Long Distance Deer Rifle

[Posipete]

Im looking into getting a new rifle thats accurate at lond distance shots. I hunt one of our fields that is a little over 300 yards long. we only own the field and the land on one side. the woods surrounding the field are owned by someone else who doesnt want me to set up a tree stand on his land just for liability issues if i would fall, which i respect. he doesnt mind if i hunt from the ground or if i need to track deer through his woods, but but i can watch a lot more from my stand on the south end of the field. seems like every year 90 percent of the deer i see are all the way down at or near the north end. ive only tried the shot a few times and the 2 times i found blood, i tracked it forever just to find nothing. im looking into buying a gun that is more for long range. I was just wondering what other people would recommend for a gun. which would be better a 30-06 or 7mm? Any other guns to recommend?

[Rambo]

Either. Sight the .30 at 2.5" high at 100 yards with 165gr Premium ammo. 300yds would be the limit without holdover.

[turner]

To be quite honest at 300 yds either the '06(with proper bullets) or the 7mm Mag will be just fine. Others that will perform with good shooting are: 25/06, .270, .280, .308 and many other like calibers. There's no reason that with good shooting all of these calibers mentioned wouldn't be the hammer of Thor on deer at 300+yds!!

[vikingpreacher]

I would suggest the 30-06 or even a 270 or 270 WSM would also be good rounds with the 270 WSM being best for long range shooting. Something to add, get well practiced at that range!

[texnmidwest]

I can not argue with the advice above. Depending on the size of the deer even a 243 would do the job at that range with good bullets. I have taken deer at that range with a 6mm remington. But the larger calibers will do a more reliable job. Also, might consider a 7mm-08.

[lefty o]

my advice is to do alot of practice with whatever it is your using now. most centerfire rifles are quite capable of cleanly taking deer at 300yds. the problem is, most hunters are not. practice, practice, practice.

[toolman]

I agree with lefty o, as long as you have decent optics. I've seen a 243 work at these ranges but it's a bit on the light side. Personally, I'd go with a .270 on up. I'm not a big magnum fan for deer-sized game.

[rdale501]

If I were choosing a round just for the situation you described, I would go with the 30-06 and a 165 or 180 grain bullet. This is a combination I have used at the range you mentioned and maybe just a bit beyond.

[Magnumsrule]

Id use a 7mm mag. One of the best factory loaded cartridges in my opinion for longer range shootin.

[SwedeSteve]

While I don't currently own a 30-06, I have owned and shot them quite a bit. It will cleanly take deer at 300m. I have owned a 7mmMag for over 30 years and it has taken it's fair share of game as well. I do agree that you need to shoot whichever you purchase, and shoot it a lot! WE are the weakest link in the process if we haven't practiced a lot!

[nathangdad]

The 7mm Remington mag is a great cartridge. If you can afford it, I would recommend a custom barrel of perhaps 26 inches in the varmit style.
Also, a better quality optic would be a great asset if you can afford it.

Good shooting and good hunting.

[cabincowboy]

I have a 30-06 and a 25-06. Both will take a deer at 300 yards. The problem with a 300 yard shot is not the gun, it's the shooter. You can't sight in "any" rifle at 100 yards and expect it to perform at 300 yards. A 30-06 shooting 165 grain Interbonds, (my choice), drops over 12" at 300 yards, over 7" if sighted in at 200 yards, (with maximum loads). The 25-06 is about an inch better using a 117 grain boat tail. A 220 Swift sighted in at 100 yards shooting a 40 grain bullet at 4300 fps will drop 5" at 300 yard, (not a legal cartridge for deer hunting in most states).
If you know you will be shooting 300 yards you need to practice shooting at 300 yards. ANY shooting errors or bad techinque will put you off the paper at 300 yards. With any long distance shooting it is important to use the same ammo on the range you will use hunting. After enough practice if you are confident you can make a 300 yard shot in hunting conditions you should buy a range finder. A 30-06 zero'ed at 300 yards will shoot 12+" low at 400 yards. My personal opinion is that any shot over 300 yards should only be at paper. A small gust of wind gets important at anything over 150 yards, and is critical at 300. Judging distance without a range finder, or a range finder scope is very difficult over 200 yards. Long range hunters usually sight in for zero at either 200 or 300 yards and make adjustments from there. (A 30-06 sighted in at 300 yards will shoot about 5" high at 100 yards).

[vikingpreacher]

Just get a Savage or Browning 270 WSM.

[.280Rem]

Originally Posted by Posipete

Im looking into getting a new rifle thats accurate at lond distance shots. I hunt one of our fields that is a little over 300 yards long. we only own the field and the land on one side. the woods surrounding the field are owned by someone else who doesnt want me to set up a tree stand on his land just for liability issues if i would fall, which i respect. he doesnt mind if i hunt from the ground or if i need to track deer through his woods, but but i can watch a lot more from my stand on the south end of the field. seems like every year 90 percent of the deer i see are all the way down at or near the north end. ive only tried the shot a few times and the 2 times i found blood, i tracked it forever just to find nothing. im looking into buying a gun that is more for long range. I was just wondering what other people would recommend for a gun. which would be better a 30-06 or 7mm? Any other guns to recommend?

What is it that you're shooting now that isn't "enough gun". 300 yds for most modern rounds is well within capabilities for deer. I've taken deer at 300 yards with my .243. Like others said, 25-06, .270, .280, 30-06 will all do very well to 300 yards and more on deer, with little recoil. A 7mmRM will be a little more recoil, but still very managable, especially with 140gr bullets. The most important thing is that you be able to make the shot. Are you set up to take 300 yard shots? Good rest? Good Scope? Do you know where your gun is sited and hitting at 300yds?

[rdale501]

Practice, practice,practice.

[Magnumsrule]

Did someone mention practise....

[Posipete]

The gun i use now is a really old 30-06 and its really been through a lot. My grandpa owned it, then my dad got it when he stopped hunting and now i use it. It hasnt been taking care of as well as it could have been and its definatly aged. it just shoots all over the place when you get over about 150 yards. up to 150 isnt too bad, but after that its like the bullet has a mind of its own. if im gonna keep shooting with it, im gonna need to replace the barrel and probably some other parts on it because its not worth wasting the bullets. Id rather clean it up and hang it on the wall, then buy a new gun and get started all over again.

[lefty o]

yep, PRACTICE was mentioned!

[thebigitch62]

I'd find a caliber that has a point blank aim point out to 300 yards so you don't have to think about math when the time to shoot comes. plus spend the money for good glass. I like my .300 RUM for all my hunting. it has a leupold VARI-X III in 6X18 and works great.

[Silent Shooter]

At 300 yards a .243 will tear up more meat then you want to lose... I have shot a deer at a lasered 427 yards and there was nothing but liquid above the diaphram.