Need a new deer rifle.

One that may have been overlooked is a marlin308 mx.it is a great lever action,well balanced,and less recoil than a 308win.it will stop a deer where it stands at 150 yards no problem.
 
"If you could find something in .260 it would be even better."

I'm inclined to agree with that statement. I'm one of those who feel the .243 just might be a tad too light for deer. I know many here have had great success with the round, but that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
Many years ago I owned a 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenaur that sadly some low life stole from my truck in Elko Nevada. Using the 140 gr. Norma load, that little rifle was a deer slayer supreme. It's been well over 35 years since that rifle disappeared and I miss it still. The .260 Rem. and the 6,5x55 are pretty much the same thinf regarding power and recoil. Very pleasant. Another very pleasant cartridge to shoot is the 7x57 Mauser. The 7-08 Remington is really just a modern version of the 7x57 in a short action rifle. The 7x57 has less recoil that the 7-08 because of the early rifles chambered to 7x57 being considered too weak to handle modern pressures. All factory ammo is downloaded to accomodate those weaker guns, thus handicapping a fine cartridge. No matter, a factory 140 gr. load is more than adequate for White tail deer. My preference is for Winchester's 140 gr. loading which unfortunately is only made on a "seasonal" basis. Remington's 140 gr. is also a good one but probably the easiest to find would be Federal's 140 gr. load. I haven't used that one yet and probably never will as I use Winchester brass and handload all my hunting ammo. I do not like the Federal 175 gr. load and it cost me one if the only two deer I have lost in well over 50 years of hunting deer. Let's just leave it at the velocity didn't come close to advertised specs and let it go at that.
All I can say is if you can locate a Winchester M70 Featherweight (earlier push feed is fine as that is what I have.) in .260 Rem. or preferably 7x57 mauser, shoot strictly factory level loads in the gun and if recoil is still a bit much, just have a gunsmith install a Pachmeyr Decelerator pad on the gun and hunt happily ever after. ;):D Seriously, you could do the same thing with the 7-08 and ammo would be a bit easier to find. If you handload,I've been hearong some very good things about the Nosler 120 gr. ballistic Tip in the 7x57 and 7-08. According to folks over on the Nosler forum, that 120 gr. bullet is made using the same jacket as the 140 gr. bullet making it a pretty strong bullet that does not act like a varmint slug. A full power load with that one would have some pretty light recoil. I have been shooting some 120 gr. Barnes TSX loads in my M70 and recoil is quite close to my .243 M70.
Just the way I would go if I were in your situation.
I'm considering getting rid of my hardest kicking rifles because I'm well past middle age (Be 75 come the middle of next month.) and the arthritis in my right shoulder doth protest mightily when I shoot the big boomer. (.338 win. Mag. on up. Way up.)
The 7x57 shoots a 140 gr. bullet around 2600 FPS and I believe the 7-08 around 2800 FPS. A handloaded 7-8 at 2600 FPS would be more than adequate for your needs should factory level loads be a bit too much.
Paul B.
 
just gotta say, mosin is an option to look into, it does make a low cost hunting rifle. many add on parts and ammo is cheap.

said my peace. sorry if this is no help
 
I can think of no better easily-scoped deer rifle for the recoil sensitive than 7-08, unless a Marlin 30-30 will suffice in your situation.
 
I also love the .260 like Paul B. and 2 others have said. Ammo availability (even in normal times) is usually internet only. I think of the .260 as basically a 7mm-08 with a better B.C.
 
7mm-08 is great for a light recoil cartridge, I have a 120gr load that kick like a gnat. My favorite sissy kicker is the 6.5x55 with my 120gr Ballistic Tip handloads, I love being able to watch them drop through the scope.
If you want a more common cartridge a well fit 308 or 270 Win with a good recoil pad is not bad at all.
 
The 7-08 does have a fair bit more recoil than a .243
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That depends upon the rifle (weight and stock design) and load used ......

I can make some powderpuff 7-08 loads that kick a lot less than full house .243 ..... and a heavy gun will have much less apparent recoil than a light one ..... and stocks designed for use with open sights will kick the hell out of you if you mount a large scope on high mounts, such that you don't have a good cheek weld if you raise your head up to get a good sight picture....

All things being equal (and they never are), a .243 factory load will kick less than a 7-08 factory load, in similar guns ...... but the heavier 7mm bullet will have more energy downrange (at least to the relatively short ranges the OP is dealing with).

"If you could find something in .260 it would be even better."
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Unless you handload, be prepared to auction off your children for factory ammo ...... The last time I looked at .260 Rem factory ammo at bass pro, it was 37 bucks/20. The .243WIN on the same shelf was $21 (Both for Rem Core-Lokt) ..... You'd save the price of the gun in a few years practice, provided you ........ you know ........actually practice.
 
All these recommendations for .243 and 7mm-08 are 100% correct, but I prefer to have something other than what everybody and their brother already has.

For a 20 acre property, something with light recoil, I'm thinking 6mm remington, .257 roberts or 6.5 creedmoor, provided you reload.

If you're gonna buy factory ammo then .243 really is the way to go for a low recoil deer round. Those who claim a .243/6mm bullet is inadequate for whitetail are not putting their shots where they need to go.

But in all honesty anything .243 and larger will do the job. Its all about shot placement. I'd rather be shot in the foot with a .50 bmg than through the eye with a .22lr
 
I can't figure out why medium bored guns like the -06 and .308 are thought to be such hard kickers ...... and certainly not the .270 WIN .....
 
jimbob86 said:
I can't figure out why medium bored guns like the -06 and .308 are thought to be such hard kickers ...... and certainly not the .270 WIN .....
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Recoil is subjective, everyone feels it differently. Generalizations can be made, but they are not 100% correct 100% of the time.
 
Thanks for all of the answers so far. The .243 had not crossed my mind. I don't reload yet. Looking to do it in the near future.

To me the 20 acres is a lot of land to be able to shoot across. Where I hunt at now is very hilly and densley wooded. So a long shot there is 50-75 yards.

I will look around the local shops and my LGS and see what if anything they have to offer.
 
I can't figure out why medium bored guns like the -06 and .308 are thought to be such hard kickers ...... and certainly not the .270 WIN .....
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even a .270 win has a good amount of recoil from a 6 lb rifle like a tikka:)
 
.243, .270, 7mm-08 and .308 are all great deer cartridges and with the possible exception of the .308, I see them pretty regularly on the shelves at WM.

The guns you listed should have good accuracy. Others you may want to consider might also include Tikka and the Ruger American.
 
I can think of no better easily-scoped deer rifle for the recoil sensitive than 7-08, unless a Marlin 30-30 will suffice in your situation.
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I agree. I hunted for years only with a 06 and picked up a model 7 last year in 7mm-08 for the GF but I quickly fell for it.
Since then ive taken deer, hog and coyote with it and they drop just as quick as they did with the 06.
Recoil is no where near a 06 and not much more than a 243 and it packs a good punch.
 
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