The youngster regularly gets a 1.5" five shot groups from the bench using a .223.
The blind is positioned to afford shots up to 200 yards down a shooting lane. The most common shot is at 100-135 yards where the shooting lane T's to the food plot.
There are three choices. One is to load Winchester 64 gr PP's or Noslers in the .223. The second choice is to download a .30/30 M336 using a 150 gr MP312-159 HP or FP 20:1 cast bullet at about 1700-1800 fps. I also have a Marlin 1894 in .357 and could load something like a 158 gr XTP or hollow point MP 358-429.
There are scopes on each rifle.
I am leaning to the .223 for its greater range and accuracy. Plus he is familiar with it. He has shot the 1894 with .38 Spl loads as well. I have not used the MP 312-159 so I would need to work up a load for the .30/30. If using the .357, I would just buy a couple of boxes of XTP's.
What would you do and why?