Which deer rifle?
 

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 do believe u would be best served by a 308/ 7/08 or a 243 all will do the job u need,ammo's not to bad either , recoils not bad either good luc:party0005:

I'd feel more than comfortable with a 30-06 at 50 yds :D
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.

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!

Inside of 50??? Take a low neck shot, little meat damage...

I use a .243, still messes up shoulders if they are hit, best
to put it in the ribs and track a bit if terrain permits...

Thanks for your opinions. I've been reading different reviews online and i'm really leaning toward a .270 now.

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.

Forgot all about the 45/70. Makes a nice half inch cookie cutter hole thru the deer, with little meat loss.

.270 IMO is the best one gun deer hunter's caliber.

You can hunt deer from north, south, east or west with it !

BINGO

Last thing you want to do is light grain for caliber for in tight/close shots as suggested a 125gr with the 06.
A .270 is a great caliber but it really is designed for further shooting then 50 yards, don't get me wrong loaded with a 150gr bullet it'll dance with any deer from feet to hundreds of yards just saying if this is your only use it may not be the best for you/your situation. Pretty hard to argue with a lever 30/30, .35, .44 or 45 in this case...JMO

The 30.06 will be fine. If you want something with a little less kick and will kill deer just fine go with a 308.

Based upon your initial info, with shots in the 50-100 yard range, you'd be served very will with a 30/30 Win. However if you want to get away from the 30/30 Win., then I'd agree with Bigbulls .... and personally lean towards the 45/70 Gov., 35 Rem., or 444 Marlin.

Here in my neck of the woods I would be lucky to get more than a 50yd shot on anything except for one small pasture that is about 100yds by about 40 yds.

So with this in mind i have elected to use a SKS shooting 125gr soft points. I know a lot of people compare the 7.62x39 to 30/30. So from my standpoint this is just another option for you to consider. Plus you can get cheap plinking ammo to practice with.

+1

The .308 is also known for it's lethal accuracy!

.30-06
.308
.270
etc...etc...

The deer won't know any difference. All 3 rounds (and others) will drop a deer in its tracks, if you do your part.

For me, I am a fan of the legendary .308 round. There is just something about it... It is available everywhere, and can be cheap priced as well.

If you hunting in MS.. Look into a Single Shot break open in 35 Rem.. Then you can use it as a primative weapon also.. Other options would be a 7mm-08

I have to agree with Bigbulls and the others who recommended what are usually called "Brush Guns". With 50 yard average shots and probably in the woods, that is their best area of effectiveness. That is what a "Brush Gun" is for. Since you do not want a 30-30, some of your better choices are:

35 Remington
45-70
444 Marlin
450 Marlin

These are big slow bullets that generally knock an animal down with authority. Cor Bon makes more powerful versions for some of them. The idea is to have the bullet expend all it's energy in the animal. Pass throughs may leave a better blood trail but, if you do your part, you will see the deer drop.

A 44 Mag Carbine would be great too. One of Rugers semi autos or a Marlin or Winchester lever action perhaps. Of course the 35 Remington is a classic medium range deer caliber, more power than a 30-30 but not too destructive on the meat. Heck if your only shooting out to 50 yards a handgun would do just fine.

If you use factory ammo loaded with bullets like Barnes, Hornady GMX, Or Nosler E-tip's. Effective and no meat loss, You can use whatever cartridge you want and leave the gross overbores for the buffalo hunting they were designed for.:throw:

Think you will find less meat damage with a slow 45/70, which is farther from overbore than an '06. Even using copper bullets, if you use the weight range for the game, and caliber selected, you will see meat damage, especially at the close ranges the OP wants to shoot at. Better to use the 45/70 cookie cutter thru the deer, then a small bore high velocity round that relies on hydroshock to work. Now if you want a buffalo gun, I have a 375H&H, but you will find minimal meat damage on deer with it as well.

Another vote for the 45/70 Thor's Hammer

Plus one vote for the 45/70, 44 mag, 45 colt, 30-30, and 35 whelen.
Flying out of a lever gun from marlin, henry, or winchester.

Damaged Meat?
 

There seems to be lots of concern about damaged meat from larger bullets.

Most of my deer have been taken with a copper, hollow point slug. They are about 325 grains traveling at 1450 FPS with 2040 lbs of energy. Not too different from some of the big bore center fire "brush" calibers. They go right through creating nice holes which make a nice trail. I have never had any significant meat loss.

If you put the shot where it is supposed to go, you are good. If you pull a shot and blast bone all over, that is your fault and, most any bullet will have the same effect.

Check with your butcher. He has seen them all.

Big,

I always love it, when someone makes it simple !

