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Help chosing a new deer rifle?

7K views 28 replies 11 participants last post by  justin7825 
#1 ·
I have a 243 and a 30.06 and love them both and have killed deer with both of them but i am wanting something a litttle bigger that can rach out a little further and doesnt lose alot of muzzle energy. im looking at a 300 win mag, 300wbymag, 7mm rem mag, or 300wsm. Ive never ventured into anyof theses guns, so i dont know alot about them so any help and comments are welcomed!
 
#3 ·
I just got a Winchester M70 Sporter 7mm rem mag and I love it. The kick is nice and smooth and it is crazy accurate. A buddy of mine hunts with a Remington 700 7mm rem mag and loves it also (I've shot it, it is very nice). My gun might end up being a little bit more accurate, but nothing crazy different. If you decide to go the 7mm rem mag route, go with a wood stock, syth is not bad, but the wood is very nice. Good luck!!! :w00t:
 
#4 · (Edited)
Now there's a way to open up a nice can of worms...:wink: Lots of opinions from lots of people on this type subject. First off, if you are simply looking for a new flat-shooting rifle for deer-sized game, then I'd agree that you likely do not need to move up to the .300 mags. There are a couple of flat shooters that will still stay reasonable in recoil, but allow you a bit more flat trajectory.

First one I'd mention would be the 6.5/.284, a newly SAMMId wildcat that is all the rage for long range target shooting, but is also an awesome long range hunting number too. Bullets are readily available from about 110gr to 160gr with 120-140gr being the most typical hunting weights. You can shoot a 120gr TSX, 125gr NP, 130gr Accubond or a 140 Nosler Partition (lots of others available too). All loads with good bullets in these weight classes will fly very flat and my experience with it's ballistic twin (6.5 RM) is that it's recoil is relatively mild. I'd recommend this cartridge to someone wanting to do their own reloading.

To my shoulder, and in like rifles, the 6.5/.284 recoils like a 165gr/.308 while providing 3100+ FPS with 120s and 2900+ FPS with 140s and all with excellent SDs. Next up for deer-sized game again would be the .270 WSM. Housed in a S/A (of course), it may end up being a tad more compact than some .270 Win rifles, while providing an extra 200+ FPS to typical .270 Win loads. Again, this is still a relatively mild recoiler and I find it no problem at all at the bench, similar to .308 or 30/06 shooting 180s, I'd say. This is an excellent, flat shooting number!

Now, if you're thinking game bigger than deer, then the .300 mags have a definite up-side. If you are not, they will still get the job done, and done very well, but will recoil a bit more than need be(?). I've owned two different .300SMs and collected deer with both. Neither buck was particularly far away, with one on either side of 100 yards, but boy they put a whoopin' on those deer, dropping both in their tracks (something that makes me smile). So, I could hardly argue with why someone would want to use a .300 mag as in my experience they work very very well. Personally, I'd prefer a .300 SM (or .270WSM) to a full length 7mm RM, as the rifle will be a bit more compact and recoil about the same in similar bullet weights (at least to my shoulder)

Good Luck!
 
#7 ·
Thanks for all the comments. My dad and I hunt whitetail and muledeer but the majority of it beig mulie. We both shoot 180 grain bulletts out of 30.06s and i shoot 100grain out of my 243 and have killed the majority of my deer with my 243. With that being said the mule deer i killed last year field dressed 260lbs so he was a big boy and i dropped him with my 243. But i want to start getting into bigger game such as elk and i know i will need a little more knock down power. but if i go to higher grain bullet in my 30.06, should i even buy anew or will my 30.06 have enough power to drop one?
 
#9 ·
For me the 180gr in a 30-06 is not my most favorable grain weight bullet. For many years I used only the 150 gr. Nowadays, I think I would move up to the 165gr. I rarely shoot the 30-06's anymore and it's a shame because it will harvest most game without problems. I do have about 3-4 full factory boxes of 180gr 30-06, Dad like them, that I would be willing to sell if anyone is interested, just pm me and we'll work something out.
 
#10 ·
Your 30-06 maybe all you need....

Have you considered just trying the new Hornady Superformance ammo or hotter handloads. The new high performance loads are very close to the same velocity and energy of the 300 Win mag. I would only be looking at this route if you have a 30-06 that is setup for long range with a good trigger and quality scope. I know that the default loadings for the 30-06 are very conservative, there is alot of headroom available with reloading.

Karl
 
#11 ·
thanks again for all the help. i might just try some better ammo. but you know how it is, sometimes you just want something new to add to the collection. haha. I think ill go this weekend and buy some different types of ammo and try it out. Ill post up pics of the results and let ya know what I have found out!
 
#12 ·
Seems like you want a new gun, as do we all. I would say either bridge the gap get a .270 win. I have droped everthing in N. America with my .270. I use hand loads and can reach out and touch anything comfortably whith in 300yrds. Or get the 300 Win Mag, but I am 6' 2" 240lbs and shoot all the time and I hate the kick that my Savage 110 300 mag put out so much I hardly ever take it out. It will go like this.
1st shot-Wow
2nd Shot-Wow that was really what I felt
3rd Shot-Och ok Im DONE

Well at least thats the way I felt.
 
