Need advice on finding the right rifle.

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tcollinson

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Hello All,

I am looking to purchase my first hunting rifle. Where I am from, the deer are quite small. The sitka black tail deer are around 80-100 lbs. I have had some experience shooting using different rifles, but am barely an experience shooter. I have developed a bad flinch due to past experience. I scoped myself pretty bad when I "borrowed" dad's ultralight 30-06 when I was 15 (stupid, I know). I have also shot a .270 which I also was not ready for. This summer I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to participate in a deer cull and shot a few deer with a suppressed 30-06, which was very comfortable to shoot but I still had that habitual flinch. Other than that I've shot a .22lr and some slugs from a shotgun, so I don't know much about the two calibers I am going to be mentioning.

Basically, I need a rifle that has some knockdown power but also not a whole lot of recoil. I've been looking into .223 because the ammo is cheap (a lot of people here hunt with .222). I would likely hunt with 60gr and above with a barrel that has a 1:8 or 1:9 twist rate. I've also been looking at a .243, which is probably a rifle I can grow into and learn to reload in the future.

My problem is, the .223 is a rifle I can practice shooting with and perhaps eliminate my flinch. I can shoot it all day long and I won't have to think about how much the ammo costs BUT it's not the most ideal hunting rifle, I want ethical kills.

The .243 is a rifle that would be great for hunting, but if I want to practice shooting it's going to cost a lot.

What would you guys do? I honestly can't decide between the two so I'm hoping someone with more experience can give me some guidance.

Thank you.
 
I'm not a hunter, so take this with a grain of salt.

.223 is enough for 80-100 Pound deer, no problem. But I wouldn't trust it for much larger than 110-130 pound game.

.243 would fit your needs well, and don't think of the cost as a problem. If your hunting, the dollar per bullet is well worth the pounds and pounds of meat you will (hopefully) get.

In my opinion, get a less expensive gun, like a Savage axis in .223 to get rid of your flinch.
Get a nicer rifle like a savage 12 in 243 for hunting.



Disclaimer: I'm kind of partial to savage.
 
I know lots of guys that deer hunt with a SKS rifle. The 7.62 x 39 ammo is cheap and has very little recoil. The rifles can be had for around $200 and are very reliable.
 
Change your profile to show your location. My advice would change if you are in Smithers or Tofino.

A 223 with Winchester 64 Power Points would be just fine for those deer. I shot 150 pound kangaroos with a 223 and Hornady 55gr soft points. Left fist sized exit holes.

I agree that a rifle in 7.62x39 with soft point ammo would be even more effective and has mild recoil.
 
I thinking the 223 is kind of a useless round .
Yes ok you can shoot little deer but later you might want to try an elk or Moses or run into a bear .
Im thinking a 257 Roberts 264 of some sorts
this way you'll by one rifle that later in life you can go elk hunting moose or stop a good size mulie
243 ok but you might want a heaver bullet later in life
 
Buy a .22 and shoot the hell out of it for a year to get rid of the flinch. Then step up and get yourself a .243 and start reloading. If you think you might need something heavier down the road, spin a .308 barrel into the rifle (.243 and .308 use the same bolt face)
 
I'm from Haida Gwaii, BC (Queen Charlotte Islands). Deer here are notoriously small. Bag limit is 15 deer. I'd doubt I'll be shooting anything other than deer any time soon as we don't have anything larger than elk, and I want more experience before I move on to larger game.

I think I'm going to go with a .223. I want a quality rifle as I am likely going to be shooting this primarily for the next few years. I was thinking about a Sako but those are a bit out of my price range. Anybody have any suggestions for a nice .223 rifle with a fast twist?

Thanks again.
 
For your damp climate I'd seriously look at a T3 Tikka light stainless.
It has an 8" twist so will accurately handle heavier bullets ideal for your Island Blacktail.
In spite of some opinions they are a very durable, dependable, well made rifle.
 
Kevan said:
For your damp climate I'd seriously look at a T3 Tikka light stainless.
It has an 8" twist so will accurately handle heavier bullets ideal for your Island Blacktail.
In spite of some opinions they are a very durable, dependable, well made rifle.
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I used this exact rifle a few times during the deer cull I was a part of. I really liked it a lot, so this will likely be my choice. Just wanted some opinions of other options and see if I am making a bad decision with the .223.
 
I think if you have a flinching issue the 223 is a good choice at least until you can eliminate that problem.
If you do as much target practice with a 223 and also a 22 rimfire as you can that will be helpful for you.
Once that problem is reduced then consider something bigger if you feel the need, otherwise as you may already know, the 223 will suffice...
 
I like the idea of a .243 as a caliber choice for smaller deer. There a different weights and bullet types to suit your needs, & it is a flat shooting cartridge.
Do you have any friends who reload. That could help you get some practice without breaking the bank.
 
I am going to suggest a 260 Rem or a 6.5x55 Swede.

Both have mild recoil, I've never hunted where you are but I doubt you will be taking really long shots but with a good bullet both will take much larger game out past 250 yards with ease and if you want to hunt something bigger you still can.
 
tcollinson said:
How much would I save if I were to reload a .243? Factory ammo is surprisingly pricey for that caliber.
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Most all factory ammo is spendy. I reload for 223, 22-250, 308, and 30-06 at the moment. 223 is about $25 a box of 20 for hunting rounds whereas I reload 20 rounds of that same hunting ammo for $7-8. 22-250 is about $26.99 for 20 factory rounds and about $8-9 for 20 reloads. Never figured it out for 308 yet. 30-06 is around $35-$45 for good ammo here and costs me Depending on what bullets used from $13 to $26 per 20 rounds. This is all for hunting ammo also. Prices are for what we have here. Pays off big time for me to reload as I shoot a lot.

For a light recoiling rifle I would grab a 243 and go. With a good bullet I would have no problems using one on bigger game. I'm kicking myself everyday for selling the 243 I had.
 
martinbns said:
I am going to suggest a 260 Rem or a 6.5x55 Swede.

Both have mild recoil, I've never hunted where you are but I doubt you will be taking really long shots but with a good bullet both will take much larger game out past 250 yards with ease and if you want to hunt something bigger you still can.
Click to expand...

+1 for the 6.5 swede. Got one off of the equipment exchange and it's my most pleasant rifle to shoot. Just feels right.
 
A 223 will work fine for those little deer. If you get into reloading, try some 53gr tsx's. If you get a .243, or 7mm-08 you will have more options in what you want to hunt for....don't forget about the elk you have on the north lsland.
What was the cull that you speak of?
 
There is also a 55gr hornady gmx, and 60gr nosher partition for the .224" I think a 60gr in either gmx or partition at 3400-3500 fps from a 22-250 would be fantastic for 100 yards shots.
 
hawk-i said:
A 223 will work fine for those little deer. If you get into reloading, try some 53gr tsx's. If you get a .243, or 7mm-08 you will have more options in what you want to hunt for....don't forget about the elk you have on the north lsland.
What was the cull that you speak of?
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I work for Parks Canada in Gwaii Haanas here. We culled about 150 deer from two islands we did a rat eradication on (Murchison and Faraday Island). I was there primarily as a boat driver for our three experienced shooters but they let me get in there once in a while. Those suppressed 30-06s were pretty sweet, didn't know they could reduce recoil to that degree. Anyways, that's why I want to get in to hunting. Had so much fun!
 
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