Im looking at purchasing one of these but can't decide on the caliber. I am focused on hunting coyote right now, but want something I can use during deer season as well. What would be the best choice? Im considering .243, .270, 7mm-08, .308 or 30-06.
Ruger American Rifle
- Thread starter CobPipeMan
- Start date
All of them will work just fine. My personal opinion is the 30-06 & 270 are a bit much for coyote's, but perfect for any Big game. The 243 is good for coyote & deer. The 7mm-08 & 308 is great for predator hunting & big game. I personally like my 7mm-08. The cost of the ammo will be the differnce maker.
Get the 270. You can find 110 grain pills for predator hunting and step up to 130 grain for deer.
Sounds like you need two......or three
243 85gr yotes lopes & deer within reason
06 for 180gr bear elk & moose within reason
If I had to do it all over again 257 wby & 300wm and your covered for NA the only one left 375 H&H for DG then you've got the world covered.......
Enjoy what ever you get
243 85gr yotes lopes & deer within reason
06 for 180gr bear elk & moose within reason
If I had to do it all over again 257 wby & 300wm and your covered for NA the only one left 375 H&H for DG then you've got the world covered.......
Enjoy what ever you get
8
8SteelTown
Guest
If you're only getting 1 rifle, why not go bigger first and if you decide you want something smaller later, you can get into those. i spend a buck a round for my 308. Pretty comparable to smaller calibers so that shouldn't be a deterant. I say go big, practice a bunch, and not worry about having enough rifle to do the job. Then again, I don't know anything compared to these guys.
I use the 110 all the time in 30 cal for coyotes and p-dogs, and even taken antelope and deer but would not recommend them for deer. In a 30.06 or what I use them the most in is my 300 Win Mag because I can take the velocity from 3000 to 3800. The red ballistic tip is easier to find but I have slightly better accuracy with the hollow point. The hollow point also feeds better in my bolt action.
Over kill, a bit, but I have never skinned out either animal and I have yet to see a recipe on the cooking channel that was designed for coyote or Prairie Dog. I do believe in humane kills and a bullet that has minimal chances for a ricochet even if it is a desolate area.
The 110 in 30 caliber no matter what the tip is ballistic tip or hollow point is a denigrating bullet. In a deer it is not unusual for it to not exit but is like a hand grenade in their chest cavity. The largest piece I have ever found in about 20 deer and antelope was the copper jacket from the back of the bullet perfectly round.
Technically in Colorado and most other states it is a legal bullet for big game with the 243 with a 80 grain being the bottom in most of the western states. At 200 yards I can shoot the 165 Hornady Ballistics from the 300 and the 110 and they are extremely close to each other. There is a point around 300 yards if I renmember correctly depending on the speed of the 110 that the bullet speed is equal and not requiring me to resight in as I change between bullets.
The recoil is mild in the 300 Mag, and just because it has a MAG after it doesn't mean you have to completely fill the case with powder you can down or up load it to you desire. There are recommended loads for accuracy that work extremely well.
The Down side is finding the 110 grains. Since the bullet problem a year or so ago the 110 grain was one of the bullets the bullet manufacturers set aside because they had a unheard of number of back order of 30 cal, 150,180 and such so the warehouses have run thin or out. I expect them to being showing up in the next 12 months unless I can keep them all bought to go meat hunting for Coyotes and Prairie Dogs.
As you see in the picture in some cases we ave to decoy the coyotes in for good shots!
Greg Merriam
Over kill, a bit, but I have never skinned out either animal and I have yet to see a recipe on the cooking channel that was designed for coyote or Prairie Dog. I do believe in humane kills and a bullet that has minimal chances for a ricochet even if it is a desolate area.
The 110 in 30 caliber no matter what the tip is ballistic tip or hollow point is a denigrating bullet. In a deer it is not unusual for it to not exit but is like a hand grenade in their chest cavity. The largest piece I have ever found in about 20 deer and antelope was the copper jacket from the back of the bullet perfectly round.
Technically in Colorado and most other states it is a legal bullet for big game with the 243 with a 80 grain being the bottom in most of the western states. At 200 yards I can shoot the 165 Hornady Ballistics from the 300 and the 110 and they are extremely close to each other. There is a point around 300 yards if I renmember correctly depending on the speed of the 110 that the bullet speed is equal and not requiring me to resight in as I change between bullets.
