DEER GEAR
The Latest Gear For Your Stalk, Treestand Or Stump-Sitting
Originally published in the September/October 2024 Issue of Safari Magazine.
The deer don’t stand a chance! Well, that may not be exactly true. Researchers tell us that a deer’s sense of smell is up to 1,000 times that of a human. They have 310 degrees of vision around them (you can see 180 degrees), and they can hear up to 54,000 hertz, while you and I top out at about 24,000. Thankfully, we have the edge when it comes to innovation. Each year, manufacturers invent gear that helps us become better hunters. Here are a few new products to up your venison and antler quest. — John Geiger
New Rifle For Deer-Hunting Adventures
Springfield’s Model 2020 Boundary Evolves From Waypoint Family
Just before this went to press, Springfield released their new Model 2020 Boundary rifle. SAFARI Magazine editors were among a handful in the industry who got to test it out in advance. The Boundary is a welcome evolution of the Model 2020 family, which started with the Waypoint, a fine rifle in its own right.
The test rifle was 43 inches long, weighed just under 7 pounds without a scope and was chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. Our first impression was that it’s a solid platform that shoots well from the bench, sitting, prone or offhand.
It’s designed to straddle the classic look of a deer gun — with its hinged floorplate and clean lines — and the advantages of a modern precision firearm. The new Boundary would be at home anywhere there is hunting in the world, from red stag in New Zealand to whitetails in Kentucky.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of this rifle is the rigid action it inherited from the Waypoint family. It’s based on Remington’s 700 push feed but is made with precise electronic discharge machines (EDC). EDC is used to make highly accurate cuts to the world’s toughest metals. The bolt is therefore fitted to high tolerances, thanks to the EDM-cut raceways in the receiver.
The rifle comes with either a fluted stainless steel or carbon fiber barrel. The one we shot was carbon fiber. Interestingly, the carbon fiber does not touch the steel below except for about 5% of the steel’s surface area. Springfield says this creates an air gap between the two elements that aid in cooling. We did notice the barrels cooled quickly between shot strings at the range.
At the range, the rifle was at home on the bench, sitting, prone and offhand. It has a wide, flat forend that is a hybrid between a bench gun and a walking gun. There were no malfunctions or trouble feeding or ejecting. It printed a session-best 0.861-inch group at 100 yards. The gun preferred Federal Premium Terminal Ascent cartridges among the six cartridges that we tried. Muzzle speeds were where we expected them to be, as recorded by a Garmin Xero chronograph.
The TriggerTech trigger broke cleanly at 3.5 pounds and is adjustable from 5 to 2.5 pounds. It’s hard to measure, but Springfield claims the lock time — the moment between the trigger break and primer ignition — is an amazing 1.9 milliseconds. That helps reduce operator error — a heartbeat or any movement that could move the point of aim from your target.
The 2020 Boundary is now available in .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 300 PRC, .300 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag and 7mm PRC. $2,173 for the steel barrel version and $2,599 with the carbon fiber barrel. springfield-armory.com.
Christensen Arms Evoke
Christensen Arms new Evoke rifle is designed for both beginner and seasoned hunters. They are feature-rich, yet most are sub-$1,000, making them good entry points into the lineup of Christensen Arms rifles. There are four models — from a Mossy Oak to Precision — in various camo configurations and calibers. The Mossy Oak, for example, comes in 11 calibers, from 300 PRC to the straight-wall 350 Legend. Each has a stainless-steel precision Cerakote barrel, a 60-degree bolt throw on a three-lug bolt and a detachable mag. They are suppressor-ready and include a premium RFR muzzle brake, hybrid grip angle and a user-adjustable TriggerTech trigger. Every Evoke rifle configuration comes with a sub-MOA guarantee and a limited lifetime warranty. christensenarms.com.
Gunwerks WRK Rifle
Deer hunters will welcome a new version of the Magnus rifle system from Gunwerks. By no means a cheap rifle, the new WRX is a lot like the $10k Magnus but has a stainless-steel barrel and limited paint schemes. That, and a few other modifications, cuts the price in half. We are very familiar with the Magnus platform and find it stable, balanced on a bench, sticks or offhand and a highly accurate long-range rifle. Nine calibers, from 6.5 Creedmoor to 300 PRC. 20-, 22- or 24-inch barrel options, and floorplate or flush mag, among other options. $4,975 base at gunwerks.com.
Beretta BRX1
Beretta’s recent straight-pull rifle is now available in .243 Win., .30-06 Springfield and .300 Win Mag. The rifle is made for quick follow-up shots. It only takes a pullback and a push forward to rechamber the gun, which makes it great for a quick second shot when needed. The gun has a sleek appearance, with a carbon fiber barrel option. The bolt is ambi, and you can change barrels, bolt heads and mags to accommodate different calibers with the same action and stock. $1,499. beretta.com.
Weatherby Alpine CT-1
Weatherby has released its newest model in its Model 307 platform. The Alpine CT is for hunters who want a light, accurate bolt-action rifle that they can customize. Weatherby’s Model 307 action is a 2-lug, fully cylindrical action. It complements the historic MarkV and Vanguard lineups yet is compatible with many modern aftermarket accessories, such as stocks, triggers, rails and mounts. Alpine CT’s will have the option of Peak 44 Bastion stocks, which weigh just 24 ounces. 13 chamberings, from .240 Weatherby to .300 Weatherby, including 300 PRC. MSRP is $2,199. weatherby.com.
