Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles which compact deer rifle to buy?

Never owned one but my hunting partners Rem Model 7 in 7mm-08 with the 18" barrel is a nice compact rig that his kids each used on their first hunts.

Not that the 7mm08 is just for kids, before getting the magnum bug he dropped plenty of mule deer and an occasional elk with it..

I don't own any Ruger Compact Rifles, but I do have one Rem Model 7 CDL. Based on its accuracy, ease of handling, and good fabrication, I can recommend one of those. Since buying a 7-08 recently, I can recommend that chambering also.
This in now way is intended to diminish Ruger Compacts, I just never even handled one of them.

Rem 7 in 7-08. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I'm curious why you say the barrel is too thin on the Ruger u/l. I've had a ruger ultralight .308 for 15 years and have fired at least 1000 rounds through it, and with favored loads It'll put 3 shots into a 3/4" group at 100 yds. I don't see what the problem is???

Ruger Ultra Light

Ruger compact,will last a lifetime

...........bcraig........I`ve had a Ruger Frontier compact for over 2 1/2 years now. Due to its smaller size, it can really spoil ya in the field regardless of the type of terrain, ie; for handling, carrying, manuverability, additional quickness or speed, as a truck gun, hunting from stands and blinds which have confined spaces, etc! I have owned and hunted with fully sized rifles for many years and consider the more compact rifles a refreshing change, which was also the reason which later led to my purchase of a 375 Ruger Alaskan.

As posted before on other threads, I have done a considerable amount of chrony comparisons between my 300 WSM compact vs two 24" 300 WSMs using numerous identical reloads with different powders, charge levels, bullet weights, bullet brands and so on. I can only state the results for "these three particular" rifles chambered in the 300 WSM that were used in this test. There can be a wider disparity when other rifle combos are used.

From my 16.5" barrel as opposed to the 24`s, I`m losing between 16.4 fps up to 19.4 fps per inch of shorter tube length, translating to an overall percentage loss of between 4.2% to 4.5%. So no game hunted will know the difference, even if shot from the same distances.

So while there are many things to be gained from the smaller compact, the downside, if you can call it one, will be the additional muzzle blast or noise from the shorter barrel. I have ear muffs for the range and sufficient protection for the hunts, which should always be worn anyway,,,"regardless",,,of barrel length. I really find no discernable difference (when wearing the ear protection) between my 300 WSM compact vs the 24" tubed 300 Win I owned for 35 years. So while many will make a big deal about additional noise from the shorter barrels, it is an issue that is easily solved. I`m sure that the noise levels from a 45-70 or from a 450 Marlin Guide Gun will exceed somewhat my shorty 300 WSM??? Highly likely!!

As for accuracy from the box, I will tell you that with my most accurate reloads, I receive consistent moa and less groupings from the Frontier. The only alteration was a trigger assembly swap (the LC6 triggers weren`t out yet).

As with all M77 Hawkeyes and M77 MK2s, the new Hawkeye in either the compact or the Ultralite, are about as durable a rifle as they come that will last a lifetime and then some.

I have two other friends who also love their Ruger compacts. One has a 338 Federal Frontier and the other as the new 300 RCM Hawkeye laminated compact. His 300 RCM compact btw, has the ballistics, plus a little then some, of a 24" tubed 30-06.

Though smaller, the velocity performance levels from the Ruger compacts, regardless of chambering, should not be under-estimated.

i guess my take on it would be that some cartridges really shine their best in a bit longer barrel, while others do outstanding in a shorter barrel. The 7-08, 308 class in my opinion seems to be more suited for an 18-20 inch barreled gun, while the 30-06, 300WSM, 300WM seems more suited to a longer barreled gun. A 20 inch barrel is sure handy to carry and keeps the blast away from your face and left ear a bit (if your right handed). I cannot imagine that either choice Ruger or Remington would do anything but be a pleasure to hunt with. My decision if I did not reload would be based on cartridge availability.

BigSqueeze more power too you but I just cannot imagine a 300WSM from a 16.5 inch barrel in the field.

I too own several Rem 600's.
In fact I am taking my 600 in 308 out next week for a weeks deer/hog hunt.
My 308 is a first year model and has a walnut stock instead of the birch that most came with.
Very accurate indeed and equipped with a Leupold VX-I 2x7x33 scope is very light to carry.
I owned an earlier model M7 with the 18.5 inch barrel in 7mm-08 and never warmed up to it cause it fired four inch groups and had some pretty good barrel whip compared to my model 600 Mohawk in 308.
The Mohawks have a heavier barrel than the M7's (with iron sights too).
Extremely accurate little rifles.
I own and have owned several and never fired one that was not consistently accurate.

I see it seems most agree with me. Rem over Ruger.

All that I've seen its been the Rugers that have the most accuracy issues before being tweaked.

Working on one in 257 Roberts right now. I've had to work on far more Rugers than Remingtons over the years. Couple that with the anti gun [bleep] they put out in the 90s... the heck with em and buy Remington.

Though I'd also look into Kimber too.

................Just think of it this way! It`s just like carrying around the power and range of a 26" tubed 30-06 AI and then some, but in a rifle that`s about 10" or 11" shorter! It`s certainly not for the fainter at heart and is not for most. I likes `em short, handy, yet very powerful.

Hey! The 45-70 and the 450 Marlin have 18.5" tubes in the Guide Guns! Yet, most if not all think that`s ok and normal! But a 16.5" 300 WSM? Naaaa, can`t have that! Now that`s un-imaginable and taboo!!.....

Of the 2 guns you list, I'd go with the Remington in 308. My father has a model 7 in 308 and it's a real thumper in the woods.

Now for a different thought if I may offer it. I also wanted a carbine in 308, but couldn't afford to pay $700 for a new model 7. So, I bought a Marlin XS-7 in 308 and sent it to the 'smith to cut 4" off the barrel. The gun cost $321 and another $65 for the cutting and crowning. So, for $386 I get a 6.4 lb 308 carbine that will handle like a dream and not break the bank.

Just another way to get what you want.