Oldtimr

.270, .308. Actually, when I shoot my 45-70 at the range I don't mind the recoil. When I am shooting at an animal, I don't even feel the recoil. People who mind or are afraid of recoil, think about it too much which in turn makes their expectations come true. If you hold you gun properly and pull it in to your shoulder, an average adult male should not be bothered by recoil of any of the 30 caliber rifles.

super_hunt54

Why would you feel the .243 would be too small? The little .243 has downed TONS of whitetail all over the country. With today's bullet technology, the .243 shines as an exemplary cartridge for whitetail. It's ALMOST as good as the 7mm-08 (not a legal cartridge in Indiana) and more than acceptable. If it is literal "rifle size" that concerns you, they aren't just fitted to junior stocks. Many full size adult rifles on the market in .243 caliber. I started all my kids out with .243's in PA and TN and my youngest daughter still practices out to 600 yards with hers. Sometimes further. The kid (she's in her 20's but still my baby so "kid" it is ) can shoot!

TN Lone Wolf

As far as strange caliber restrictions go, I think Indiana now takes the cake. And no, I'm not saying that because as a 270 fan I dislike its exclusion. Okay, maybe I am. Seriously, though, if someone would kindly explain the reasoning behind this, I'd love to read it.

At least it's a step in the right direction. Maybe once the game department sees no harm is done, they'll open your gun season to all .22 or .24 and up calibers.

indiana deer hunter

I litterally just went through this get a 308 doesn't best you up in the least it's almost identical to the 243 except the bullet the cartridge is the same just not necked down and it's fairly flat shooting to 200 yds a really good choice

Oldtimr

No the .308 is not almost identical to the .243. One is a 30 caliber and the other a 24 caliber and that makes quire a difference. I bought my grandson a .243 to start deer hunting with because there is little felt recoil and it will take deer. However, the .308 will do more than the .243 and shoot heavier bullets and has substantially more felt recoil. Both use a .308 cartridge but that is where the similarity ends.

Topgun 3006

Exactly Oldtimr! Anyone who makes a statement about them being similar needs to start looking at ballistic charts because the felt recoil of a .308 with the much heavier bullets it uses is not even close to the lower ft/lbs produced by a .243. I can shoot my .243 all day like shooting a BB gun. My 25-06 that's a necked down 30-06 also has very minimal felt recoil. Move up to and shoot the .308 and 30-06 that have pretty similar ballistics and there is quite a difference in ft/lbs of felt recoil, as well as what's put out the barrel.

flyinlowe

I've just read from several sources that it is not the ideal caliber does not have the best knock down power for whitetail. Again I am new to rifles so could be wrong. Curious what others think about the .243 for deer.

super_hunt54

Well having personally seen LOTS of deer taken with the .243 I can tell you from an educated and non biased standpoint that the little ole .243 is plenty of gun to take whitetails. They aren't armor plated. As I stated previously, with many of today's bullets, it is an exemplary round to use for whitetail. If you don't reload your own, and I am assuming you don't being as you are new to rifles, there are quite a few factory cartridges specifically for whitetail deer on the market that you should try and see if your rifle likes (that's if you end up getting one). Here are just a few http://www.hornady.com/store/243-Win...rLock-BTSP-AW/ I'm a big hornady fan so of course that's first

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/338...moly-box-of-20

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/290...in-power-point

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/156...tail-box-of-20

Now that's just a FEW that are DEDICATED whitetail deer cartridges designed with them in mind. I personally would suggest if/when you decide, if on a .243, you get a barrel with a twist rate of 1:9 to stabilize the 95-105 grain bullets that are designed for whitetail.

The .243 meets and well exceeds every one of your requests. Light recoil, capable of downing whitetail with ease, most every rifle manufacturer makes them and they can be found in lightweight packages or longer range heavy rigs built for the bench. Ammo is easily found all over the country in every walmart and they make rounds for varmint as well as whitetail so the round is versatile.

Put your shot where it's supposed to go and you will have meat at the end of the hunt.

Topgun 3006

No such thing as "knock down power"! That's a beautiful little rifle you've got there hookeye!

flyinlowe

Still looking at rile choice, again I am still learning. I was talking to a guy the other day about concerns I had with the .308 due to the distance they travel, etc. He told me the .243 is actually a light faster bullet that would travel further then the heavier .308. He stated if the distance was an issue he would choose the .308 (he said he would choose that one anyway). If I end up getting a rifle to hunt with this year I would only take it to the places I hunt from a stand, and not from the ground. A few of the farms I hunt have open fields where the range of a rifle would be good, however there are houses and other hunters with woods within a mile or less.