Best deer/pig caliber for compact Hawkeye?

[TexAg]

I like short rifles and seeing this Ruger offered in several calibers has me curious and interested. In a 16.5" bbl, .308, 7.62x39, 7-08, .243, .260?
I'm liking the .308 for power and availability, but would there be too much flash and bang? Would 7.62x39 be a perfect cartridge for this length bbl? I think it would be a nice 100-200 yd gun with a low 2-7 power scope. What are yalls thoughts?

 

[Clipper]

I'm big on accuracy and versatility. I see the best potential in the .260. It's better at long range than any of the others, and it's adequate for anything in North America. In fact, I came real close to buying one for my wife, but finances forced a postponment...Still want to get one for her though, as she loves the rifle.

 

[[Pb]]

A .308 is pretty weak out of a 16" barrel (compared to what it is capable of) with most commercial loadings, it isn't really designed for a carbine. Of course it will still get the job done. The 7.62x39 would be pretty nice if you were only intending short-medium range shots, it will have plenty of punch at 200yrds. I am unfamiliar with the others.

 

[Deer Hunter]

PB, a .308 from a 16" barrel is still going to have more velocity than a 7.62x39 from a 16" barrel.

Honestly, I pick .308

1. Plentiful ammo supply at nearly every store that carries ammunition. This means you get to PRACTICE. Something missing from many of these conversations.

2. Wide selection of bullets. Go light or go heavy, whichever you prefer.

However, A pig wont be able to tell the difference in either of the short-action cartridge choices.

As for the 7.62x39, you are limited in bullet selection. If you reload it's slightly less of a hassle, but if you are stuck to commercial loadings the .308 is a much better choice.

 

[Ol` Joe]

I`ve both a couple 7-08s and 260s and owned a few 308s. All will do the job and I`d have to say go with whichever you feel best about. The 708 and 308 has a larger selection of factory ammo but, if you reload the 260 will do things just as well with less recoil.

 

[project88]

7.62x39 or 260....308 out of 16" barreled light weight carbine isnt worth the muzzle blast or recoil..just my $.02

 

[[Pb]]

Agreed that the .308 is more powerful than the others in any length barrell, but for the extra recoil and ammo cost over x39, you don't get a comparable increase in performance out of a 16" tube.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I would probably lean towards the x39 for this application and pick 243 last, the cartridge that would likely be the most obnoxious of all from a 16" carbine.

 

[TexAg]

One reason I lean toward 7.62x39 is that I do have an SKS, Saiga and Vector AK chambered in it and have a bit of stock on hand including 125grain SP Silver Bear and 154 grain SP Wolf. I have (and do does my Dad, sister and brother) a 6mm so .243 isn't much in the picture. .223 isn't even in the picture for me for pigs. This may also be a future gun for one of my kids, so .308 looses some of it's pull there for me. 7-08 and .260 have some appeal too though.

 

[Hardwoodjdc]

I have a Ruger 77 with an 18in. bbl. in 308 and it is my favorite deer rifle. Very accurate at 100yds. and handles great. I don't know about beyond 100yds. since we have mostly woods hunting here in Michigan. The noise doesn't seem intense but after 50 yrs. of shooting I can't hear anything much quieter than a jet engine any more anyway!

 

[project88]

with the x39 if you handload there is limited bullet selection(if you use .310" bullets) BUT there are some good options for it..barnes makes a .310 TSX offering intended purposely for the 7.62x39

 

[rangerruck]

if they do that rifle in 762.39, then no question, that is the one to get;
knocks piggies over inside of 150 yards all day; easy on the recoil, low cost.

 

[rangerruck]

...my next choice would the the 7.08

 

[coop4u2c]

+1 .308

 

[ECVMatt]

I have a Ruger Frontier in .308 and don't find it all that loud or blasty (Is that a word?). I was concerned at first, but it worked out fine. I also just picked up a .223 compact and it is great as well.

I would go with the .308. You can always shoot reduced loads by Remington if you want x39 performance or you can go with standard loads to get a little bit better performance.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/centerfire/managed-Recoil.asp

http://www.remington.com/products/a...mparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=RL3081

I guess that is what makes the .308 so useful is all the ammo choices.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I'd probably run with .308, because the expansion ratio comes more into play with the shorter barrels, so you'll get more efficient energy/vel numbers relative to bbl length with the larger bore. But 7mm-08 is close 2nd choice. With a 20" bbl, I'd run with .260 rem.

 

[LEVRLOVR]

Get the .308, the 16" barrel does not drop as much fps as one would think.

Leaps and bounds over the Russian round.

 

[cz85cmbt]

I like the 7mm08 and the .308, especially in a short barrel, 260 is a great caliber but I think I'd rather have 2-4 more inches of barrel for it. All three will drop them dead, I'd rather go for a large caliber on hogs. I like big slow projectiles with large frontal diameters, but .308 is the largest for the ruger compact.

 

[TexAg]

Yes, I almost wish there was a .338 Federal offered.