Paul Annear
Aside from a long-time hunting buddy or a good dog whose loyalty never waivers, a well maintained deer rifle is something that seemingly avoids father time. Classic old deer rifles like the Remington Model 700 or Winchester model 70, hold a special place in the hearts of many deer hunters who don orange vests every fall.
The old classic you lug around the rutting woods is probably responsible for many animals in your trophy room, but are you missing out on the modern technology of new-age deer rifles? Tried and true rifles that are accurate and dependable should have a place in your safe, but modern rifle technology is impressive. Is it worth upgrading?
They Don't Make Them Like They Used To?
When I turned 12 and was of legal age to hunt deer in Wisconsin, my father bought me a beautiful Remington Model 700 rifle, chambered in .308. I still use it today. In fact, it’s making the trip out west for a mule deer hunt this fall.
It’s not only a fine shooting rifle, but it’s a beautiful rifle to look at when things are slow on the deer stand. Memories from past hunts flood to the forefront of my memory.
Last fall, I took the dive and purchased a more balanced caliber with reduced recoil for my growing children. I settled on a Ruger American Gen II rifle chambered in .350 legend. I’m going to start laying down the memories with that rifle alongside my growing children, but I’ll be the first to admit it’s hard to replace the nostalgia of a well-used deer rifle that has some old-school charm.
There are some major differences between modern rifle tech and rifles produced in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s that can add up to a more pleasant shooting experience. Although my Remington model 700 doesn’t have many of the modern features of a newly produced rifle, it will always have a place in my safe.
While anything I say in this article could sway you one direction or the other, the argument for keeping an ‘oldie but goodie’ rifle is quite simple. If the accuracy, knock-down power and general ergonomics of your classic deer rifle work for you and your heartfelt association is too great to move on to something new, then by all means your rifle is probably serving you just fine.
But there are convincing arguments for moving on to a more modern rifle. And, who doesn’t want more excuses to tinker with hunting equipment?
Modern Look and Feel
One of the first things you’ll notice with a modern deer rifle is the looks and material of the components. Very few rifles are blued any more. And that gorgeous wood stock you’re used to isn’t really standard anymore. In recent years, companies have marketed both high-end and budget rifles to hunters seeking adventure and escape.
Demanding hunts take oudoorsmen and women to extreme climates and remote areas with gear they demand a lot from. Most hunters enjoy the flexibility and toughness of synthetic modern rifle stocks.
I’ll be honest, when I was searching for a deer rifle chambered in .350 legend, the looks threw me off until I started diving into these feature-rich models. These new looks have a purpose.
Tony Smotherman, Head of Influencer Relations for BPI Outdoors, told me, “Technology has touched everything in our lives, including rifle manufacturing. Technological advancements have pushed us into materials we never dreamed of such as titanium and carbon fiber. Threaded muzzles for suppressors and muzzle breaks, factory adjustable length of pull, titanium actions - the list of advantages is a mile long.”
For hunters out there claiming that new isn’t always better, you’re definitely right in some areas of consumer products. If you have an old refrigerator from the 90’s chugging along in your garage and no act of earth can seemingly stop it, keep it! They don’t make them like they used to. But, this deer rifle thing is a little bit different. You’re not sacrificing any quality with new rifles.
Innovative Features in Modern Rifles
Out of the box accuracy on so many of these new rifles is outstanding. Many of them (although not so much my .350 legend) sport high twist-rate barrels and high ballistic coefficients to stabilize heavier, longer modern bullets.
New-age rifles are also incredibly efficient at longer distances, such as the 6.5 Creedmoor. A high twist-rate allows for this.
Rifle engineers are finding new ways to produce calibers that don’t sway much from their classic predecessors. Think 7mm Rem Mag vs the modern 7mm PRC. Smotherman said “modern machining tools and tolerances have made sub-MOA (minute of angle) accuracy very achievable for most shooters, which may not have been attainable before.”
Now that silencers and muzzle breaks are popular and widely available in the shooting industry, it’s easier than ever to take advantage of this technology by throwing a suppressor on your modern rifle. It’s likely already threaded for one.
Suppressors are a great choice for new hunters or children. Their availability and benefits make them an incredibly functional purchase.
Aside from looks, ergonomics and “feel” is what I’ve noticed most when tinkering with modern rifles. Shouldering modern rifles is a dream. With adjustable cheek pieces, length of pull, triggers, and factory installed sling swivels, there is hardly a feature that isn’t able to be adjusted to your liking.
If you can’t find a modern rifle that feels just about perfect when shouldering it, you need to keep looking because something will fit right. I don’t think the same can be said about the clunky feel of some older guns.
Recoil is something you’ll note too. And lets be honest, the reduced recoil of modern rifles matters when it comes to new or younger hunters. Even in high caliber rounds, modern rifle butt stocks work wonders with recoil.
Wrapping Up
In the end, semi-retiring your old deer rifle and upgrading to a modern repeating arm is a deeply personal decision that comes down to accuracy, fit, and emotions. During a late season doe hunt last fall, I had every intention of taking out my new .350 legend, but woke up with a desire to haul old Model 700 .308 to the woods.
As the light day winds picked up shortly after sunrise, I gazed intently at the old gun until a beautiful doe stepped out at seventy yards and piled up shortly thereafter. I believe that old .308 has many hunts left in the tank, but you can bet I’ll be adding more modern rifle options to the safe very soon.
