Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Close Range Deer Rifle

Something like this. I chose a Ruger Predator in 308, but any short barreled lightweight bolt gun in most any modern cartridge will do. This weighs 6 3/4 lbs; less scoped than my lever 30-30's do with irons. With the scope on 1X it is faster to get on target and the optics make it easier to pick up game in poor light. On 4X it'll keep 3 shots under 1" at 200 yards.

I like a 308, 243, 6.5, 7-08, etc over traditional brush cartridges. Even at close range trajectory matters in brush. Bullets will be no more than 1" above or below line of sight from the muzzle to 120-130 yards and only about 2" low at 200 yards. Makes it easier to thread bullets through baseball size openings in brush.