Something between 7.62x39 and .308...

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150 gr at 2600 is what a 16” 308 does if your lucky.
I’d buy a 16-18” 308. IMO there’s nothing better to own. The 6.5cm would be a great choice too, but I prefer military calibers. Bulk components cheap.

300blk isn’t far off either. Load some light bullets if you want a flatter trajectory.
 
Newtosavage said:
It just surprises me that as popular as the 30-30 has been for whitetails, someone hasn't come up with it's modern "improved" replacement in a bolt action rifle. Especially considering how popular the LeverEvolution ammo has been for the 30-30. I mean, that's a great improvement and all, but most 30-30's are simply not accurate enough to take full advantage of a 250+ yard round. And there are a lot of folks that don't want to shoot a .308 in a lightweight hunting rifle.
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The 260's and 6.5 creedmoor and 7-08 are pretty much exactly that just in a different caliber. I usually like larger bore stuff but for the purpose of shooting out to 300 yards with the energy you looking for I think the only thing 30 caliber is giving is more drop and drift.
 
Newtosavage said:
It just surprises me that as popular as the 30-30 has been for whitetails, someone hasn't come up with it's modern "improved" replacement in a bolt action rifle. Especially considering how popular the LeverEvolution ammo has been for the 30-30. I mean, that's a great improvement and all, but most 30-30's are simply not accurate enough to take full advantage of a 250+ yard round. And there are a lot of folks that don't want to shoot a .308 in a lightweight hunting rifle.
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Ha ha , I have a Steyr M95 mannlicher in 8x56. It's a real lightweight carbine and it kicks like a Missouri Mule . I have a sneaky suspicion that's why a lot of people don't like lightweight 308's :p
 
Something between 7.62x39 and .308...
I think a 6.5x55 Swede would be a good choice for a cartridge in between the two.
I like the idea of the 6.8 spc but would rather have it in 6.5mm, the 30 Remington ar would be another thought.
I like the 7.62x39 but .310-.311" diameter can be a pain, way better bullet selection for other calibers.
The 6.5 Creedmoor seems very popular, I've been thinking of trying this cartridge in a bolt action rifle.
 
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ECVMatt said:
I vote for 7.62x45!
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i like the x54, but its rimmed, and has a capacity closer to an 06. Not the type of round NtS is getting at.

The .30tc is nearly the same as the 300sav, which is why the 6-6.5CMs are basically improved 250 savage variants.
 
Sometimes the answer is staring you right in the face. I was out in my shed working on fabricating a scope mount and pondering what bolt action cartridge is half way between a 7.62x39 and a 308, hrmm, hrmm... Oh wait the answer is sitting across my lap, an 1898 30-40 krag! Might not be the modern answer your looking for but the load book says 2615 FPS with a 150 grain bullet and IMR4350 from a 24" barrel. Problem solved.

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.300 Savage, the .30 RAR fits in there too with 125 gr at 2800 or 150 gr at 2575 (advertised speeds).

Or .243.
 
someguy2800 said:
Sometimes the answer is staring you right in the face. I was out in my shed working on fabricating a scope mount and pondering what bolt action cartridge is half way between a 7.62x39 and a 308, hrmm, hrmm... Oh wait the answer is sitting across my lap, an 1898 30-40 krag! Might not be the modern answer your looking for but the load book says 2615 FPS with a 150 grain bullet and IMR4350 from a 24" barrel. Problem solved.

View attachment 781847
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And that ooohhh so sweet action. Just dont hotrod it.
 
So to weigh in and add some more fuel to the fire here. I guess it depends on what you want out of the rifle. I have about 7 long range sticks from 22 Hornet- 50BMG. I have 15 deer rifles now. Depends on where I go and the terrain I intend to hunt. My go to is my 270. This is were it gets crazy. I just bought a 762x39 for my new brush gun. Only figuring on using it at 150yrds at the most. Good enough for that purpose. I like shooting the 270 but certainly not all day. I'd rather shoot something smaller all day.
Now my friend went a little sideways in his thinking. He built a 6.8 SPC also a 6.5-284 and a 6.5 Creedmore and 6.5 Grendel, all bolt guns. He also has a fine Savage 99 in .300 that is a deer slaying machine along with his Sako 7mm-08. Actually he just took a black bear with the 7mm-08. Out of all of them he likes shooting the Ol'99 the best. I prefer his 08 or his new 6.8. Both are fantastic shooters and very mild recoil. Having said all that, when we go out shooting all day we take several 22lrs and 9mms. Why you ask, Squeeze, Bang, Smile, Repeat.
 
LoonWulf said:
i like the x54, but its rimmed, and has a capacity closer to an 06. Not the type of round NtS is getting at.

