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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,972 Likes: 96
Skinny's Property
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Skinny's Property
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,972 Likes: 96 |
Got a Bergara .308 with a 20 inch barrel. Great in the woods. Great in a shooting house. Killed a doe at 175 yards with it the other day. First season I have had it. Love it.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,937 Likes: 1
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,937 Likes: 1 |
I have the Tikka Ranch in 308 with a 16” barrel. I’m running a can on it and it’s perfect for the woods. Shooting 150 grain out of it. I also have the Ruger American Ranch in 350 legend with 16” barrel. I don’t have a can for it tho. It’s dropped everything I’ve shot with it.
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 15,430 Likes: 16
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 15,430 Likes: 16 |
Someone needs to talk me out if getting a 7mm Backcountry for this exact purpose That will be my next deer rifle. Deciding now whether to do 16", 18", or 20". Leaning toward the Weatherby 307 Alpine with a 16" barrel, just not 100% yet. If velocity is an important factor in your definition of "best" then this is really the answer, if not then think 338 Federal or 358 winchester would be top candidates. My reasoning is that I want the same performance out to 450-500 yards that I currently get from my 26" 280 Ackley. The Backcountry does that plus some with a 20" barrel, and the 7mm Backcountry is much better with heavier bullets. A 20” barreled 7-08 with 140 grain Accubonds will kill elk out to 450 yards. Switch to 162 grain eld-m bullets and that distance increases. That 7-08 would be much more pleasant to shoot than that 7 Backcountry and would kill deer easily.
83% of all statistics are made up.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 46,177 Likes: 253
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 46,177 Likes: 253 |
Remington 700 SPS Tactical .308 20" heavy barrel. We have 3 and I wouldn't part with them whatsoever. I got one from Shaw quite a few years ago. All are tack drivers and one is suppressed. A lightly used one here but there's 2 NIB as well..... https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1146740328This is as solid a choice as there is. And .308 ammo is available almost everywhere ammo is sold. Some of these other calibers, not so much.
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 5,397 Likes: 51
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 5,397 Likes: 51 |
[quote=UncleHuck]
If velocity is an important factor in your definition of "best" then this is really the answer, if not then think 338 Federal or 358 winchester would be top candidates. My reasoning is that I want the same performance out to 450-500 yards that I currently get from my 26" 280 Ackley. The Backcountry does that plus some with a 20" barrel, and the 7mm Backcountry is much better with heavier bullets. A 20” barreled 7-08 with 140 grain Accubonds will kill elk out to 450 yards. Switch to 162 grain eld-m bullets and that distance increases. That 7-08 would be much more pleasant to shoot than that 7 Backcountry and would kill deer easily. I already have several 7mm-08 rifles, and as fine a caliber as 7mm-08 is, it ain't a 280 Ackley or a 7mm Backcountry, especially with bullets from 155 grain to 195 grain. And the 7BC would likely never be fired without a suppressor. 7mm-08 with 150 grain ABLR delivers about 2750 FPS with a 24" barrel. 7mm Backcountry with 155 grain is delivering 3300 from a 24" barrel, and 3150 from a 20". In addition, the 7mm BC is delivering 2850 with the 195 grain Berger VLD Hunter from a 20" barrel.
Last edited by UncleHuck; 12/29/25 11:10 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 5,397 Likes: 51
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 5,397 Likes: 51 |
And to be fair, I did say "deer rifle" when I should have said "long range rifle for everything in North America including large exotics in Texas".
But I did recommend to the OP on page 1 that a 308 or 7mm-08 would be an excellent choice for a short barrel Alabama deer rifle.
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 15,430 Likes: 16
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 15,430 Likes: 16 |
[quote=UncleHuck]
If velocity is an important factor in your definition of "best" then this is really the answer, if not then think 338 Federal or 358 winchester would be top candidates. My reasoning is that I want the same performance out to 450-500 yards that I currently get from my 26" 280 Ackley. The Backcountry does that plus some with a 20" barrel, and the 7mm Backcountry is much better with heavier bullets. A 20” barreled 7-08 with 140 grain Accubonds will kill elk out to 450 yards. Switch to 162 grain eld-m bullets and that distance increases. That 7-08 would be much more pleasant to shoot than that 7 Backcountry and would kill deer easily. I already have several 7mm-08 rifles, and as fine a caliber as 7mm-08 is, it ain't a 280 Ackley or a 7mm Backcountry, especially with bullets from 155 grain to 195 grain. And the 7BC would likely never be fired without a suppressor. 7mm-08 with 150 grain ABLR delivers about 2750 FPS with a 24" barrel. 7mm Backcountry with 155 grain is delivering 3300 from a 24" barrel, and 3150 from a 20". In addition, the 7mm BC is delivering 2850 with the 195 grain Berger VLD Hunter from a 20" barrel. That 7-08 is accomplishing the same goal, killing animals, with way less powder and recoil. My 7-08 is pushing 140 grain Accubonds 2850 fps from a 20” barrel. It killed my elk this year. 🤷♂️
83% of all statistics are made up.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11,295 Likes: 157
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11,295 Likes: 157 |
As much as I hate to say it, even a 6.5 Creedmoor with the right bullet in the right place will kill large exotic game animals. My buddy killed a 463lb Pere David cow with 1 shot at 150yds. She was dead within seconds and only went about 50yds. He shot her with the 140gr Norma whitetail. Also the 140gr Accubonds out of the 7-08 are rough on Axis in Texas but so is the 180gr. Winchester sps out of my 350 legend. Animals are hard to kill if you shoot them in the right place with the right bullets.
