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Thread: What would you choose.

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub D.Bullets's Avatar
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    What would you choose.

    I am curious as to my next rifle for Deer I have my elk/moose gun
    and want one for Deer and smaller (for spouse). I would like your suggestions.
    Criteria is…
    1. flattest shooting
    2. Have Good Range
    3. Hold Bullet Stabilization
    4. Lead Cast Bullets
    5. Must be Scoped
    6. Recoil / more for my spouse

  2. #2
    Boolit Master TurnipEaterDown's Avatar
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    You present some strongly opposed requirements.
    "flattest shooting" would be helped by a requirement of PBR that you are looking at. Otherwise, literally, you'd probably get a response of 26 Nosler or 7 RUM would would be a horrific fit for criteria 4 & 6.
    If #1 is a PBR of something like 300 yds, you might get recommended a 7x57, which could fit all the other criteria.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    farmerjim's Avatar
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    For cast boolits, 30-06, 308, 8mm. If not cast 7mm08, 270win, 7mm mag.

    What is your elk/moose gun? Perhaps you could download a cast boolit for it.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master deces's Avatar
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    I would with 308 for it's versatility.
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  5. #5
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    I'd go with a .30 cal. something.

    You can load cast in .30-06 or .308 right up to full house .30-30 speeds.
    If all you'll ever shoot with the new gun is cast, a Marlin or Winchester .30-30 would do a good job for ya.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master


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    .243 Winchester. Mild recoil, flat shooting, you can scope anything, fast twist for up to 115 gr bullets, a lot of guys on this forum use cast in them. Checks all your afore mentioned boxes.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy challenger_i's Avatar
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    Depends on what distance you (or your spouse) are shooting.
    However, for all other requirements, 243 covers all bets.
    Rights, and Privileges, are not synonymous. We have the Right to Bear Arms. As soon as the Government mandates firearm registration, and permiting, then that Right becomes a Privilege, and may be taken away at our Master's discretion.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master deces's Avatar
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    Hunting Moose with a .243 would seem like a spurious adventure to me, but okay whatever.
    These men and their hypnotized followers call this a new order. It is not new. It is not order.

  9. #9
    Boolit Bub D.Bullets's Avatar
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    I like the 338-06 230gr (2400+fps)for me on Deer up to Elk. But need 2nd gun for spouse. With lower recoil.

  10. #10
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    ShooterAZ's Avatar
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    My votes would go to the 270 Win, or 7-08. Both are pretty decent long range cartridges, with tolerable recoil for either young shooters or the ladies. If recoil is a really big issue, the 243 "might" be a better choice. I know a young lady here in Northern Arizona who has taken several Elk with the diminutive 243Win, choosing the right bullets is the key.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
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    Once again I show my colors .

    7-08 , 7×57 , 280 for mild medium muscle cartridge for 3-400 yd max . The 7 mm gives up a little at the muzzle to it's 30 cal brethren but often weight for weight is a dead heat at 300 yd with jacketed and actually hits higher and beats the 30 cal to 400.

    In any other lifetime I'd have never suggested anything in 27 cal but for deer even mule deer under under about 150 yd the 6.8 SPC is proving to me to be a darned good choice and very amiable to cast . The 279-124 at 132 gr ready to load in a 20" ARP rifle gas or in a 22" bolt gun can be readily driven fast enough to exceed 1000 ftlb at 100 yd . Recoil exists but it's very light and with it being as successful as it is there are lots of jacketed from 75-120gr in more or less 5 gr steps . Most of the barrels are cast friendly with 1-10 and 1-11" twists vs the 1-8.5" to1-9.5" of the 7mm . As a bonus you can buy a cheap Savage 223 with a stagger feed mag , spend the good money on a great barrel and use 22 NOS brass vs changing or recutting the bolt face from 223 to the 30 Rem .

    I've found the 358 Win to be surprisingly tame even when I have it turned up to full jacketed loads with cast . Of course you probably already have several suited light to solid deer bullets on the bench as it's .357/8 groove will happily share bullets with 9/38/357 . It's hard to get it down to 38 Special but 357 is a doable . I wouldn't consider it especially flat shooting but it is very cast friendly. Correct brass isn't common but 308 forms easy enough.
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  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by D.Bullets View Post
    I am curious as to my next rifle for Deer I have my elk/moose gun
    and want one for Deer and smaller (for spouse). I would like your suggestions.
    Criteria is…
    1. flattest shooting
    2. Have Good Range
    3. Hold Bullet Stabilization
    4. Lead Cast Bullets
    5. Must be Scoped
    6. Recoil / more for my spouse
    Savage .243 youth model... Covers all your wishes...

