6 Classic All-American Deer Rifles

Above, my pre-64 Winchester 94. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rifles come in many calibers, styles and materials. Some may be nice to have, but there are those who prefer the old tried-and-true classic American rifles, particularly for deer hunting,  

Field & Stream has posted an article on six classic All-American deer rifles. The rifle that occupies the number one spot on the list is the pre-1964 Winchester 94 (or 1894). I have one of these rifles and enjoy target-shooting with it.

Field & Stream begins with

Unlike everybody else these days, it seems, I don’t long for a sub-half-minute, long-range bolt gun. Well, maybe a little. But what I really want are the guns in the yellowed photos at deer camp, where in the monochromes the old boys in knee pants cradle classic levers, and in the Polaroids the regular guys off for a week from the Alcoa plant carry hardworking pumps and autos.

Turns out, these blue-collar classics are still widely available, still priced right, and still solid deer guns. With today’s $500 bolts turning in clover­leaf groups, bargain hunters no longer need to raid the used rack. And as yesteryear’s hunters walk their last trails, more widows and kids want to be rid of the old guns. The result is a wealth of modestly priced, classic deer rifles, adorning the walls of local shops and the pages of online gun-auction sites.

These aren’t collector’s items. They’re working guns. Tools. Many aren’t accurate by today’s standards but are more than accurate enough if you believe that the real thrill of hunting is getting closer to the critters. Above all, they carry a connection to those who came before us. They burn with questions: whose hands, what hills, how many miles, how many bucks?—a mystique that makes them far cooler than any plastic bolt.

Here’s what I’ve got in my old toolbox.

To see what rifles made the list, go here.