Outdoors columnist Tom Lounsbury is pleased to see the recent change for firearm deer hunting starting in the fall of 2026.

If you like to hear folks squabble, just ask your hunting buddies if the 223 Remington is up to the job of deer hunting. You’ll get plenty of opinions and maybe some cussing and finger pointing, too.

A new hunting analysis highlights that many older deer rifles remain more practical than modern alternatives, despite advances in rifle design. Classic bolt-action and lever-action models often excel ...