Best short range deer gun (inside 150 yards)

[Bobby5]

Was curious what guns you guys are using for timber hunting whitetails where 100 yards is a long shot? thanks

 

[CatamountRob]

There isn’t much that won’t work at those distances. What kind of action do you like? The Northeast is mostly hundred yard country and some cartridges that are popular here are the, 30-30, 300 Savage, .308 Win, 30-06, .35 Remington. Less popular cartridges but still well represented would be stuff like .243 Win, .257 Roberts, 250 Savage, .270 Win, 7mm-08, 35 Whelen.
I’m not sure that there’s a “best” in there, but .30’s are far and away the most popular around here and you can pick up ammo for them almost anywhere.

 

[Sideshow]

There isn’t much that won’t work at those distances. What kind of action do you like? The Northeast is mostly hundred yard country and some cartridges that are popular here are the, 30-30, 300 Savage, .308 Win, 30-06, .35 Remington. Less popular cartridges but still well represented would be stuff like .243 Win, .257 Roberts, 250 Savage, .270 Win, 7mm-08, 35 Whelen.
I’m not sure that there’s a “best” in there, but .30’s are far and away the most popular around here and you can pick up ammo for them almost anywhere.

A 450 bushmaster would be a fine choice too . Just dont get the readily available Hornadays , plan ahead and contact Bear Creek Ballistics .

 

[GM54-120]

I like 308Win for 2 reasons....You can get ammo anywhere and its a short action. Bullet/Brand selection is massive including reduced recoil offerings and some surplus.

 

[DJ_Brutus]

That is quite a can of worms to open there. Haha! I agree with what CatamountRob said. Personally, living in OH with straight-wall restrictions, I bought a 350 Legend for my wife to use and was happy with its performance. I use a muzzleloader for all firearm seasons here. Growing up hunting in WV, I used a 300 Savage and never had any issue. I also have a 30-30 and a 30/06, and again, no complaints with either of those. Would probably lean toward the latter two, just for availability and cost of ammo.
I don’t know if you have any restrictions (law induced such as straight wall cartridge or personal ie, light recoil), but for <100 yds, as you probably know, there is a big list of calibers that would suffice and would be hard to go wrong.

 

[dbowling]

.308 or .243

 

[ENCORE50A]

A 450 bushmaster would be a fine choice too . Just dont get the readily available Hornadays , plan ahead and contact Bear Creek Ballistics .

The 450 Bushmaster is a DANDY round for inside 150yds, although its good for a little more. I'd choose it over any of my 30cal rifles, and have.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

My 12ga Mossberg is a can't miss out to 100 yards. Lot's of mods to it and hand loads. MLs have replaced it tho

 

[MSalyards]

I have most of the calibers listed and killed deer with all of them. But my favorite by far is----- a 338 win mag shooting a 250 gr sierra game king bullet. The reason being is I have had absolutely NO blood shot meat, there dead right there, and you can eat right up to the bullet hole. I've killed both deer and elk with this combo and it flat works! And if there facing east when you pull the trigger, there normally facing west when there found. They flat flip over! My last elk did also.

 

[Sideshow]

I have most of the calibers listed and killed deer with all of them. But my favorite by far is----- a 338 win mag shooting a 250 gr sierra game king bullet. The reason being is I have had absolutely NO blood shot meat, there dead right there, and you can eat right up to the bullet hole. I've killed both deer and elk with this combo and it flat works! And if there facing east when you pull the trigger, there normally facing west when there found. They flat flip over! My last elk did also.

Lol yes the win.mags aireal acrobatics are a sight to see !!! Swaping directions with barrel rolls in mid air must be seen thru the scope to truly appreciate them !!! My 300 win mag however you wont be eating anything close by in its 180gr path . No tracking either to speak of . But it also far excedes the desired 150yd preformance too .

Word to the wise for a game round , especially if others are near by -- use enough gun .

Also use a bullet that preforms Easily -- not too tough and heavy for caliber .

I once shot a 8pt thru the heart with a 12ga 437gr lead foster slug in & out both sides . It ran maybe 60 yds or so . When i got tbere "Someone else" was tagging my buck . I got pushed around by 6 of his buddies too . Quite an experiance . Deer was stolen .

Use More than enough gun in a public area and shoot to drop them right there . Gotta have them FIRST before you count steaks......or admire his rack.....

I know many have not understood my desires for "magnum style" preformance in an mz . Should be crystal clear by now . It Matters !!!

 

[MSalyards]

Ive shot deer at 60 yds and up, my last elk at 128 yds, and a 4x4 mule deer way to far to mention, I was laying down shooting prone. and all flipped. Something about that makes me smile. And 4 of my neighbor kids shot their first deer with that rifle. Their not as bad as some people think.

 

[Sideshow]

Ive shot deer at 60 yds and up, my last elk at 128 yds, and a 4x4 mule deer way to far to mention, I was laying down shooting prone. and all flipped. Something about that makes me smile. And 4 of my neighbor kids shot their first deer with that rifle. Their not as bad as some people think.

Agreed

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Love my Marlin 1895 SBL in 45-70. I handload .458 250gr Monoflex. Target was shot at 100yds, 3 shot group.

 

[sbuff]

Ruger mini 30 for me

 

[Sideshow]

Love my Marlin 1895 SBL in 45-70. I handload .458 250gr Monoflex. Target was shot at 100yds, 3 shot group.

Thats a good one too .

 

[Renegadehunter]

Definitely a can of worms lol. There's lots of folks with different ideas of "best", thus the reason there are lots of calibers.
I personally, in a modern rifle, prefer a lever action 30-30 with open sights for short range timber hunting. It's a short, easy to carry in the ready position rifle with fairly mild recoil that hits a deer plenty hard.

 

[edmehlig]

While I never owned one, I always like the Old Ruger 44 Semi-Auto Carbine.

 

[JimA]

While I never owned one, I always like the Old Ruger 44 Semi-Auto Carbine.

I agree. I had one of the original "Deerstalker" models when they first came out. It was a great little gun for the thick Maine woods!

 

[Sideshow]

I agree. I had one of the original "Deerstalker" models when they first came out. It was a great little gun for the thick Maine woods!

While I never owned one, I always like the Old Ruger 44 Semi-Auto Carbine.

Too bad Ruger had the twist wrong . Accuracy wasnt what it could have been .

 

[Sideshow]

Definitely a can of worms lol. There's lots of folks with different ideas of "best", thus the reason there are lots of calibers.
I personally, in a modern rifle, prefer a lever action 30-30 with open sights for short range timber hunting. It's a short, easy to carry in the ready position rifle with fairly mild recoil that hits a deer plenty hard.

Barnes x bullets do the 30-30 a Ton of good .