Need advice on a hunting rifle...

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BoneDigger

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All of my hunting has been at less than 100 yards, given that I hunt east Texas woods. However, I just got a new stand location on a new lease, and it looks like I will be hunting a pasture with a maximum shot of 300 yards. My current hunting rifle is a Browning BAR in 30-06. I have never tried to sight it in past 100 yards. It groups pretty well with 150 grain Winchester at 100 yards (1 inch).

Would the BAR be a good choice for that long shot, or would it be best if I trade the Browning in for a bolt action chambered for something different? I suspect I could get a pretty good trade for the Safari II.

Advice? Is the BAR and the caliber (30-06) up to a 300 yard shot? What would the holdover for a 30.06 be at 300? If there is something better, what caliber would you recommend and what platform (i.e., brand and model)?

I also have a .243 in a Marlin XS7 but have assumed that at 300 yards it might be a little iffy for a whitetail or hog?

The BAR has no sentimental value so I am good either way. It is a PRETTY gun though. :)

I have a fairly nice Nikon Monarch in 3-9-50 on the gun and could transfer it to a new rifle if necessary.

Set me straight guys...

Todd
 
30-06 is MORE than adequate. 1" groups at 100 is plenty accurate.

Zero 2.5" high at 100 yards and you're good to hold dead on out to about 275. If he's past that, hold on his back and fire.
 
A `scoped 30-06 capable of 1" groups w/ commercial ammunition is pretty much your best all-round bet. Zero'd at 225 yards it's ±3" all the way out to 250. That means the rifle will do everything you can ask of it.

A 300WinMag might buy you an inch ( ±2" over that same distance), but it comes at a loss of flexibility and something you already know well.

Beware the man with one gun,...
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. ;)
 
There's nothing wrong with what you've got. As a matter of fact, there are plenty out there who'd be more than willing to take it off your hands. First of all, there's no way of knowing how far out your shots are gonna be anyway. If you were hunting for game where 3, or 400 yard shots were likely, then maybe the 7x57, or 270 would be the better choice, at least for me. But that 30-06 of yours is very capable of taking game at long distances. Maybe you just have a craving for a new rifle.
 
Your '06 would be fine for 300 yards (and more).

Having said that, so would your 243. The 243 is an excellent plains rifle. Our mule deer are a tad bigger then your white tails and people use the 243 around hear all the time.

Of course both have to be sighted in for the extended ranges. Sighting both in at 250-300 yards would work anywhere from the muzzle to about 400.
 
I currently own 2 BAR 30-06's and have killed deer out to 400yds. Normally when most 150gr loads are set between 1.5" and 2" high at 100yds they are close to dead-on at 200yds and around 7" low at 300yds. So when shooting a deer at 300yds just hold right at or just above the backbone and that should put you in the boiler room...

I will say this.... If you haven't shot much past 100yds, I would suggest spending some time at the range and practicing at 300yds if for no other reason the verifying the drop.
 
Thanks guys. I certainly plan to practice the shot this summer. I was just wondering if the setup sounded reasonable or if I should get something more suitable. But, it sounds like it should be fine.

Todd


Sent via Todd's IPhone using Tapatalk.
 
Personally I like the .300 Ultra Mag. I figure if that monster buck ever walks out, and I get buck fever and miss, the muzzle blast will likely knock him over while I reload. :D

Seriously though, the BAR .30-06 is an excellent gun, and more capable at 300 yards than most shooters. Personally, if you are going to be shooting more at distance, I would recommend hitting a range with a few boxes of ammo. I would zero at 200 yards, then find your guns - at 300 yards, and the + at 100 yards. If your scope has graduations, its easy. If not, you can pretty easily learn how high you'll shoot at 100, and low at 300 when zeroed at 200. I would imagine the difference would be minimal when zeroed at 200, and you could shoot dead center at 100, 200, or 300, but it would tell you enough to where maybe you'd want to shoot on the high side of the kill zone at 300, and the low side at 100. But if you know how to zero accurately, 2 boxes of shells should give you all the feedback you need to be deadly from any distance out to 300 yards or more.
 
The rifle sounds like an accurate one, I use the 3inch high at one hundred yards zero for my 30-06, dead on at 300 with 150 grn ballistic tip. Never really get much action at 300 yds where we hunt but can see deer up to 500 yds, mostly we take our deer under 100 yds.
 
You should do fine with your 06. If you reload, you can get it to shoot a bit flatter than factory ammo. Since yours is a semi-auto, your dies should be full length sizing.
 
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