Legal caliber hunting rifle suggestions

[Kev]

Hi Everyone!

I have come to a time in my hunting career that I am considering stepping up to a larger (legal-sized) caliber in a rifle for hunting whitetail deer.
I currently use a .20 or .12 gauge shotgun, but I hesitate when I see a 70+ yard shot. I want to be able to take a 100+ yrd shot with confidence in knowing that I can accurately take down the deer.

With this said, I've looked up the current DNR regulations on rifles:
Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger, have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches, and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms and special antlerless seasons. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf. Full metal jacketed bullets are illegal.

So before I start blindly checking into the calibers listed... does anyone have a favorite that they would recommend??

I am open to the style of action.. I am hoping to just need one shot.. so a bolt-action would be fine with me. I plan on mounting a scope to it so the model would need to allow for this.

I also believe there is no issue with having suppressors on the rifle for hunting, so I will look to have this feature as well.

Some initial ideas that I found were:
Marlin 1895
Rossi .44 mag
Winchester model 92 carbine
Ruger 77/44

Please provide any advice!! If this topic has been covered elsewhere, please point me to the link.
Thank you!!

 

[avboiler11]

450 Bushmaster is easy, and only a barrel swap away for a Savage 10/110 or Remington 700 action. Also very popular as an AR upper. Factory ammo is reasonably priced and widely available.

458 SOCOM and 50 Beowulf are also options, but more $$$ than the 450 Bushmaster.

Lots of wildcats out there too, like 358 Hoosier and 358 Grant 1.8 which are somewhat more involved.

Pistol caliber rifles running 44 Mag and the such are also options, as you have discovered...this is probably the 'easiest' route.

Me? Next year I'll be hunting with an AR pistol in 300 Blackout. IMO this is easiest, most 'turnkey' option under current regulations and it is very easy to hunt suppressed this way.

 

[Kev]

Interesting point on the AR-15 pistol... I would have never considered this. I did see the other post that contained validation from DNR and ATF on this, so that is great to know!

Please keep the ideas coming, but I will definitely look into this further.

 

[live2hunt009]

In my opinion a 12 ga. slug gun is a better option at 100+ yards than a 44 mag is. The slugs on the market right now are exceptionally more accurate then they used to be so a 100-175, maybe even 200 yard shot, is possible with a 12 ga. slug gun. Its all about the person behind the trigger. On the other hand, I would not take a shot at a deer beyond 125 yards with a 44 mag. Thats just me though. So, if you already have a 12 ga. and you want to shoot 100+, just find a good scope, a slug barrel, and some high performance slugs.

However, if you want to make the switch to an IN deer rifle, then I would find something in the 358 configuration. Not only would you have a 100+ yard gun, but you would have a 350+ yard big game gun.

 

[armyvet209]

i used a .450 bushmaster this season and it performed excellently. i've used a .460 s&w magnum in the t/c encore prohunter platform and have no complaints with that either. i'm in the same boat as avboiler11 and plan on using a .300 blk out in an AR pistol next year.

 

[bstewrat3]

Buy a Contender or Encore in 35 Remington. I have tried both ends of the spectrum from 357 Mag to 500 S&W, and a lot of the middle and the 35 Remington trimmed to 1.8" is the best thing I have found. It does the job well up close and to the just over 200 yards I have had as my longest shot here in Indiana. The meat damage around the hole is not as destructive as some of the larger rounds. The recoil even in my 4lb Contender is not too bad.

 

[bobjones223]

I would have to go for the 450 Bushmaster. If you are not reloading this is the route to take. Price per round is the best and you are looking at the 200yd + range.

 

[jhparsons78]

I've been wanting to pick up a 458 SOCOM for deer. However, looks like a blast to just take to a range and shoot as well.

 

[sportsman223]

do you reload or going to start? what price range wanting to spend? i would suggest a TC if reloading the trimmed 35 rem is going to be very hard to beat and with a TC you have the option to switch out barrels the sky is the limit custom or factory not just one dedicated gun

 

[BigMatt]

.

 

[bocefus78]

I loooooooove my Marlin 1894 44 mag. Ammo is easy to find, and there hasn't been a person that shot it that didn't instantly fall in love.

On the rossi, dump that idea. Only scope options on those are a scout style. My buddy has 1 in stainless. Kicks like a mule (compared to marlin) due to its super light weight. Combine that with scout scope, and I just didn't like it at all.

