I would go the opposite. 110-125 grain trucking around 2200-2400. These seem to be the most effective rounds terminally. The mid range stuff seems a bit weaksauce. That said, either will work. Shot placement wins every time.
Short barrel deer rifle - .300 blackout?
- Thread starter Astute Observer
- Start date
I would go the opposite. 110-125 grain trucking around 2200-2400. These seem to be the most effective rounds terminally. The mid range stuff seems a bit weaksauce. That said, either will work. Shot placement wins every time.
There's this new cartridge out called the .30 WCF. It'll push a 170 RN at 2,150, and up to 2,350 with handloads and the right powder. Seems to be all the rage amongst deer hunters and I hear it will do a creditable job with moose too.
For the cost of a barrel and the smith to put it on you can basically buy a 308 Ranch.
If you sell the 556 ranch and buy a 308 ranch you'll only be out a few bucks, far less than you'll spend on a barrel.
A 30-30 lever action can be had for less than a new barrel and smith cost, and now you have a whole other gun!
There are a bunch of options to get something more capable than your 556 ranch, but rebarreling to 300BO seems like an expensive way to get very little in real world gains. 300BO will kill deer, sure, but I see no reason to use it when there are more powerful options that are easy to find and cheaper than rebarreling.
Rebarreling to 300bo seems like a "because I can!" sort of decision, and just because I can is rarely a reason for me to open my wallet.
If you sell the 556 ranch and buy a 308 ranch you'll only be out a few bucks, far less than you'll spend on a barrel.
A 30-30 lever action can be had for less than a new barrel and smith cost, and now you have a whole other gun!
There are a bunch of options to get something more capable than your 556 ranch, but rebarreling to 300BO seems like an expensive way to get very little in real world gains. 300BO will kill deer, sure, but I see no reason to use it when there are more powerful options that are easy to find and cheaper than rebarreling.
Rebarreling to 300bo seems like a "because I can!" sort of decision, and just because I can is rarely a reason for me to open my wallet.
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The age old CGN argument... nobody's mind gets changed, but resistance is necessary for the undecided... go ahead and present your case and opinion. Mine is that if you can handle a .243 with 100 grain and have access to it, why choose the .223 with 55 grain? If you can handle a 6.5mm with 140 why choose the .243? Over time a little margin will pay dividends. Of course the "when is enough, enough" for medium game, argument will be made... for you, apparently that line is .223, for me it is the 6.5mm group... everyone has their cut-off point (or they should). My argument, and I will leave the conversation with this, put a little margin into your choice. Just as choosing the super magnum cartridge may say something about the user, so does choosing the overly light cartridge.
My argument was that .223 is more than adequate for whitetail, not all medium game. I use other rifles chambered in different calibers for heavier animals. Just because I use a caliber that you have no experience, or quite frankly, any clue about with regards to hunting whitetail does not mean that I'm some jack off idiot. Deer are animals, any animal will be killed by damaging vital organs. The .223 with maximum velocity and premium bullet construction will be able to shatter shoulders and still rip vital organs apart. I have killed close to 15 whitetail with this "overly light cartridge" and the amount of trauma it causes in the animal always amazes people. Unfortunately, people don't have open minds nowadays and tend to regurgitate information they heard all throughout their childhood without actually having any experience for themselves. The OP said he felt the .223 wasn't adequate for 100m kills. Every whitetail I have shot with .223 within 100m has dropped and the trauma was significant.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1icMs48Za6Uo4aV49WyynZIymntbRn689/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tpEzdLKf3qx-4BwwsG9kuXFqnw5IVj_t/view?usp=sharing
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You are going to be shooting deer at under 100 yards. A .223 with premium hunting bullets is going to kill a deer just fine. With the .223 on deer and black bear I've mostly used and seen Barnes bullets. The Barnes will completely penetrate the chest and make lung soup out of the organs. Unless there is some foolish law that prohibits the use of a .223 in your region, there is no reason to not use it.
Another nice aspect of the .223 is that you can get cheap bulk ammo. A person that spends a few months practicing with a case of bulk .223 is going to be better equipped to kill a deer than 90% of the guys that take their 30-06 out to the range a week before hunting season to "check the zero" Practice with the cheap stuff, re zero for the premium stuff and go hunt.
I have to admit I was pretty surprised the first time we cut open a deer shot with a .22 centerfire and premium bullet (In this case it was a .221 Fireball and 45 gr TSX bullets)
This is when we started talking about "lung soup" as the lungs were basically jelly and so bloodshot they looked like shredded liver.
The last whitetail I shot was just over 200y with a 55gr federal PowerShok. The bullet retained about 85% of its mass and blew through the deer. It made a ping pong size hole in the heart, as seen in the picture I shared, and liquified the lungs. The round penetrated completely through the animal and stopped just on the inside of the hide. The benefit of .223 like you mentioned is being able to practice with bulk ammunition compared to more expensive calibers. I really wish people would stop with the nonsense that this is somehow an underpowered cartridge.
Missed this post earlier. I can say with complete confidence this rifle/round is suitable for whitetail. I have used mine for 3 seasons now, accounting for 3 deer. Longest shot was just hair under 300 yards. on a very fat, 6 pointer. I would like one in 300 Blackout to have the option of the 308 cal bullets available, but the little Ruger is exceedingly accurate, likes heavy for caliber bullets and kills them quickly. Trouble is finding one in 300 that takes AR mags. They used to be plentiful, now they are unicorns.
Hmm I can't see your pics?
I have the links for the google drive. Not working?
You would have to find a 308 ruger American ranch in private hands to buy one. They were exclusive to one Canadian retailer and were only available for a short period of time.
I have a brand new one on the ee listed for less than what I paid and no buyers.
The ranch is available in 300bo new, just not with a 12" barrel
- Location
- Edmonton Area Ab, Candle Lake Sk
If I was hunting deer with a .300 AAC I'd use a load with a heavier bullet then 110gr. I'm a big fan of 22 centerfire for deer, 222,223, 22-250 . Low recoil,most people shoot them more , therefore are better shots. A friend of mines father used a 22 Hornet with 45 gr handloads for years. Shot placement is key . I just purchased a 247gr NOE mold for my 300 AAC, that should knock down a deer.
A short barreled 6.5 Grendel hammers deer. I’ve taking two blacktails with mine. One smaller 2x3 at 100 yards and one monster that weight 150lbs hanging at the butcher.
My brother dropped a whitetail at 310yards with his Grendel. All three were with 18” barrels. I would not hesitate to cut my Grendel down to 16”
My brother dropped a whitetail at 310yards with his Grendel. All three were with 18” barrels. I would not hesitate to cut my Grendel down to 16”
If you had the 308 Ranch in the standard stock, and medium profile barrel i'd be all over that. As it is, a 9lb short rifle is a hard sell to most.
I have been looking for a 300 BO ranch that takes AR mags for a year, haven't seen one new for sale since 2018...
It comes with the original stock and all original accessories. The magpul hunter stock adds weight, but doesn't make it 9 lbs. What it does fix is the crappy magazine ruger uses, but if that is what you like, you can put it back to stock and sell the magpul
irunguns had the 300bo ranches with ar mags before the latest gun buying craze
