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'Low' recoil deer caliber recommendation?
- Thread starter sneasle
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FrankenMauser
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.243 Win should do nearly anything you want.
I would avoid using it on Elk, should the occasion ever arise - unless you have enough experience to make the proper ammunition and shot selection choices.
If you think Elk or Moose could be a possibility in the near future, I would step up to .308 Win or .270 Win. (You would still need proper bullet and shot selection, of course.)
You'll be better off in the long run, if you learn to soak up the recoil of larger cartridges, anyway.
I would avoid using it on Elk, should the occasion ever arise - unless you have enough experience to make the proper ammunition and shot selection choices.
If you think Elk or Moose could be a possibility in the near future, I would step up to .308 Win or .270 Win. (You would still need proper bullet and shot selection, of course.)
You'll be better off in the long run, if you learn to soak up the recoil of larger cartridges, anyway.
davlandrum
New member
+1 on a new recoil pad for the 30-06
And try out the managed recoil 30-06 ammo. My son and I shot up a couple of boxes and it is very nice to shoot. It is very nice, as my reloads are sighted a 2" high at 100 yds, and using the managed recoil puts it dead on at 100 yds for him, so I don't have to monkey around re-sighting everything.
Never mind, just figure out you don't have a 30-06.....
And try out the managed recoil 30-06 ammo. My son and I shot up a couple of boxes and it is very nice to shoot. It is very nice, as my reloads are sighted a 2" high at 100 yds, and using the managed recoil puts it dead on at 100 yds for him, so I don't have to monkey around re-sighting everything.
Never mind, just figure out you don't have a 30-06.....
Catfishman
New member
.243
not a 30-30
not a 30-30
Even thought the 30-30 has a relatively low recoil energy (see the recoil tables), it can have significant felt recoil due to the light weight of a typical 30-30 lever-action rifle. This is made even worse if the rifle has a straight grip (like the Winchester '94) which pushes the recoil energy back into your shoulder rather than directing it up.a fan of the 30-30 eh?
Just remember one thing,
The heavier the rifle the less felt recoil. The "super light" rigs kick like a mule and you end up with a flinch. Go with a good .243 and you won't lack anything.
The twist rate of the barrel dictates the bullets you shoot. Get the heavy bullet 1-9 twist. to shoot the 90-105's.
The heavier the rifle the less felt recoil. The "super light" rigs kick like a mule and you end up with a flinch. Go with a good .243 and you won't lack anything.
The twist rate of the barrel dictates the bullets you shoot. Get the heavy bullet 1-9 twist. to shoot the 90-105's.
semi_problomatic
New member
I invsted $.98 (YES .98! Wal-marts fault, I even pointed out that it was the wrong price) in a limb saver recoil pad and my .308 has the same or less felt recoil than my wife's .243. They're both bolt actions. My dad's 7 mag has less felt recoil than both, but his is a browning semi-auto. A .50 cal semi auto will have less felt recoil over a bolt action 30-06 with no pad (not much of an exageration). You can look into larger calibers if you go semi-auto over bolt action. And good recoil pad helps a lot.
"The best rifle is the one you have."
You have a centerfire rifle?
Learn to handload for it: You can make it do anything you want it to, within reason.
A .243 with factory ammo will do what you are asking: kill deer at moderate ranges. Learn to handload and you can push the range out a bit: Highly efficient bullets can give the .243 a max PBR of nearly 400 yards......
You have a centerfire rifle?
Learn to handload for it: You can make it do anything you want it to, within reason.
A .243 with factory ammo will do what you are asking: kill deer at moderate ranges. Learn to handload and you can push the range out a bit: Highly efficient bullets can give the .243 a max PBR of nearly 400 yards......
You can look into larger calibers if you go semi-auto over bolt action.
Aye, and semi autos complicate handloading, and are not as accurate, generally, as bolt guns.
Deer are not armored vehichles: poke a hole in their heart/lungs with an expanding bullet packing 1000 ft/lbs of energy, and they will die in short order. Hell, if you keep the ranges short and the velocity high, and use a bonded bullet, a .223 will kill deer pretty reliably.
MOshooter65202
New member
I haven't shot a .243 but I own a Rem.6mm which's very simular to the mild recoiling Win.243...IMO .243 is a very nice cartridge.
