New caliber for Deer/ All purpose rifle

[JCast265]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (I've read though the other threads and they aren't quite what I'm asking) I am looking for a new deer rifle that may also serve as a silhouette/paper puncher without beating me up too bad or being too much for my wife and eventually my daughter to shoot.

I've pretty well settled in on the rifle itself, a Savage model 16 Weather Warrior series, want to add a bolt gun to the stable and like what it has to offer. I currently have rifles in .22, .223, 6.8, and .30-30 and would like to keep recoil in the realm of the .30-30 whether that is with low recoil ammo or not doesn't really matter to me. I reload also so it wouldn't be terrible if factory ammo wasn't too common but I do like to be able to walk into Wal-Mart when I need a box.

Right now I'm looking between .243, 7mm-08, and .308, I'd like to stay with the short action offerings. I like what the 7mm-08 has to offer and it seems a nice middle ground but it isn't well stocked anywhere near me and I don't want to get something dying off like the 6.8 seemed to be for a little while.

ETA: I live in FL and all my hunting is in the South East so it's not like I'm going for a monster deer.

[Quick Draw]

7mm08 or for better Ammo availability .308 will serve you well. Look no further. Neither are heavy on recoil. If you have any doubts install a 1" Pachmyr Decellerator recoil pad and live happily ever after.

[SeriousStudent]

I am real fond of the 7mm-08. A buddy at work has one of the old Remington Model 7 KS rifles with a light 2-7x scope on it. He has very little problem dropping anything smaller than an elk with it.

I have offered to buy it, but he will not sell it.

[ryantx23]

How about a .25-06? That's a great round IMHO

[Duke2424]

I know you said short action but I'm a big fan of .270 Win for a hunting cartridge. I find that it does a great job of dropping animals quickly without destroying the meat. It's also widely available in the places I hunt (NC/SC/GA).

[48J]

The .243 Winchester is a favorite for me and has provided everything I wanted in a short action cartridge. While less popular, I also like the .257 Roberts. The .257 has fallen away to the .243 and other similar rounds but it is a great deer cartridge.

If you will consider a long action, the 7mm Mauser (parent of the .257 Roberts), is a soft recoil round that is still widely available and meets your requirements for east coast hunting.

[MBtech]

A light bolt gun in 308 doesn't fit those requirements of wife and daughter shooting IMO,
I have a Rem 700 AAC SD in 308, won't let my kiddos shoot it just yet (12 and 9) too much thump.
They both shoot my SCAR 17s no problem but that's apples to oranges.
Talk is in my state of IN where right now high power rifles are not allowed, but in 2015 supposed to be 243 and up.
I'm looking hard into a 243 for a deer rifle if that comes true.

[thebarracuda]

7mm-08 is great if you handload. Not much on store shelves but rolling your own opens a world of possibilities. Soft shooter too.

[Straight Shooter]

I can promise you from a few decades worth of personal experience, that the .243 cartridge will fulfill every need you've expressed. It is an awesome all around cartridge. It will suffice for any living thing in your neck of the woods. Nothing larger is needed for whitetail deer, period. And it is available, even during last years goatscrew, .243 was on the shelf. I use a 100 gr. bullet for deer, and am always good to go. Oh yes...itll be a GREAT round for wife & daughter too. Try it in a Savage or other good bolt gun.

[rushca01]

If Indiana makes this change next year I may reconsider the 300 blackout in sbr format with a can as my new go to deer rifle.