300 Yard Deer Rifle

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  • saintnick81

    Sharpshooter
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    Dec 29, 2012
    415
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    Bedford
    I have decided that by gun season next year I would like to have a rifle capable of a 300 yard shot. I am currently using a Remington 870 with a slug barrel and red dot. I am comfortable out to 100 with it but I missed a chance on a really good buck the other day due to him staying out at 200-250 with a group of does. I would like to stay below $500 if possible, including glass. I know that's not much but there seem to be some solid options in bolt guns out there for that price. The longest shot I would have to make where I hunt would be 300yds. This gun would pretty much be strictly a deer gun.

    Should I buy one of the budget bolt guns? I have been looking at things like the Mossberg Patriot w/vortex crossfire II, T/C Compass, Savage Axis. What caliber would you recommend? Is 3-9x40 enough?

    I have a stripped lower sitting in my safe. Should I build something like a 300 blackout upper? Other caliber AR?

    Other options?
     

    saintnick81

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    Dec 29, 2012
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    So cabelas has the T/C compass on sale today for $274.99 plus a $75 mail in rebate. I don't feel like i'm going to find a better deal than that. So the question becomes what caliber?
     

    avboiler11

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    Jun 12, 2011
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    New Albany
    I would submit that today, the limitation in taking game at 300 yards is more often the shooter and not the system.

    A TC Compass is probably fine, but you'd need to invest time and money in finding (or reloading) ammo the rifle likes best, and regularly practicing at that distance to ensure your dope is accurate...and you can make such a shot in a field/stand shooting position.
     

    saintnick81

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    Dec 29, 2012
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    Bedford
    I would submit that today, the limitation in taking game at 300 yards is more often the shooter and not the system.

    A TC Compass is probably fine, but you'd need to invest time and money in finding (or reloading) ammo the rifle likes best, and regularly practicing at that distance to ensure your dope is accurate...and you can make such a shot in a field/stand shooting position.

    I agree and I would not take a shot that I was not confident that I could make which is why I did not take a 200yard shot with my 870. I hunt from a ground blind and have a solid seat and a tripod. Also no argument that I would need to invest time and money to find the right ammo and learning how to shoot it at distance.
     

    throttletony

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    Jul 11, 2011
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    Hi.
    You'll be using this in a place where typical rifles are allowed, correct?
    I'd say .243 is my favorite, followed by .308, 7mm-08, .260, 30-06/.270 (and maybe a 6.5 creedmoor in the mix)

    ALL of these are FULLY capable at 300 yds (with decent skill + optics + accurate barrel, they're all capable at 600-800 yds)
     

    saintnick81

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    Dec 29, 2012
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    Hi.
    You'll be using this in a place where typical rifles are allowed, correct?
    I'd say .243 is my favorite, followed by .308, 7mm-08, .260, 30-06/.270 (and maybe a 6.5 creedmoor in the mix)

    ALL of these are FULLY capable at 300 yds (with decent skill + optics + accurate barrel, they're all capable at 600-800 yds)

    Yes, private land.
     

    King31

    Expert
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    Nov 10, 2013
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    Southern Indiana
    Personally I would look into a Remington 783. Along with the rebate you would have plenty of cash leftover for a quality scope and decent rings.

    If you're settled on the TC, I would get the 6.5 CM. Plenty of gun with room to stretch it even farther. The recoil will be less than the majority of your other options. Just my $.02
     

    bwframe

    Loneranger
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    Feb 11, 2008
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    What kind of trigger does a $500 gun/glass combo come with? How will it effect 300 yard consistant accuracy? Ethical game shots?
     

    saintnick81

    Sharpshooter
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    Dec 29, 2012
    415
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    Bedford
    What kind of trigger does a $500 gun/glass combo come with? How will it effect 300 yard consistant accuracy? Ethical game shots?

    The reviews i have been reading say the compass has very little creep and is adjustable between 3.5-5lbs with a clean break and adjustable over travel. T/C guarantees sub 1" accuracy at 100yds with premium ammo. As far as consistent accuracy at 300 yards, that is something I would have to find out. I will have nearly a year to find quality glass and a good ammo that provides consistent results as well as having time to do a lot of shooting and find out what I am capable of. I have no doubt that I will be the weakest link in the system, but I am willing to invest the time and ammo to learn and improve.
     

    Sniper 79

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    Oct 7, 2012
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    Budget is a little tight but it can be done. First thing that came to my mind would be an older used Savage. I like the flat shooting/soft recoiling .243 although another caliber wouldn't be a deal breaker if the gun was the right price and clean. I recently sold a nice pre accutrigger model 110 with a brand new 4-14x40 Nikon Prostaff on it for 350. Plenty of cash left over for ammo, gun case, sling, and more ammo.

    Another way and another cartridge I could recommend is the 300Blk. I actually have a 16" AR ready to go. I haven't had the opportunity to find any land to hunt and it is just sitting here. If its something you may be interested in let me know. We can work out a horse trade or something. It is a hard hitting round and soft shooting.
     

    Woobie

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 19, 2014
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    Losantville
    I would think the T/C should be fine with that guarantee. Talk to A&A optics about a Vortex scope and mount for it. You should be close to your budget if you get the right deal. I would think you would get acceptable results from Hornady, Nosler or Barnes ammo.

