RepackboxWidenersLoad DataMidSouth Shooters Supply
Titan ReloadingRotoMetals2Reloading EverythingInline Fabrication
Lee Precision
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 54

Thread: Need Advice - Straight Walled Cartridges for youth hunting whitetails

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Montgomery County Pennsylvania
    Posts
    50

    Need Advice - Straight Walled Cartridges for youth hunting whitetails

    Pennsylvania might be allowing straight walled rifle cartridges in what is currently shotgun slug only areas. My son is 10 and cannot handle the recoil of a 12 gauge slug and right now, I cannot find a youth 20 gauge slug gun for him either. That all said, what straight walled cartridges do you recomend for a yourth shooting whitetails out to 100 yards?

    Do you also have any recommendations rifle models in your suggested caliber?

    Thank you.... and btw, it is good to be back.. been too many years not being on the site..
    Hunt hard, shoot straight, drink GOOD beer!

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    156
    I recently acquired a CVA Scout in 44 MAG. Just got back from the range session with it. Im shooting 320 LBT WLFN powder coated at Just over 1500 fps. So far accuracy is running around 3" at 100 yards. Easily whitetail medicine and accuracy. Recoil is not bad at all.

    It's also shooting 300 gr xtp very well. Lighter xtp bullets at 1300 fps neighborhood would be even tamer in the recoil department and still deadly.

  3. #3
    Moderator


    Minerat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Jefferson County, CO
    Posts
    9,542
    I'm shooting a 267 gr Trueshot clone in my 41 mag Henry Big Boy it whacks big western mules just fine out to 100 yds or so.
    Steve,

    Life Member NRA
    Colorado Rifle Club member
    Rocky Mtn Gun Owners member
    NAGR member

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,286
    44 Mag.

  5. #5
    Banner Sponsor

    lar45's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    2,822
    My youngest Son's first Deer was a smallish Mulie shot with a Rossi M92 357 mag loaded with the C358-180RF and WC820. Don't remember the velocity, but one shot and it was DRT. It was near his birthday, so I gifted it to him right there on the mountain.

  6. #6
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Posts
    95
    Being in Ohio we too have that law. I like the big bores and started getting a small collection of various straight walls. The 350 legend is a good ground in a straight wall required state. It’s my go to gun now for hogs when we go to Texas. In fact my 16 year old son just bought a 350 upper for our upcoming hog trip and plans on using it for deer this year as well.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    2,502
    I’ve shot many, many deer over the last forty+ years with a .357mag handgun and have never lost a single deer. I’ve also shot a dozen or so with the .357mag and the .357max with a couple of rifles. Still haven’t lost one. Recoil is very light, almost nothing in a rifle. I’ve shot deer well out past 100 yards also. I think your son would do well with a rifle with this cartridge. Bullet selection is excellent and abundant, as well as powder selections. Good luck.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    14,455
    A lot will depend on your sons physical stature and strength, along with how you hunt. Hunting from a stand might be easier for him than stalking or driving. From the stand or blind rifle weight isnt near the issue as the others where the rifle is carried for hours.

    From the blind he can rest the rifle in his lap or keep it close when not needed, he can have a rest to steady him if needed. One of the single shots ( sharps, high wall, roller or even H&R) all have enough weight to help dampen recoil and a sight radius that makes them easier to shoot accurately. One in 38-55 with the traditional 265 grn load would do well as would any if them in the modern pistol calibers 357 mag up.

    Another option would be one of the lever actions in a pistol cartridge, Here one of the "trapper" models with a low powered high field of view scope ( possibly extended eye relief mounted scout style in 357 or 44 mag ( loaded down to upper end 44 spl) would be easy to carry fast handling and accurate.

  9. #9
    Moderator Emeritus


    MrWolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    NE West Virginia
    Posts
    4,853
    Quote Originally Posted by Gone_rabid View Post
    Being in Ohio we too have that law. I like the big bores and started getting a small collection of various straight walls. The 350 legend is a good ground in a straight wall required state. It’s my go to gun now for hogs when we go to Texas. In fact my 16 year old son just bought a 350 upper for our upcoming hog trip and plans on using it for deer this year as well.
    This was my first thought as well, especially if you already have lowers available.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Florida's Nature Coast
    Posts
    207
    The Winchester XPR in 350 Legend, Ruger 77/44 .44 MAG, 45Long Colt in various lever action rifles. . .and if it were me, the T/C Encore in 445 Super Mag and it comes in all the calibers I mentioned plus a whole lot more. You could also build off that platform into a muzzleloader, handgun and shotgun barrels. The Encore opens doors with a plethora of factory and custom configurations. Good luck.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master 1006's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    South of Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    540
    Ruger AMERICAN Ranch in 350Legend with a 4x Scope. I see the ammo at my local Academy Sports.The guns are accurate and inexpensive.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fargo ND
    Posts
    7,075
    Anything .35 and bigger, IMO bigger is better.

    Don't rule out .45 colt either.

    I have a pair of single shot Handi Rifles in .44mag. With moderate red dot loads and 200 to 240 grain cast they are very mild to shoot and will put 5 rounds into a 1.5" circle at 100. So plenty of accuracy. One wears a Truglo 2x Red Dot sight which gives a little magnification on those longer shots.

