Hey all. I'm looking to get into a new rifle for the next deer season. Looking for consistency from 50-250 yards(that's my hunting spot), flat and powerful but not not overly destructive. I've been going back and forth, comparing two different levels.
. . .
I'm trying to pin down the best (relative) choice in each category and then make up my mind from there. Trying not to over think it. All of these will absolutely kill a deer with good shot placement. I'm just trying to see why or if I should really lean one way or another, or just pick one and have fun.
Thanks!
I will speak only about whitetails; I have no experience with other species.
1) If all your going for is whitetail, then stick with the first category. There is very little the second will buy you.
2) Remember that most whitetail deer are taken inside 80 yards. Now that's just an average, but normally the habits and habitat of whitetails preclude a lot of long shots.
3) I generally use 300 Savage as a good starting place for whitetail. It's normal operating range matches that of whitetail hunting. Right now, I'm heavy on 30-06 rifles. I used to shoot with 35 Whelen, but after a decade I retired the Whelenizer. 35 Whelen creates a lot of sound and fury, but it did not make the deer any deader. Were I to get another rifle, I'd be looking for less recoil and probably go with 7mm-08
4) Don't expect that the 2nd class of rifles you mentioned is going to get you better results inside that 50-250 yard range. Bang/Flop and DRT are more related to bullet placement than terminal ballistics in the case of whitetails.
I used to be tasked with the "What Makes a Good Deer Rifle?" kind of article. I hadn't updated my thoughts in a few years, so I took it on myself to do so this past October:
What Makes a Good Deer RifleThere's a trail of breadcrumbs at the bottom that will lead you to how my thoughts have changed over the years