    If it were me, I would go with a .243 or .260. 7mm-08 would be good too.

    Actually, if it were an option, since I like older, less popular cartridges, I'd probably try to get something like a .257 Roberts and hand load for it :)
     

    Ggreen

    Person
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    49   0   0
    Sep 19, 2016
    3,686
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    SouthEast
    Budget is a little tight but it can be done. First thing that came to my mind would be an older used Savage. I like the flat shooting/soft recoiling .243 although another caliber wouldn't be a deal breaker if the gun was the right price and clean. I recently sold a nice pre accutrigger model 110 with a brand new 4-14x40 Nikon Prostaff on it for 350. Plenty of cash left over for ammo, gun case, sling, and more ammo.

    Another way and another cartridge I could recommend is the 300Blk. I actually have a 16" AR ready to go. I haven't had the opportunity to find any land to hunt and it is just sitting here. If its something you may be interested in let me know. We can work out a horse trade or something. It is a hard hitting round and soft shooting.

    300blk is not an ethical round past 200 to 250 yards for deer. It is a great round and I have taken a deer with it, but it is not something I would consider at the distances the OP is talking about. Nearly 20" of drop at 300 yards with a 200 yard zero. The hottest factory round I can find for the 300bo only carries around 500 ft/lbs out that far, while a 308 is carrying 3x the energy. Keeping in an AR15 pattern the 6.5 Grendel is an option as it is still over 1000 ft/lbs at 300 yards, but finding one in the budget given that is trustworthy at these distances would be difficult.
     

    natdscott

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    Jul 20, 2015
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    I would submit that today, the limitation in taking game at 300 yards is more often the shooter and not the system.

    A TC Compass is probably fine, but you'd need to invest time and money in finding (or reloading) ammo the rifle likes best, and regularly practicing at that distance to ensure your dope is accurate...and you can make such a shot in a field/stand shooting position.

    Gosh. That's a pretty stout post.

    Budget is a little tight but it can be done. First thing that came to my mind would be an older used [rifle]...

    I agree. Actually, Alan just said something in another thread that resonated with me, and I am butchering, but: "Old cheap is usually better than new cheap."

    Browse Gunbroker, browse here, and browse all your local gunshops. Educate yourself (or find a friend) on what you're looking at with used rifles, and become accustomed to seeing the POTENTIAL in a banged up deer rifle from the 80's. If the INside of the rifle has been taken care of, little else matters, and most cosmetics can be fixed up WELL beyond what a deer rifle needs.

    You can get some really great rifles that way. You can also end up with a pile of junk. Know the difference, and when you find one, don't be afraid to haggle. Unless it is clearly custom or high grade equipment, it is common for the LGS owner to have taken a rifle in on trade, given $150-200 credit or something, and not really know (nor care) what they have sitting there. Walk out with one for $300, spend some money in the right places, and you can still put a decent scope (say, an El Paso Weaver, or a modern refurb, or a modern used optic...like a 3500 Bushnell) on it within reasonable budget.

    Just don't get wrapped around the internet too hard, and ask questions as you have them. Feel free on used rifles to write down the serial number, and look it up for date of birth, and if they don't mind, take a photo or two and bring it here to the forum with questions.

    We know things, and some of us work on these kind of things.

    -Nate
     
    Last edited:

    ScouT6a

    Master
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    Mar 11, 2013
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    A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a barely used 20" heavy barrel AR upper in 6.5 Grendel. It is made by Bear Creek Arsenal. A $350-360 upper.
    I mounted a 4-16x40 scope with BDC.
    It likes the Hornady Black box 123 grain ballistic tips. I was getting 1-1/4" groups at 200 yards.
    Friday evening I shot a buck at 362 yards. Double lung shot. He ran 47 yards and piled up into a tree.
    It is a soft shooting round with minimal noise.
    For deer, I would recommend the 6.5 Grendel round to anyone.
     

    natdscott

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    Scout, read the budget. You can't assume everyone has a ready AR lower sitting around either.
     

    blacknwhite

    Marksman
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    Jan 6, 2016
    201
    18
    southwest
    Whatever the rifle choice I would stick with .243 long time proven deer killer with great ballistics and soft recoil. My personal preference is savage rifles, they just seem to shoot amazing for the price.
     

    mcapo

    aka Bandit
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    Mar 19, 2016
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    East of Hoosier45 - West of T-dogg
    300 yards....I'd look for a nice used bolt action 30-06 and put a decent 4x16 Vortex scope from AA Optics but there are dozens of other options/calibers that will work just fine. $500 is a tough budget with decent glass and at 300 yards decent glass is a must (at least for my old eyes). I've had good luck with Weatherby/Howa lately. As an example: https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...9689/Howa+Hogue+30-06+Gameking+Combo+22+Black

    I only have one T/C and its a muzzleloader - very happy with it.
     

    natdscott

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    Read the OP. He said he has a stripped lower setting in the safe. I am under his $500 budget on my 6.5 Grendel build.

    F me. I blame it on the phone. The phone blames it on me for not reading the last sentence.

    Nevermind... :ugh:

    -Nate
     
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