For the first time ever our primary deer rifle is an AR. I have never understood the allure of the AR, I think mostly because of the limitations of the .223. I bought an Alexander Arms 6.5 Grendel an it changed my entire outlook.

This board last year turned me on to the Barnes TTSX and TSX bullets which are, in the right velocity ranges, different than anything else. Our .243 is just not the same gun now that it's loaded with TTSX bullets. But that's a youth stock guns and my kids have outgrown it.

So this year I'm going into deer season with :

Alexander Arms 6.5 Grendel with a Vortex 4x12 diamondback scope. Shooting 115gr TSX but may shoot one with an SST just to see the difference.

Ruger No 1 .257 Robert's with a Zeiss Conquest 3.5x10 shooting Nosler ABs 110+p. I may have Hendershots make me some 100gr TTSX but not by this weekend.

Old Rem 760 30-06 with an old Leupold and 150gr Federal Fusion. I've recrowned the barrel and switched out the trigger this year. Still only getting about a 1.75 inch groups. Actually bought a box of Federal Terminal Ascent 175gr today in Waco. Hope th heavier bullets group better.

Last is the Mossberg Benton Patriot .243 wood stock with the 80Gr TTSX and a vortex diamondback. Have four bullets left but the kids have outgrown it. But it's there.

Everything else is going to have to wait til 2026. Probably.


Man I cannot wait for Saturday. I don't shoot deer anymore. My kids do.

Ive shot train car loads of deer with 6.5 Grendel 123 SST. With its lower velocity it is incredible! I do not recomend the SST at 270 or 7mag velocities for example.

Yea I was thinking the same thing.

I got the Grendel because my son's friends all moved on from .243 last year into the Grendel. And the dads swear by it. They all bought SSTs and said it was like a lightning bolt at those speeds.

Fortunately my Grendel is 1.5 high at 100 right now with TSX and 1 high at 100 with the SSTs. Both shoot better than my 14 yo can.

And agree I would not use an SST in a faster bullet like .243 or 30-06.

Oldest son (9) shot his first deer this weekend with his grandfather's (my father in law's) swedish Mauser sporter. Fil said he shot his first deer with it and will shoot his last deer with it as well. 140 superformance interbonds
I'm planning to do all my deer hunting this year with my rem 700 in 280 shooting 150 accubond long range over 58(?) gr h4831. Not a fast load but they are designed to work at lower velocities and my last 3 shot group was .4"

Starting the season with an 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge, with Federal #6 high brass. Hunting blues south of Marathon for three days this weekend.

Skipping the deer opener for the first time in forever. Last year, the quail opener was the weekend prior to the deer opener. No dice this year.

But for the remainder of deer season, Remi Cork Lokts out of a Ruger American .308.

Noveske (primarily) 6 ARC

The same Remington 700 .270 I've been hunting with for 20 years and some Winchester CXP3 150 grain rounds. It has a 50 year old Leopold scope on it.

Hope to get 2-3 deer in the freezer. If I shoot a buck this year, it'll need to be a monster to make it worth the effort.

Most all of my hunting this year will be with rifles I built, either my 7PRC or my 22cm.

Bow season - 2008 Diamond 70# 30" 100g Muzzy
Rifle season- Ruger American 6.5Creed 143g elder
Nebraska Pheasant- Benelli Vinci 12g random #4,#5s

Mathews V3 31

Savage .270 (bought this from a poster last year) haven't done anything with it. figured this was a good year to kill something.

Tikka m695 deluxe in 270win
Winchester M70 BOSS in 7mm
Bergara B14 HMR in 308

Custom PSE Levitate with SE2 cams. Drawing 28 1/4" at 78#.

This will be my 21st season with my Mathews Switchback.

Bergara B-14 Hunter .270 & 145gr ELD-X
Vortex HS 4-16x50

What ammo are you using in your 6.5 Grendel?

agsalaska said:

---

What ammo are you using in your 6.5 Grendel?

---

Handloads.

120 TTSX projos. I think it's over H335, but honestly I can't remember - loaded a bunch a while back and haven't had to load any in a while. I write things down so I don't ahve to remmber, much like Henry Jones Sr. and his Grail Diary.

I also have a load with 123 SST's that's a damn good load too and has taken plenty of pigs and deer as well, but I like the TTSX projectiles better.

I'll do some doe population control and/or maybe a mgmt. buck this season.

Time to replenish my tamale stockpile.

Tikka T3x Forest - 25-06, 117 grain Hornady BTSP Interlock.

A bergara 6.5 bleedmoor or a 308 SFAR

I ordered a new Ruger American Gen II in .308 but it doesn't look like it is going to make it in time for opening weekend. Womp womp. I think I decided on Leupold glass to put on this one.

I will just take Ol' reliable out there, an American Gen I in .270 with a Vortex 4-12.

Barrett MK22 in .338 Norma Mag


Obviously joking.


I'll stick with my 7mm-08

Thanks. I am still between the two, though mine are 115 TSX, not 120 TTSX. I love that bullet. The SSTs were loaded by a buddy and I am pretty sure they are undefeated in my hunting sphere.

I think we are going to shoot a couple with each and decide after the season on next year. Of course by next year I could be on to another gun, but that's a different issue entirely.

SanAntoneAg said:

---

Starting the season with an 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge, with Federal #6 high brass. Hunting blues south of Marathon for three days this weekend.

Skipping the deer opener for the first time in forever. Last year, the quail opener was the weekend prior to the deer opener. No dice this year.

But for the remainder of deer season, Remi Cork Lokts out of a Ruger American .308.

---

Chasing blues is hard work!

It is rumored that some people will not use their hunting dogs on blues because it will ruin them and the dogs will start busting bobs.

I chased them around the canyon breaks of Skellytown. What an adventure and infuriating process!

I have gun ADD and go in cycles, from 30-30, to 30.06, to 243, to 270wsm, to 308 to now going on year 6 with a bergara 6.5cm.

My trusty Matthew's Lift and whatever idle I grab on the way out the door I can find bullets for.