If you don’t care about hunting why don’t you try to borrow a rifle from a friend or the person you go hunting with. I wouldn’t spend several hundred dollars on a firearm then find out I really hate hunting. You will lose your backside when you try to get rid of it. For a first time Hunter/buyer I would recommend a used weapon. Try a gun show. You are still looking at $400.00 and up. A Savage Model 110.111.112 in 270,308 30-06 or .243. Not knowing where you live or intend to hunt makes it hard to be real precise about good advice.

Since it is the only rifle I own,I have to say my T/C Fire Hawk .50cal. in-line muzzle loader.

Well from what you said I am not sure why you are asking. This answer has no correct one and no wrong one. It all depends where and who you are. Shotguns are good for areas with allot of people and houses around. Rifles are good for long range and just normal hunting. Muzzle loading rifles are good if you want to be a little primitive but not to the point of a bow. Bows are good when you want to be as natural as you can. Large caliber pistols are good in close situations where you are looking to be eye to eye with your prey. Bad sides…Shotguns are almost useless at any but close range (100 to 200 yards) so are pistols and bows. Muzzle loaders are too but with some modern things like sabot ed bullets the range is extended.Rifles are the longest ranged but there is danger as far as you have to either hit or know whats beyond your target so no person is put in danger.

there are things that affect how i answer this question. surroundings, and if you are afraid of recoil. i am going to be getting a Remington model 7600 .270 win here pretty soon, but i have also shot a 12 gauge so recoil isn’t a big factor. i live where there is 6 acres of dense woods and about 17 acres of open soybean, hay, and corn fields. in the woods there is a pack of oak trees near my stand, but there is also a pack of apple trees for the early season for deer near my stand. if you don’t mind the recoil, i would get a .270 if you don’t want to have to deal with a lot of recoil and have a varmint problem near your house, use a .25/06 it is a very flat shooting gun and a medium sized caliber that can take down deer as well as coyote and ground hog.

live in western PA, and damn proud of it

6.5×55mm swedish mauser or .270
course more deer have been taken by the old lee enfield 303 in this country than all other calibers put together

For me it depends on the terrain. I usually hunt with a .270 for rifle season. Its a good flat shooting gun with decent range and knockdown power. 30-06 is another good choice for whitetail in open territory or mixed vegitation. If you are hunting in very thick brush I’d suggest sticking to a 12ga shotgun with either buckshot 00 or slugs. Forget the 30-30, that’s for spray and pray hunting. Personally I like my Mathews bow as my weapon of choice because I like archery season best.

Which gun has killed more deer than any other? That is the question you should be asking. A 30-30 is the only gun you will ever need if you know how to use it. If you live in north America, a 30-30 will stop anything that inhabits the forest. Some people may not think so…but that is my opinion.

browning a-bolt 30-06 with a nikon monarch scope, backed by a ruger gp100 .357 with the 4 inch barrel. also do bow hunting with a browning.

Remingtion 270 model 700 ADL, It has taken many deer over the years for me, I also have the Remingtion 30-06 model 700 BDL, It has never been fired, It is one beautiful gun.

The 700 they’re the best, IMO!

I love anything in 30 caliber. I personally own a 30-06 remington Bolt action. The ‘06 was developed in 1906, and is still one of the most popular rounds in use today. It is very versatile, being at the expensive edge for plinking and varmint hunting, while being big enough (at the low end) for BIG game (bear, elk, water buffalo, etc) and is a perfect size for deer (black tail, white tail and mule) which will be 100-220 pounds, depending upon species and location (some grow bigger or smaller depending on food and the deer population). The .30-30 is a perfect ‘brush’ gun, as is the .35 remington. These are both made for a lever action rifle, and excellent in accuracy and power for shots under 100 yards, although a new development by by Horandy has allowed for them to have a ballistic tip, which increases their range and accuracy, allowing for good kill shots at nearly 200 yards.

The .270 is also an excellent round, being slightly smaller than a 30 cal, or the 7mm remington magnum. I am partial to the .30-06, because that is what I grew up on.