Short action Whitetail cartridge

[lomfs24]

My favorite short action whitetail round is a 22-250. However, in the state that I live in now the folks sitting behind a desk somewhere don't seem to think that you can shoot anything with less than a .243. I have seen a couple folks say they like the 260 Rem. and that's what I shot this year and it killed 3 deer. Although my personal opinion is that it's a bit much for whitetail. More on that in a different thread.

[bubbinator]

Favorite right now is new(2 me) Rem 700 HB 308 Sendera/ Burris Range Finder scope I got in a deal for $500. Unbelievable trigger and w/ Hornady 150 Lite Mag SSTs-3000fps from the 26" bbl. shoots 1 moa all day long! I am 63, gun guy/reloader since 1970 so I have taken lots of deer with lots of guns. In Al any 22 Centerfire is legal, and deer are small. I have taken them (all DRT) w/ 221 Fireball/222/223/22-250/220 Swift/243/7mm-08/and 308 on short actions. I admit some were stunts, but to illustrate the point of knowing your rifle and shot placement-my last doe in a greenfield was shot with a Rem 788 in 222/50gr Amax. Down in her tracks! My guest shot a bigger doe with a 300 Weatherby Mag/150gr Rem bullet. and despite the 5" exit wound mid body, it took us 30 minutes to find it in a creekbed close to the greenfield! I'm no sniper, but I reload for all the guns I shoot and that will help you decided what works for you. You shoot more/ experiment more and gain more just plain "gun" experience.

[yooperamoungtrolls]

Both of my go to deer rifles are short actions, a .300WSM on a modle 700 LH action, and a Savage model 16 LH weather warrior in .308win. Ive always been a fan of short actions and I have a personal preference for .30cal for deer. I do have a H&R Ultra Hunter in .243win and have taken deer with it as well.

[wsmitty01]

7-08 for me greatest all round cartridge for game up to elk!!

[jraney]

in my oppinion i would take the 22-250 over any other cartridge, reasons being plenty of power kills deer just as dead as the .270 or 30-30 which i beleive both are extremely hard to beat, but anyhow you can shoot a deer with the 22-250 and IF (and that is a big if) with the almost nonexisting recoil you can see the deer in the scope to see where it goes, but now i will say that the only thing i don't like is it is not a brush gun that is for sure.


j

[68injunhed]

Big fan of all the .308 based cartridges. Not sure I could pick between 7-08 and .243 for favorite whitetail cartridge. They both have their strengths. Probably the 7-08 though. There is a lot to be said for 139grs. of Hornady SP at ~2950 with not much recoil, and 1/2" accuracy.

[bubbinator]

Having used almost all the 22 Centerfires, 243/260/7mm08 and 308, where I hunt (AL) they all will fill the freezer. The S/A round I now enjoy the most is the 7mm08. My wife graduated from a 243 to it and I have a laser-accurate Savage Stryker in 7mm08 that I now hunt with. Will be experimenting with 120gr Vs 140gr bullets this year. FWIW, I've never had to track a deer shot with any of those calibers, but spent a wet rainy night that included vehicle damage due to getting stuck looking for a deer a "hunter"(rich kid w/ non-hunting dad) allegedly hit with a 300Rem Ultra MAg @ 30yds from a shooting house! BTW-It was a miss! A 100% proven trail hound never even barked on a 2 hour search! An other "associate I invited to my lease spent 20 minutes finding/pulling a doe he shot with a 300 WeatherbyMag 180gr from a creek. We then got my deer from my stand/box blind- a bigger doe neck shot with a 222Rem dead in her tracks.

[jraney]

goes to show that shot placement is key. i have really been hearing alot about the 7mm08
i have never shot 1 but have heard only good things about them. do you think
they would work well in wooded areas where a fast moving 22
would not?

[jglover_81]

You mean you can aactually kill a whitetail with a short action cartridge ??? ::)

[lomfs24]

You mean you can aactually kill a whitetail with a short action cartridge ??? ::)

jglover, you can kill a whitetail with a short action cartridge. However, the only way you can get it done is if you are shooting an automatic rifle platform like an AR-10. Triple tap with a .308 will get it done but just barely. ::)

[jglover_81]

Oh ok!! That explains the need for the extended mags lol

[SuperChuck]

my Go-To rifle is always my rem 700 7mm-08. I have .243 and 30-06, but something about the combination of light recoil and almost 30 caliber payload, makes a nice combination in my parts of the woods..

Unfortunately, these last two years, my brother has also made it his Go-To rifle, and when I finally get back to hunting regularly, I'm going to need it back!

SC

[embalmer883]

I'm just about finshed building a 7-08 on an squared, accurized savage model 12. 1.2" bull barrel 20" with a HS precision made for a single shot target action that I'm milling to fit the repeater action. It will wear a simmons master series 44mag 6-21 with target turrets.

Kind of a slow build because of a motorcycle wreck back in june with a C-2 faracture and some paralisis in my left hand. Building the stock with a camera tripod mount in the stock so it will be basicly a one hand operation.

Also a contender carbine in 7-30waters.

[robert d]

If my daughters not looking I'll grab her savage youth modle 7.08 with muzzle brake this is under rated for a good deer gun.

[bubbinator]

+1 on the 7mm-08! My wife shoots a Ruger M77 SS Compact and we have taken several deer with never more than 30 yds of tracking. I hunt with a Savage Stryker 7mm-08 that is scary accurate for a pistol-no deer I see will go far next season!

[montana bob]

I shot 30-06 for years and switched to a 243 and never looked back. As a matter of fact I was at a local gun shop 3 years ago and picked up an A Bolt heavy barrel 243 wssm and couldn't set it back down in fear of someone else getting it before i left the store. I took her home and put a spring kit in the trigger, loaded some ammo, went out and shot a ragged hole and she became my new girl! I started hunting with it loading Barnes bullets and have had great success on both deer and hogs. I'll either hunt with it or my 6.5x55 Tikka this year

[lomfs24]

I think I have talked my kid out of his 6.5x47 Lapua barrel. Which means I will be switching again at the last moment and trying to put together something that will kill a deer. Savage allows me to procrastinate even with shooting. ;D

[Luckus]

My 220 Swift has been killing deer since 1976.

[lomfs24]

Luckus, unfortunately, my state doesn't seem to think you can kill a deer with anything less than a .243 cal bullet. Or else I'd be right there with you with my 22-250.

[Luckus]

My SIL uses a Tikka 22-250 and it works well. I used a 53 gr TSX last year and it worked as advertised.