The .30tc is nearly the same as the 300sav, which is why the 6-6.5CMs are basically improved 250 savage variants.
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I believe he was referring to the Czech round (x45): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62×45mm

That would be a dandy deer round, but I’ve no idea of it’s availability. Sometimes I wish a few of these old intermediate rounds would be resurrected (e.g. 280 British).
 
someguy2800 said:
Sometimes the answer is staring you right in the face. I was out in my shed working on fabricating a scope mount and pondering what bolt action cartridge is half way between a 7.62x39 and a 308, hrmm, hrmm... Oh wait the answer is sitting across my lap, an 1898 30-40 krag! Might not be the modern answer your looking for but the load book says 2615 FPS with a 150 grain bullet and IMR4350 from a 24" barrel. Problem solved.

View attachment 781847
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I actually owned a 30-40 Krag for a little while in the 90's and thought it was a pretty darn fair hunting rifle.

I agree the 6.5 Swede and nowdays the 6.5 CM are pretty ideal deer killers. I am partial to the 7x57 and 7mm-08 but they produce more recoil than the 6.5's. Looking at the recoil charts, something in the 10-12 ft. lbs. range is what I'm thinking most people would find very pleasant to shoot for a long session but also have enough umph to fling a .30 cal bullet downrange at a respectable pace.

My 7.62x39 is very nearly there. Just not "quite" enough IMO and it could stand to produce a fair bit more recoil before anyone would even mind.
 
I think the good old 30 wcf-aka 30-30 is a good choice with reloads or the new 30-30 polamar tipped bullets. as a go between the 7.62x39- .308 win. top-H&R, middle-rem 788, bottom-win 94 all in 30-30.
 

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ECVMatt said:
I vote for 7.62x45!
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I had never heard of this caliber, but it seems pretty darn perfect to me. Maybe if it was the 30-45 or the "30 Deerfield" it would have been accepted here in the U.S.?

eastbank, I would agree with you if leverguns were more accurate. I want my 30-30 to be that "in between" perfect deer caliber, but my 7.62x39 and .308's are sub-MOA rifles. Most 30-30's are 1.5-2 MOA at best - not exactly confidence inspiring when a deer is standing out there at 250 yards. And that's a shot that most good riflemen should be able to make.
 
marksman13 said:
Just get a box of low-recoil 308 ammo and move on with life.
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There's always someone who misses the point and tries to solve someone's "problem" for them. LOL I handload and can build just about anything I want. My question is that with the proliferation of new calibers over the past 20 years, why hasn't someone come up with a .30 cal in between the 7.62x39 and .308? The 7.62x39 is plenty for deer and hogs within reasonable distances, but most folks consider it underpowered but pleasant to shoot. On the other hand, the .308 is more than enough for deer and hogs, but most folks don't want to shoot it in a lightweight hunting rifle for very long. Notice I said "most folks" - and not manly men who thrive on recoil.

Add to that the declining popularity of the 30-30 (America's deer cartridge) and lackluster accuracy in lever guns, and it seems that by now someone would have come up with a "Thirty Deerfield" or the like, selling it as the perfect American whitetail caliber. And who could argue with that? Recoil like a .243 but with common .308 bullets and I would imagine superb accuracy. Every time I load my .308 down with 160 grain FTX bullets, I am amazed at the shootability and accuracy of that combination, not to mention effectiveness on whitetails and hogs.
 
LoonWulf said:
And that ooohhh so sweet action. Just dont hotrod it.
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Ruger chambered the .30-40 in the No. 3 rifle if you want to hotrod them.

Just get a sporterized No. 4 Enfield--better sights than the Krag and a bunch available at a bit cheaper price along with ammo. Plus, you get a ten round magazine if you intend to miss a lot.
 
You can also split the difference with a 7x57 Mauser if you like controlled feed, decent distance, availability of ammo components/factory ammo.
 
Newtosavage said:
There's always someone who misses the point and tries to solve someone's "problem" for them. LOL I handload and can build just about anything I want. My question is that with the proliferation of new calibers over the past 20 years, why hasn't someone come up with a .30 cal in between the 7.62x39 and .308? The 7.62x39 is plenty for deer and hogs within reasonable distances, but most folks consider it underpowered but pleasant to shoot. On the other hand, the .308 is more than enough for deer and hogs, but most folks don't want to shoot it in a lightweight hunting rifle for very long. Notice I said "most folks" - and not manly men who thrive on recoil.

Add to that the declining popularity of the 30-30 (America's deer cartridge) and lackluster accuracy in lever guns, and it seems that by now someone would have come up with a "Thirty Deerfield" or the like, selling it as the perfect American whitetail caliber. And who could argue with that? Recoil like a .243 but with common .308 bullets and I would imagine superb accuracy. Every time I load my .308 down with 160 grain FTX bullets, I am amazed at the shootability and accuracy of that combination, not to mention effectiveness on whitetails and hogs.
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I didn't miss the point. The cartridge you are asking about just seems redundant and useless unless you just want to add a new cartridge to your line up.
 
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