Long(ish) Range Deer rifle

[Mij]

So my father in law has a 500 acre hunting lease that has some corn fields and good long sight lines.

The rifle I currently have is a .300 blk that really is more of a 100-150ish yard brush gun/hog rifle I built while I was down in Texas.

I'm currently looking to buy or build a rifle to take deer out of a tree stand at 300-400 yards.

I have done 3 gun and shot 3 position rifle in college and shoot service rifle in CMP marches but with modern long range rifles i'm a bit foggy.

First question is bolt gun or to do a 6mm ARC AR. Does the 6mm Arc have the ability to put a deer down at 400?

The second question is for a bolt gun I'm looking at a 6.5 creedmoor but what would be something that could he had for not unreasonable money? My father in law has a savage axis but those seem a little basic.

Has anyone had any experience with the savage m110s? Is there any other sub $750 bolt guns that I should consider? I personally want a threaded barrel as I would like a suppressor.

And also is there any mid range glass that would be recommended at that distance? Again I don't have much experience with long range optics as I have a fixed 3 power prism and a 1-4x LPvO and have shot ACOGs a bit

NEF handi rifle. Any cartridge built on the 30-06 case. How many shots does it take to kill a deer? Especially with your skill set. Spend your money on optics. Best o Luck.

 

[natdscott]

I may just be slow since I went to public school but what makes a barrel low end if it shoots 1 MOA?

If you need it to shoot 1/4.

If you want it to still shoot 1 MOA after 88 rounds.

If you need to be able to get it passable-clean in under 2 days.

If you want it to produce waterline elevation at long range, so you can tell how bad you are f***ing up wind calls.

If you want one barrel to correlate well to the next one you spin on.



Those are some of the reasons. Don't get wrapped around that axle in this context. You keep shooting CMP stuff, and maybe want one 'a those rare dangly gold medals...you'll come to terms with $400 barrels for
THAT purpose.

Hunting is the discussion here..

...so don't worry about finding the distance between a 3/4 and a 1.5 Minute rifle. No deer ever knew the difference, with any reasonable shot.

An elitist I am not, for the record. I just know the difference, so I try to pass that along.



...but if you go Savage: They are straight, but like a cheese grater. Clean it every 15 rounds, or at least keep it in the back of your mind that it may need it, to keep shooting well. It also may need 2-3 shots of fouling to settle back into a zero, if you get it squeaky clean. So don't do that.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Ruger Hawkeye in .270. The triggers are actually not bad in them now compared to the older 77 series.

 

[Mgderf]

Not the Axis, but the Mossberg Patriot.
Still considered an "entry level" bolt gun to be sure, but mine is very nice.
I think I have seen them available with a synthetic stock but have never been a fan.
My Patriot sits in a very nice American walnut stock.
Granted, texturing on the stock is pressed, not engraved, but it provides a really positive grip.
I'll post a picture or two later.

As you can see, fluted barrel and bolt.
Stipled stock and a cheap Tasco scope.
It's chambered for .30-06, but my max hunting ranges are sub 200 yards.
No holdover at all.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

For the money, Mauser M18 in 6.5CM is amazing.

That baby face guy from Utah has done several videos on this question.

Lemme see if I can find. Here it is (includes Mgderf's Patriot)

 

[Kirk Freeman]

A few years back I bought a Mossberg Patriot in .30-06.
Think I paid right at $400.
It well outperforms it's price tag.

A solid stick. Shot one on Thanksgiving (which was strange because the guy who owned it cannot hunt). The optic on it was several times what he paid for it, lol. I only shot at 100 and only one type of ammo. Did not measure but I got 3" MOA from range bag rest.

 

[BugI02]

Ballistic comparison between 270 win and 6.5CM in this chart, note the 270 win with 145 gr ELD-X compared to 6.5 CM with 143 gr ELD-X (3rd and 6th row)

Note the 270 maintains a speed, energy and total drop advantage at all ranges

A quick goto @ ammoseek shows factory ammo comparable in price, $28.38 for 20 270 win 145 ELD-X and $29.80 for 20 6.5CM 143 ELD-X

Where you make out is the price for a good, clean used rifle in the selected caliber, especially one that's wood and metal like all rifles should be

 

[Mgderf]

For the money, Mauser M18 in 6.5CM is amazing.

That baby face guy from Utah has done several videos on this question.

