243,308 or 44 mag for dogging
- Thread starter mike t
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Given the question, a light, quick handling carbine is the answer, the chambering is less important. There was a time in my life that a lever action carbine in .44 magnum appealed to me, but today I prefer rifles chambered for rifle cartridges. There are frequently opportunities for a longish shot, across burns, swamps, or clear cuts, or along lakeshores, river banks, and power-lines, even in the thickest bush. For me that's reason enough to opt for the greater versatility of a flat shooting round.
"What" your suggesting he carry a .308 in heavy bush. You have had a change of heart young fella, as in a similar thread a while back you stated you carry your 257 Roberts as it goes through 6" birch trees without velocity loss or deviation...!
Op, the .308 will serve you well for dogging and cover all the variables you encounter, when chambered in a shorter quick handling rifle.
....... It's more about the rifle than the chambering.
257Roberts
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Peterborough ON
I have carried a 30-30 and 44 Mag in Model 94's, a 308 in Model 88 and a BLR a BLR 257 Roberts.
Last 2 years have been using a Ruger American Compact in 243.
Only deer I have shot while dogging was with the 257.
The 44 was the lightest and the 88 was the heavies, I do like to carry the Ruger.
I tried a shotgun once, A Winchester pump and that will never happen again.
David
Last 2 years have been using a Ruger American Compact in 243.
Only deer I have shot while dogging was with the 257.
The 44 was the lightest and the 88 was the heavies, I do like to carry the Ruger.
I tried a shotgun once, A Winchester pump and that will never happen again.
David
Northern Amateur
CGN frequent flyer
^^^^^^^^This!!!
I have both BLRs and .44s (Love em all!). I had a 96/44 - what a great gun. Both will do a great job, although call me old school but the .243 is a little light for me in terms of power. For doggin I want lots of oomph as the shots might not be as high quality. I was doggin this year with a BLR in .358 - And my buddy got the deer with a Ruger .44
So, compared to the .243 I'd take the .44 - Two reasons:
1) The .44 has superior knockdown power inside 100 yards. Seriously superior. A 240 gr soft point with a .42 inch diameter smacking Bambi at 1500 fps is devastating. Bang Flop.
2) The 96/44 is even smaller and handier than the BLR. For doggin its great!
One caveat: The stock sights on the 96/44 seriously stink. Almost useless beyond 25 yards. Replace them with some high quality peep sights, or Williams firesights, or even better a 1-4 power scope.
So, compared to the .243 I'd take the .44 - Two reasons:
1) The .44 has superior knockdown power inside 100 yards. Seriously superior. A 240 gr soft point with a .42 inch diameter smacking Bambi at 1500 fps is devastating. Bang Flop.
2) The 96/44 is even smaller and handier than the BLR. For doggin its great!
One caveat: The stock sights on the 96/44 seriously stink. Almost useless beyond 25 yards. Replace them with some high quality peep sights, or Williams firesights, or even better a 1-4 power scope.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
That'd be real special when you spot the buck of a lifetime feeding 200 yards across a burn. Each to their own though.
I've had to take several longish shots across beaver ponds and meadows. The .44 might do ok on the close shots, but you're handicapping yourself severely if you have to take a longer shot. I prefer the flexibility of a real rifle cartridge that can reach out to 300 yds with some bullet weight behind it. There's no handicap to using a flat shooting cartridge close in.
Hmmm...where I am from, dogging means going through the thick stuff to chase the deer out to the burn, clear cut or field where the long range shooters are waiting. If you are lucky, you can see 40 yards ahead of you. Most of the time it is 20 yards. Who needs a dog in the middle of a burn?
well I'm real darn glad I didn't take my 742 carbine in 308 to the last gun show, was kinda thinking about it, but I knew there was a reason the little voice in my head said "no, you leave that rifle at home right here in the safe, boy"!
Yep....... I dog with a .308 scout rifle.......
I used to have a 1.5-4 on it for the same scenario boomer mentioned, but the odds of getting a 200 yard shot on my land at camp are minimal, so I gave up the scope for a quality red dot....... (literllay have to try hard to find a place to practice that shot on my land)......
That being said, with a 2 moa dot, and a bit of practice I can fairly easily do 4-5" at 200 with a good rest.......