The recoil is mild in the 300 Mag, and just because it has a MAG after it doesn't mean you have to completely fill the case with powder you can down or up load it to you desire. There are recommended loads for accuracy that work extremely well.
The Down side is finding the 110 grains. Since the bullet problem a year or so ago the 110 grain was one of the bullets the bullet manufacturers set aside because they had a unheard of number of back order of 30 cal, 150,180 and such so the warehouses have run thin or out. I expect them to being showing up in the next 12 months unless I can keep them all bought to go meat hunting for Coyotes and Prairie Dogs.
As you see in the picture in some cases we ave to decoy the coyotes in for good shots!
Greg Merriam
Attachments
I agree on the total North America. Most hunters never get to alaska, and in alaska the rules for rifles change. Even if you aren't hunting griz, you may run into one and you may not be able to select you situation.
I hunted brown bear and Caribou on the alaskan Peninsula before Hoof& Mouth wiped out the Peninsula herd. I used a 416 Remington Mag for the bear for a 1 shotter. That rifle was designed to take anything from large squirrels to small Mack Trucks. Look and see how many rifles have over 4000 Foot pounds of energy, it is one, and the grizzly was a 1 shot kill. For the caribou I used a pet 30.06 but sighted it in with 220 grain silver tip rather than a smaller bullet as 150/165/180 grain which would be fine for even the largest Caribou. The reason was it was my pet 30.06 that went to africa and all over the US. I was/am recoil shy and it was very accurate and a very manageable recoil being a semi-automatic except loaded with that 220's. The brown bear were in the same country as the caribou so I felt I was covered.
Later in the day catching a record class bull (417) with a cow, and a small bull trying to get in on the action I was able to get withing 200 yards before the cow spotted me and everything froze for an instant, then it was all 3 of them running in the bog.
I lead the big bull and pulled the trigger but no affect, followed by a second, 3rd and 4th. The 4th she he slid to a stop and topped over.
I felt that all 4 shots felt good, but wondered where they went.
Inspection after we walked through the bog to get to the bull I noticed why there was no effect from my shots. It turned out that 3 ory of 4 hit the bull. The first 2 were in the neck, but not neck bone shots. They were in the lower neck through meat, but the 220 bullet is made for heavy skinned game, elk and big bear. Both bullets passed right on through the neck and came out the back side of the neck still at 30 caliber, with no expansion. The 4th hit the shoulder and ended everything. Since then I have always shot toward the more expansive side on animals and with around 60-70 elk to my name I have even used 150 grain, but have settle for a great Hornady Ballistic in 165 boattail.
At the same time I was doing this a husband and wife tead with a guide also were after brown bear and the license was her's and she carried a 270. They found a area with a lot of bear traffic and could smell rotten meat. Just then a 10 foot brown stood on its hind legs at 50 feet. She was so spooked she didn't shoot for vitals, she just shot for bear. The guide was honing in his 375 H&H when the shot from the little 270 went of. The bear immediately collapsed in the brush out of sight.
The stood there stunned as they could hear the bear trashing and then quiet.
AS the guide slowly snuck up on the near he found it to be stone dead ! The little 150 grain bullet had nicked the heart, passed through at least 1 lung and broke the bears back damaging the spine. The little bullet had anchored anchored the bear(Rule#1 with big bears, the first shot must anchor them. The second shot is a kill shot.) by breaking his spine, and the blood from the damaged heard and deflated lung had done the rest.
In 10 years they had taken 90 bears at Wildman Lake Lodge in Alaska. Only 2 had ever been killed with 1 shot, mine with the 416 Rem magnum, hit shoulder to anchor but continued through the top of the lungs and broke the bears back on the way out.
The rule to follow is you can kill anything in north america with a .22 rimfire. But the shot must be exactly in the right spot, and he... and you may run for awhile. The larger foot pounds of energy calibers provide you with a lot more locations to shoot, larger hypodermic shot, not just local damage, an with bears a large margin of safety so you can live long enough to write about it in the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HUNTERS FORUM.( The blonde bear was mine and the dark brown was here's. My goal was to shoot a blond even throgh the are younger I wanted a blonde bear, my others are black. In Coastal Brown bears they get darker the older they get.)
