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Wife needs a deer caliber

9K views 43 replies 24 participants last post by  Bob Roach 
#1 ·
She handled my 6.5 lbs Contender in 7TCU fine, and likes the 23" .204 barrel I currently have on it, but she says it is long for anything other than bench shooting. She put 30 rounds through it today and was hitting steel out to 300 yards. There is just a slight uneasiness handling the recoil of the Ruger 7.62 American Ranch I have, but the noise is too much for her liking with that short 16" barrel. Where we hunt, shots are 125 yard max, with most opportunities presented under 80 yards.

I have been thinking about a 20" 300 Blk, 32-20 (loaded for the T/C over the normal 16k PSI), or 357 Mag for the Contender to try to make it a little lighter in recoil and more importantly noise. The 20" lever 357 I have is too long for her 5' 4" liking, so I was thinking a tapered T/C barrel at the same length will be more comfortable. Even if not, I believe I will still be able to enjoy it. I want to keep it factory ammo capable (the reason I sold the TCU), even if the 32-20 is not common. I also want it to be cast friendly for cheap plinking. Though the BLK is not known for it, many have had good luck working up cast loads.

Any suggestions? Am I overlooking another good option?
 
#4 ·
Ive got a ruger American 16 inch 300 bo and it would be a great choice. Havent killed any deer with it yet but have with my 16 inch ar15 in 300 bo. Shot 4 does last year from 50 yards to 200 and the barnes 110x bullet did exceptionaly well on them. Is it a 200 yard deer gun. Well the one I shot at 200 dropped right there and had impressive damage inside but id still hold back my recommendations for someone looking for 200 yard performance but for 100 and maybe even 150 it a deer killer for sure in the hands of someone who can place a bullet where I belongs. I like the 243 too but its recoil and muzzle blast aren't much different then the 243. 44mag. Less blast but more recoil. Id maybe suggest a 250 savage. My kids started with one. I loaded down 87s to about 2600 fps and it was a great short range killer but finding one or ammo is about impossible today and you never mentioned handloading which if you took up would allow you to make about any gun work for you. But without handloading your going to stuggle to find something that does what your asking for better then a black out.
 
#5 ·
Check out the .277 Wolverine, it's based on the .223 case and has a good track record on deer and hogs. Factory ammo is available though not common and there is plenty of load data available.
 

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#6 ·
I forgot to add, Match Grade Machine has a reamer and can make you a Contender carbine barrel in .277 Wolverine.
 
#7 ·
I vote .300 Blackout or .357 Mag out of the choices you mentioned.
 
#8 ·
Lloyd and Bob, thank you for the thoughtful replies. I have had a 44 in a lever and the recoil was similar to or just a bit more than a 30-30 in similar weight guns. This is the top of her tolerance level, and I want to be more in her comfort zone. My main reason for keeping it factory feedable, is sometimes she wants to shoot and I haven't had time to load at the bench. If it weren't for that, I would probably go 6TCU. She really likes the compactness of the Contender platform, though a 16" lever may be doable.

I had settled on a 32-20 for a fun barrel that was cheap to load for with no real intent on using it for game bigger than coyote...until she shook her head with a "hard no" at the 7.62x39. I had intended it to be her deer rifle as she liked it in the store when we discussed it. I will still be using it or my 357 lever for deer. Never let a good gun go to waste 😄

Maybe I just need another rifle or 6 for her to try out.
 
#12 ·
Neckisred, I will try that with the new one. She already has her mind made up and I like winnable battles. Just getting her into shooting was huge. She was one of those "guns grow legs and murder people on their own" type people when I met her. The next one I will have her wear plugs under the muffs.
 
#13 ·
Examine your deer hunting blinds. A tree stand or blind with a rifle rest (as rock solid as possible) should be favored over shooting off hand. Always use a rest. They are everywhere in the woods. Creating "bench like" shooting conditions in the field increases hunter confidence.

Some rifle stocks are hollow. Add weight to reduce felt recoil. Adding weight makes the rifle heavier and the felt recoil lighter. Waiting in a blind doesn't mean carrying the rifle all day. I put a 2.7 pound, 1 inch diameter, steel bolt in the hollow tubular stock of a 6 pound (originally), H&R Pardner, 12 gage, Handi-rifle shotgun for my son's first duck gun (that bolt remains there today). The added weight works very well and there was no flinching from the recoil of 2 3/4" and 3" #4 shot shells. It does not have to be the entire 2.7 pounds either.
 
#14 ·
Assuming a 100 yard or less needs, look at the Henry 357 Mag single shot. Great caliber as is and easily reamed to 357 Maxi if you need more power and will still shoot regular magnums.
 
