Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Chambering for low recoil deer round

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Getting 30-30 speeds with 165-grain Remington CoreLokts and 170-grain Speer flat points is pretty easy. I've tested 36.5 grains in four rifles with 22" barrels and two rifles with 20" barrels. 2,200-2,250 is common about right for the 22" barrels and about 2,150 for the shorter barrels. I don't think that the CoreLokt would expand at speeds much slower than that, so I only use it for practice. I don't think that the Speer will hold together at speeds much faster than that, so that's as hard as I push it.

Accuracy is usually 1-1.5 MOA, but was much better in a couple of rifles.

All of the rifles that I tried were set up for use full-power loads, so they have modern stocks with good recoil pads. The lightest of them weighs about 7.5 pounds, so recoil was pretty mild with these loads.


Okie John

Any of the rounds listed should work well. 350 Legend has very little recoil and will kill any deer out 150 yards.

Ron

there are many great cartridges with lighter recoil but my 2 favorites are 220 Swift and 257 Roberts. Pete53

also, factory ammo considerations, future proofing, not everyone reloads

6mm ARC " "

6.5Grendel " "

I've though about it several time's and my 30-06 with a 180gr cast bullet recoils about line a 22 RF and properly placed
at closer range will drop a deer or even an elk right now. Just haven't wanted to give up my hunting bullet's to try it! My bullet's I hunt with are much more accurate than cast bullet's and will allow a longer shot if I wanted to take it. They give more velocity and make the bullet work better. But if all I had was that 30-06 and my cast bullet's and needed the food, I would not hesitate to use it! But I would be mindful of the shots I was willing to take! There is no big secrete to killing an animal. properly place a bullet on the animal to account for the bullet and the animal will die quickly. Miss place the shot and it won't! A MOA rifle at 100yds shoot's one inch groups. MOA at 500 yds is a 5" group. I don't know any reloader that would consider 5" at 100 yds acceptable yet know a number that would accept it at 500 yds!

I have a 6.5 grendel... very accurate and almost no recoil... and proven very deadly on whitetail

My boy prefers the 223 over 76239 for deer. Keep it on closer than further. Proper bullet and shot placement is the key.
But for Elk, he's got 6.5 CM

My wife uses a.243. She had never shot a gun before!

Recoil on the .243 she didn’t notice it at all .

I have thought about a 300 Savage on a Model 7 a few times.

A 20" barrel of light to sporter weight would be handy in the woods/treestand.

For what I am using now it's 223, 6mm Remington or 7-08.

I do have a 6.8 SPC upper that I need to shoot some once the new house is built.

Hard to beat the 6.8 for punch vs recoil vs size and normal hunting ranges. I’ve had 8yr olds killing stuff with them. I’ve used many of them…223, 6.5G, 300AAC, 357 Max is always the Legend’s daddy;), 7.62x39. I still have/use the 6.8 the most in small case hunting rigs. The Grendel is probably easier now, due to offerings and ammo availability, but I’d have kept one if it was in any way better or even as good….in my experience.

I have experience with the .223, 7.62x39, 300 blackout, 6.5 Grendel, .357 mag, and 350 Legend. No issues with any of them for a low recoil deer rifle. But I think you've got to decide a few things first. Avg shot distance comes to mind first. The 350 Legend will kill any deer but not a 300 yard rifle. Neither is the 300 BO or .223. Who is it for? I started my son with a Ruger 77/357 and liked it so much, I bought one for me. It is my go to when something needs shot. Everything I've shot at with it has died. .357 rifle can be had in bolt action, lever action, or single shot. Great way to start a kid. Right there with it is 350 Legend. No recoil at all. I have it in a CVA Scout and its a tack driver. If I was starting my son today, it would be with this exact rifle. Although I was more impressed with what a 125 gr JSP in .357 did to a deer at 70 yards than what the .350 Legend did at about 80. Both dead, but that .357 really surprised me. I will never be without a .357 rifle.

.223 is great and you can use multiple bullet weights to do about anything. My nephew has a Ruger American Ranch in .223 with the rotary mag that shoots everything we've fed it 1" or less at 100 yards. Amazing little rifle. Lots of ammo choices. minimal recoil.

7.62x39 is a great round that I'm very fond of for deer. Even the cheap comm block stuff shoots great out of my Zastava, Ruger, and CZ. Just hard to beat as an all around rifle. Like that my Ruger uses the same mags as my Mini 30. I will never be without a 7.62x39.

6.5 Grendel. I have 2. Howa and CZ. It is hands down my favorite. Minimal recoil and good factory options for ammo. Great deer round. I will never be without a 6.5 Grendel.

300 BO, for me, is the only disappointment in the group and that's only because I had a Ruger American that wouldn't shoot most ammo. It would dent the primer, but wouldn't go bang. 2 trips to Ruger couldn't fix it. Just not worth staying with that caliber with all the others available. But, it will get it done with little to no recoil.

6mm ARC has lots of followers these days, but not on my list. Not seeing much ammo on the shelves around here yet, but I'm sure its coming.

Simply put, you can't go wrong with any caliber you listed. Just need to consider what you want. Buy 2 or 3 platforms in different calibers and keep the one you like best. or keep all 3. I like variety.

Obi Wan, Brian Pearce did a great article in Handloader magazine about the .357 rifle. He said it kills deer way above it’s ballistics. I wanted a Marlin 1894C in stainless steel but they quit making them. Also kicked around the idea of a Ruger 77/357. Never got around to that one. Wish I would have bought one.

Ron

I first started looking for one when my brother-in-law started his 2 boys with a Marlin .357. They killed a truckload of deer and some big ones and some at long distance for that round. All with 125 grain Remington hollowpoints. They never got a pass through. I couldn't find a lever action for a reasonable price, but found the 77/357 and picked it up. My son's first deer was. spike buck at 70 yards. We used 125 grain JSP. 35 caliber hole going in, hole the size of a quarter coming out. I was impressed and liked it so much I bought me one. Took it hunting with my brother-in-law and he was so impressed he bought one. Out of the 5 of us, not one would part with their .357 rifle. I shot two coyotes at 70-80 yards and dropped them both where they stood. Find a used one and go for it.

I can't argue much with this but there are much better powders than 4895 for downloading 308 and others. 4895 just happens to be the one they have tested. 3031 and 4227 as well as 4198 work very nicely in the 308 and others and don't leave as much or any unburned powder like 4895 does.
Take care,
Rick

“300 BO, for me, is the only disappointment in the group and that's only because I had a Ruger American that wouldn't shoot most ammo. It would dent the primer, but wouldn't go bang. 2 trips to Ruger couldn't fix it. Just not worth staying with that caliber with all the others available. But, it will get it done with little to no recoil.”

I had the same issue, which was a headspace problem. Loosened up the nut and gave the barrel a slight turn in to tighten the headspace and problem went away. It was a problem with some of the early ones, from what I read on the net.

Same here, and the Howa mini with the barrel bobbed and the youth stock is a very handy package:

Not on your list, but, I think .243 is the best combination of low recoil, good range and cheap components.

260 Rem
7-08

I’ve used the 250, 243, 22-250 and 223 a lot for deer sized game. The .223 is just as effective as the others and has several advantages of its own. Brass is everywhere, 25 grs of powder per shot, small rifle primers abound, quietest of the rounds you suggested, lightest recoil of all, and super easy to work up accurate loads for. It’s easily my favorite cartridge and simply a classic little cartridge.