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Unless you have a sizable stock of powder and bullets, shooting cast in a rifle makes little sense in today’s market. Cast bullets give up too much in accuracy and range in calibers below .30 for hunting.

    There are less expensive ways to get cheaper trigger time than shooting cast bullets.

    One of the “standard” 6.5 or 7mm calibers would be a good choice, and are a bit easier to shoot with cast if you insist on wanting cast friendlier.

    The 6mm and .25’s are great choices. I have had four, but was too smart, or incompetent, to waste any time and resources trying cast bullets in them.

    Do not ignore gun fit. If your wife is of smaller stature, a gun that fits you will not fit her. I would look at replaceable recoil pads to address LOP. If you can afford it, look at the Boyd's At-One stock. It will allow both LOP and comb adjustment.

    As to recoil, have your wife shoot some light loads in your current rifle(s) and evaluate her tolerance.
    Don Verna


  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy challenger_i's Avatar
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    Seriously? Did you simply NOT read the gent's post?

    "What would you choose.
    I am curious as to my next rifle for Deer I have my elk/moose gun
    and want one for Deer and smaller (for spouse). I would like your suggestions."

    Quote Originally Posted by deces View Post
    Hunting Moose with a .243 would seem like a spurious adventure to me, but okay whatever.
    Rights, and Privileges, are not synonymous. We have the Right to Bear Arms. As soon as the Government mandates firearm registration, and permiting, then that Right becomes a Privilege, and may be taken away at our Master's discretion.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master trails4u's Avatar
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    7mm-08 would be my answer. Based on your list....for me at least, it checks the boxes. And...FWIW...it's the same road I went down for my young sons as they learned to shoot and hunt. Easily down-loaded to manage recoil, even with heavier bullets, and just as easily dialed up to full-house.
    "Do not follow where the path might lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" Ralph Waldo Emerson

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by D.Bullets View Post
    I am curious as to my next rifle for Deer I have my elk/moose gun
    and want one for Deer and smaller (for spouse). I would like your suggestions.
    Criteria is…
    1. flattest shooting
    2. Have Good Range
    3. Hold Bullet Stabilization
    4. Lead Cast Bullets
    5. Must be Scoped
    6. Recoil / more for my spouse
    As this will be for "Deer and smaller", I cannot suggest anything other than a good old lever action -- .30-30, .32 Win Spec., .28-55, or .38WCF (.38-40). Two factors affecting me are weight and safety. Some fellows (like my younger son's father-in-law) trudge to their "blind" -- a teeny cabin in the woods -- and sit for hours waiting for Bambi to walk by... Others "really" hunt -- putting on quite a few miles trek in the course of the day. If you and your spouse hunt as my son's f.i.l., weight is moot. BUT, if you and your bride will be doing the hike -- a well balanced, easy to carry lever (with open sights) would be my choice... However, you wrote, too, "must be scoped" -- and 'scopes are readily available for levers. My "1st I grab" hunting rifle is a Marlin 336 adorned with a Tasco (the old, relabeled Redfield) 'scope. Easy to carry, more than necessary accuracy, always reliable -- with relatively inexpensive, easily cast for and rerloadable ammo in .30-30 Winchester.
    BEST!
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  17. #17
    Boolit Master Jedman's Avatar
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    I think considering all 6 of your requirements, you have to “ give “ a little and maybe settle for about 5 of them. To me a 30-30 fits all from 2 through 6 plus has good availability.
    Being a cast friendly caliber means you must handload or else you would go crazy trying to find the ammo you would need.
    If the flattest shooting is one of the most important aspects, I would chose the 243 as you say deer and smaller. If smaller ment coyotes and varmints mostly than maybe a 223 ?
    All of those cartridges would work but I have no experience or interest in trying to load cast boolit hunting ammo in 223 or 243 , it would have to be jacketed bullets.

    Jedman

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    If these two rounds have already been mentioned, then pardon my oversight, but there would not be a great deal wrong with a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, or its higher-pressure analog, the .260 Remington. The Swedes, Norsemen and Finns seem to find the round adequate to the task of taking their largest game, with the right projectiles. I would expect it to work similarly for your spouse, given enough range time and familiarization with it.

    For scoping a military Mauser, these people can probably be of help: https://www.badacetactical.com/
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  19. #19
    Boolit Master
    sundog's Avatar
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    Sporter model .308 with 12 twist.
    It ain't rocket science, it's boolit science.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Randy Bohannon's Avatar
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    7mm/08 all day, and ditto on everything d verna said.

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