#14 ·
We all have had the urge to buy another rifle...

I understand completely the NEED to go out and spend some of your hard earned cash on a new blaster. The only suggestion that I have is stay with a non magnum in a quality bolt action mounting a great scope. Your current rifles in 30-06 and .243 I bet are nice and you are comfortable with them. Buying something like a new Weatherby Ultra Light in say .270 Win or 30-06 would be a very nice upgrade. This would set you back ~1200-1500 dollars, a good scope would cost another 400-500 dollars. The standard calibers in either 270 Win or 30-06 will do anything the magnums do at 300 yards. Shooting non magnums is alot more fun at the range than magnums.

Karl
 
#15 ·
Both my 243 and 30.06 are both 760 gamemasters and are absolutley amazing but i want to get a bolt action so it will be a solid stock making it just that much more accurate. im big into function as well as looks and i really really want a remington 700bdl.I ve always wanted one and that prolly what ill get. but im still torn between a 270 and a 308 bc from what im hearing the 300 mag seem to be the least favorite. haha
 
#16 ·
I think you would be happy purchasing a rifle/bullet combo that is specific to the game being hunted. If you get too big then you may not enjoy the recoil experience and you already have a 243 so going smaller makes no sense. The 300wm is perfect for elk or big muleys, Canadian whitetails, so having one would fill a variaty of situations. Most times we purchase stuff that we think we need and in most cases we already have the guns that fill our needs sitting in the cabinet. I will be the first one to say I purchase firearms just because I don't have that caliber or something I've always wanted from a collecting desire. Bottom line, whatever makes you happy as a hunter and is legal to use go for it and hopefully it's what you expected.
 
#19 ·
I have several guns, different calibers, and my current #1 for deer, and probably about anything is the 7-08. I have a TC Venture, and it shoots very well, 1/2" at 100 yds, and that's probably what I'm going to get another one of. Inalso have Ruger M77 in that caliber. Then my 2 sons and I can use the same shells, etc. with the lower price on the Venture, you can splurge on the scope. My 2 cents worth. Have fun shopping!
 
#20 ·
Forget the 300 mag.A little story,One day a friend and I were lounging against an old cattle barn on a hillside eating lunch.I was hunting with a Marlin 30-30 and he had a custom 300 mag.I'm 6'1'' and 185 lbs.,He's 5'6'' and about 130 lbs.There's frost on the grass.So anyway,it's doe season and a line of doe come trotting across the meadow on the opposite hillside about 120 yds away.He's on my right and I say wait till they stop and you take the first one and I'll take another one.So, they stop before entering the woods and he shoots and misses and slides around on the grass.I shot at two and dropped them both before he recovered.He told me he only fired two shots out of that rifle before hunting.I'm guessing it was because of the recoil.The land owner was glad to have the herd reduced and we each took a deer home.
 
#21 ·
I have a M70 in 300 WM. I highly recommend the cartridge as long as you know what you are getting into. It is by no means over kill for white tails or mulies. I have taken many whitetails, prairie dogs, pigs and even a buffalo with it.

It does have significant felt recoil and if you are sensitive to it, don't buy one.

It gives you the versatility to hunt nearly everything in North America with one gun.

Sounds like you want a new toy, been there more times than I would admit to my wife!
 
#22 ·
So we just had a new neighbor move in next to us and we got to talking and it turns out hes a huge hunter and gun collector and just so happens to have every caliber of gun ive been looking at. So he and i are going to the local range this weekend and hes gonna let me shoot them all and see which one i like the best. this should help with decision alot!
 
#25 ·
well we went and shot the guns and i hadnt thought about a .308 but my neighbor brought one out and i think thats what im gonna go with. the gun was extremely accurate and flat shooting. i read up on the ballistics and they have some of the best ballistics ive seen. what do you guys think?
 
#28 ·
A note on rifles chambered for 308 Win

One item you need to think about when manufactures chamber for the 308 they sometimes save money by blocking the bolt travel and internal magazine well for the shorter than standard length (30-06) case. This means that the rifle that should be 1/2 to 3/4 inch shorter ends up being the same length and weight. The forward scope base also will be in closer on a short action rifle compaired to a standard (30-06) length one. This will make your choice of scopes much larger. Some scopes have a rather short tube and require special ext rings to get the proper eye relief.
For this reason I often point out if a shooter wants a given rifle selection where they are using the same standard length action for both the 308 and 30-06 that they might as well elect to go with the 30-06 over the 308. The 308 Win is a great cartridge it offers some advantages over the standard length 30-06, but the 30-06 also can fire some bullet weights the 308 can't.

Karl
 
#29 ·
well i would watch youtube to see the rifles ballistics and being used that is how i chose a 7mm mag after watching hunting and shooting videos plus some show them using balistic gell and long range kills and target shot plus choosing ammo is on there to good luck justin:yes:
 
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