Contender Carbine---300 yard deer caliber???

[azmike]

Okay, I had decided on buying an Encore this summer in .243, for the upcoming deer season.  But, I really like the Contender's ability to switch to a .22 rimfire barrel for practice/plinking.  

My question is, is there a caliber that can be safely used in a Contender Carbine that would serve as a legitimate 300 yard whitetail/mule deer caliber.  Hunting would be in southern AZ, the Missouri Ozarks, and Washington State (both sides).  

Would the 7-30 or 30-30 Ackley Improved do the trick, or 6.5 or 7 mm JDJ?  

Any suggestions are helpful.  If what I'm looking for isn't possible, I'm ok with the Encore, just would prefer to have the .22lr option.

[Graybeard]

While some folks will disagree I don't really consider any of the Contender chamberings truly up to 300 yard hunting. Sure several have been used on deer at such ranges and have killed deer for folks there but to me that still doesn't really make them 300 yard rounds.

Unless the trajectory is flat enough to be able to sight it in so you don't have to hold off the game and unless the bullet has enough left to expand on a lung shot then to me it's not a 300 yard round.

The closest you'll come would be the 7-30 Waters, 6.5 JDJ and the .309 JDJ I'm thinking. All have been used to make kills out to that range but still to me are hard pressed to be called 300 yard rounds. The .309 JDJ is the cream of the crop of them as it is fully equal to the .308 Winchester so might actually be considered a legitimate 300 yard round in a rifle. In a handgun tho where most are used I have a hard time calling any of them really adequate.

[azmike]

Thank you for your input, it is truly appreciated.  I'll probably stick with the Encore for now, maybe pick up a Contender sometime down the road.

I don't plan on taking 300 yard shots on game normally, as I like to be much closer, but it would be nice to have that flexibility.  

Regards,
Mike

[Redhawk1]

I second GB's post.  

[the Black Spot]

its not what you shoot, its where you shoot it. if you can't shoot accurately enough at 300 yds then there are a lot of calibers that won't work even in an encore. this is my two cents for what that is worth.
if you get a 7-30 and shoot partions or ballistic tips and can put 3 shots into a paper plate on windy and non-windy days from a sitting elbows on knees position then i would say those above mentioned calibers would work. again only my 2 cents.

[Keith L]

While that may be true (deer can be missed amd lost with capable rounds) why choose a chambering that is marginal when starting.  If 300 yard shots are part of the game then get something that will do them well.  Loosing deer gives all of us a bad name with the anti-hunting crowd.  And most of us have less than perfect moments when the deer is in the scope.

[stone386]

6.8 SPC