Please school me on bolt-action's

[MikePGS]

Hello. I'm probably moving to south carolina in a couple of months, and when I do, i'd like to take up hunting. While I'm sure a nice lever action would probably be more sufficient for my needs, I think I'd rather have a bolt-action rifle for hunting game such as deer, and potentially hogs if I can figure out to get a license, or whatever requirements I need to meet in order to do so. I've been looking at the savages, which seem to have a pretty good reputation, but wasn't too sure what the difference in a 11g and a 111 g might be. It says in a magazine I have (one of those annuals with a lot of models and pictures in the back) that the 111g is a long action, while the 11g is a short. What exactly does this mean? Also what caliber would be ideal for hunting deer and hogs? I was looking at maybe a .270, but wasn't sure what the minimum acceptable caliber for hog might be. If a .25-06 would be sufficient for hogs, that would probably work as well. Thanks in advance for any input, Mike

 

[hockeybum]

.270's a good all around gun and you can always find ammo. .25-06 might be hard to find ammo for.

 

[MikePGS]

Is .270 sufficient for hog though? I think i'd probably use some of those barnes x copper bullets, if that factors in any.

 

[Shawnee]

"Short action" refers to gns chambered in either the .308 Winchester caliber or one of the calibers based on the .308 - typicall the .243 or 7mm/08.
These cartridges are shorter than most of the older (roughly pre-WWII) and most of the new "magnum" genre of calibers.

"Long action" refers to most other calibers, ie. the .25/06, the .270, the .280, the 30/06. etc.

Rifles chambered for "short action" calibers are usually provide a bit more leeway in scope mounting - IF the maker didn't just chamber a "long action" in one of the short calibers.

The .243 is a splendid deer and hog rifle plus a top-notch varmint gun. And it is very comfortable to shoot.

 

[MikePGS]

Ahhh .243 would work for hog then? For some reason, I always get the impression that you need a good amount of penetration for hog. Probably because I always see people going after them with .44 magnums and what not. If a .243 would be sufficient, I'm all over that.

 

[krimmie]

.243 will work for both hog and deer....but I'd go with a .308 for the simple fact it gives you more firepower in a readily available cartridge. Hogs are tough critters!

 

[Shawnee]

Yes, the .243 will definitely turn the lights out on any hog that ever walked.

I shot several hogs in So. Texas that were descendants of a cross between feral hogs and Russian boars released back in the late 40s - commonly in the 400-450 lb. range. Also shot four or five plain feral hogs in NW Texas that ran about 300 lbs. Used a single-shot .243. Many dropped in their tracks but a few made it maybe 40-50 yds. before dropping.

Biggest factor with hogs - no matter what caliber you're using - is shot placement. I've gone for head shots whenever possible - and with a .243, it's possible a lot of the time.

 

[skinewmexico]

Penetration is a bullet selection issue, not usually a caliber issue.

 

[rangerruck]

short action also includes cals such as 204, 223, 22-250, 220 swift, 243, 260 remington, etc. the basic thought being, that unless you have a really stout built action/reciever, a short action is more accurate than a long action, because of flexing/whip effect. This difference may be so small to the eye, that it would proly have to be graphed on a computer, for you to actually see the blip in difference.

 

[trstafford]

Lets talk terrain

I was raised in NC and am familiar with SC. Depending on where you move to on the East it could be swamps and thickets which are almost non-negotiable, they typically hunt with deer dogs for that reason. in the west it gets mountainous and you can get woods type hunting. IMHO a short light rifle or better a shotgun (in NC some counties restrict you to shotgun only due to thickets and population assume the same in SC) I have a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39 which is as handy as any lever action and comparable to the 30-30. If you buy a long barreled shoot into the next state type rifle and take it to the swamps you will quickly become disillusioned. Maybe you should call the local wildlife in the area you will be moving to and ask their recommendations, they are usually more than happy to help and are usually very knowledgable.

 

[1911 guy]

Savage bolt gun for deer and hogs.

First of all, two excellent calibers would be .243 Win and .308 Win. The edge might go to the .243 because of less recoil, unless you plan to stretch it out beyond 200 yards where the 90gr bullet starts to lose steam. The .308 would shine then. I hunt W.Va., so I use a .308.

Both are short action calibers, the Savage rifles will have a two digit number in the model designation. Example, the model 11 versus the model 111.

Short action rifles have a reciever long enough to handle .308 Win length calibers and shorter, long action rifles have a reciever length to handle .30-06 length cartridges, about an inch longer.

I own two Savage rifles, both of which are nigh on spooky accurate when I'm on my "A game". Neither, however, have ever been accused of being good looking or svelte rifles. Doesn't matter to me, I was just after a reasonably priced accurate rifle. In my opinion, Savage delivers the goods.

 

[Guitargod1985]

The .243 is more than adequate for a hog and a .308 is more than you need even for a deer (at least in Florida). I've taken hogs with a 7.62x39 on a few occasions.

 

[Red_SC]

Welcome to South Carolina!

As far as gun selection, pretty much just pick one that you like and buy it. I used to hunt with a .270, and it works great for anything in SC. Now I usually hunt with an obscenely heavy .308 bolt rifle that is completely unnecessary for the hunting I do- but I like it, so there! Again, the .308 will kill anything in SC with ease, and would be really nice in a light rifle. If I were you, that's probably what I would choose.

What part of SC are you moving to? I'm in the Florence area, and would be happy to let you look over and shoot some different bolt rifles to see what you like.

 

[MikePGS]

What part of SC are you moving to? I'm in the Florence area, and would be happy to let you look over and shoot some different bolt rifles to see what you like.

I'm going to be moving to Summerville, so the Dorchester/Berkely/Charleston area I guess. I really appreciate the offer, and the advice. When i move down there... in a couple of months, I might have to take you up on it Is .243/.308 ammunition readily available? I think I'm going to use barne's x-bullets if possible, so not sure how common such cartridges might be in the area.

 

[Red_SC]

Both .243 and .308 are available nearly everywhere, although it will be harder to find it with Barnes bullets. I've never shot Barnes, so I wouldn't know for sure. I'm less than two hours from Summerville, you'd be welcome to come up and shoot anytime. I don't have the collection that some of these guys do, but I have enough bolt guns to keep us occupied for an afternoon. I have both the .270 and .308 you mentioned to start with and either own or have access to a pretty good variety of others from .223 to .300 WM. There is a really nice 800+ yard range on your side of Charleston named Palmetto Gun Club, I shot there in a club match a couple of years ago, but as I recall it was pricy to join.

 

[MikePGS]

Very cool, thanks for the info. I'll let you know when I get down there if I'm up for a drive. Then again, I don't think I've ever turned down many opportunities to shoot guns in the past

 

[Shawnee]

" unless you plan to stretch it out beyond 200 yards where the 90gr bullet starts to lose steam. "


With all due respect 1911 Guy... I have used a .243 to shoot a lot of deer and hogs with the .Hornady 87-gr. BTHP in Texas, and I shoot numerous deer each year on crop damage permits in SW Ohio with the same load.
I can assure anyone that the .243 with that load will quickly dispatch either far, far beyond a measley 200 yds. As sort of a "point of reference" - the .243 87gr. BTHP has the same ft/lbs of energy at 500 yds. as the 30/30 150gr. bullet has at 100 yds.