Looking for a longer range rifle for deer

[model88_308]

Recoil is very subjective and as much a factor of stock, stock fit and rifle weight as anything else. None of my magnums under .338 bother me at all to shoot, except perhaps my 6 3/4 pound 325WSM. Even my .338RCM feels about the same as my 35 Whelen in very similar configuration.

My 9.3x62 with 285gr does give you a push, as does my BLR in 450 Marlin (also only 6 3/4 pounds sans scope). My .444 is a non issue as is my 1895G, both shooting Hornady LE. I simply am not bothered by some cartridges like the 7mag or 270WSM at all, but I may shoot them a bit more than many others do(??)

The Whelen 22" and 338RCM 20".

 

[Dub]

I'd certainly look at the 180gr Accubond too. As well as Hornady Superformance 165 or 180gr.

It's been years since I've reloaded.

Back then I'd scour the manuals and be fairly up to speed on "my" cartridges....crazy magnums and my pet .270 Win.

After you suggested the 180gr in .30'06, I went and looked them up. They give up very, very little in terms of velocity on the 165gr and in the Accubond & BT they offer excellent ballistic coefficient.

I'm gonna pick up some 165 & 180 and hope that my new '06 rifles like the 180 better.


Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Jester896]

Ammo is available fairly easy.

I think there is a box of 150 Silver Tips around here somewhere I ended up with. Be happy to do a swap if someone needed those....that makes it real easy

 

[lonewolf247]

I think there is a box of 150 Silver Tips around here somewhere I ended up with. Be happy to do a swap if someone needed those....that makes it real easy

That would be easy! If only I had a rifle in that caliber!?

 

[Jester896]

That would be easy! If only I had a rifle in that caliber!?

I can hook you up with that too

 

[rosewood]

Thinking in terms of all sorts of deer hunting conditions and having one load that’ll get’r’dun with confidence.....4 yards to 400 yards.... in a 24” .30’06.

I’m leaning heavily towards the 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip or Accubond.

Is there another bullet I should consider???

Late Father-in-law shot a small 4 point at 20 yards with a 180 grain Nosler ballistic tip. Bullet did not go through. Blew up inside, very little blood trail, but he was dead about 30 yards away. I was totally shocked. I shot a 250+ boar with a 165 SST out of a .308 at about 30 yards, it didn't go through either. DRT though.

I have migrated away from ballistic tips and have gone to Sierra Game Kings. They penetrate well and make a big hole. Have a load with the 150 SGK in my 30-06 running just over 3000 fps using H4350. Seems like the drop at 200 yards is like 2.5" with no wind with a 100 yard zero. Could probably stretch the MPBR to 300 yards if I zeroed at 250 yards.

Rosewood

 

[Darkhorse]

The only round I hunt with in my .308 is the 150 grain Interbond in Hornadys Superformance loading. My elk load in my .300 Win. Mag. is Hornadys 180 grain Interlock at maximum loading. This bullet and load works so good I see no reason to change to a more modern bullet.
For deer in the .300 I always shoot the Hornady 165 grain bullet. Works real well on a thick bodied buck resulting in many DRT kills, but not so good for those thinner does as I've had way too many run a really long way with a behind the shoulder shot. I've loaded some Nosler BT's but haven't gotten a chance at a deer yet.
I've been loading the Nosler 160 grain Ballistic Tip in the 7mm mag. but haven't made a kill yet.
Felt recoil is often made worse by stock shape and dimensions. A good limb saver recoil pad can work wonders here.
A shooters form and skill also affects recoil. I know several guys who shoot the .300 that have scope bite scars from their rifle. Everyone of them could use some training if they weren't to proud to accept it.
As to the 7mm mag. and 300WM, I will admit right off that both of these are a lot of gun. Can be too much gun if the shooter has the wrong attitude and poor form, and fails to practice enough to learn to shoot them.
I've shot my 7mm probably 2,000 rounds since I bought it. The .300 at least 1,000. Before a western hunt I get in at least 500 rounds the 9 months leading to the hunt. Except for load testing all shots are from sitting, standing and prone.
For local hunts where I'll be in the woods I sight in for 200 yards. For powerlines or fields I sight in for 300. The .300 WM really shines at this because in reality it is a very flat shooting caliber.
I've never hunted with the Nosler Accbond so can't give a real world opinion of them. But I have had excellent results with Hornady's Interlock and Interbond.

 

[GT-40 GUY]

Watch this if you don't think a .243 isn't powerful enough for deer.

 

[rosewood]

Assuming a 3000 fps initial velocity, it is still carrying roughly 1900 fps and 850 ft*lbs at that distance. at 2900 FPS initial, roughly 1800 fps and 780 ft*lbs of energy. That is the energy of a hot 357 mag at point blank range or low end 44 mag.

 

[leoparddog]

Watch this if you don't think a .243 isn't powerful enough for deer.

We had a pretty big discussion here about that video a long while back. I think the final judgement was that the shooter hit the doe in the spine. But no matter, DRT is DRT and getting a good hit a 650+ yards is a great shot for almost anyone. I have a buddy who lived in Washington State for about 20 years and he killed multiple Elk with his .243

 

[GT-40 GUY]

When I was in Wyoming with my 6mm Norma BR. shooting Berger 105 VLDs at a 7" steel plate at 700 yards with two retired Navy Seals and myself. We shot 45 shots and only had 1 miss which was mine. I missed on purpose to show the seals that they shot better than me. If you have very good equipment you can do amazing things. The 6 mm Norma BR. is a shortened and blown out .243 case which has a little less velocity then the .243, but is more accurate. My rifle will shoot 5 shots at 400 yards in less than 2 inches.

