I am a long time hand gun collector/shooter. however, i am looking to by my first deer rifle. i am a newbie when it comes to rifles/scopes etc. does anyone have a suggestion as to a good starter rifle for my endeavours?

I've been told that the Remington 700 is an outstanding platform. Just pick which cartridge you want to use and mount a scope on it.

I'm a fan of the Remington 760 and 7600 series, but I also love hunting with a revolver. The last deer I took was with a Taurus 66 6" .357. If you are comfortable with handguns (and it is legal to hunt with them in your state) why not hunt with one.

www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/axis

Love my Remington 700 30-06.

Where and what deer are you hunting? I lived out West for several decades - that meant mule deer and possible long shots. If you sit in a tree stand in the woods waiting on a small white tail to show up, your needs will be different

I have an older 700 BDL in 7mm mag - great for Western hunting of all 4-legged critters with horns. I also have a Model 7 in 7-08 with the 18" barrel - perfect for climbing a lot or where shots and animals aren't as far away or as large

White tails - anything in 243 and up - look at Remington, Savage, Browning, maybe even the new Winchester. You might also find a SAKO or Tikka used in your budget

Mulies - I would start at a 6.5 x 55 and go up from there

Proper bullet type and placement are more crucial to success than cartridge size