I personally hunt mainly with a 7mm Rem mag. for deer and larger game,it's just what I like we have some very long cornfields and beanfields here in Missouri.A cartridge I really like the 7mm-08 I purchased for my son 12 years ago when he was 10,the recoil is very tolerable with some very good downrange ballistics with the 7mm bullets.
I personally hunt mainly with a 7mm Rem mag. for deer and larger game,it's just what I like we have some very long cornfields and beanfields here in Missouri.A cartridge I really like the 7mm-08 I purchased for my son 12 years ago when he was 10,the recoil is very tolerable with some very good downrange ballistics with the 7mm bullets.
Even thought the 30-30 has a relatively low recoil energy (see the recoil tables), it can have significant felt recoil due to the light weight of a typical 30-30 lever-action rifle. This is made even worse if the rifle has a straight grip (like the Winchester '94) which pushes the recoil energy back into your shoulder rather than directing it up.
Exactly. I like to shoot my 94 .30-30, but there is def more fealt recoil with it than a .243 because of the weight and design of lever actions.
Seriously if bigger game could be on the menu I would look at the
.270 Win, .30-06 or .308 Win. You can learn to tolerate the recoil, if I were you I'd start with a PAST recoil pad on the shoulder. I started out this way, and now I only use it on cartridges more powerful than .30-06. Practice shooting the .30-06 first and then go to the .22 for the rest of the day, don't beat youself up trying to shoot a lot of .30-06 ammunition.
When I go to the range to practice I usually don't shoot more than 20 rounds out of my .30-06 and spend the rest of the time plinking with lighter cartridges. I only shoot that many rounds if I'm doing load development, other than that it only to confirm zero one or two three shot groups and I'm done. The mechanics are the same shooting the .22 as the .30-06 so you will get a ton of good practice. Learn to handload as mentioned to add versatilty to your rifle. You can go from mild plinkers to heavy shoulder bruisers.
However, reading most of you post you should get a .243 and .30-06 then you can hunt anything you wnat in the lower 48 easily.
.270 Win, .30-06 or .308 Win. You can learn to tolerate the recoil, if I were you I'd start with a PAST recoil pad on the shoulder. I started out this way, and now I only use it on cartridges more powerful than .30-06. Practice shooting the .30-06 first and then go to the .22 for the rest of the day, don't beat youself up trying to shoot a lot of .30-06 ammunition.
When I go to the range to practice I usually don't shoot more than 20 rounds out of my .30-06 and spend the rest of the time plinking with lighter cartridges. I only shoot that many rounds if I'm doing load development, other than that it only to confirm zero one or two three shot groups and I'm done. The mechanics are the same shooting the .22 as the .30-06 so you will get a ton of good practice. Learn to handload as mentioned to add versatilty to your rifle. You can go from mild plinkers to heavy shoulder bruisers.
However, reading most of you post you should get a .243 and .30-06 then you can hunt anything you wnat in the lower 48 easily.
myshoulderissore
New member
If deer (and smaller) is all you're after, the .243 is an amazing round. Barely any recoil, great trajectory for most factory rounds, and if you can hit the deer right, the deer will go down for you asap. I don't have one yet, but my next rifle will probably be in .243...
sc928porsche
New member
Since you are recoil sensitive, I would recommend something from the 308 cased brass. 243 (6mm-08) is going to have a flat trajectory with little recoil but is a bit light if you ever get a chance for anything larger than deer. A step up would be the 260 Remington (6.5x308) and will provide you with flat trajectory with very little gain in recoil but with a bit more energy and suitable for longer shots and even useable for elk at shorter ranges. 7-08 would probably be the limit of your comfort zone. It is not as flat as the other two but still a good cartridge. The 308 will probably be a little too much recoil from what you have discribed. It is very similar to the 30-06.
used to think...
Dad's .308 kicked real hard and bought myself a 30-30 but after moving to a shotgun only state and suffering practice with 12 ga slugs the .308 doesn't bother me at all now. Seem to be a lot of .243 fans here. I've never shot it (but i'd like to;-). Must say I've seen just as many threads argue it's too small for deer, most cons say it's less forgiving of poor bullet placement.
Dad's .308 kicked real hard and bought myself a 30-30 but after moving to a shotgun only state and suffering practice with 12 ga slugs the .308 doesn't bother me at all now. Seem to be a lot of .243 fans here. I've never shot it (but i'd like to;-). Must say I've seen just as many threads argue it's too small for deer, most cons say it's less forgiving of poor bullet placement.
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