Greg Merriam
I hunted brown bear and Caribou on the alaskan Peninsula before Hoof& Mouth wiped out the Peninsula herd. I used a 416 Remington Mag for the bear for a 1 shotter. That rifle was designed to take anything from large squirrels to small Mack Trucks. Look and see how many rifles have over 4000 Foot pounds of energy, it is one, and the grizzly was a 1 shot kill. For the caribou I used a pet 30.06 but sighted it in with 220 grain silver tip rather than a smaller bullet as 150/165/180 grain which would be fine for even the largest Caribou. The reason was it was my pet 30.06 that went to africa and all over the US. I was/am recoil shy and it was very accurate and a very manageable recoil being a semi-automatic except loaded with that 220's. The brown bear were in the same country as the caribou so I felt I was covered.
Later in the day catching a record class bull (417) with a cow, and a small bull trying to get in on the action I was able to get withing 200 yards before the cow spotted me and everything froze for an instant, then it was all 3 of them running in the bog.
I lead the big bull and pulled the trigger but no affect, followed by a second, 3rd and 4th. The 4th she he slid to a stop and topped over.
I felt that all 4 shots felt good, but wondered where they went.
Inspection after we walked through the bog to get to the bull I noticed why there was no effect from my shots. It turned out that 3 ory of 4 hit the bull. The first 2 were in the neck, but not neck bone shots. They were in the lower neck through meat, but the 220 bullet is made for heavy skinned game, elk and big bear. Both bullets passed right on through the neck and came out the back side of the neck still at 30 caliber, with no expansion. The 4th hit the shoulder and ended everything. Since then I have always shot toward the more expansive side on animals and with around 60-70 elk to my name I have even used 150 grain, but have settle for a great Hornady Ballistic in 165 boattail.
At the same time I was doing this a husband and wife tead with a guide also were after brown bear and the license was her's and she carried a 270. They found a area with a lot of bear traffic and could smell rotten meat. Just then a 10 foot brown stood on its hind legs at 50 feet. She was so spooked she didn't shoot for vitals, she just shot for bear. The guide was honing in his 375 H&H when the shot from the little 270 went of. The bear immediately collapsed in the brush out of sight.
The stood there stunned as they could hear the bear trashing and then quiet.
AS the guide slowly snuck up on the near he found it to be stone dead ! The little 150 grain bullet had nicked the heart, passed through at least 1 lung and broke the bears back damaging the spine. The little bullet had anchored anchored the bear(Rule#1 with big bears, the first shot must anchor them. The second shot is a kill shot.) by breaking his spine, and the blood from the damaged heard and deflated lung had done the rest.
In 10 years they had taken 90 bears at Wildman Lake Lodge in Alaska. Only 2 had ever been killed with 1 shot, mine with the 416 Rem magnum, hit shoulder to anchor but continued through the top of the lungs and broke the bears back on the way out.
The rule to follow is you can kill anything in north america with a .22 rimfire. But the shot must be exactly in the right spot, and he... and you may run for awhile. The larger foot pounds of energy calibers provide you with a lot more locations to shoot, larger hypodermic shot, not just local damage, an with bears a large margin of safety so you can live long enough to write about it in the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HUNTERS FORUM.( The blonde bear was mine and the dark brown was here's. My goal was to shoot a blond even throgh the are younger I wanted a blonde bear, my others are black. In Coastal Brown bears they get darker the older they get.)
Greg Merriam
Attachments
A lot of thoughts from a lot of hunters and each correct for their own situation. When Starting hunting think about what you plan to hunt, deer, elk, varmint, Alaska bears, Moose. It probably will be your first but not your last. Like a pair of pants you grow out of them as you hunting knowledge and opportunities expand, also the same with scopes, even your hunting boots and insulated coat. Different states, different seasons different animals all change.
Now probably 1 of you will be happy and the rest will be throwing tomatos, but here goes.
For someone starting with deer I recommend the tried and true 30.06 with a 3-9 wide view scope, all weather stock if possible, but if you find a good shooting one at a good price but in wood don't pass up the good by. Most of them shoot quite well so unless it has been tinkered with you will usually end up with a good shooter.
