New Deer Rifle 2026

LongestShot said:
I've decided to build a new white tail deer rifle for 2026 and would appreciate input regarding cartridge choice. Shots will be limited to 400 yards and I'd like to limit bullet choice to no more than 7mm and preferably no magnums. The stock will be composite to keep weight down with a 24 inch barrel. Any and all suggestions appreciated, together with your reason for choosing your specific cartridge.
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My suggestion is 257 weatherby. Very light recoil, and with the right bullets you wouldn't have to touch your scope shooting deer from point blank to 400 easily. I shoot the 92g hammer at 3700fps.
 
FEENIX said:
Because most of us consider a .540" boldface magnum. And .470" as standard non-magnum.

View attachment 739781

Maybe these gunsmiths can do some clarification.

@Alex Wheeler
@rpierce
@MagnumManiac
@Elk Hunter 338
@Fiftydriver

View attachment 739775
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Boltface diameter does not a magnum make. It is about case capacity. I notice that your list of long action cartridges with a boltface diameter of .540 +/- includes the .303 British. A cannot believe that you would consider the .303 to be a magnum.

The 6.5 PRC case with a 140 gr holds 62 gr of water. The .264 Win. (a true magnum) holds 80 gr of water with a 140. By comparison, the 6.5-06 holds 62 gr of water with the same bullet, and the venerable .270 Win. with a 140 holds 64 grains of water. Clearly, the 6.5 PRC fits more with the .30-06 based cartridges with respect to case capacity (and recoil) than it does with the magnum cartridges like the .264 Win. and 7mm Rem.
 
LongestShot said:
I've decided to build a new white tail deer rifle for 2026 and would appreciate input regarding cartridge choice. Shots will be limited to 400 yards and I'd like to limit bullet choice to no more than 7mm and preferably no magnums. The stock will be composite to keep weight down with a 24 inch barrel. Any and all suggestions appreciated, together with your reason for choosing your specific cartridge.
Click to expand...
 
7mm-08 with a 139 ilock, 120 TTSX, or 140 vld. That simple 139 is very effective to 400 yards. The VLD will allow you to stretch your limit. In the 7-08 the VLD doesn't blow up at short range like it sometimes does with a magnum.

With a 24" barrel my choice would be 7mm-08.
 
I'd be all over a 22 CM, 22/250 Ai or Swift with an 80 twist. 400 is no bigga problemo
 
LongestShot said:
I've decided to build a new white tail deer rifle for 2026 and would appreciate input regarding cartridge choice. Shots will be limited to 400 yards and I'd like to limit bullet choice to no more than 7mm and preferably no magnums. The stock will be composite to keep weight down with a 24 inch barrel. Any and all suggestions appreciated, together with your reason for choosing your specific cartridge.
Click to expand...
.243 Win all the way!!! or bump it up to a .260 Rem.
 
Any standard long action.
270 , 30-06 plentiful ammunition and sold everywhere. "Cheapest" to shoot.
25-06 is ok. Ammo availability is marginal and costs more.
280 AI if you reload.
Forget the 243. A bit light, runs out of steam well before 400 yards.
We all make less than perfect shots.
If you hunt public land you want to stop them NOW. If the deer runs 100 yards, whoever downs it tags it.
 

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