Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Least Destructive High Power

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.

Category 1 - 270 or 308: Seem fairly similar, the 270 seems to edge out on most numbers, but seems I'd be just as happy with one as the other. Please share personal experience between the two of there's big defining pieces I'm missing. Would've probably had 7mm-08 in place of 308, but ammo is simply not as available around me.

Category 2 - 7mm mag or 300 mag: These are obviously a step up. My brother uses a 7mm mag, and though it seems way unnecessary, it gets the job done every time and doesn't seem to destroy the deer. I can read numbers all day, but from personal experience is there a vast difference between these two in actual performance? Or are they both in the "stupid obnoxious" realm for whitetail, and it doesn't really matter?

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!

OriginalUS, welcome to forum..just joined myself but have been reading on here for a while. Can't speak of the Category 2, except to say they are 2 very good rounds if you can stand the kick and not develop a "I know what is coming when I pull this trigger." Have shot the 7mm and could not take it. The 270 is one that my brother has and have shot few times, and to tell you the truth, it has about the same kick as a 7mm. Fine round for deer, will reach out there, do all caliber for elk.deer, and many more. The 308 is about all I use now and was my first caliber almost 40 years ago. Also got a 243 which is about as good and my grandson uses some, very easy on the shoulder and with reloads will get done on any deer that walks. Both of these are in Winchester Model 70 in stainless. Reason I like the 308 is I reload and can work up loads that fit my type of hunting, which is about like you described....50 yds all the way out to 300-400 yds with ease. Shooting like 2- 3 inches high at 100 will drop like 7-8 inches at 300, no hold over no problem at that range. Now, also at that range it has over 1500 ft lbs of energy and traveling over 2000 fps, so look it up, all you will ever need for deer and on up in game. Can shoot at range and never think about it going to kick and not have a sore shoulder afterwards....all which is important to me. Many rifles out there in the 308 to choose from, ammo to be found easy, and another thing, the 308 and 243 is built on a short action vs long action for the heavier calibers...another thing to consider if you will handle both before you buy. Also, the Win.Model 70 is built on the Mauser type action, or controlled round feed (CRF) which controls the round picking it up out of the mag and holds it till round is extracted....no chance of a round failing to cycle into chamber when working bolt fast....repeated shots held at different angles when firing and loading rounds. Sorry for the long read, but thought I would try to give you little insight into what I believe is one of the best rounds ever developed for hunting. Now, after all this has been said, am looking at another project.... the 6.5 Creedmore.....check that round out....nothing to not like.

From my personal experience, shot placement and the type of bullet have a lot to do with the "destructive" part. My new favorite rifle is a Sako 85 FL 7-08, and thus far I have taken deer past 300 yards with it. I do have access locally to a variety of ammo for it. With that being said having to order for a few other calibers, I would go with a caliber that I can get ammo off the shelf for and not have to order, unless you are going to reload. Lots of new rifles on the market today are way more accurate than the average shooter, pick one you like a go for it.

Cat 1 ...... 308, 150 bullet @ 2800fps. Point blank range would be about 270 yards. point and shoot. Dead deer.

Perfectly honest, IMO, just about any off the shelf caliber with the correct bullet will do the job from 50-250 yards.

Nothing wrong with the 7mm Rem mag and 300 Win mag on deer. Dead is dead and they get it done quickly. You have to be careful about bullet selection or you'll end up with a blood shot mess but they really shine when you can't afford to have a deer take one step because of property lines or other hunters.

.308, lots of good and great short action rifles available in just about any price range, more than enough for any whitail deer with 150 or 165gr factory ammo, endless reloading potential, and if you look around a little you can even get a Savage 99 in .308!

Why haul around a magnum, and pay for magnum ammo, for the type of hunting you're describing?

There is absolutely no reason to consider the magnums given your criteria. If you reload you could always load the 300 or big 7 to 308 velocities but if you are buying ammo off the shelf the 308 will do fine. The 270 will do the job equally well and that is my choice because some of my hunting involves long range shooting and the extra velocity helps flatten trajectory but inside 300 yards there are lots of cartridges that will get the job done.

A .243 or a 7mm-08 with a good bullet is all you need. Anybody shoots a low recoiling rifle better than a magnum.

Thank you all for the input. I was kind of thinking there'd be no real defining reason to get into magnums with my criteria. The availability is really good on all the rounds I mentioned, but 270 and 308 are the most available and affordable, with a broad variety.

I saw someone mention 7-08, and yes I'd love to go with that, but around me I see on average one lone box of that stuff in most stores, and it's usually much more expensive than the aforementioned.

Seems more and more I'm hearing folks tell me to go lower recoil for better shooting/consistent accuracy, so likely coming between the two in category 1.

Anyone with experience with both 270 and 308? Asking pretty much just about recoil at this point. Vastly different? I'm assuming (yeah I know) that 270 will recoil harder with the extra charge, even though it's smaller caliber. Right or wrong?

The 270 is larger caliber....longer brass, greater velocity, long action and more energy for the distance compared between the 308. Haven't hunted with a 270 but many on here have, may someone will chime in.

.223 AI

What you are asking for is a rifle loaded with a mono bullet.

I would use a 7mm mag and a 120 ballistic tip.

What you are asking for is a rifle loaded with a mono bullet. this probably the least destructive.

270 any day, every day,

Although I do have others.

That depends on the bullet and the velocity.

My 26 Nosler, shooting 120 E-Tips and TTSX at 3,450 fps, is very destructive. I can post pictures if interested.

At more conventional velocity, I would agree.

DF

Silly Rabbits...

"Least destructive" depends on which bones you hit with any high velocity rifle.

There ain't much you can do if the bullet strikes a big bone.

I find explosive destruction to be closely aligned with velocity.

A 45-70 pushing a 405 grain slug at about 1,200 fps and one can eat right to the edge of the bullet hole. A 110 grain 257 Weatherby doing about 3,700 fps and I can blood shock an entire loin with a neck shot.

308 Win... I've taken everything from coyotes to elk with it (and everything in between, from 20 to 500 yards), including my largest whitetail (a 240 lb 4X4), and my largest bull elk (an old 7X7).

Or even .223 plain vanilla if they are legal in your state.

If not, something non-magnum in the .25" to 7mm range and keep the bullets under about 2800 fps. Little Brown Truck will deliver ammunition right to your door if you can't find it locally.


Or do what Brad said.