rodregier
Member
I handload a clone of the Hornady .308/125 lite for my aluminum receiver BLR in .308 using H4895. Makes it much more enjoyable to repeatedly fire on the range.
.308 has a kick?
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illinoisburt
Member
A 243 for deer is perfectly fine choice. People use the 100 grain partitions for elk all the time, and they will work wonders on any deer you find in North America. Just stay away from the varmit rounds that are commonly available for the cartridge when you are buying hunting ammo.
Mosin Bubba
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Good point. Major newbie warning there that bears repeating: 243 often has lighter rounds meant for varmints sold right besides heavier rounds meant for deer. OP, you're getting a lot of different recommendations as far as calibers - 243, 6.5 CM, 30-30, you name it - but bottom line is they'll all work if you make a good shot. One of the only ways you could actually screw up is by shooting a deer with a varmint bullet.
Pay attention to the box, but if in doubt, anything under 85gr is probably a varmint load. 100gr and 95gr are the standard weights for deer loads. I shoot 100gr Core-Lokts - they're more "default option" than "best choice ever", but they still work
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Koroner
Member
I'm 5'6" and 138 so when I competed with my Pedersoli Quigley I gave up after 24 rounds of 550gr .45-70 because I had started to flinch with each shot .
That was years ago and, although order to delivery time was near three years (!!) I finally got a Sharps Shiloh with a 34" twenty-five pound barrel. I can shoot .45-70 all day long now. I'd never attempt to tote it around in the field, but off the bench it is a dream.
If I was going after deer (actually there are far more antelope on my ranch) I think my bull barreled Remington in .22-250 with a high performance hunting round would be fine and still reasonable to carry.
You got lots of good advice on this thread. Its what this place is about.
That was years ago and, although order to delivery time was near three years (!!) I finally got a Sharps Shiloh with a 34" twenty-five pound barrel. I can shoot .45-70 all day long now. I'd never attempt to tote it around in the field, but off the bench it is a dream.
If I was going after deer (actually there are far more antelope on my ranch) I think my bull barreled Remington in .22-250 with a high performance hunting round would be fine and still reasonable to carry.
You got lots of good advice on this thread. Its what this place is about.
FL-NC
Member
I don't like recoil either- especially when suffering through it isn't necessary. I bought my first 6.5 CM last year, and I took a nice 6 point with it last Friday (yes, we are in the last week of deer season here). The 6.5 CM is very versatile for most applications in the lower 48. My rifle is a Ruger American($400 rifle). It shoots better than 1" groups at 100 yards with 140 grain Federal nontypical white tail, which is about $17 a box at academy sports. I have also fired the Ruger American in 308, and the 6.5 CM is much more pleasant to me.
Stew0576
Addicted
I've been doing load development for this same model rifle and am getting 1.5 inch groups at 300 yards, that's with 140grain hornady sst, have a nice muzzle brake on it, love the low recoil of this rifle
Newtosavage
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Ruger American in 6.5 CM should probably be the new "all-American" rifle. I mean, it can do 99% of what is needed either on the range or in the field, at a cost that is nearly impossible to beat.
AJC1
Member
A gun for hunting and target shooting can be very difficult to select. If your in a stand and the deer are close a pistol cartridge would not wreck your meat and you could shoot it all day at the range, assuming you could afford that much ammunition. 357, 44 and 45 colt will all take down a dear inside 150. I shoot 308 with a pacmar magnum decelerator boot on the stock. Makes it sooo much nicer.
My shoulder was sore for about an hour after. It went away before dinner. I think getting up and just moving helped the soreness go away. But yes it felt like someone had clocked me in the shoulder.
Im going to ask by buddy to take me to the range again and shoot that .308 before I make my final decision. I’ll grab a 1” cheek riser and try that out. Maybe someone will have a .243 or 6.5 I can try but I doubt it.
Theres some new tech out there, but I still like the Pachy Decelerator. I have a couple of those installed, as well as an older limbsavers, limbsavers airtech, and Kickeez.
The Kickeez is on my .375 Ruger which is about 8lbs, and so far I havent had anyone NOT shoot that gun twice...or more. Ive looked back and been clean out of ammo a couple times. There are some down sides to the sorbothane pads tho. The have a relatively short life span, get sticky, take set....and DIE!
Usually within a couple years of installation. My Kickeez is still fine, but im expecting to change in in the semi near future
gotboostvr
Member
My 16" 44mag R92 carbine thumps my shoulder pretty good with its steel buttplate. It'll leave a tender spot after a handful of my 240gr handloads I use for whitetail. That steel buttplate and its light weight make for a surprisingly hard kick.
We've all got our limits, there is no shame in that. OP, it soups like you are headed in the right direction. Handle, and shoot, as many rifles as you can. Pick what fits you best. You are on the right track. Another 5 pages won't really do any good so let's call it a day.
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