saltfisher

I hunt in PA, and would like something with some knock down power. I sold a 30-30 which treated me well, but didnt have the knock down power I was looking for. I hunt all state game lands, so dont want the deer going far as people are always close by. One year I got a good shot on a deer with my 30-30 and it ran about 150 yrd. I heard a shot down the mountain, and another hunter claimed it. Already gutted and dragging by the time i got down there. So.... I want something with knock down power. Im thinking of a rem 760 pump in a 30-06. What do you guys think I should go with? I want to shoot accuratly as possable. I dont do alot of long range shooting, but some places I go I may have to shoot 100+ yrds. But most of the time it should be under 100 yrds. Hunt whitetail. Are there any differences between a 30-06 and a 308? Or are they basicly the same? Im looking to spend about $400. Consistant accuracy/knock down power is my main concern.

Thanks

bronko22000

Salt - I'm sorry but the term 'knock down power" is mis-leading. (Unless you hit an animal in the head with a sedge hammer.) What you are looking for is a cartridge that delivers enough energy to provide shock to the muscle, circulatory and nervous system. This shock is the energy transferred from the bullet. Your 30-30 has and will continue to kill a lot of deer every year. I know what it is like hunting in PA. We do have a lot of hunters and some areas get pretty jammed up.
I've shot a lot of deer with a 243, 270, 7-08, 308, and 30-06. Most of them shot with the 243 and 270 drop where they stood. The one I shot with my 7-08 never got out of his bed. The only deer that ever went any distance when shot were with the 308 and 30-06 - but usually no more than 50 yds.
The point I am trying to make is that it isn't only the bullet/cartridge that kills quicky. You, as the shooter, have to do your part and put it in the proper place. What I do and told my son and any young shooter is to visualize a basketball setting between the shoulders and aim just below the center of it. This placement will surely take out both lungs and one or two major arteries.
Any cartridge from .243 on up to 30-06 will be adequate.
Good luck with your selection and practice shooting from hunting positions.

eldeguello

Knock-doen power is mostly a fairy tale! No rifle you can fire from the shoulder can hit a game animal any harder than it hits your shoulder when you fire it. To do so, it would have to violate Newton's Third Law of motion.

What causes any game animal to "be knocked down" by a bullet isthe animal's nervous system's reaction to the trauma caused by a high-velocity bullet. In this regard, the .308 Winchester and the .30/'06 are pretty much identical. Both are excellent for all North American game except the great bears, of which they ain't any in PA. If you place a bullet from either one well, the animal will not travel very far, if at all. Both are quite superior to the .30/30. I recommend the 150-grain bullet in both calibers, and you DO NOT need a premium bullet for whiitetail deer.

In addition to the .308/.30/'06, the .280 Remington, .270 Winchester, and the .25/'06 are also good for putting a deer down quickly!

Doe Dumper

I agree 100% with what Bronko said. Thats my experience as well.

ButchA

I have both a Marlin .30-30 rifle (open sights) and a Savage .308 rifle (Bushnell 3-9x40 scope). I will tell you right now, the .308 blows the .30-30 away in a heartbeat. The .308 is so wickedly accurate and legendary - that's why it is referred to as the .308 NATO round - the military has used/still uses it.

rifle_man

Go with a 308 but use good bullets like Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullets.

But if you would like to have morefoot pounds of energygo with a Mag like a 270 wsm or 300wsm or 7mm rem mag.

But if you dont like a mag My all time best is a 270 win.

cooper_m22

Go with a 280 rem you will love it.
I like the 308 more than the 30-06

Scott Gags

If you are never going to hunt elk or similar large game I would choose one of the 308 based cartridges. 243, 260 rem, 7mm-08 or 308. The 7mm-08 and 140 grain bullet is a super white tail combination.

firstshot

Ditto on what Scott said. But more specifically, go with the 7mm-08 and don't look back.

firstshot
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Make your first shot count!

stalkingbear

Since I'm a diehard 7mm diameter bullet for deer(when not bowhunting),I'll agree with the last 3 guys. A 7mm bullet fired from same case as a .30 bullet will be slightly flatter shooting,do everything you need on deer,and all with less recoil.