Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Short Range deer rifle

Hello all,
I am considering a new rifle build. I am looking at building a lightweight bolt action rifle with a 20" barrel for a shortrange blacktail deer hunting rifle. My question is the caliber. I have been thinking of a .250 savage or something in that range.Most of my shots are under 100 yards but would like the range for 200 with enough energy. I am curious about some other cartridges such as 6.8 spc, 6XC, ect. Does anyone have any recommendations for such a rifle. Builds, pics would be helpful.

Thanks

.308 win sounds like it might work.

I have been thinking about the same kind of build for awhile now and here's what I've put together in my mind:

Remington 700, short action ADL
Pac Nor Winchester Featherweight contour barrel, stainless
Chambered in 250 Savage, AI
21" barrel
Talley LW mounts
Leupold FXII 4x33
McMillan Hunter's Edge stock, Edge Fill, painted brown.

Of course, the ultimate short range rifle is an iron sighted handgun

10 twist 250 Sav with a 21" barrel .6" at the mzl. Ti take off, 700 shorty action, Talley's and a 4x Leo out to do you well. Add R15 and 120 Speers and or the 117 Horn RN and you're golden.

Dober

Don't worry about the 250 Savage it has plenty of power. This guy was just shy of 300 lbs. One shot DRT.

I you're lucky your state will just pick one for you, like ours....

I use a NULA 250 Savage for everything except birds nowadays. I've taken numerous whitetails, pronghorns, hogs, axis deer, blackbucks and prairie dogs. I love the 250!!! Its light recoil, modest report, flat shooting and effective. Cases last forever in a bolt gun and you don't need any special premium bullets. Give it a try I think you will agree...

Dang!! Lost a bet with myself. I figured it wouldn't be 5 posts before somebody swore the .260 would be the way to go. But it took 7....grinnin'

I had a 260 and a 6.5x55 great cartridges, but I prefer the 250 Savage.

for 100 yards, a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39 autta work

I use a 308.

Others here use 7-08 and similar (Boyd Iverson).

With clear cuts shots can range to 300 yards pretty easy.

ANything based on the 308 case is fine (243, 260, 7-08, 308, 338 fed, 358).

250 savage is fine too.

BMT

I just built a 6.5x47 Lapua hunting rifle.
21" 8 twist 3 groove Lilja, Remington mag contour as I like a bit of weight to help with off hand type shots. No name laminate stock. I have a 5.5x22 Nightforce on it as I hunt in open country, but a guy could get by with a 3x9 or so easy enough.

course a Model 94 in 30-30 has handled that chore nicely, for a looong time.

It appears you are building for low recoil, and that's cool.

Ignoring that for the moment, I've been extremely impressed with my .358 Model 7 with a 20" barrel, both in terms of handling and of terminal effect on deer. It is a no-muss, no-fuss deer hammer.

And recoil is not bad at all- less than 30-06 generally speaking. Sound is relatively easy on the ears- a booom, not a crack.

I'm a fan.

If the range is short and you want something different try a 35 rem in a short 20" tube. Mild on recoil and will put a nice thump on deer in close

Another vote for the 30-30, but I prefer the Marlin.

Right on, and mount it with a receiver sight. Puts the emphasis back on hunting and less on long range target shooting at critters. No, dammit, thats what binocs are for!!!

Wayne

25Souper, 7/08, 300Savage, 308, the list could go on. Pick the one you like the most.Rick.

If you are building a rifle purchase one of these:
www.savagearms.com/firearms/actions/sporter/
or one of these if you want a stainless steel action:
www.savagearms.com/firearms/actions/varmint/
then barrel it with a drop-in pre-chambered Savage barrel from
www.pac-nor.com/
or:
www.shilen.com/savageBarrels.html

Stocks are available from a variety of sources such as Sharp Shooter Supply (finish sanded pillar bedded stocks), Stocky Stocks and Boyds.

With a barrel nut wrench, barrel vice and headspace gauge you can barrel it yourself, finish the stock, mount the scope and go shoot, or hire a gunsmith to assemble it for you. Any mid-power cartridge will work, from the .22-250, .243 Winchester, to the .250-3000 (Savage) you mentioned (a really good choice especially with Barnes bullets), to the .308 Win., .260 Remington, etc. Pick a cartridge that's inexpensive with good brass availability and bullet selection, there is no magic cartridge they all do the same thing. With the Savage action you can swap barrels, magazines and bolt heads to interchange cartridges at will, or to meet differing terrain and species.

If you gotta have a Remington action, then use a Pac-Nor barrel modified for a Savage style barrel nut, so you can change the barrels out easily. Alternatively order a Bergara Barrel which is ready to screw on with a Savage style nut:
www.bergarabarrels.com/bergarabarrels/drop-in-barrels/remington-700-rifle-barrels.html/
They even show you how: http://cmgvault1.s3.amazonaws.com/bergara/quick-barrel-assembly/index.html

Have fun.

If I were going to build, I'd want to sink the money in someting with resale value. A Model 7 in .243 or .308 would do it all for a lot less money.