Last edited by marshmud991; 12/30/25 12:37 AM.
It's hard to kiss the lips at night that chews your a$$ all day long.
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 15,161 Likes: 153
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 15,161 Likes: 153 |
If I were exclusively hunting past 300 yards a 20 inch barrel would be out of the question. Not that it couldn't do it, but why would you ?
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 24,260 Likes: 323
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 24,260 Likes: 323 |
If I were exclusively hunting past 300 yards a 20 inch barrel would be out of the question. Not that it couldn't do it, but why would you ? People are getting impressive velocities with cartridges like the 7 PRC in a suppressed 20 inch barrel. More than capable of reaching way out to kill critters.
Dying ain't much of a living boy...Josey Wales
Molon Labe
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16,952 Likes: 46
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16,952 Likes: 46 |
I recently bought a 350 legend in the stainless cva scout and ordered a griffin sportsman 36 ultralight hd suppressor for it. My buddies son killed his first deer with it and fell in love with it. So now he's got it and I ordered a 35 whelen in the same rifle. I love the single shots with a can on them because I can still have a 20 or 22 inch barrel but I dont have the length of the action to deal with keeping it super compact
We will burn that bridge when we get there
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 10,434 Likes: 156
Glad He Doesn’t Have One
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Glad He Doesn’t Have One
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 10,434 Likes: 156 |
I recently bought a 350 legend in the stainless cva scout and ordered a griffin sportsman 36 ultralight hd suppressor for it. My buddies son killed his first deer with it and fell in love with it. So now he's got it and I ordered a 35 whelen in the same rifle. I love the single shots with a can on them because I can still have a 20 or 22 inch barrel but I dont have the length of the action to deal with keeping it super compact That makes a lot of sense.
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 998 Likes: 2
6 point
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6 point
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 998 Likes: 2 |
I recently bought a 350 legend in the stainless cva scout and ordered a griffin sportsman 36 ultralight hd suppressor for it. My buddies son killed his first deer with it and fell in love with it. So now he's got it and I ordered a 35 whelen in the same rifle. I love the single shots with a can on them because I can still have a 20 or 22 inch barrel but I dont have the length of the action to deal with keeping it super compact You will like the 35 whelen, if I had a better scope on mine probably would be all I would carry My cva scout shoots barnes 180 gr.good.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11,295 Likes: 157
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11,295 Likes: 157 |
That Scout in .35 Whelen is like a woman. Soft to the touch and hard to handle when triggered!! I love mine but it’s the only rifle I ever shot that I felt the recoil when shooting at a deer. It’s pretty stout.
It's hard to kiss the lips at night that chews your a$$ all day long.
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16,952 Likes: 46
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16,952 Likes: 46 |
That Scout in .35 Whelen is like a woman. Soft to the touch and hard to handle when triggered!! I love mine but it’s the only rifle I ever shot that I felt the recoil when shooting at a deer. It’s pretty stout. But are you shooting it suppressed?
We will burn that bridge when we get there
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 15,161 Likes: 153
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 15,161 Likes: 153 |
If I were exclusively hunting past 300 yards a 20 inch barrel would be out of the question. Not that it couldn't do it, but why would you ? People are getting impressive velocities with cartridges like the 7 PRC in a suppressed 20 inch barrel. More than capable of reaching way out to kill critters. It's impressive, no doubt. If I were packing in backcountry, I could see it minus the suppressor. I realize we don't need a reason other than it's cool. But I think that's what this is.
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 24,260 Likes: 323
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 24,260 Likes: 323 |
My custom 35 Whelen AI is the hardest kicking rifle i have. It's brutal with a 250 grain bullet and a steel butt plate.
Dying ain't much of a living boy...Josey Wales
Molon Labe
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11,295 Likes: 157
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11,295 Likes: 157 |
That Scout in .35 Whelen is like a woman. Soft to the touch and hard to handle when triggered!! I love mine but it’s the only rifle I ever shot that I felt the recoil when shooting at a deer. It’s pretty stout. But are you shooting it suppressed? No Sir!! Does a suppressor tame the recoil? Only shot 1 rifle with a suppressor so I’m not familiar with them at all.
It's hard to kiss the lips at night that chews your a$$ all day long.
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16,952 Likes: 46
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16,952 Likes: 46 |
That Scout in .35 Whelen is like a woman. Soft to the touch and hard to handle when triggered!! I love mine but it’s the only rifle I ever shot that I felt the recoil when shooting at a deer. It’s pretty stout. But are you shooting it suppressed? No Sir!! Does a suppressor tame the recoil? Only shot 1 rifle with a suppressor so I’m not familiar with them at all. It sure seems like it to me
We will burn that bridge when we get there
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 15,161 Likes: 153
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 15,161 Likes: 153 |
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