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Best deer cartridge for less than 100 yards?

31K views 108 replies 77 participants last post by  bill tyler 
#1 ·
What would you consider to the best whitetail deer cartridge for shooting less than 100 yards? Let's say 50 - 75 yards.

Southeast Texas, whitetail deer.

Handgun cartridges are acceptable.

I was thinking either a 357 or 44 magnum lever action.

Then again, why not just go with the 30-30 Winchester?
 
#73 ·
Richo, I believe you are thinking of Bell's elephant shooting with the .276 Rigby (AKA 7x57). The 6.5 will penetrate well enough to do that task, but it's more gun than needed for deer, with loads of that persuasion. The hunters in Scandinavia use that round for moose quite regularly.
 
#75 ·
I've taken 2 deer shooting British .303. First was a little 8 pointer that my Enfield dropped where he stood, than a good-sized 12 that ran 100 yards and then dropped. Bad shot on the second one...Only got him through the lungs. Still, the bullet entry and exit caused an easy-to-follow trail of blood, lung tissue, and pieces of ribs....

BTW, I use the original open sights on the rifle. No scope. 8 pointer was about 40 yards, and the 12 was about 75 yards.
 
#77 ·
I would definitely consider the .44 mag in a lever action, and not just because that's what I have. It will give you comparable ballistics to the 30/30, remember you are talking about shooting out of a rifle, and the velocity and energy will be greater due to the increased barrel length. Look at some of the +P stuff coming from Buffalo Bore and others. And you will also have the option to carry the same caliber in a sidearm, two guns same ammo. The .357 is also an consideration and out of a rifle will give you decent ballistics, as well as giving you the same two gun one ammo option, however the .44 gives you more flexibility if you encounter something a little larger in the field.
 
#79 ·
Your talking about the Ruger M44?....
Used to called the "Deerstalker" for a couple of years until Ithaca complained.
This was the base for the Ruger 10/22.
Nice rifle...doesn't work well in real cold weather... action get sticky.

There was also a lever action version called Mode 96/44

Had to track too many....don't use them anymore much.
 
#84 ·
in bush of course a big 'ol slug is needed. some favor the .35 rem, some favor the 30-30, these will also do for a clear, open shot as will may others. when trail stalking through moderate bush around creek/branch or edge of clearing/food plot some favors the 000 buck 12 ga for quick jump shots (I myself do).
if in a stand at under 100 yds I use my Mini30 Ruger loaded with 150gr hand loads.
I once was run over in my yard by an 8 pt, dark before dawn. derned thing was STRONG, I pulled my .32acp Beretta and drilled him. ate his liver for supper.
 
#85 ·
another vote for 7.62x39

Killed my deer the last two seasons with a handi-rifle 7.62x39 cal.
One at 70 yards and the other 146 lasered yards, both one shot kills.
Liked the cal so well I upgraded to a mini-mauser bolt in the same cal. i shoot the cheap ammo for for poppin and varmits, use good commercial Remington or Winchester soft points for deer hunting.
The cheap import hollow-points can be picked up cheaper than .22mag. around here. Also I have an sks ,that I like really well, that sits in the back of my safe.
Living out in the country on below poverty level income, i can still afford to shoot this cal. to keep my accuracy to a decent level.
 
#87 ·
30-30 gets my vote for all the reasons already mentioned... available relatively inexpensively, cheap ammo and commonly available, etc....
Now for MY deer story:
I once read that several humans a year are killed by deer.
I was walking up College Hill, a neighborhood in my area which has steep inclines good for getting in some quick PT. I often see deer in this neighborhood, which have come a bit into town to eat flowers in people's yards. There are still alleys there, but they are dirt and grass alleys with lots of bushy growth.
As I was crossing past one such alley on the sidewalk, I noticed movement across the street. Two HUGE deer with impressive antler racks came walking out of the alley, and were intent on crossing the street and re-entering the alley which I was now blocking. Startled, they lowered their racks and charged... CHARGED!
I only had time to throw my arms up and suck in my slight gut. One large rack screamed right past my belly, and another just past my lower back. I missed having my intestines ripped out with a dull antler and dragged down that alley by maybe an inch.
Stunned, I could only watch them run away down that alley. I then heard a man screaming up the block, he and his lawnmower standing in his front yard: "I saw it!!! I saw the whole thing!!!"
 
#91 ·
I have Dad's SKS brought back from Nam in 71, updated it a little, new stock made for bigger USA folks vs. diminutive statured orientals :), and Scout scope mount with Bushnell TRS-25 red dot on it, turned it from a 75 yd at best, to about a 150 yard rifle .

My "drop them at any range" is my 30.06 Ruger MK2 or my R-25 in .308, have a 30-30 Win 1963 Model 94 also legacy from Dad's collection.

All are capable of taking whitetail deer 30-30 like SKS out past 150 yds, you better have your A game and use proper shot placement.

My eyes are not as good as they used to be for the iron sights on the model 94, so that was another push to upgrade the SKS and use if for my "brush gun".

As stated before SKS ammo is plentiful and cheap (relatively) nearly same "punch" as a .30-.30, if I bang it up no big deal.
 
#92 ·
The shotgun is the most widely used gun in the world for taking deer at short ranges. You can use 000 buck for up the 40 yards and slugs for up to 75 or more. If we're hunt East Texas thick brush close range I would use a shotgun. A 30 30 is also an awesome choice. A tried and true brush buster gun. IMHO, pistols are a gimmick for fun and sport. Sure you can kill with them, but your are intentionally making the task more difficult then it needs to be. A long gun is better then a pistol in almost any situation except personal carry defense weapon.
 
#99 ·
Where i hunt here, 200yds is a long shot. From the reading I've been doing it depends on the SuperSonic .300 Blackout load you're hunting with, that correct? I personally like the .300 Blackout because i have a lot of brass already & would more then likely reload for it, its either that or 6.5 Grendel. Muzzle device/Barrel is all i need. :thumb:
 
#97 ·
I wouldn't have suggested a 30-30, but I acquired a Winchester 94 in the past year and I flippin love that little gun.

At a local gun range, right after Halloween, the owner/manager closed the range for 30 minutes and put a bunch of pumpkins out at 100 yards. Rules were....standing, free hand shooting....5 rounds and 15 seconds I won the competition with an open sight 30-30...only shooter to hit 5 pumpkins. Those boys with $1,500 AR's and $1,000 scopes weren't too happy. (Mostly, their haste to shoot too fast....lost them the competition. 3 seconds a shot is a long time.)

Those little 94's are just flippin awesome!!!! .....and deadly at 100yds.

I wouldn't hesitate to take my 30-30 hunting in the woods.


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