Best Cartridge for New England White Tail

[treg]

I've had excellent results with Remingtons Managed Recoil loads under the conditions you describe.

My hunting territory sounds a lot like yours and I had the same issues with my .30-06. Didn't like the meat damage after years of shooting them with .44 mag pistols. The MR loads from Remington are well balanced between velocity and bullet design making them very effective on deer without the overkill of standard loads at short to medium range. They perform as advertised, just what the doctor ordered.

Here's a link - http://www.remington.com/products/am...ed-recoil.aspx

and another http://www.chuckhawks.com/rem_managed_recoil.htm

[Todd1700]

At those very close ranges and with excessive meat damage being your listed concern then you are making a case for one of the old big and slow calibers like a 44 mag, 45 Colt, 35 Rem, 444 or even 45/70 if you don't mind recoil. You can get them in short easy to carry lever actions that would be fine for the distances you are shooting from. At those distances you could shoot irons sights or just put a straight 4 power scope on it. Old timers call those big slow cartridges "eat right up to the hole" guns. LOL!

[hooligan1]

Well here's my three cents worth of deer killin knowledge.

First of all, contrary to what anybody says, the .270 win is NOT overkill....

Second of all proper shot placement reduces meat loss.....

Thirdly and lastly, Try another type of bullet in your rifle for pure penetration and pass-through, not explosiveness......(like peetza said)

[Daryl]

Well here's my three cents worth of deer killin knowledge.

First of all, contrary to what anybody says, the .270 win is NOT overkill....

Second of all proper shot placement reduces meat loss.....

Thirdly and lastly, Try another type of bullet in your rifle for pure penetration and pass-through, not explosivenous......(like peetza said)

And what I said, before peetza said it; but what's the fun in that if the OP wants an excuse for a new rifle-gun to hunt deer with (hey, I've used worse'n that!).

Old timers call those big slow cartridges "eat right up to the hole" guns. LOL!

And usiing hardcast bullets you can do just that. With the big bores, there's no need for expansion or excessive velocity. They're juust long range punch-presses that leave a half inch hole coming and going.

[hooligan1]

Daryl his reason wasn't creative enough!!!


"Cause I can" is what I prefer to use as an excuse to add to my collection!!

[Rich Mc]

Use a less reactive bullet. The Barnes bullets should drop all their expansion and then just the base flies thru the out shoulder.

I was raised in New England with a 30-06 - also taught to take out a shoulder - no tracking even on the big boys.

I've dropped to a .243 and .357 magnum rifle, depending on range. All 3 will jelly up some meat but if it is just a shoulder, you don't lose much.

[Cascade1911]

Lots of good stuff. After reading all the posts and doing a bit of thinking here's what I think:

1) What the heck, so what if I blood shot a shoulder, the sucker dropped in it's tracks and if a longer range shot does arise.......

2) I like the idea of the Barnes bullets.

3) I never need an excuse to buy a rifle, just a direction.

4) A 45/70 lever gun would sure be sweet.

Thanks all.

[jimbob86]

Now the .270 drops them in their tracks but sure makes a mess.

Placement is everything. Don't shoot the meat.

It is fine if all it makes a mess of is the lungs and heart. It may not drop to the shot, but it won't go very far...... 30-40 yards. I had one go almost 200 yards once, but it was 460 yards from the muzzle when I shot it...... and the bullet went through both lungs.....