M60A1
Sorry I like the noise better than the kill!

 

Of the 3 you have listed go with the Tikka. 3-9x40 will do fine for a scope. Get the best scope you can don't cheap out on it. I like Leupold and Burris.

 

Tumba...an M-60 is a light machine gun... dont think any state allows you to hunt with that hey i mean it only shoots 10 rounds a second of 7.62X51 rounds but you should be fine

 

Considering most of the posters have never hunted South Texas, a 3-9 scope is marginal at best. I'd move up to a 4.5-14 in something like a Burris FFII. I prefer the Burris over the China parts/assembled in the US Leopold. The newest Leopolds I've had nothing but problems with and the mailman is getting tired of seeing me send them back again and again and again and.... The Bushnell 3200's are decent scopes and Natchez Shooter Supply has the Browning scopes, made to Bushnell 3200 specs on sale for cheap. Might want to take a look at those as well.
http://catalogs.natchezss.com/march08/t1.asp?page=16

 

A Kimber, or a Sako...in a .270 and a:

Leopold scope. Done, no futher discussion, unless you spend more money.

I forgot to add an HK 90 that shoots a .308. Put a leopold tactical on it. The 20 round clips are great it you get into a mess of hogs. Legal for deer in Texas also.

 

I may not have hunted South Texas, but I have hunted MT and ND. Long shots here are a must and the 3-9 scope is pretty much the standard. I highly doubt you are taking as long of shots, consistently as we do. Unless you need the higher magnification for the smaller body deer you have.

 

Quite actually, your right, our deer are smaller than your black tail. Shots will start at 300 yds and beyond but the important part is you may not get to see but a passing of the deer. South Texas is loaded in brush, brush so thick that in a lot of places you can't crawl thru it. We hunt pipelines mostly and the deer generally don't bother to feed on the pipelines/senderos- they just cross it. So you have to be quick and accurate. It's not like your country where you can spot a deer, take a coffee break, then get out the sandbags and get the perfect shot. It takes a good marksman/hunter to score down here.

 

don't forget about the 300 win mag. good in brush and 400 yards out...if your good.

mine has never failed me.

I think it's nikon or bushnell that makes a BUCKMASTER scope that a bunch of buddies of mine have and they really like them. not on the same level as Loupold(sp) though.

 

In South Texas, don't yall just hold some corn in your hand and whack the deer over the head with a hammer.

 

ha ha thats what i saw on tv any way

 

Only the folks from the big cities do that. You know them well, like from Dallas, Houston, you know who I mean.
I won't hunt over bait of any kind. I might as well hunt in a zoo if I have to resort to that kinda hunting. I also don't ride around on top of a Suburban with bucket seats and drinks. That again is for the city folks. Just let me out anywhere in the brush and I'm fine. And yes, the 300 Win Mag is a dandy down here. Most guides will carry this round and usually it's topped with a 6-20 power scope.
FWIW, for those not lucky enough to be from Texas, there are two distinct deer here. Those that live north of a line being IH10 to San Antonio extending west on Hiway 90, those deer will be small. We call them suitcase deer. After gutting, put the legs together and walk off with it like a suitcase. These guys are around the 80 lb range live. South of that line, they get bigger and the horns will be wider than tall usually. On some of the deer the horns go straight out and never turn back in. These guys can bust 200 lbs easily but they are not anywhere near the size of Northern black tail.

 

+1 I prefer the 300 wsm but its a great round. I am sure many people will say its over kill but oh well i never have to chase a deer and in nebraska our deer have some pretty healthy bodies on them.

 

Mossberg = Trailer Trash

Mossberg = AOL

Mossberg = Driving a Plymouth product

Mossberg = Asking an ugly fat girl to the prom. Yeah, she'll go, and you may get some, but do you want your friends to know?

Mossberg = fine if you don't have any pride.







Can you tell how I feel about Mossbergs? Yeah, they go bang most times you pull the trigger, but that doesn't mean they're a good gun.

 

I would get the .270. But instead of the Tikka (which is a great gun), save some money and buy a Ruger or a Remington.

 

A 300 win mag is a little much for deer.