Short action Whitetail cartridge

[NATTY BUMPO]

Were I getting a short-action rifle it would most likely be in 260 Rem, 7mm-08, or 325 Federal if a non-magnum, or 270 WSM if a magnum.

[masterlink]

I have a .270.but i will admit i have taken more deer with my .243s than any other cal. ;D

[GUNFANATIC]

+1 on the .243. I love a flat shooting, fast bullet.

[chestsprings]

I have shot over 105 deer here in Va. in the last 25 yrs. with my Rem. 6mm. most of them with Barnes "x" bullets.

don't need a mag. to kill small deer. :)

[chunks7mm]

I have shot over 105 deer here in Va. in the last 25 yrs. with my Rem. 6mm. most of them with Barnes "x" bullets.

don't need a mag. to kill small deer. :)


good post....

why i have switched to handguns....deer are not indestructible...just as fragile as humans...just smarter than most...

[Don W]

.243 for me as well. I have never felt like I need more for whitetails, with that said I usually use a .30-06.

[MCKNBRD]

.308 Win....why? I've got plenty of brass, I like .30 caliber holes, and ammo is plentiful...

Plus, I like military cartridges and short actions...

Byrdman

FWIW, I have yet to hear from a deer that I shot with my .308s. They're all DRT or within about 15 yards.

[POPOPEEK]

I have had great luck w. a 25wssm. Nosler Accubonds 110gr, Barnes Tripple XXX 115gr, and Sierra 120gr GameKing. Only shot 3 so far w. this rifle. All 3 were at 75-102 yrds and all 3 dropped in their tracks like they were hit w. a 45-70. Yes, I know it's only a 25cal. It's shot placement that counts.

On the 30' side I am using 180 gr Accubonds and 150gr Hornady InterBond. These are in 308/30-06/300wsm.

[bluhandluke]

+1 on the 7mm-08. Has everything a guy needs to take down deer up to farther than I care to mention, and yet is not so hot as to have bullet blowups on the close stuff.


+1

A light weight mtn. rifle can be a versitile tool chambered in 7mm-08.

[tammons]

I guess this is more of an overall suggestion based on two of the above comments.

A .338 whatever will bowl them over.

I cant really think of any other big bullet cartridge that you can shoot from 160 grain bullets (barnes for deer) to 210-225-250 grain bullets for Elk, moose, large boars and bear and 300 grain round soft points for extra stopping power.

I have a 338/284 and its got a decent speed advatage on the 338 fed. Handloaded its not too far off the factory 338 magnum loads with less powder.

Loaded hot you can pretty much kill anything on the planet although not sure if I would want to face down a water buffalo with one.

The best bullet match for the fed is around 210gr - 225 gr.
Best match for the 338/284 is From 225gr - 250 gr

A good thing to keep in mind if you want more speed, is a 08 anything can be straight reamed to a /284 wildcat of the same caliber, IE 7mm-08 to 284, 338 fed to 338/284 etc.

Right now with the 338/284 I am only shooting 160 gr Barnes tipped bullets and 250 gr Game Kings (relatively cheap at $22 for 50)

Plan to try out some 300's some time soon.

The 338 250 gr GK has a SD of .313, and the 300 a SD of .375.
The 338/284 with the 250 gr GK carries 2000 fpe out just past 300 yards.

All that said I have to give +1 to savageboy and the 7mm-08 recommendation.
Thats my other go to gun.
Low recoil and they shoot.

I have been shooting 162 gr amaxes and what a nice bullet. Big BC and big SD. Went right through a 225# boar hog at 300 yards. RL17 should give me an extra 100-200 FPS if I can ever find any.

The 162 gr 7mm amax has a BC .625 and SD of .387 and fairly inexpensive at $29/100
IMO its just about the perfect deer cartridge.
With that bullet at my current load it holds 1200 fpe out to about 700 yards with a 21" barrel.

[44magyota]

7mm-08 for anything here in the valley and my 7mm rem mag for anything east....for those long range knock down shots.

[tenwalker]

Winchester featherweight in 250-3000.

[bigngreen]

My personal favorite is the 250AI, the 243 was good but for deer there is just something about the 250AI that is super effective. I also shoot a 270WSM and there is not even a question there but for normal hunting distance it could be a little over kill.

[Gun Geek]

308 -

1) Easy to get ammo, lots of choices in 30cal bullets, handload or factory
2) A light weight gun doesn't beat you up with recoil,
3) Good to 300 yds (usually more than you need east of the Mississippi)
4) Bigger holes are more effective (guess that'll start a fight) - tip of the hat to anything in .338

[J.Baker]

I still rely on good'ol Holly. She's a 30-30 10-gauge side-by-each Tomahawk over/under with cruise control, better known as the Model IRS-BS. The Inter-swamp Radio-Active Scud-busting Sidearm with a 30,000 gigawatt deer shiner and cigarette lighter in the butt.;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PeQmiHB1Hc

[MAGNUS]

LMAO

i want one does it come in other calibres? ;D

[1Shot]

Has anyone tried the .338 Federal for deer yet?
It's a necked up .308 as far as I know. Could be a hard hitting shorty.


...With 200 grainers it's DRT.. ;)....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v692/sqek/338fed.jpg

[hickhall]

i would recommend 250 savage i bought one this summer in the model 14 savage. and loaded 100gr barnes tsx over 37.5gr w760. [sub moa] my nephew 8 yrs old shoots it with no recoil problem. he dropped a doe in her tracks at 130yds. my daughter dropped a buck in his tracks 182yds. hope this helps[/img]

[troglodyte]

.308 out of a Stevens 200. Why? Because it's what I have.

[tammons]

I am a recent 308 convert.
I have hunted for years with all sort of cartrides, mostly 30-06, 243, 6.8 spc, 223, 7mm-08, 338 etc etc.

The 308 is nice, because its easy to download 110 gr vmax or tsx bullets as low as 2500 fps for youth or light recoil, 130 gr TTSX is just a great bullet with little recoil. A real whacker. Load up some 180r or 200 r round nose for the brush.

My rifle shooting 110 gr vmaxes at 2950 will shoot 1/2".

I am into 18"-19" barrels for a carry rifle so I am probably going to chop mine.