Benelli Lupo HPR
Benelli has designed its new iteration of the Lupo rifle to be the most accurate Lupo ever. At first glance, you’ll notice the new synthetic stock that uses many features usually found in a long-range chassis gun. It has an 8-position comb height for precise eye alignment, adjusted with a button on the stock. Removable grips let you add a hunting-style or target-style grip. As usual, Benelli includes many drop and cast shims for the best fit for you. They’re backing it with a five-shot .75-inch MOA guarantee. There are six calibers, from 6.5 Creedmoor to .338 Lapua. MSRP for all models is $2,949. benelliusa.com.
HS Precision PLC
H-S Precision has been building custom rifles in South Dakota for nearly 30 years. It designs and builds every component of its rifles. Their latest — the Professional Long Range Carbon Hunter — is their first with a carbon barrel. With all H-S rifles, there are many options when you go to order a gun. For example, you can have a Timney curved, straight or H-S custom trigger installed. Other spec options include a choice of caliber, color, barrel length, twist rate, muzzle brake, trigger and more. The PLC has a push-feed action and a detachable magazine. $6,039 base price. hsprecision.com.
Franchi Momentum Elite
Franchi is adding new options to its Momentum line. The Momentum Elite now comes in the venerable .30-06 as well as 450 Bushmaster. Both models come with a 22-inch free-float barrel in Midnight Bronze Cerakote and are joined to an Evolved Ergonom-X stock. The .30-06 build-out is an obvious choice for folks who want a proven .30-caliber rifle, while the 450 is a hit with people in straight-wall deer states in the USA. Momentum Elite now comes in six calibers. $899 at Cabelas.com.
Tenpoint Crossbows
This crossbow company has been around for more than 30 years. TenPoint is pushing technology further and further to make crossbows that are faster and still highly accurate, stable shooting platforms. TenPoint says they can control flexibility and torque better and get more accuracy by making a better riser, which holds the limbs to the bow. The crossbow weighs 7.2 pounds, has a 6.5-inch cocked width and has a TriggerTech trigger. $2,449–$2,549.99. tenpointcrossbows.com.
Trijicon Tenmile
Trijicon is expanding its Tenmile HX series riflescopes to include a 5-25×50 first focal plane scope. The 5X magnification gives hunters a wide field of view or a high-magnification view of distant targets. It’s made with outstanding glass, highly repeatable adjusters, 80 MOA of adjustment and a purpose-built first focal plane MOA-based illuminated reticle, all inside a 30mm tube. MSRP, $2,190. trijicon.com.
Hornady Outfitter Cartridges
Outfitter cartridges are made for the most rugged hunting. They have corrosion-resistant nickel-plated cases, are watertight and are loaded with tough copper-alloy CX bullets. The line has been around for a while, but hunters can now get Outfitter in a 190-grain 300 PRC, as well as 20 other calibers already on the market. $35-$83 per box at scheels.com.
Federal Fusion Tipped
Fusion is Federal’s deer-hunting cartridge. It’s been popular since it was introduced in 2005. The hollow-point bonded bullet performed well, but Federal has now made it more of a long-range contender with a polymer tip to increase accuracy and a skivved nose cavity to promote expansion. The Fusion Tipped still has an electronically fused jacket and core (most bullets are mechanically pressed together), giving it very good weight retention. $44-$81 per box. Federalpremium.com
Winchester Ammo XP
Winchester Ammo’s Deer Season XP bullets are now available in multiple calibers. Deer Season XP is the company’s top-shelf deer bullet brand. It’s made to fly accurately, expand rapidly and give a massive terminal performance. The bullet has a large polymer tip, streamlined profile and alloyed lead core. There are nine calibers now available, including 350 Legend at $36 per box. winchesterammo.com.
Leupold RX-5000
Leupold’s new RX-5000’s Long Range mode lets you range to 5,000 yards — that’s nearly three miles — on reflective targets, 3,100 yards on trees and 2,000 yards deer-sized game out of the box. To assist with using Long Range mode, the RX-5000 ships with an included tripod saddle and can be fired remotely using the Leupold Control app. On the app, you can use your RX-5000 to remotely drop location pins to your phone using digital maps like onX Hunt, Apple Maps and Google Maps. leupold.com.
Swarovski NL
Glassing can get old quickly if your binos are heavy or bulky. Swarovski’s new addition to their Pure line is anything but. The NL Pure 10×52 is designed with your hand in mind. They make it easy to enjoy a relaxed view for a long period of time. We experienced this on a recent stag hunt where we glassed 90% of the time while stalking and shooting 10% of the time. The NL Pures were delightful. They also have a substantial field of view at 72 degrees or 390 feet at 1,000 yards. $3,449 retail. Info at swarovskioptiks.com.
Sig Sauer Zulu6 HDX
Sig Sauer’s new Zulu6 HDX image stabilization binos allow you to easily study distant objects, like antlers or pick apart distant hillsides for signs of bedded animals. The Zulu6 has eliminated or mitigated many of those past technological hurdles and brings a bright, stabilized image to your eye. The 12x binos are less than $1,000, while the largest 20x42mm is $1,200. sigsauer.com.
Diamond Blade Knives
A great knife will keep its edge for a long time yet be easy to sharpen. That’s what former Alaska guide Charles Allen and his company, DiamondBlade Knives, designed the Surge knife to be. We used a combo set during the recent hunting season made up of a Surge and a Pinnacle II caping knife, both in one belt sheath. They kept their edges longer than most knives we’ve used, and the double-knife sheath is super practical. $299-$525. diamondbladeknives.com.
Banks Blind
The Stump Sequoia blind from Banks Outdoors has 44 square feet of room, providing space for multiple hunters. It has eight silent-swinging tinted framed windows, and its seamless polyethylene construction makes it very durable and weather-resistant. It comes in several options, from a base model to a tricked-out, accessory-equipped Pro Hunter version. banksoutdoors.com.