#16 · (Edited)
go to MGM Barrels and buy a 6.5 grendal(g2 only) or the 7-30 waters.

wildcats: i go with 6.5/30-30 or the 6.5/250 savage.


or if it were me(i don't like recoil since my stroke), i'd buy a tc encore with a 23" MGM heavy factory barrel in 444 marlin. use a 300gr fn gc(saeco) with 20.0-25.5gr of 2400(dacron can be used, but you don't have to). it recoils like a 243 win with 100gr bullet. i use it to kill deer out to 150 yards, but 20-40 yards is more likely.

444 marlin
300gr fn gc (12+/- bhn)
24.0gr of 2400/tuft of dacron
1624fps



edit: i have a win m94 in 35/30-30 that use 200gr fn gc(rcbs) with 20.0gr of 2400/tuft of dacron and it goes 1726fps. recoil is alot less than a 30-30 with 170gr factory load.
 
#17 ·
My daughter who weighs about 90 lbs shoots a 6.5 Creedmoor and handles it with no issues. She has thrown 2 shots at game, 2 bucks down and one was 217 yards.
 
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#18 ·
If you are thinking of 32-20, the 327 Fed is about the same but may have better ammo availability.

Even though the Buffalo bore 130 looks like a stout load for a 327, the blast & recoil should be mild in a carbine. The use of 32 S&W or 32 H&R long for practice / plinking makes for a real flexibility advantage.


The 300 BO in a break open is probably not a bad choice. A 1-8 twist is not hard to find and should work (a 1-10 might be better for super use only only rifle). For the 300 BO, even a short rifle (16") should have OK muzzle blast give the small case capacity and typical powders used.

I would also consider a CVA for 300 BO. Given your wife'c concerns about size, the scout compact might be a good fit. I found a new complete gun for only $324 at https://www.atlanticsportingoutlet.com/cva-scout-td-compact-300aac. About the price of a TC barrel.
 
#22 ·
I continue to hunt with my 30-30 carbine since 1971. Dozens of deer toppled with this short handy rifle with moderate recoil.

Check the GunBroker website and observe Glenfield model 30 carbines. They're built by Marlin and will last a couple lifetimes with routine light oiling. My scope is a Simmons featuring 2-7X settings. Typically, I leave it set on 4X for my hunts.

TR
 
#23 ·
Thank you for all the replies and experiences. I took her around to several shops and let her handle a few different rifles. We had a lot of time to talk, and she promised to shoot anything in the safe at least once before swearing it off. She really enjoys shooting now, and wants to do a lot more of it.

Nothing really called out her name, but she kept asking why she couldn't use the .204 Contender rifle. This led to me regurgitating the hunting regs here in PA to her and giving options with similar recoil for that platform up to what she has shot before. She still likes the thought of a 32-20 or Blackout, but wants to practice now. I don't have a component stash for those choices and hunting ammo is thin in most of the stores.

I ended up ordering a 21" 360DW Contender barrel from MGM. Shooting mild 38's to full power 360's, it will do what I need and keep her comfortable. I already have everything needed to load for this barrel too. Now I just need her to get me (us) a nice scope for Father's Day.
 
#24 ·
want her to have some fun. I just had my ruger American BO to the shooting bench yesterday. Did some sub sonic work. Don't need to run an action so I loaded 4.5 grains of unique with the 130 rcbs spitzer gas check pc coated. Groups were 1.25 for 5 with a gas check and 2 inch without it at a 100 yards! It blew me away. I would have been happy if those loads did twice that. Its as quite as a subsonic 22 without a suppressor and its smacks the steel targets with ALOT more authority. Grandkid couldn't get enough. I had about 200 loaded and he shot every one I didn't use to test for groups.
 
#25 ·
Lloyd, that does sound like fun. I had her looking at dummy rounds of a 32-20 heavy FMJ, 30/357 SP (Mag ran through a BO die), 218 Bee Vmax, and a Hornet. The Hornet is cute, 218 looks like a small .204 (probably only because of the red tip), the 30/357 was nice, but the 32-20 looks so sleek it could go for miles. She hates paper, so we confirm form and zero @ 100 , then move to steel from 200 out to 400. She likes the challenge and it has helped her get better at closer ranges.

I want a carbine 32-20, and have since I got rid of my pistol barrel. It may be next in line after a rimfire. I have some older silhouette data, lots of articles, and a few people that know a thing or two. I am going to load some slow heavies in the 360 barrel for kicks and grins too. We will have fun figuring out the parabolic arc out on that steel.
 
#26 ·
That 360 DW should be fun. Not far behind the Maxi in power and can shoot 38's and 357's. Pics when you get it assembled...
 
#27 ·
Pictures are always mandatory. Here is a complete one (already had the scope and forend) I picked up the other day. G2 10" stainless 223. Replaced the toothpick forend with a Super 16 opened up for the bull barrel. Range trip is planned for next week, and hopefully I will have some test loads to put down the 360 to talk about as well.
 

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