The Creedmoor Forum

I'm curious about what your opinions would be on caliber for a short to medium range deer hunting rifle. I love the idea of having a vast array of different calibers - having the "right gun for the job" rather than a caliber that does it all, but doesn't really do anything well (.30 calibers come to mind, but let's not argue that point in this thread please). Best for deer I think is 7mm-08. I currently have two that I hunt with regularly. Something tells me I should just get another 7mm-08, as that way I can use the same ammo I've been using. But then again, what's the point of having several different rifles if they all shoot the same ammo? Logic tells me to get something different. I'm likely going to be getting a Ruger American Compact. I'll put a small scope on it and take it on deer drives and hunt in close quarters with it in situations where I'll be carrying it all day long. I don't yet have a .243 and I always wanted one. This caliber would also give me a reasonable "back up" rifle to my .204 for coyotes. I feel I should be "branching out" from the 7mm-08 for hunting - but it is just so damn good. Will I be at any disadvantage getting a .243?

Um-Uh  I would recommend the 6.5 Creedmoor!!

Eric

Cn; I positively guarantee you that the 6.5 Creedmoor will kill any deer that walks the earth every bit as fast and effectively as a 7/08 , 308, 270, 280, 30/06 ect !
 
 If you like the 7/08, Thats fine, but, it won't do anything the 6.5 won't do just as well.
 So my vote is for the 6.5 Creedmoor !

It will be an "off the shelf" rifle, with 18" barrel, short stock, and no mods as this will be a "budget gun". So, the availability of a factory offering is a consideration. I don't know of a 6.5 available like that without modding it. The Savage Lightweight Hunter would be superb, but way out of my price range. The "cheap" American is proven in my hands.

Just get a RAP and chop the barrel. Take you between 3 minutes to 30 minutes start to finish. All you need is a Sawzall or hack saw. A flat file, and a champfering tool or cone or ball abrasive bit for a Dremil tool .

Quote from: Cold Trigger Finger on December 22, 2015, 02:44:53 PMJust get a RAP and chop the barrel. Take you between 3 minutes to 30 minutes start to finish. All you need is a Sawzall or hack saw. A flat file, and a champfering tool or cone or ball abrasive bit for a Dremil tool .

SO, I'm guessing there'll be no 11 degree target crown on that job, eh? LOL! I guess it should still put em into a pie plate at 50 yards anyway. So, minute of deer at short to intermediate range sounds very likely. I might buy a cheap rifle to cut down one day just to say I did it.
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Oh yeah, I vote for the 6.5 as well. You seem to have skipped right over the caliber...

-CN-
Have two Ruger American Predators in Creedmoor.  22" inch barrel already threaded for can.  The are dependable, accurate and handy and the price is right. Blooded the first one in south Texas in October. Has become the "jump" gun that I carry around in the Louisiana thickets.  And, has the legs to whack one way out there.  Also a 7mm-08 fan, but Creedmoor insanity has consumed me and I don't use the 7's much now.

Since you put no requirements other than short ranged bush gun and are looking for a different caliber..... I'm going to take you in a WAY different direction.
450 bushmaster or 50 boewulf ! ! !

Now there you have a short barreled semi-auto rifle that is excellent at short ranged bush hunting. Massive knock down power than can plow its way through a brush environment. Both might get you to 300-400 yard max but then again..... a 200 yard shot in brush seems to be a hard to get shot to me.

Hope you at least give those two a look as both could be a ton of fun.

Eric

Between 243 and 7-08, I'd go 7-08. The reason being, if your rifle is a carbine (I'm assuming 16 or 18 inch barrel), then 7-08 is going to be a much more efficient cartridge out of a short barrel. 243 is really an overbore, and you'll be burning slower powder - with a short barrel, I can only imagine the muzzle blast and ear-splitting report! 243, in my opinion, really needs at least a 22" barrel, and is probably best with a 24" barrel. 7-08 is better suited to a carbine. Actually, with an 18" barrel, with your stated goals in mind, I'd even prefer a 308 over either the 243 or 7-08, and 338 Federal or 358 Winchester would be ideal. I'd love to have a ruger hawkeye in 358 Win with a 20" #3 contour barrel, nice little gun for the timber, I'd feel confident shooting an elk with that combo.