    The other a 1x5 variable scope. Both were neck and neck from 15 yards to 75. At 100 the scope cranked to 5 showed a significantly tighter group.
    a 2.5 moa dot at 100 yards totally covers a 2" bullseye. But either would do the trick easily and safely.

    There is a wide variety of cast boolit molds from 200, 220, 240 to 300 grains.

    Both my .44mags and my .45 colt get loaded with 6 to 6.5 grains of Red Dot.
    Plenty of power, quiet, easy on recoil. I could shoot them all day from a bench.

    Also there is the .444marlin which you can essentially load the same load into longer brass.
    This has the advantage of down the road doubling the load up to 13 grains of Red Dot.

    Don't count out the .45-70 either. It like the .444marlin will do mild to wild.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
    Daekar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Posts
    614
    No need to go any larger than 357mag for whitetails inside 100 yards. I prefer single shot rifles, so would suggest a Contender, Encore, Henry H015, and similar guns. Runner up would be a quality lever action, so Henry, Marlin, and Rossi, Uberti.
    I'm a big fan of data-driven decisions. You want to make me smile, show me a spreadsheet! Extra points for graphs and best-fit predictive equations.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    3,570
    not for nothing but if it were me and I could not afford 20 gauge slug gun, which can be as inexpensive as a moss berg or tri star with a rifled choke tube in it, I dont think I could be affording a Henry big boy or marlin 1894 or even a new Rossi, might be able to find an old ugly one for cheap somewhere if you get lucky but I would think in current gun climate a single shot, New England firearms/NEF, CVA, or Handi rifle or whatever may be least expensive option

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    212
    Careful the 45/70 is not a straight wall cartridge. It tapers a lot. Iowa has allowed it as a special lister cartridge. That said the 350 legend is a good choice. Be careful as to the minimum bullet diameter. The 350 bullets measure. 355. Winchester says they are .358. The bullets for reloading are .355. Bullet placement counts more than the cartridge it is fired from.
    Steve

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    8,899
    My suggestion is the Henry Single Shot in .357 Mag. There is a mental advantage in knowing you must make the first shot count with less powerful calibers...With larger calibers there is a tendency to get a bit sloppy for a new shooter that thinks power is more important than shot placement.

    I do not like the .350 Legend but it would be OK. (BTW do not like the proprietary case and .355 bore as it limits bullet selection. I hunt with jacketed bullets, unlike most folks here, so factor that)

    I like the .357 mag for a lot of reasons. Cases and good bullets are easy to get. The boy can practice cheaply with .38 Spl loads and .38 cases are even easier and cheaper to get. If/when you want to "super size" it, it can be rechambered for the .357 Max...and that gets you a nice bump in energy and range....and you can still shoot .38/.357 in the Max.

    Nothing wrong with the .44 Mag but it will kick more...my son got 'scoped' with a Marlin .44 mag. Taught him a good lesson.
    Don Verna


  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    156
    44 mag. Also good for elk.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master 444ttd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    1,011
    i'd use the 44 spl/44 mag. if i reloaded, then 444 marlin.

    you don't need max. loads. in my 444 marlin(tc encore/ 23" mgm barrel), i load a 300gr fn gc with 24.0gr of 2400/tuft of dacron that goes 1624fps.

    i use my 44 in a ruger sbh in 44spl/mag and i load 44 spl with 255gr keith and 7.5gr of unique or a 44 mag with 280gr wfn and 10.0gr of unique. they will kill a deer too.
    Ad Reipublicae his Civitatum Foederatarum Americae, ego sum fortis et libero. Ego autem non exieris ad impios communistarum socialismi. Ora imagines in vestri demented mentem, quod vos mos have misericordia, quia non.

    To the Republic of these United States of America, I am strong and free. I will never surrender to godless communist socialism. Pray to images in your demented mind, that you will have mercy, because i will not.

    MOLON LABE

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Quilcene, Washington
    Posts
    3,663
    Any rifle in the 357 cal. would be just fine for any whitetails. I have that Ruger Mod 77/357 and it is a joy to shoot. Accuracy is more than adequate with the Lee 200's and NOE 189 WF-PB out to 150 yards. Where the little rifle really "sings" is with the Lee 125 gr RF-PB in front of 4.8 gr. of Bullseye. That "light" load just gave me a sub MOA 5-shot group at 100 yards with a 3x scope but even at an MV of 1320 fps, it has little recoil. That "light " load may not be heavy enough for deer (maybe) but it still could be useful for may things. The rifle may be a tad spendy but it is stainless with the plastic stock so it is comfortable to carry in the rain.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Blackwater, Virginia
    Posts
    710
    I play with several of the straight wall toys. My suggestion is a 44-45 cal rifle with a fast twist 1;15-1;20 mid range bullet weight 220-255 grains using fast powder. The range he'll be shooting will decide the powder & velocity. Anything 1150-1350 fps should be plenty. At 70 yds or less 1000 fps should do fine. Recoil about nill. My 2cents. Not worth much is it.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check