It's the first day of buck season, and I'm writing columns instead of hunting, I have a perfectly good reason. For almost 70 years, I was out on the first day regardless of the weather, but at 83 and with macular degeneration, I'm home bound. I have the physical stamina for hunting, but, although I can see a buck's rack at 100 yards, I simply cannot count the points even at 40 yards. And that's doubly true if the buck is moving.
It's not my policy to advocate a particular rifle or cartridge for deer hunting, but since many ladies are getting involved along with young hunters, I don't have any reservations about suggesting a cartridge that has all the potential for deer hunting. It's the 260 Remington.
Most female hunters and young hunters select the Winchester 243 cartridge because of its low recoil. There's nothing wrong with that. The 105 grain bullet in a 243 case is adequate for deer even at ranges beyond 150 yards. I'm certainly not against the 243 or any of the 6mm. cartridges. I favor a heavier bullet.
The 6mm caliber (.243 ) is limited to bullet weights of 105 grains or lower. The 260 Remington (264 caliber) starts at 120 grains and can effectively use 140-grain bullets. A 105-grain 243 bullet has a top muzzle velocity of around 2,650 feet per second (fps). This is plenty of velocity, but the hunter must select a bullet designed for big game. Lighter bullet weights in the 243 are normally meant for varmint shooting and will not retain sufficient lead for deep penetration. Handloaders have several bullet types that are meant for medium. size big game.
The larger 260 Remington's bullets are genuine deer stoppers. The 120-grain bullet generates a muzzle velocity up to 2,900 fps and the 140-grain can reach the 2,700 fps mark. It's evident that the 260 is more than a match for the 243 although it is not nearly as popular.
From a recoil standpoint, I doubt if there is really much difference between the two cartridges. I'm sure the 260 kicks a little harder, but it's not even close the category of the 30-06 or even the 25-06.
The 6.5 cartridge (it's actually a 308 Winchester case necked down to 264, what the 250 is based upon) has never been as popular in the United States as it is in Europe and many other countries. The reason the 6.5 remains popular with hunters in other nations is because the 6.5 has a superb reputation for getting game with moderate velocities. Some question the 6.5's energy output, but it has been said that the 6.5 makes up in penetration what it lacks in energy. Most big game hunters are aware that penetration is an important factor in making a quick kill. That's the downfall of the 6mms when varmint type bullets are used. They disintegrate shortly after impact and do not penetrate into the vital areas of the target.
I'm not downgrading the 243 or any of the 6mm cartridges, but the 250 Remington is a tough customer to beat. It not only works well in the big game woods, it's a fairly good varmint cartridge. However, the 120-grain bullet is too large for smaller varmints like prairie dogs and woodchucks.
Remington's Model SEVEN bolt action rifle is an ideal choice for the 260 Remington.
The model SEVEN is compact and easy to carry. I use a model SEVEN chambered for the Remington 7mm-08. It's light in weight and compact enough to get through thick vegetation without struggling. Mag Na Porting (installing a muzzle brake) the barrel will reduce recoil by 40 to 50 percent.
There are other types of muzzle brakes that will cut recoil significantly. With a good muzzle brake, the 250's recoil is similar to a 22-250 varmint cartridge. I have a muzzle brake on the Model Seven, and its recoil is about the same as a 243.
I mentioned the 25-06, which happens to be Helen's favorite deer rifle. She has taken five or six deer with it. The 25-06's recoil is fairly heavy since it is basically a 30-06 case necked down to the 25 caliber. It works best with 120-grain bullets and is a terrific deer cartridge.
(Don Lewis is a longtime outdoor writer for the Leader Times and other publications as well as the author of several books. His column appears each Friday on the Armstrong Afield page in the Leader Times.)
