Deer caliber question for 450 yards

[SilverFox]

If you had bucks coming out across a peanut field at 450 yards, which caliber rifle would you feel best taking the shot with? I have several bolt action rifles in 30.06, 308, 270 and 243. My main rifle is a Browning X-Bolt in 30.06 but I'm kinda leaning towards setting a Savage in 308 or 270 up for shooting across that peanut field. I feel comfortable at 300 yards with the 30.06 and I know people claim they shoot it out further but I never have. I've done it with a 7mag I had but I no longer have that rifle. I've never shot the 270 or the 308 so it would mean taking it to the range and finding a bullet that works well with it as well as mounting a scope on it. I have a Vortex 3x9x50 with the red dot that I plan on using on which ever one I set up. It may be red crosshairs... can't remember and haven't taken it out the box to look at it yet. I know it's a button you push to turn them on.

I know ammo is hard to find right now. The only rounds I have for the 270 and 308 are corelokts... I picked them up when I bought those rifles to have some on hand just in case. If not the corelokts, what ammo would you look for in those rifles. Both are Savage Axis rifles. The 270 is synthetic and the 308 is wood... I also have a wood 270 axis if that would make more sense.

Or am I just over thinking this and need to just keep the 30.06 and go back to the range and shoot it at 450 to see.

 

[Stykbow]

I’d just shoot the 06 at that range and see what it does. It is more than capable of shots at that distance. Of course, your other rifles are as well, but sounds like the 06 is the one you’d be most comfortable with.


If you’re going to be stupid, you’d better be tough!

 

[150plusB&C]

Confidence is key. But I would probably lean towards the 270 but if the 06 is your choice. Spend some time with her and she’ll do fine


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[Rabbitkil]

Basically everything you have will do it, 243 would have less margin for error than the others but the rifle can only do its part you have to do yours

 

[Pilchard]

Every gun you listed will kill the deer just as dead. Figure out which one you can shoot most accurately at that distance. If you can’t, don’t attempt the shot. Just my 2 cents.

 

[MUP]

If I was comfortable with the 06, I'd use it with some 180 gr bullets.

 

[double browtine]

450 yards is a poke with any gun. I would consider moving my stand location closer to 300 yards or less. But to answer your question, I would shoot the 30-06. But you are probably going to need some good handloads to be really good and accurate at 450 yards.

 

[TN Song Dog]

Id use the one I was most comfortable with and knew the bullet drop and correct hold over at that distance. I wouldn't take the shot if I didn't know the dope though.

 

[sallee-bo]

Id use the one I was most comfortable with and knew the bullet drop and correct hold over at that distance. I wouldn't take the shot if I didn't know the dope though.

^^^This^^^

 

[TraumaSlave]

Corlocts drop like rocks and are not accurate enough for 450. A 308 will reach that far if you can. Even shooting MOA, you're looking @ 4.5"+ grouping with no wind. The most accurate off the shelf ammo i have found is Australian Outback with Gamekings. My Savage shoots them .5 MOA all day.

 

[medic]

Id use the one I was most comfortable with and knew the bullet drop and correct hold over at that distance. I wouldn't take the shot if I didn't know the dope though.

^^^This^^^

^^^This^^^
I have carried a Ruger 25-06 for the last 10 years and I know what the drop is. I have killed deer at 450 yds with it because of knowing what it will do. Pick a caliber and spend some time at the range.

 

[Bambi Buster]

Id use the one I was most comfortable with and knew the bullet drop and correct hold over at that distance. I wouldn't take the shot if I didn't know the dope though.

^^^This^^^

^^^This^^^
I have carried a Ruger 25-06 for the last 10 years and I know what the drop is. I have killed deer at 450 yds with it because of knowing what it will do. Pick a caliber and spend some time at the range.

This x3

 

[fairchaser]

A 2 MOA is good at that range with a high power scope and a solid rest. That’s a 9 inch group if the correct dope is dialed into an adjustable turret. That doesn’t leave any room for error. Set up a target where the deer come out and let her bark. Then you’ll know.

 

[mike243]

I love the 243 and it would probably work fine and be the most accurate but the lbs would be down at that distance, I would pick the 3006 with some 165g ballistic tips from federal if your gun likes them. If you hand load you can tune it

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Use this ammo in your '06

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gea ... /p/1428407

 

[mike243]

The federal 100g keeps over 1000lbs to 400y, not sure past that but would prefer accuracy over a little heavier bullet, wind will make a difference with the lighter bullets

 

[mr.big]

I would be.more concerned with the scope and if the turrets worked right than the gun

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[SilverFox]

Thanks guys... I had him one of them at 300 yards at dark tonight but couldn't make out which buck it was for sure. There are 4 of them (8 points) working this area and only one of them I would shoot for sure. The others need more time. I'm pretty sure it was the smaller and younger 7/8 that I saw this morning but they waited till dark to come out.

I've got another quadpod I want to put up on that side of the field but it's going to be risky. A north or northwest wind will put them downwind if they walk the field edge by me and that's the normal wind for there.

 

[Hunter 257W]

The 270 is the cartridge I'd chose from those listed. It's the biggest capable of doing the job without any fear of not being enough, with the least recoil. Also not much shoots significantly flatter than a 270. I don't care for all this constant scope adjusting myself and carrying a range finder, I want the flattest shooting rifle I can get for big fields and once you get so far out that the point-blank-range method of shooting don't work, just don't take the shot.

Having said that, the rifle is at least as important as the chambering. Rifle accuracy as well as shootability comes into play for long range shooting. What I mean by shootability is how easy or difficult it is to get a rifle's potential accuracy out of it. A Varmint style rifle with a big fat stock with a wide forearm is relatively easy to shoot to it's full potential. A light weight rifle with skinny stock may take a lot more skill to realize what it's really capable of even off the same sand bags. Only the shooter can determine which rifles they own that they can shoot well enough for long range shots.

Since you are already familiar with your 30-06 I'd say shoot it at a target at the various places you expect the deer to appear and see what you can do. I'd also sight it in for at least 300 yards. I have my 257 Weatherby hitting about an inch high at 300 since it's my main big field deer rifle.

 

[gtk]

Heck I"d just get closer. My furthest elk kill is 426 yards with a 300wsm, and that was was a long long shot. can't imagine how small a deer would look in my scope that far.

i know my .270 with 130 grain spitzer boatails drop considerably at 300. can't imagine what they would do at 450