16" deer gun

[Jelliott4444]

Looking to build another 16" deer gun just because i have the itch but cant pick a caliber.

I have one in .308 so thats out. This will be shot supressed, all it needs to do is drop deer under 300 yards. I might target shoot every now and then but this will be used on deer 90% of the time.

 

[JAC8504]

338 federal
358 Winchester

 

[Jelliott4444]

338 federal
358 Winchester

I would also like to be able to find box ammo. Im fine with buying online.

 

[sierracharlie338]

7-08 would be my pick if I were building one.

 

[Long Cut]

CVA Scout in 6.5CM has my approval.

Break Action rifles are so compact, even the 20” barrel is small as my 10.5” SBR AR
CVA also makes .300 BLK with a threaded 16.5” from the factory.

 

[Rich M]

350 Legend. Ruger American Ranch w 16 barrel in pic. Comes threaded. Makes a big hole thru the deer - this one bled out thru the entrance hole

A 165 gr Hornady FTX over a stiff load of Lil Gun will get you there. It is the softest, easily available bullet for reloading or factory loaded ammo. Will expand reliably down to 1200 fps - I was told 800 fps.



I shoot the bullets in 357 mag and 350 Legend. Haven't shot further than 250 yards with it yet but the 350 Legend will keep it inside 1 MOA all day long if I do my job. Shoot 8 inch plates with em at 225 yds with 357 mag rifle and 4x scope.

 

[TxxAgg]

223

 

[Macintosh]

Are you looking for a particular style? Cuz I'm about to suggest this.

Model 1874 Hunter’s Carbine – C-Sharp Arms

www.csharpsarms.com

 

[Pokerface]

You have the large caliber covered in your .308, as TxxAgg said, .233 for the win... Joe

 

[wildwilderness]

I would say .243 for easy ammo and even less recoil. Super flat out to 300 yds.

If your local ammo supplier has 6mm creedmor that’s an options as well

 

[Longleaf]

300 BLK
lilgun or H322 behind 110gr tac xt

 

[Jelliott4444]

CVA Scout in 6.5CM has my approval.

Break Action rifles are so compact, even the 20” barrel is small as my 10.5” SBR AR
CVA also makes .300 BLK with a threaded 16.5” from the factory.
View attachment 638753

I didnt think about break action. That would shorten it up even more.

 

[Jelliott4444]

350 Legend. Ruger American Ranch w 16 barrel in pic. Comes threaded. Makes a big hole thru the deer - this one bled out thru the entrance hole

A 165 gr Hornady FTX over a stiff load of Lil Gun will get you there. It is the softest, easily available bullet for reloading or factory loaded ammo. Will expand reliably down to 1200 fps - I was told 800 fps.

View attachment 638770

I shoot the bullets in 357 mag and 350 Legend. Haven't shot further than 250 yards with it yet but the 350 Legend will keep it inside 1 MOA all day long if I do my job. Shoot 8 inch plates with em at 225 yds with 357 mag rifle and 4x scope.

Do you trust 350 legend to drop a deer at that distance too?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

223 all day. if that's not legal in your state, then 6 arc.

 

[Jelliott4444]

I would say .243 for easy ammo and even less recoil. Super flat out to 300 yds.

If your local ammo supplier has 6mm creedmor that’s an options as well

I have thought about 6mm creedmoor. I do feel like i would kind of be wasting it sense its optimized for long range. End of the day it would do the job though.

 

[fwafwow]

Another vote for 223. I’ve got one that’s 16.5”. Shot twice at deer and killed both without issue - or tracking.

 

[Rich M]

Do you trust 350 legend to drop a deer at that distance too?

I trust a 30-06 or 270 to “flatten” a deer at 200-250 yd distance (drt, fall over) but not 243 or 350 Legend or 300 BO or 6.5 CM, etc.

The less recoil cartridges will kill the deer, just not gonna drop it on the spot. I will expect a full pass thru w 350 Legend but have shot a deer at that diatance with it yet.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Any central nervous system disruption, regardless of range, bullet or impact velocity is going to flatten the deer. Whether it dies before it gets back up depends on the rest of the wound characteristics. Knockdown power is a complete myth

 

[fwafwow]

I trust a 30-06 or 270 to “flatten” a deer at 200-250 yd distance (drt, fall over) but not 243 or 350 Legend or 300 BO or 6.5 CM, etc

Why not? I could see the 300 BO as being an outlier if subsonic, and I’m not familiar with the 350 ballistics, but I would have thought 243 and 6.5 would be plenty with the right bullet.

The less recoil cartridges will kill the deer, just not gonna drop it on the spot.

At that range or generally? For what it’s worth, and admittedly shorter ranges, I’ve shot deer at 75-125 yards with 150gr SST 30-06 and 73-77gr 223s. Although my sample size is small in the overlap, the damage was greater with the 06, but all were DRT.

I will expect a full pass thru w 350 Legend but have shot a deer at that diatance with it yet.

 

[JohnJohnson]

I have a 16.5" barrel on one of my 6.5CM rifles and it's nice. Shot a coues at 400 with it in October and it dropped. It would have dropped with a smaller cartridge too though since the shot was in the right place.