 

[PopPop]

Just read through this thread, lots of good stuff.
I have a stand that offers shot possibilities to 600 yards. I hunt it with a magically accurate CZ 30.06 and a self imposed 300 yard limit, or a equally accurate Weatherby .257 mag. and a self imposed 400 yard limit.
Both rifles are capable beyond these limits and so am I. There is a factor that current shooting technology cannot overcome at extended ranges, no matter how proficient the shooter and that is what can happen during time of flight. Deer move. Range Targets do not.
Additionally 20-40 round 100 yard range sessions are of nominal value for shots at 300 or more yards. Every variable is much more difficult to solve for without serious and meticulous trigger time at those ranges, and deer move.
My limits are just mine, not judgements on yours.
It would be difficult to choose a poor caliber among today's available choices, mine are set but if I were to consider adding a new one, I would be cautious about choosing the latest fad. I bought and loved a model 70 in 25 WSSM, but I saw what was coming in the Obama years and sold it, the ammo supply in that caliber may have recovered, but I don't think so. Reloading can offset this to a degree, but components can dry up as well. I will always advise maintaining a generous inventory of whatever ammo you shoot.
A prudent Man is well provisioned.

 

[king killer delete]

Go buy you a savage model 10 308 and find you some one to tune it up and adjust that trigger. Find you a load that works figure out the ballistics and go hunt. Never shot in supported and hold your breath and squeeze the trigger. Practice practice practice

 

[Jester896]

Additionally 20-40 round 100 yard range sessions are of nominal value for shots at 300 or more yards.

I beg to differ...20-40 shots at 100 where the exact same techniques are employed as they would be at 600 yards is good trigger time...right there with dry fire, dry fire, dry fire...and not nominal. In fact it is going to give you feedback on your alignment and NPA that dry firing will not.

 

[PopPop]

I beg to differ...20-40 shots at 100 where the exact same techniques are employed as they would be at 600 yards is good trigger time...right there with dry fire, dry fire, dry fire...and not nominal. In fact it is going to give you feedback on your alignment and NPA that dry firing will not.[/QUOTE

100 yard range time really does not prepare a novice shooter for 600 yard field shooting on game. YMMV

 

[Jester896]

I guess I just don't understand how you come to that conclusion for that sentence. "Additionally 20-40 round 100 yard range sessions are of nominal value for shots at 300 or more yards." doesn't mention a novice shooter either, just that 100 yard range sessions are of nominal value.

My buddy and I have been instructing his now wife on shooting techniques and making sure she gets range time. Many 20-40 shot range sessions at 100, 200, 300 as well as days out to 1K. I can't tell you how many times I have seen her polish a very small spot on 600 yd steel. I am not talking about calling wind and ranging targets...strictly shooting. I am reasonable sure you would classify her as a novice. At the PR Expo she had an opportunity to shoot 1 mile. She immediately said she couldn't shoot a mile. I told her it was no different than shooting a 100 yard target....same techniques we taught her applied to this shot. They had the DOPE and he (husband) called her hold. She sent 2 rounds and they both hit surprisingly close to each other in CM of a 20X40 target. I still feel good 100 yard trigger practice can be great practice. It does not equate to taking game...yet repeatable practice and confidence building makes 600 yards easy....which will make taking game out to 600 easier.

 

[PopPop]

I guess I just don't understand how you come to that conclusion for that sentence. "Additionally 20-40 round 100 yard range sessions are of nominal value for shots at 300 or more yards." doesn't mention a novice shooter either, just that 100 yard range sessions are of nominal value.

My buddy and I have been instructing his now wife on shooting techniques and making sure she gets range time. Many 20-40 shot range sessions at 100, 200, 300 as well as days out to 1K. I can't tell you how many times I have seen her polish a very small spot on 600 yd steel. I am not talking about calling wind and ranging targets...strictly shooting. I am reasonable sure you would classify her as a novice. At the PR Expo she had an opportunity to shoot 1 mile. She immediately said she couldn't shoot a mile. I told her it was no different than shooting a 100 yard target....same techniques we taught her applied to this shot. They had the DOPE and he (husband) called her hold. She sent 2 rounds and they both hit surprisingly close to each other in CM of a 20X40 target. I still feel good 100 yard trigger practice can be great practice. It does not equate to taking game...yet repeatable practice and confidence building makes 600 yards easy....which will make taking game out to 600 easier.

The OP said he was a novice. You are backing up 100 yard sessions with longer ranges and doping windage and elevation for that shooter. The basics are important and punching paper is an excellent tool for that. All I am saying is that owning a tool and mastering it are separated by the exact things you and your buddy are doing. And most importantly, deer move.

 

[Jester896]

Sorry...I didn't catch that he was a novice... only that he had developed a recoil sensitivity.

The exact same alignment, natural point of aim, and trigger pull.. and all that encompasses... are used for 100 yard shots as for 1000 yard shots. Anytime you are able to practice that it not of nominal value.

 

[godogs57]

Soo... you have been hunting with a model 94 30/30 and now want to get a rifle that's capable of taking a deer at "several hundred more yards".

Many of the rounds previously mentioned would do the job just fine, but that's only a very small part of the equation. You, yourself, must be capable of making that shot. Dont assume that because you (at some point in the future) have that rifle you are now a "long range hunter". I may be guilty of preaching to the choir but before you take those long shots be sure you put in enough trigger time to be aware of your capabilities and limitations.

 

[Jester896]

I may be guilty of preaching to the choir but before you take those long shots be sure you put in enough trigger time to be aware of your capabilities and limitations.

I couldn't agree more...even if it is only 10-20-40 good rounds per session.