More help on rifle needed.

[dpowers]

As I have said before I am new to Kentucky and riffle's. I am looking at a marlin 1894 44 mag, a marlin or mossberg 30-30 or a 243 probably remington or is there another I should be looking at.

The 44 I would be able to use in Indiana (not sure how much I will be hunting there but I have a lifetime license) and Kentucky but not the other 2.

The 30-30 and 243 have a longer range but how often on public land do you have a shot that is outside the range of a 44?

All 3 will have less kick than the 12 gauge I am shooting and amo will cost less. I think the 44 and 243 are close to the same not sure of the 30-30.

The 44 and 243 my son will be able to shoot soon, I am not sure on the 30-30.

Is there anything I have missed.

Thanks for the help
Dave

[riverboss]

i would go with the 30-30 243 is a great gun but not great for brush the 30-30- will kill out to 200 yrds easy and the 44 i realy dont know , but for all around use the 30-30 will work about anywhere in Ky.

[WILD]

There is no really ''brush'' gun.Dont care what caliber you shot,the bullet will deflect to some degree.JMO.

[A.K.A. GROUSEGUNNER]

of those 3 rounds, it would be the 243 hands down. the brush gun thing is just a myth. it's been proven the faster the bullet equals less deflection. with a decent rest, you'll be able to shoot point blank to about 325 yds. with a 200yd zero, shooting a 95gn bullet. it will also double as a good varmint rifle as well.

[KyHunter1965]

i love my mark 2 m77 (270) 150 gr. drops em in there tracks but doesn't matter what gun ya shoot make a good shot they all will work

[patiodaddy]

30-30 would be my recomendation. Ammo is fairly cheap, ($10-12/box) and easy to find. I really don't like less than .30 caliber bullets for deer hunting.

[Valley Station]

30-30 Win are fine for Ky deer and are inexpensive to shoot. However, If you feel lucky, that you may draw an elk tag, might want a little more rifle , like a 308 Win, which is an excellent caliber.

[brasskeeper]

30-30 Win are fine for Ky deer and are inexpensive to shoot. However, If you feel lucky, that you may draw an elk tag, might want a little more rifle , like a 308 Win, which is an excellent caliber.

I may be wrong but I thought it was 270 or larger for elk?

[ptbrauch]

It is, and a .308 is larger than a .270.

So you can use a .44 in Indiana, but you can't use a 6mm or .30 caliber? Why's that?

What are you wanting to hunt? .30-30 is a little cheaper on ammo, but not really by much. Something like a .30-06, .270, 7mm-08, and .308 (the last two have the same case as the .243, just larger bullets), among others, covers a wide range of animals and there's reduced recoil loads your son can use.

But if I was limited to the three listed choices, I'd go with the .243.

[dpowers]

It is, and a .308 is larger than a .270.

So you can use a .44 in Indiana, but you can't use a 6mm or .30 caliber? Why's that?

What are you wanting to hunt? But if I was limited to the three listed choices, I'd go with the .243.

Pistol cartridge is the rule. The talk is that they are concerned with the range of high power riffle's but I am not sure that is why.

It will be used for deer.

Dave