A few years ago I had myself convinced I was going to get into deer hunting mostly as an effort to do my part in thinning the population I constantly swear at. Anyway I farm and with 2500acres of corn it just gets hard to find time to go. I bought a cheap gun I know you get what you pay for and picked up a military surplus Mosin Nagant M44 7.62X54r, added a bent bolt, ATI composite stock, and ATI scope mount, removed the bayonet by ND Game and Fish rules. I love the price of the ammo and it has good take down power and fairly accurate used it on coons last fall with great success.

Well I've given up on it I get the gun sited in perfect tighten all the mounts down as much as I can but after about 15-20 rounds the scope mount rings are coming loose again and I'm already deaf after 5 rounds, and the recoil gives me a decent black and blue mark. I should add I do hunt pheasant and waterfowl so I'm plenty used to shooting 12ga 3" but this has more kick then my shotgun and a lot more then friends deer rifles I've shot. So anyway I decided its time to move on I find myself always grabbing my 10-22 no matter what as I know I'll atleast hit what I aim at with it. So I visited with a local gun dealer-blacksmith and he's willing to take in the M44 on trade just not sure what I want. It will mostly be used for fox, coyotes, coons, and muskrats. There is still the possibility I'll take up deer hunting some day but with more corn every year its not looking good. I wouldn't need anything real long range for deer with the ground we have its pretty easy to sit and wait for them to come to me. I don't want something that ammo will cost me a fortune but know whatever I go with is going to cost me more then the 22caliber priced 7.62X54r surplus ammo.

Anyone looking for a place to go pheasant or deer hunting this fall in Central ND pm me. We have lots of land to hunt with way to many pheasants and deer eating our crops up right now that would taste great in your freezer. Thanks for any opinions, info, or help on what to get.

A 243 is a good flat shooting low recoil rifle and will take deer and fox. There are alot of options for what your looking to do. One of the new short magnums from winchester would suit you too. It would depend on how much you want to spend and what the guy has who is willing to take your gun in on trade. I might be interested in a hunt out your way. I usually pheasant hunt in montana.

.243 is a good call for an all-around caliber. Ammo prices are way up across the board, but how much are you really shooting? Just shoot the 10/22 when you are fooling around, the .243 when you're killin stuff. Thanks for the invite to come out and hunt, I would love to take you up on it sometime! Good luck.

maybe also look at a 25-06, great gun for yotes/fox/jacks and a good deer rifle

So what if I never go deer hunting what is the 223 like. I see ammo for it is pretty cheap. When I shot its always to kill and surprisingly I put alot of round through my 10/22 every year. In the last 2yrs I think I've gone through 2 500 bulk boxes of 22s and about half of the surplus crate of 7.62X54r. I shot a friend 22mag a few times when I was a lot younger and always liked the distance of it compared to just a regular 22. I won't mention some of the other stuff I shoot, we'll just call it protecting my investment in the field. You'd be surprised how tasty certain animals find freshly sprouted crops and they can clear a 1/4 mile of a row in a hurry. The more I think about it I think i want just a more powerful varmint gun and if I actually fine time down the road to go deer hunting I can borrow a friends deer rifle the first time and If I like deer hunting just pickup up a dedicated deer gun.

I should add I don't really have time to guide but we've had quite a few people out and we just set them up with a plat book with good places to hunt and we've yet to have anyone disappointed. My wifes uncle got his limit in pheasants within 2hrs his first day and before noon the next 2 days when he was out last fall. I just wish the state wouldn't have raised our out of state license fees.

I have a model 70 Winchester 22/250, 4000 feet per minute, I have never shot a deer more than once with it, shots extremely flat.

Don

A 22/250 is very capable of killing a deer along with 223 and other calibers around .22 but I wouldnt recommend It. If you are not a seasoned hunter you should have a larger caliber for deer. As XCR1250 said he has killed many deer with that caliber but I can guarenty he waits for a really good shot before shooting. Its not a caliber for a begining hunter. If you do use a 22 cal for deer I wouldnt recommend shooting at any moving deer with it. The shoulder blade on a deer will do alot to a 22 caliber bullet. The 223 is a good flat shooting bullet out to around 250 yards bu drops of alot after that range so if your going ot be shooting long range you will need to hit the range and learn your gun. This is true of any gun you plan on hunting with. another factor to consider is cross wind. If your shooting at long distances of over 200 yards the wind will have a greater effect on a light bullet like the 22 caliber that a slightly heavier bullet. Anther one you may want to consider is the .308. its a 30 caliber version of the 243 and the ammo is cheap. The old standby 30-06 might be you best all around choice as it probably has the widest variety of ammo available for any caliber. There isnt a sporting goods store around that you cant pick up a box of 30-06 ammo at and you can get it pretty cheap also. I just did a quick searh and clicked on the first link for 30-06 ammo and they have it as cheap as under 12$ for 20 rds and all the way from 125 grain bullets up to 220 grain. with a selection like that you could shoot coyotes one day and moose the next with the same gun. just be sure if you switch the weight of the bullet that you resight your gun as the ballistics are alot different from 125 grain to 220.

x2!i use these in my .30-06.4400 feet per second!55 grain Remington Accelerators.see the plastic insert?makes em fit the bore.one thing,a wind or twig will deflect them.if you are selling your coyote hides,they drill a nice,neat,tiny hole.i love the little sceamers!44.00 per box.

might want to check on legal rifle calibers for ND, i know in mn you can't use 222, 223, 22-250,

In Wisconsin you can use any center fire rifle, as of 2 years ago I believe, a 22/250 has been legal as long as I can remember. I use the 22/250 when hunting out of my blind on my own property and occasionally on public land, normally I use a Browning 7 MM Magnum when off my land.
Shells for the 22/250 are about $10 for a box of 20.


Don

awesome rifle!rem 6mm mag is hard to beat as well.


all the guns mentioned here will work for you...one more.look at New Englands Handy Rifle,i have one,chambered in .204.they are a small bore,with a big firing chamber.and the bullets come in ballistic tip.nasty lil round!take a deer down no prob.very fast and flat!

heres a NEF Handi-Rifle same as mine(mine has a 4x12 nikon on it)chambered in .204 Ruger......deadnuts accurate.i have killed coyotes at better than 300 yards away,with mine.the Handi-Rifle is a single shot,break open rifle.comes in all calibers.average price 225-250 bucks.my buddy hunts deer with the same gun.he has been sucsessful.he uses the ballistic tips for deer.also a pic of Hornady ammo for it.best name in shooting,IMO,17.00 per box of 20.they are screamers.

I also agree with the 25/06 I bring one with me to wyoming every yr. works great from shooting varmits with 85 grain at 3650 ft per second, and for deer, the 115 ballistic silvertips at 3200 feet persecond, is a very flat shooting gun. also packs a great punch, would not hesitate to shoot prarie dogs at 5 to 600 yards and deer at 400 all day, and have done this every yr.

Thanks for everyones advice. I decided I don't plan on deer hunting atleast at this point so I went with a 223. I picked up a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless and so far absolutely love it. Got it sighted in and put some rounds through it seem to hold a better pattern then I'm capable of. Now I just need to find some cheap bulk ammo so I can get some trigger time and get used to it.