BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[redneckhunter]

Hey guys, Me and my dad are planning on going deer hunting this season, and we are looking for a rifle for me that doesnt have a huge amount of recoil, but it can also dispatch a whitetail cleanly. What would you buy?

[jim muir]

7mm-08 or its warhorse twin the 7mm mauser are 2 that imediatly spring to my mind, both are quite mild shooting and capable of killing deer and moose as far as I feel the need to shoot. for closer range say 200yards and shorter a .30-30 is an awesome deer rifle and a timeless classic with very managable recoil. but thats my opinion, I like rifle launching a .27 cal bullet or larger for most of my biggame hunting

[Old Professor]

In addition to the 7mm08, I would reccommend the 260 Remington. The 260 Rem has virtually no recoil. I had a 12 year old girl take two deer in Texas with mine and she said it did not kick her at all.

[Fisher King]

i Have taken 10 deer with my SKS .762x39 almost the same balistics as a 30, 30
FK

[Don Fischer]

I agree with the 260 Rem. Tho I have never fired one, I have used a lot of cartridges based on the 308 case. It is much like the 6.5x55 which is one of my favorite cartridges. The drawback on both is that to have a sure supply of ammo and to get the most out of the cartridge you really need to handload.

The 7mm-08 would be a better choice only because it's well established. The 7x57 is another of my favorites and a lot like the 7mm-08 in preformance.

One more cartridge nobody mentioned is the 25-06 or the 257 Roberts and 250-3000. The last two would be hard to come by unless you handload, the 25-06 is pretty much everywhere.

And of course the 308 itself is a fine cartridge. Many people have good luck with 150gr bullets in it, I never did. But with 165gr bullets it is wonderful and mild recoiling.

[WesternHunter]

.243 Win. Some hunters will say it's not good enough, but I beg to differ. For a young, inexperienced shooter or one that is recoil sensitive I think the .243 is an excellent choice for whitetail. Widley available too. I used it on whitetail and antelope from the age of 12 yrs until I graduated high school.

[Whelland]

I agree with WesternHunter. I bought a .243 for my wife several years ago and she loves it. Since then, my daughter has successfully used that same rifle as well. I also like to take it out once in a while myself. It's never failed on a whitetail yet......or coyote's. It has light recoil and is just plain fun to shoot.

[wonksy]

270 win. :thumbsup1:

[AggieGuy]

Short Cartridge - 7mm-08, then 243
Long Cartridge - 25-06

All highly effective, easy shooting guns.

[Kirrmeister]

Hello from Germany!

I would take or recommend a 6.5x55 swedish with a heavy bullet.

Regards

Kirrmeister

[ChesterGolf]

Kirrmeister wrote: Hello from Germany!

I would take or recommend a 6.5x55 swedish with a heavy bullet.

Regards

Kirrmeister

I would also take the 6.5x55. It is an underestimated caliber and works wonders on deer and hardly has any recoil. :thumbsup1:

[Don Fischer]

ChesterGolf wrote: Kirrmeister wrote: Hello from Germany!

I would take or recommend a 6.5x55 swedish with a heavy bullet.

Regards

Kirrmeister

I would also take the 6.5x55. It is an underestimated caliber and works wonders on deer and hardly has any recoil. :thumbsup1:

I'm on my fourth! :thumbsup1:

[chechatonga]

wonksy wrote: 270 win. :thumbsup1:

Got to go with this guy :)

[Romey]

.257 roberts, notorious for low recoil, flat tragectory and energy down range. As a guide, a hunter and reloader the "bob" is quite likely the most versatile varmite/biggame cal outthere IMHO

[SCBUCKHUNTER]

I would have to say the 7mm 08. I bought one for my wife who is very small and it has very minimal recoil and does the number on a deer.