns with the Accutrigger. I bought 3 different kinds of ammo and like the Winchester best. I wanted to give a non-plastic tipped sabot a chance and they look like they'll expand very nicely. The Hornady SSTs are super accurate, but I feel I can get more damage from other ammo. Very pleased with this purchase. I'll likely take the Vortex off the 11-87 and put it on this before the bonus season.

20191128_104127.jpg
 
It's all about shot placement and that gun will definitely do a good job of it! Lots of deer have fallen to Rossi .410s over the years.

I'm making a switch. I got a good deal on this Savage 220 from @WoodCoDep and it impressed me as I knew it would. The 11-87 holds it's own, but I like the idea of a bolt action gun and the trigger is super crisp like all Savage guns with the Accutrigger. I bought 3 different kinds of ammo and like the Winchester best. I wanted to give a non-plastic tipped sabot a chance and they look like they'll expand very nicely. The Hornady SSTs are super accurate, but I feel I can get more damage from other ammo. Very pleased with this purchase. I'll likely take the Vortex off the 11-87 and put it on this before the bonus season.

View attachment 90936

I had no idea Savage had Accu-Triggers on shotguns. I love that trigger system on my .17HMR and .22WMR.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
It's all about shot placement and that gun will definitely do a good job of it! Lots of deer have fallen to Rossi .410s over the years.

I'm making a switch. I got a good deal on this Savage 220 from @WoodCoDep and it impressed me as I knew it would. The 11-87 holds it's own, but I like the idea of a bolt action gun and the trigger is super crisp like all Savage guns with the Accutrigger. I bought 3 different kinds of ammo and like the Winchester best. I wanted to give a non-plastic tipped sabot a chance and they look like they'll expand very nicely. The Hornady SSTs are super accurate, but I feel I can get more damage from other ammo. Very pleased with this purchase. I'll likely take the Vortex off the 11-87 and put it on this before the bonus season.

View attachment 90936

I won't try to steer you. Find your own way. BUT. . .this are a few Remington Accutip bullets recovered from deer. Some people want a pass thru with 2 holes. Some people want to see the bullet expand and use all it's energy inside the animal creating an impressive wound channel. In archery: I want two big holes. In shotgun season: I like the thought of two big holes but I'm not changing. I've dropped 2 bucks in their tracks. Apply this info to your knowledge bank and use it however it fits. As stated, not trying to persuade either way. Just some more to ponder (if you haven't already.)

I placed them on the gloves which came with my knife kit. Who uses those? Geesh. 😁
 

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bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I actually wanted the Accutips but couldn't find them around here in 20 gauge. I bought some for the 12 gauge and was super impressed. I'll definitely be grabbing some to try. I agree with you on getting the expansion and transferring the energy, especially with a 20 gauge. Those are definitely great results, Phil.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I used some Cabelas gift cards to order a couple extra boxes a few weeks ago. Two schools of thought for sure. I was skeptical at first. The results (for me) have made me a believer. Garrett made a marginal shot on a button buck a few years ago. He went around 60yds. That was the farthest I've had one go. I did have a doe go 50-60yds on a heart shot but I believe she was dead on impact and running on adrenaline. As her body fell out from under her on a full sprint her legs were still going. Two bucks dead in their tracks. Another doe made it 20-25yds. Looked like a massacre. Let us know how the Winchesters perform.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I used to be a big proponent of the Accutips but I quit shooting them. Accuracy-wise, they are fantastic. They group better than any other round I had tried with my 220. However in my opinion their expansion is sub-par and I have found green bits of plastic in my meat on numerous occasions. I have never felt that they provided much "punch" when hitting a deer. I've shot 6 deer with them and only one dropped in it's tracks, and it was a fawn. I now shoot Federal Trophy Coppers. They are a solid copper bullet that expands incredibly into the most beautiful flower petals you've ever seen. 100% retention and excellent knock down power. Accuracy is not quite as good as the Accutips but they perform plenty good enough.

Accutip and two Trophy Coppers...
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Mike

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Up Nort
I agree on the accutips JB. At distances I would not get any expansion and two holes in 12 ga.
 

WoodCoDep

Junior Member
265
91
BARTLETT, OH
It's all about shot placement and that gun will definitely do a good job of it! Lots of deer have fallen to Rossi .410s over the years.

I'm making a switch. I got a good deal on this Savage 220 from @WoodCoDep and it impressed me as I knew it would. The 11-87 holds it's own, but I like the idea of a bolt action gun and the trigger is super crisp like all Savage guns with the Accutrigger. I bought 3 different kinds of ammo and like the Winchester best. I wanted to give a non-plastic tipped sabot a chance and they look like they'll expand very nicely. The Hornady SSTs are super accurate, but I feel I can get more damage from other ammo. Very pleased with this purchase. I'll likely take the Vortex off the 11-87 and put it on this before the bonus season.

View attachment 90936
Hopefully it'll prove to be a killer for ya
 
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Even with a 3 month modern rifle season down here i still find myself carrying my 220 most of the season. I recently bought a savage axxis ll in 6.5 for bear but have still been going with the 20 gauge. Jist something about it. As a kid i used to stack up deer with a Remington model 7 in 7mm 08. Hoping my little girl can take a deer with it maybe next season.

You guys have some awesome straight wall set ups. I am a sucker for lever guns!
 
Even with a 3 month modern rifle season down here i still find myself carrying my 220 most of the season. I recently bought a savage axxis ll in 6.5 for bear but have still been going with the 20 gauge. Jist something about it. As a kid i used to stack up deer with a Remington model 7 in 7mm 08. Hoping my little girl can take a deer with it maybe next season.

You guys have some awesome straight wall set ups. I am a sucker for lever guns!

If they ever legalize shouldered cartridges in Ohio, I’m not sure that I would switch to be honest. The 45/70 is a sweet round, but at the end of the day I just love my Marlin lever action regardless of the caliber.


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Outside

Junior Member
295
41
When I look at that Savage 220, and my Remington 783, I see a lot of similar components. Knowing that neither is part of the other, is it possible they subcontract stuff to common third parties? Both are nice firearms, BTW