Short, light rifle for little deer

[pirate ammo]

243 period. Whitetail in my backyard I just shake a feed can.

 

[joshb]

243 period. Whitetail in my backyard I just shake a feed can.

Ha! Using that method, you could lasso one and save your ammo. I could do that in my backyard but wifey won’t let me hurt the pets!

 

[pirate ammo]

Ha! Using that method, you could lasso one and save your ammo. I could do that in my backyard but wifey won’t let me hurt the pets!

Phideoux and the deer are friends, if I hurt one I'll most likely get bit.

 

[joshb]

On the OP question, I’d go with a Winchester or Marlin lever gun like SPJ suggested. Handiest lightest rifles I own! Also the old 141 pumper!

 

[OLeveraction]

Marlin 336 in 35Remington.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

.308’s like short barrels and reduced loads with H4895. Pair this with Sierra 125 or 150 game kings and you will have a soft shooter that makes a big hole.

 

[Fast14riot]

To answer a few questions, I was thinking no shorter than 20". I like @Bc'z suggestion of taking my old RemVarmint 260AI comp barrel and chopping it down to 20" and putting it on a light composite stock. It still has life left for hunting accuracy and I have load data with lots of bullets.

I'm not a huge fan of lever guns, but I see the appeal. I would be more apt to building a carbine style AR in 6.8. But, this would be a second hunting gun as I'm going to keep my 30-06 for NV and Eastern CA hunts. I have a good load with Cu solids for it already.

The weight of my current rifle (Eddytone 1917 sporter) wasn't a hindrance, but I felt it after a several hour hike and slow hunting.

Lots of good input, thats for sure. My mom has a T/C Venture in 270, it weighs only like 8lbs with scope. Was stupid cheap, accurate and after fixing the trigger is nice to shoot.

Lots to think about!

 

[David Milisock]

Having successfully filled a tag for an Oregon blacktail this week, with my 26" barrel, 10.5lb 30-06 with a fixed 10x scope, I felt a bit "over gunned" if you will in those dense woods. The gun is built for NV mulies and AZ coues deer at long range. So now I'm looking into something short, light, and with a little less horsepower than the 30-06 with 178s.

I currently shoot and load for 6.8spc and 6br which I think both cartridges would do everything I need on those deer, but I'm also not opposed to an inexpensive factory rifle that I chop the barrel on.

Thoughts? I'm not set on those chamberings, just what I have that may work well.

A little Savage Axis 243 comes in at 6.5 pounds.

 

[snert]

Rem 700 ADL youth in 243. It's like a ham sandwich...nothing special, goes with you wherever, and isn't to hard to carry, does the job fine and doesn't cost a lot. The short stock in tupperware even fits a 6 foot guy like me without scope bite.

 

[stacy]

I GOT SEVERAL REM MOD 7 IN 243 7MM08 AND THEY WORK VERY WELL BUT I REWORKED A HOWA MINI IN 6.5 GRENDAL AND I BELIEVE IT WORKS JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER FOR ME WITH H-335 AND 100GR BARNES TTSX HAMMERS THOSE DEER

 

[INTJ]

I have taken several Oregon Blacktail with this rifle and one that was a similar size. It is a 7.75 lb with scope 300 WSM. I used a 30-06 before that that was just a tad heavier.

 

[OLeveraction]

I felt a bit "over gunned" if you will in those dense woods.

35 Remington is a well know Bush Round.

 

[JFrank]

I have taken several Oregon Blacktail with this rifle and one that was a similar size. It is a 7.75 lb with scope 300 WSM. I used a 30-06 before that that was just a tad heavier.

View attachment 1284914

Holy Crap !

 

[Knotwild]

I'll never get around to it, but I would love to have a 6mm Fat Rat built on a 527 CZ or Howa mini with a 2.5x8 Boone and Crockett Leupold.

 

[INTJ]

Holy Crap !

Holy Crap? For a mid weight mild recoiling round?

 

[JFrank]

Yeah lets go with mild recoil...that's a lot rifle for a little deer in the brush. I suppose they dont run to far when you hit them.

 

[Ccrider]

Ruger American Compact in 243.

 

[INTJ]

Yeah lets go with mild recoil...that's a lot rifle for a little deer in the brush. I suppose they dont run to far when you hit them.

I shoot a 168 TTSX around 3000 fps. The bullet doesn't over expand, and the deer aren't always little or in the brush. I have shot them from 50 yds to 435 yds. I think that is about the max range for the 168 TTSX to expand well.

 

[jasophil1]

600 Remington 308 works real well 165 sierra game king hollow point b t works real well.

 

[Oso]

CZ 527 in 6.5 Grendel or 300BO (depending on distance). It's a couple pounds lighter than standard medium action rifle. Removable metal mags (3round, 5 round). It comes with a single set trigger that when engaged gives you a sub #1 trigger. You'll never go back to the big box store rifles once you have handles one of the compact & handy field rifles... same size as small action Sako L46. Oh Yeah - definitely better than a Howa Mini 1500.