Recomendation for Small Deer at Long Range

[cdre]

I'm looking to pick up a rifle for hunting at my place in Belize (Central America). Firearm licenses are tough to get, so I'm pretty much limited to 1 rifle. I'll be hunting small white tail (up to about 100lb) and red brocket (around 50lb) from a stand on the edges of open savannahs and power line cuts. I'd like to be able to get out to about 300 yards for a kill. My first thought was a .270 Winchester for the range, but knowing the game is small, I'm wondering if I should choose a smaller round.

Any recommendations? I will need it to be a relatively common caliber, as availability of ammo can be an issue.

 

[FEENIX]

Welcome to LRH and enjoy!

The .270 Win is an excellent choice, esp. with 130/140 grainers, it should serve you just fine.

Good luck and happy safe hunting.

Ed

 

[johnnyk]

Sounds like a job for the underrated .243 Winchester. With 90-95 grain bullets, this little light recoiling, powerhouse would be right at home with the range and size of animal specified. JohnnyK.

 

[submoa]

Plus one for the 243 it's a great round and one of the all time most popular deer rounds ever made. The 243 as probably taken hundreds of thousands of deer elk black bear and all kinds of game all over the world.

 

[tinman13kup]

The 270 would be fine, as well as the 243. I would probably lean towards the one with the greatest availability of ammunition.

 

[WildRose]

I'm looking to pick up a rifle for hunting at my place in Belize (Central America). Firearm licenses are tough to get, so I'm pretty much limited to 1 rifle. I'll be hunting small white tail (up to about 100lb) and red brocket (around 50lb) from a stand on the edges of open savannahs and power line cuts. I'd like to be able to get out to about 300 yards for a kill. My first thought was a .270 Winchester for the range, but knowing the game is small, I'm wondering if I should choose a smaller round.

Any recommendations? I will need it to be a relatively common caliber, as availability of ammo can be an issue.

.260 Rem would be ideal for that application. So too would be the venerable .308 for which ammunition will never be a problem.

 

[chucknbach]

.223 .243 What's rounds can you get?

 

[cdre]

Failed to mention... another restriction is that the Belize govt does not allow rifles with 7.62 or greater caliber. I'm guessing availability of the 270 will exceed that of 243.

 

[FEENIX]

Failed to mention... another restriction is that the Belize govt does not allow rifles with 7.62 or greater caliber. I'm guessing availability of the 270 will exceed that of 243.

Stop messing around, go get that .270 and call it good before you get steered all over the place. lightbulbgun)

Happy safe shooting/hunting. Best of luck!

Ed

 

[chucknbach]

Failed to mention... another restriction is that the Belize govt does not allow rifles with 7.62 or greater caliber. I'm guessing availability of the 270 will exceed that of 243.

Instead of guessing should probably find out. Can you order from the states?

 

[WildRose]

Failed to mention... another restriction is that the Belize govt does not allow rifles with 7.62 or greater caliber. I'm guessing availability of the 270 will exceed that of 243.

I'd go with the .260 Rem.

Better performance and ballistics overall without having to push it to the max shortening brass and barrel life.

 

[nateisw]

.243 sounds like a perfect fit, but you should go with whatever you can most easily get ammo for. The .270 will work just fine, as will the 7mm-08 and any number of other rounds. .223 will also work, but wouldn't be my first choice.