HyundaiAbuser
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As some of you guys can tell from my recent fishing post, I'm still pretty young compared to the average hunter, approaching 20 soon. I have been shooting since I was 5 and always took time to opt for precision rather than just plinking away, which has drilled marksmanship fundamentals into my head in a natural manner. I have also had an innate ability to stay calm and take very meticulous shots when required due to a lot of squirrel and small game hunting at long ranges with the good ole marlin model 60. What I left out in that initial posting is that with those Winchester soft points, the deer I shot was about 300 yards from my stand. It hit exactly what I was aiming for in the neck, but after doing extensive grouping with them I decided that was not the route I want to venture. With the right rifle and ammo I am confident in my ability to land a vital shot out to around 450-500, but that is with my .308 and handloads. After this season I am definitely looking more towards lead free bullets as I have seen what some of the barnes ammo can do out of a 30-30.
Originally Posted by KCJeep
Good post.
I used to hunt whitetails with a 25/06 that had a 4x12 scope. It killed deer like they had been struck by lightning, but it was a silly set up for the application. After quite a few years it dawned on me that almost all the deer that actually got loaded up were shot at less than 125 yards, most far less than that. I went back to where I started, a Marlin 30/30, and couldn't be happier. I can't even remember how many deer have now been killed by that 30/30, but I have never once felt handicapped by it.
I know of one or two guys that can actually cleanly kill deer at extended ranges, but they are a rare breed. Have seen way too many blasting away at running long range deer and not even go to look afterwards. Have stumbled upon a lot of the rotting results of such practice as well.
My father hunts with a 25-06 and per testimony, "kills em deader than dead." I've shot it out to 400 and with the 120 grs it is a dream to shoot.
The purpose of this thread is more so to find some relatively universal ammunition. I get that every gun and barrel is different, but some types of ammunition are generally more consistent than others and that is what I'm looking for. The background on this is that I have had this 30-06 for awhile and shot a couple different types of ammo through it, although not grouped many, and having a more capable one than the previous Winchesters in my platform that also works in my friend's is more for personal reasons. He is just getting into hunting (primarily my doing) and when looking for a good hunting rifle I made the caliber recommendation of 30-06 and I use mine to back up my claims of capability. I especially recommended 30-06 for this application to 1, to eventually be able to elk hunt with it, and 2, my friend is not recoil sensitive along with not the best shot I've ever seen so I figure a little on the more powerful side could be good. If all else fails I fall back on my savage 110 .270 that I can squeeze 3/4 moa out of or resight my .308 for a hunting ammunition.
This weekend I am going out to a patch of land to sight my 30-06 in with a 4x scope I just put on it (swapped the vortex I had onto the .270 last year for antlerless season) with some federal 180 grain long with a box of Hornady American whitetail 150 gr and federal fusion 150 gr. At the end of the day I'm more worried about what works well in my friends gun than mine as he has not been pedigreed into shooting like I have and doesn't have the quite the same capabilities. Will post results.
I feel as though I am talking a very big game for myself along with talking down on my friend and I hate to do that but this is the most objective way I could put it, my sincere apologies.
Originally Posted by KCJeep
Good post.
I used to hunt whitetails with a 25/06 that had a 4x12 scope. It killed deer like they had been struck by lightning, but it was a silly set up for the application. After quite a few years it dawned on me that almost all the deer that actually got loaded up were shot at less than 125 yards, most far less than that. I went back to where I started, a Marlin 30/30, and couldn't be happier. I can't even remember how many deer have now been killed by that 30/30, but I have never once felt handicapped by it.
I know of one or two guys that can actually cleanly kill deer at extended ranges, but they are a rare breed. Have seen way too many blasting away at running long range deer and not even go to look afterwards. Have stumbled upon a lot of the rotting results of such practice as well.
My father hunts with a 25-06 and per testimony, "kills em deader than dead." I've shot it out to 400 and with the 120 grs it is a dream to shoot.
The purpose of this thread is more so to find some relatively universal ammunition. I get that every gun and barrel is different, but some types of ammunition are generally more consistent than others and that is what I'm looking for. The background on this is that I have had this 30-06 for awhile and shot a couple different types of ammo through it, although not grouped many, and having a more capable one than the previous Winchesters in my platform that also works in my friend's is more for personal reasons. He is just getting into hunting (primarily my doing) and when looking for a good hunting rifle I made the caliber recommendation of 30-06 and I use mine to back up my claims of capability. I especially recommended 30-06 for this application to 1, to eventually be able to elk hunt with it, and 2, my friend is not recoil sensitive along with not the best shot I've ever seen so I figure a little on the more powerful side could be good. If all else fails I fall back on my savage 110 .270 that I can squeeze 3/4 moa out of or resight my .308 for a hunting ammunition.
This weekend I am going out to a patch of land to sight my 30-06 in with a 4x scope I just put on it (swapped the vortex I had onto the .270 last year for antlerless season) with some federal 180 grain long with a box of Hornady American whitetail 150 gr and federal fusion 150 gr. At the end of the day I'm more worried about what works well in my friends gun than mine as he has not been pedigreed into shooting like I have and doesn't have the quite the same capabilities. Will post results.
I feel as though I am talking a very big game for myself along with talking down on my friend and I hate to do that but this is the most objective way I could put it, my sincere apologies.