You will be hunting deer locally or in other states it is great. Bullets ranging for 110-220 is difficult to beat. Factorloads which is where you will start is 125,120,180 and 220, very flexible. Ammo cost are mid-range and sales happen every year and gun shows you can pick up some good buys. Also as far as practice, not hunting ammo there is also 30.06 military ball ammo available that is excellent to practice with(Illegal for big game) but you will want to practice as much as possible, that new rifle is only as good as the one behind the trigger, and if you miss the animal it doesn't matter what you shoot, a miss is a miss.
Later on when you know more about what you want to hunt or you find another rifle that turns your head and makes your heart beat fast. No one is limited to 1 gun, all that is, it is the start of my gun collection. My first rifle was a 30.06 and it was a good choice. I had it for 40 years, and learned a lot about hunting and that 30.06 took about 45 elk, 1 caribou, about 60 deer, and twice that many antelope, When I use it now I with a 165 boattail bullet and it still shoots as well and the day I bought it, the only difference is now I know how to shoot it.
After you grow your hunting life you may look at a 7mm mag. Why not at first, because of amo prices and RECOIL. This can be a big cause of flinching and other bad habits. The 30.06 is plenty versatile and the recoil with the 150 grain bullet is about 25 Foot pounds of energy depending on the total weight of the rifle. I would NOT magnaport the barrel to reduce the recoil add a limbsaver or other high performance butt pad if the recoil is a problem. If you weigh 90 pounds the recoil can be an issue. As you gain weight by sitting closer to the table and change out of your younger mans clothes, the recoil will be come minor, with more shooting experience.
Join a range shooting club you will pick up a lot of shooting pointers and possibly some hunting companions. This put you in a regular shooting routine and make your shooting skills grow.
Start out getting in on any doe shoots or even cow elk shoots to begin with and you odds of coming home with meat will be good and you will be learning at the same time. Everyone wants a buck or a bull, but at first you may loose interest if you go for bucks and bulls and com home empty handed with you short hunting skills tool kit.
OK thats it throw the tomatoes.
Now probably 1 of you will be happy and the rest will be throwing tomatos, but here goes.
For someone starting with deer I recommend the tried and true 30.06 with a 3-9 wide view scope, all weather stock if possible, but if you find a good shooting one at a good price but in wood don't pass up the good by. Most of them shoot quite well so unless it has been tinkered with you will usually end up with a good shooter.
You will be hunting deer locally or in other states it is great. Bullets ranging for 110-220 is difficult to beat. Factorloads which is where you will start is 125,120,180 and 220, very flexible. Ammo cost are mid-range and sales happen every year and gun shows you can pick up some good buys. Also as far as practice, not hunting ammo there is also 30.06 military ball ammo available that is excellent to practice with(Illegal for big game) but you will want to practice as much as possible, that new rifle is only as good as the one behind the trigger, and if you miss the animal it doesn't matter what you shoot, a miss is a miss.
Later on when you know more about what you want to hunt or you find another rifle that turns your head and makes your heart beat fast. No one is limited to 1 gun, all that is, it is the start of my gun collection. My first rifle was a 30.06 and it was a good choice. I had it for 40 years, and learned a lot about hunting and that 30.06 took about 45 elk, 1 caribou, about 60 deer, and twice that many antelope, When I use it now I with a 165 boattail bullet and it still shoots as well and the day I bought it, the only difference is now I know how to shoot it.
After you grow your hunting life you may look at a 7mm mag. Why not at first, because of amo prices and RECOIL. This can be a big cause of flinching and other bad habits. The 30.06 is plenty versatile and the recoil with the 150 grain bullet is about 25 Foot pounds of energy depending on the total weight of the rifle. I would NOT magnaport the barrel to reduce the recoil add a limbsaver or other high performance butt pad if the recoil is a problem. If you weigh 90 pounds the recoil can be an issue. As you gain weight by sitting closer to the table and change out of your younger mans clothes, the recoil will be come minor, with more shooting experience.
Join a range shooting club you will pick up a lot of shooting pointers and possibly some hunting companions. This put you in a regular shooting routine and make your shooting skills grow.
Start out getting in on any doe shoots or even cow elk shoots to begin with and you odds of coming home with meat will be good and you will be learning at the same time. Everyone wants a buck or a bull, but at first you may loose interest if you go for bucks and bulls and com home empty handed with you short hunting skills tool kit.
OK thats it throw the tomatoes.