 

[Landon]

Since you say you only need one shot, buy a 50 cal muzzleloader. Easily good for 100 yards and it would cover you for both firearms and muzzleloader season.

 

[Kev]

do you reload or going to start? what price range wanting to spend? i would suggest a TC if reloading the trimmed 35 rem is going to be very hard to beat and with a TC you have the option to switch out barrels the sky is the limit custom or factory not just one dedicated gun

Unfortunately, I do not have the tools/ability to reload. I do have some other friends that do if it was a last resort, but I prefer to go with a caliber that I can easily find on the market. Price range is open for me. I am considering this an investment in my hunting passion, which also puts food on the table for my family. So I will consider all options not solely based on the price. (of course I will consider it though.. )

Thanks to everyone for all the ideas thus far! I like the idea of something that I can use for multiple purposes than just a deer rifle too. Bigger game is an awesome idea.. but I've never had the opportunity yet. I also turkey hunt, and also always on the look out for a yote in my crosshairs..

 

[d.kaufman]

I put together a 458 socom this year for under $800 and she's a beast. Unfortunately only got it one time to hunt and didn't see a damn thing. Only drawback i'd say is cost of ammo, but ive had good luck picking it up at the local gun shows for $2 per round

 

[sportsman223]

With all that an Encore is what you want, I have several different barrels 12g for turkeys you will not find an easier to carry turkey gun, .45/.50cal ML, a couple different varmint calibers, Big game ur choice if setup right you can run 1 scope on two differant barrels I run leupold scopes with quick release mounts

 

[cwillour]

Another mention for the Encore. You can start with a .50ML or .44Mag rifle barrel and easily move to something else. Even better may be to get a pistol frame and a .308 pistol barrel (or other caliber >=.243) and run it as a pistol. With a pistol frame and once configured and used as a pistol, you can go back and forth between pistol and rifle configurations depending on what suites your needs (just be careful in the order of assembly/disassembly to avoid making a SBR along the way -- barrel off first and on last, IIRC.)

 

[Whitsettd8]

Another vote for the .458 Socom. I've hunted one for the past 5 or so years dropped every deer I've shot dead in their tracks. I think Radical Firearms has the uppers listed for $520.
I'm in process of building a Rem 700 in .45; as soon as the Christmas bleeding stops I hope to finish it up. Really looking forward to doing some load development with the 140grn ARX round.
Cons are the cost of ammo if you are not reloading and I struggle carrying the AR in the woods it's heavy and awkward just haven't came up with a good solution yet. Hoping the 700 will fix the weight carry problem.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Can you get a rifled slug barrel for your shotgun?

Those premium sabot slugs should be good way out beyond 100 yards if you do your part.

 

[clfergus]

I have found that the .44 mag has done an excellent job. I shoot an H&R single shot bull barrel and at 125 yards I get 1 inch groups using Hornady XTP loads. I shot a buck last year at 150 yards and he dropped within 50 yards. If you find a older Marlin in .44 mag you would have a very nice rifle that has zero kick and ammo is plentiful.

 

[Hookeye]

.35 Remington trimmed if you don't reload you can have BK bullet casting in Peru cut the brass down and reload it for you.

Contender/Encore............the barrel switch thing isn't the cost savings it used to be.
Would NOT buy one on the idea of saving money or same trigger/feel nonsense.

If you like 'em, buy one and leave it set up (a dedicated rig).

.35 rem trimmed is kinda popular. The old Marlin 336's that used to gather dust at low prices................thing of the past. Same for the Remington 760/7600 pumps.
Even .35 Rem rifle bbls for the TC single shots..............have jumped a bit.

I like mine, even though the older type have a bit of a quirk. My buddy runs a CVA Scout in 35 Rem. He told me it has rendered his rifled bore, 870 w Leupold on top................OBSOLETE. And that rig shoots under 2" at 100 yards. His CVA might be as good, maybe a tiny bit better (not enough to pick one over the other based on accuracy alone).

The light .35 Rems have a little recoil, but it's comfy enough. Way better than a slugger shotgun, and nicer trigger too (and thinner stock wrist and different balance etc).

.44 mag rifles are fun. I had a Marlin that shot fine, but alas...........I'm not into lever guns so let it go. Not as accurate, pretty crappy trigger......but way cool.............the Ruger .44 semi auto. Esp if in a sporter model.