"If you put the shot where it is supposed to go, you are good. If you pull a shot and blast bone all over, that is your fault and, most any bullet will have the same effect. " BB

Cartridges I'd suggest are all on the 308 case or smaller. 243win 85gr to 100gr bullets, 260Rem 120gr to 140gr bullets, 7-08 Rem 139/140gr bullets, 308 Win 165gr to 180gr bullets. There is also the 300 Savage, probably pretty hard to find ammo for.

I have avoided anything on other than the 308 case. Go to those on the 30-06 case and they are fine but with the ranges your talking about, add nothing to the search except more velocity and you sure don't need that.

Actually, I've never used one, but a 12ga with buckshot or slugs would work well for you. There are 12ga shotguns made with rifled barrels for using slugs. If you decide to try birds, you can swap out the barrel for a smooth bore.

There are a whole lot of other choices not only on the 30-06 case but also belted cases and new short magnum cases. They are all overkill for what you want.

I have to ask, why don't you want a 30-30? A Marlin 336 in 30-30 with a 2-7 scope would be perfect for your situation. Of course if what you want is the 30-06, then that's what you should buy. Just about any centerfire rifle will kill a deer and all of them will ruin some meat. Try and shoot behind the shoulder and you only lose some rib meat.

You don't mention if you have other firearms or not and wether or not you might want to do some small game hunting.

But if you were, for the range you'll be shooting, I'd go with a 20 guage shotgun. Remington 870 has a combo out for a reasonable price. With good sabots the deer won't have a chance.

Just a thought. Then you would have a dual purpose firearm.

HA

The advice about bigger bullets and slower speed is sound if you wish to damage less meat. The 35 Remington is an excellent modest range deer killer. My first deer rifle was a 336 Marlin in 35 rem. I have used a 270 for decades and it kills deer rapidly but has a long history of meat damage. I recently bought a 338 Federal and guess it will kill deer very effectively, but has more power than needed for close range deer shooting.

I bought my son a 7mm08 with a Leupold VX-II 3-9 x 40. Sweet. He's shot at 5 deer and all five dropped right in their tracks.

here in ohio you are allowed to use straight walled cartridges. i have used & taken deer with the 444 marlin 45/70 460 smith but my favorite straight walled is the 450 bushmaster aka the thumper.all of the deer i have shot were drt except the 444 marlin it ran aprox 50 yrds. have you given a 50 cal muzzleloader a thought.sure you don't have a quick second shot but a well placed bullet you won't need it . also there is a special feeling when you take one with a muzzy.i was hunting the day on a deer damage property & at dusk had 14 deer cross in front of me @ 30 yrds i shot the biggest deer in the bunch. only had 1 shot. but dropped her right there. sure i could of popped my be 3 others with my rifle but then i would of been out of deer damage permits. just like going out & being in the woods

If your looking for a deer rifle for moderate ranges and your concerned with limiting the meat loss from projectile fragmentation, Ive used a great many different weapons on deer hunts and if your object it hunting deer at rather typical ,ranges of approximately 50-80 yards and looking too minimize edible,
meat damaged, I remind you that a fast expanding projectile that fragments, like some of the 243, 270, 30/06, and similar cartridges, if the wrong projectile is selected, (varmint type projectiles generally light weight for caliber) lack penetration,
but still tend to destroy a significant,amount of the surrounding tissue , reasonably large and heavy for bore diameter projectiles pushed to moderate velocity's (1400 fps-1900 fps) tend to punch holes without destroying large adjacent area damage, thus meat loss is minimal if careful shot placement is considered.. a hard cast bullet, heavy for caliber pushed to 1400 fps - 1600 fps, from a 44 mag , 45/70, 444 marlin, 450 marlin, or 45lc,
fired from a marlin or similar rifle will provide you,with all the range power and lethality needed with minimal recoil.
obviously where you place the shot maters

and a heart/lung shot or neck shot at those closer ranges limits the loss of good meat
Ive used a 310 grain lee gas check bullet in a 44 mag loaded over 21 grains of H110 for decades, a more powerful option,



THIS SAVAGE rifled 12 ga IS AN EXCELLENT GUN
these bolt action shotguns have rifled bore designed to stabilize slugs,
Id prefer the 12 ga, YES THERES A LOWER RECOIL 20GA VERSION




if your looking for an all around rifle that can be used for deer, hogs, and even elk and ranges are very un-likely to exceed 250 yards I think one of the best potential options is a BROWNING BLR in caliber 450 marlin.

pistol caliber carbines are best used at under about 120 yards.
use of a decent quality scope on any of the other options listed, helps a great deal,as good optics are critical to effective hunting weapon use.and matching it to a very good quality scope like a nikon scope like this makes any shoulder weapon more effective.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/13...10x-50mm-matte