Yes, 6.5 Creed would work, but if you compare 140gr bullets out of an 18" barrel, the 7-08 is going to be at least 100 fps faster at the muzzle (or more), and the superior BC of the 6.5 bullet really won't come into play for a short- to medium-range deer rifle (typical shots under 250 yards). For short to med range, I'll give the edge to 7-08 over the 6.5 creed.

I actually like eca7891's idea of a big-bore semi-auto, although that certainly isn't a budget rifle. A Springfield M1A SOCOM would be pretty cool too, chambered in the evil and ineffectual 308 Win, with a fixed 4x scout scope, although the rifle itself weighs almost 9 pounds (I put 100 rnds through my boss's SOCOM, had an EOTECH on it, very neat little rifle).

Midway had complete 450 bushmaster upper assy for $599, slap it on a at lower then you have 10 rounds of brush destroying monster. Out of your choice though I would go with 7-08 and load some 160s. Should get thru the brush.

Have a 243 - hasn't cracked the safe in years. Great little gun by it's own right, don't see any reason to purchase something like that because you'll most likely keep using what you clearly already love. Do not have a 7mm-08 but know many that do and wouldn't trade for them, pretty much says it all there.

If your looking to go auto - the 450 bushmaster was mentioned and I'm personally toying with that idea with an option on the table as we speak as well as the 338 federal. Want something to take nilgai and larger exotic game hunting here in texas. Most folks wont let you bring anything less than a 30 cal, even though I'm confident the creedmoor and my 264 will kill anything texas can throw at her exotic or not.

I purchased a 30 Remington ar this past summer and I have to say - it is quite impressive and becoming a favorite of mine. Can't wait to slap some swine in the spring when deer season is over and we can take over some leases just to hog hunt. I am a black gun fan maybe I wouldn't be if we couldn't kill hogs in mass like we are able to do. Just a fun gun.

If I had to narrow my collection down I do not see me parting with the creedmoor. It will just flat do everything I want it too,

If you are talking about hunting in tight quarters and thick brush (and most non-dangerous game), my go to rifle for that situation has a combination light weight, low recoil, 5 shot magazine, fast handling and a big bullet, my 80's Marlin 336 in 35 Rem. It's a DRT rifle if I do my part and is fine for Black Bear, Hogs and Whitetails. Some folks have used this cartridge on Elk as well. I load it myself with 200 gr. corelokts and Win 748 powder. And its light weight is just the ticket hunting from a tree stand. It has great balance and is an easy carry for still hunting with a one hand carry.  I wouldn't it use much past 150yds, but its fine for anything closer than that. There are plenty of used 336s out there on the used market for under $500 with a JM stamped proof mark on the barrel.  For a fast handling brush cartridge the JM Marlin 336 combined with the 35 Rem cartridge is hard to beat.

Nephew has a stainless/synthetic  Ruger 77 Hawkeye in 338 Federal.  He is 100% one shot, one kill on hogs and our small whitetails with cheap factory ammo.

Quote from: dadajack on December 22, 2015, 03:45:08 PM

Quote from: Cold Trigger Finger on December 22, 2015, 02:44:53 PMJust get a RAP and chop the barrel. Take you between 3 minutes to 30 minutes start to finish. All you need is a Sawzall or hack saw. A flat file, and a champfering tool or cone or ball abrasive bit for a Dremil tool .

SO, I'm guessing there'll be no 11 degree target crown on that job, eh? LOL! I guess it should still put em into a pie plate at 50 yards anyway. So, minute of deer at short to intermediate range sounds very likely. I might buy a cheap rifle to cut down one day just to say I did it.
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Oh yeah, I vote for the 6.5 as well. You seem to have skipped right over the caliber...

 How about in th . .2s when I do my part on 10 power and high  .3s with the 1-4 set at 4 power.
 I experienced absolutely zero loss of accuracy when I chopped off my barrel. And I crowned it with an RCBS champfer tool that I chucked up in my DeWalt screw gun .
 Not kidding one bit .
 Shooting the 130 gr TSX flat base I'm still in the .3s on 4 power at 100 yards. It ain't hard or tricky.
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Well. I was gonna post a pic of an ideal brush rifle . But I can't wait for 2G to load a pic.

You guys have inspired a different train of thought in my head's internal workings.
I'm going to have one of my current 7mm-08 rifle barrels cut down to 18 inches to satisfy my needs for a more compact rifle. Then, instead of buying a compact rifle, I'm going to get a RAP in 6.5 Creedmoor to replace the one I chopped.