Lemme see if I can find. Here it is (includes Mgderf's Patriot)

Not sure what their issues are/we're, but my Patriot is very accurate, and I've only used factory ammo.
Now they did say .308 and mine is .30-06, but I get the feeling maybe Mossberg had a quality issue on the .308's.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I was worried that the .243 was to tiny to do the job when my daughter bought herself the Mossberg. Then she drilled a coyote through the heart at 197 yards and dropped a 213 pound buck the next weekend at 170. I bought a No. 1 in .243 and would use it any time!
We load 100 grain Interlocks and 58 grain Vmax with W748 powder. Starline brass.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Not sure what their issues are/we're, but my Patriot is very accurate, and I've only used factory ammo.
Now they did say .308 and mine is .30-06, but I get the feeling maybe Mossberg had a quality issue on the .308's.

Barrels are strange creatures. Some only like one particular cartridge or one weight or one type of bullet.


The one I shot was .308. I am OK with a 3 MOA gun from a make-shift rest for that money.

My Mauser M18 definitely has a preference and it was $200 more than the Mossberg.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I was worried that the .243 was to tiny to do the job when my daughter bought herself the Mossberg. Then she drilled a coyote through the heart at 197 yards and dropped a 213 pound buck the next weekend at 170. I bought a No. 1 in .243 and would use it any time!
We load 100 grain Interlocks and 58 grain Vmax with W748 powder. Starline brass.

.243-.284 has the magic BC. Big fan.

 

[Bill2905]

m

Sub $1000 for the base gun and 10 pounds or less

Im looking at these

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/savage-10t-sr-bolt-action-rifle

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/savage-110-tactical-bolt-action-centerfire-rifle

And also the ruger American predator

My first bolt gun was the Savage 10T-SR. It's a solid rifle for the money. If you like Savage, they offer a plethora of configurations based on the 110 action.

I now own a Tikka T3X and highly recommend them.

 

[BugI02]

Barrels are strange creatures. Some only like one particular cartridge or one weight or one type of bullet.

What ties all of those together is barrel dwell time relative to the resonant frequency of the barrel/receiver combination (for a free-floated barrel)

 

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

This occurred to me and I feel stupid for not thinking of it sooner

The next question I have is where can I shoot more then 200 yards 2 hours or less from Crown point Indiana.

I know there is a few 200 yard DNR ranges but if I cant actually confirm my drop and generate data I don't really feel comfortable shooting past 250.

If that's the case then i might as well buy the cheapest .308 i can find or just do a 20 inch 6.5 grendel upper as that's a 250 yard cartridge and not bother with a full size rifle round

 

[Born2vette]

This occurred to me and I feel stupid for not thinking of it sooner

The next question I have is where can I shoot more then 200 yards 2 hours or less from Crown point Indiana.

I know there is a few 200 yard DNR ranges but if I cant actually confirm my drop and generate data I don't really feel comfortable shooting past 250.

If that's the case then i might as well buy the cheapest .308 i can find or just do a 20 inch 6.5 grendel upper as that's a 250 yard cartridge and not bother with a full size rifle round

Bass & Bucks in Wabash? May be closer to 2.5 hours for you. Out to 750 yds

 

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

Bass & Bucks in Wabash? May be closer to 2.5 hours for you. Out to 750 yds

That's actually right at 2 hours from me thank you

 

[bwframe]

What is an ethical long deer shot in Indiana?

How far out have there been measured confirmed one shot kills in the state?

 

[Bill2905]

This occurred to me and I feel stupid for not thinking of it sooner

The next question I have is where can I shoot more then 200 yards 2 hours or less from Crown point Indiana.

I know there is a few 200 yard DNR ranges but if I cant actually confirm my drop and generate data I don't really feel comfortable shooting past 250.

If that's the case then i might as well buy the cheapest .308 i can find or just do a 20 inch 6.5 grendel upper as that's a 250 yard cartridge and not bother with a full size rifle round

The ISRA range in Bonfield, IL (Kankakee County) is roughly an hour from NWI. They have a combined 200/300 yard range there. The $250 annual membership may be a non starter depending on how much you would use it. They do open the range to the public one Saturday each Fall prior to deer season for sighting in rifles and shotguns.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

The ISRA range in Bonfield, IL (Kankakee County) is roughly an hour from NWI. They have a combined 200/300 yard range there. The $250 annual membership may be a non starter depending on how much you would use it. They do open the range to the public one Saturday each Fall prior to deer season for sighting in rifles and shotguns.

But... it's Illinois. Yuck.

 

[Michigan Slim]

People think 300 is doable, easy peasy. I used too also. I humbled myself. If things are not perfect (wind, good rest, animal broadside, etc ) I ain't tryin. I get to shoot to 300 at the cabin. Taught myself that 200 is about it for me. I took a deer at 200. With the new stands I may be able to stretch that but not too much.
I shake like a dog crapping razor blades so that doesn't help.