Thick timber and swamp hunting cartridges

[watercolour]

First post… Ive got the itch to get a bigger caliber rifle. My hunting habits are changing and Im finding that I spend more time ground hunting in thick timber and swamp land than I do in open woods and fields. Although the occasional road bed or adjacent agricultural field will accomodate a 2-300 yard shot, but mostly 75 yards and in or a snap shot on fleeing game. I mainly use a 6.5x55 with a 140gr hot cor or amax. They do the job well but I would like something a little more forgiving to the angles of shot placement that may be presented. Im primarily looking at 8x57js 200 grain, 358 winchester 225 grain or a 9.3 flavor either x57 or x62 with the 250-286 grain pills. Prefer a 20” barrel bolt gun and my primary concern is anchoring game from less than desirable shots (running pigs) or creating a large enough blood trail to track easily in heavy cover. What are some opinions on these cartridges in a 20” rifle?

I also know shot placement is paramount but sometimes things just aren't perfect.

I also have a want for a full stock cz 550.

Thanks

Scott

 

[User00056]

I also have a want for a full stock cz 550.

Thanks

Scott

Welcome I hunted whitetail and racoon in Berrien County some years ago, and it left me with a deep affection for Georgia

As for the full-stock 550, I have a couple of full-stocks (we call them Stutzen rifles) One is a 527 in .223, and the other is a Husqvarna 1640 in .308. I use 180 grain roundnose bullets in this rifle primarily for sika and woodland fallow. Sika can be as tough as your whitetail to kill, but I've found the heavier bullets are pretty good at preventing runners and minimising damage. Not quite answering your question as it's a .308 so pretty good at getting the best out of the round in a shorter barrel, but 180 tends to be on the heavier side of common bullet weights used over here, so my view is heavy and slow is preferable to a lighter, faster bullet

 

[EMcC]

Have you considered the trusty 30-06 ? that gives you a choice of bullets for various quarry from light for fox to medium for Deer to heavy for Boar.

 

[watercolour]

I use my 6.5x55 with 90gr speers, 123gr sst and some 140’s. Ive ran the -06 with 150gr partitions and 208 gr amax. Both of these bullets are great on game. It just never got my motor going. Ive had multiple 308’s ans never kept one long enough to harvest more than one deer.

 

[watercolour]

I guess the concise question would be if their going to be a discernible wow difference between a 8x57 200 grain and a 358 win 225 grain. Taking proper bullet construction into account for the appropriate game and distance.

 

[Dougal McGuire]

8x57 clobbers hogs in my experience and can reach out a bit if need be. I have not used mine for deer but I'm sure it would do the job.

 

[watercolour]

What bullet are you using and how are the blood trails?

 

[Tim.243]

What bullet are you using and how are the blood trails?

This were 95gn .243 no blood trails just twitching.

 

[Dougal McGuire]

What bullet are you using and how are the blood trails?

I've just used the S&B 196 grain SPCE load, they've dropped in their tracks or gone a few steps.

 

[angusb1]

35 Whelen would be great ballistically for what you want but a 20" barrel wouldn't be ideal. Since you're in the USA you can probably find one and factory ammo for it quite easily.

Also a 45-70 would work, good choice with a short barrel too.

 

[angusb1]

Barnes do a 180gr TTSX for the 35 Whelen which runs at 2900fps. The relatively high velocity improves your chances on a moving target and they penetrate very well.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Back in the day Remington had your needs covered:

I have a 222 on a stutzen stock and would purchase one in 35 Rem tomorrow if I could find one.

K

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I have a .35 Rem but in a Contender 14incher.
I still have the barrel but the blued frame was stolen by the UK government. Now replaced by a stainless frame back in the early 2000s after leaving the UK.

 

[Klenchblaize]

I've got the jacket but still looking for the rifle:

K

 

[Heym SR20]

The AMax bullet expands fast and not forgiving of odd angles etc.

Switch to a good monolithic and they both penetrate and cause a good wound channel from just about any angle. Barnes TTSX, Sako Blades etc in your 6.5x55 will do the job. I have seen big red stags in woodland charging in to a call be felled at 20 yards in quartering shots from 6.5x55 and 7x57. Dropped on the spot with a complete pass through.

Change the bullet - you don’t need to change the rifle. But no reason not to add the rifle collection.

 

[watercolour]

Ive had great luck with the amax leaving softball size exit wounds up to 70 yards. I mainly run the 140 grain parition or hotcor both of which penetrate well. Mainly just looking for something that steps this up and leaves a good wound.

Remington did have me covered lol.

I have a friend who took a tc single shot pistol 12” and milled a barrel extension to make it legal and dropped it in a model 7 rifle stock. Super light weight and accurate.

 

[hw101]

Keep it simple? .308 or (better still) 30-06.
Both easy to feed and will kill any game in North America.?

 

[EMcC]

30-06 choice of bullets, 180, 220 for the larger stuff and from 150 to anything below for anything else and you can't go wrong.

 

[alberta boy]

I guess the concise question would be if their going to be a discernible wow difference between a 8x57 200 grain and a 358 win 225 grain. Taking proper bullet construction into account for the appropriate game and distance.

Actually , I use both . I've been shooting Speer 200 gr Hot Cores in my 8X57 for about thirty years and Nosler 225 gr Partitions , Sierra 225's through my 358's for about 20 years . The only difference I've seen is better penetration from the 225 gr Partitions on bigger game . I've used both to kill a number of Moose and other large game , they're both reliable killers and don't tear up a lot of meat in the process . In all honesty , I'd be hard pressed to choose between them . I hunt where there's a very healthy population of large Black Bears and Grizzly . If I expect to run into Grizzlies , I feel a bit better with the 358 , or something larger , in hand . The 8mm is more than capable of cleanly killing any bear we have , but the heavier bullet just makes me feel a little better .
As others have pointed out , a 308 or 30-06 with an appropriate bullet will do anything you need , I carry one quite often . That being said , I've never let practicality get in the way of buying another rifle . If you have your heart set on a fullstock ( stutzen ) , the CZ in 8X57 would make for a very nice hunting rig .

AB

 

[alberta boy]

I've got the jacket but still looking for the rifle:
View attachment 397465
K

I picked one of these for my brother about a year ago for $ 1000 CDN . They still come up for sale fairly regularly , but they get snapped up very quickly . They're a bit snappy when loaded with 250 gr bullets .

AB