I'm finally getting back into deer hunting after a few years and need advice on which rifle to get (my 30-30 got flooded during Hurricane Katrina). My food plot is about 50 yards long and 40 yards wide. I will mostly be hunting on the plot so I really won't be shooting that far of a distance. I really don't want to go with a 30-30 again. I was originally thinking about getting a 30-06 but after looking at the bullets I am worried that I might destroy too much of the meat at that close of a distance. Do you think I will be fine with a 30-06 or should I go with a smaller caliber rifle? Any recommendations?
I'd feel more than comfortable with a 30-06 at 50 yds
30-30 or 30-06, at close ranges, either one is going to damage meat. You're probably looking more towards a 223 if you really wanted to minimize damage. I'd forget it and pick what you wanted. Just be mindful of where you're placing that bullet.
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Good Shot placement and a lighter grain bullet will minimize any damage to the meat,I use the Remington "Managed Recoil" 125 grain shells in my bolt-action 30-06...less recoil and easier on the meat too!
I also hunt with a Savage 7mm-08 using 140 grain bullets....not really much damage on the meat and I use the Remington shells or Winchester with both utilizing the soft lead points!
If I'm Deer hunting with my Browning Bolt-action .243 Rifle I use 100 grain Hornady Custom Shells and it will put a Deer down with less damage..main thing is to aim broadside at the lungs or lower at the heart!
The 30-30's are great Rifles and with the newer Hornady LeveRevolution Shells it will shot even further out that the regular 30-30 shells,the .223 are great Rifles as well as the .243 which will be a little more powerful,the 7mm-08 are nice with a little more recoil then You get up into the 25-06 .308,.270 and 30-06...I've been seeing a lot more talk about the 6.5 Swede or the Creedmore too....just wondering how those calibers fits in and what felt recoil it would have?
Whatever Rifle You decide on the main thing is to get one that You shoot accurately,You feel comfortable using and that You can handle and manage any felt recoil!
If you are worried about an '06 and meat damage, then a 270 isnt going to help the situation any. Small caliber, high velocity bullets will always do alot of meat damage. I would bet my 7mm mag will do more destruction then my 375H&H will. For the distances you mention, a 30/30 would be ideal, even though you already said no,lol. 308 would be my next choice. Anything else, honestly will be overkill, and do alot more meat tenderizing then you will like.
If you are worried about meat damage then you need a rifle chambered for a cartridge that fires a heavy for caliber bullet at slow to moderate velocities of about 2000 - 2500 fps.
Such as a 45/70, 30-30, 444 Marlin, 6.5X55, 7mm mauser, .338 Federal, 35 Remington, etc...
Big heavy bullets are generally tougher bullets and do not expand nearly as violently as light weight bullets do. Sometimes I take my .338 ultra mag deer hunting here in Florida and you would be surprised how little blood shot meat there is with a 250 grain bullet at nearly 3000 fps. The general misconception is that it would blow the deer in half but just the opposite is true.
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.270 IMO is the best one gun deer hunter's caliber.
You can hunt deer from north, south, east or west with it !
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Which deer rifle?
