deer caliber issue

[fishinjosh98]

Im going deer hunting next weekend and we have a .44 rem. mag, 45-70,30-30,swedish 6.5 and a couple of shotguns all are open sights. what one should I use

[Ufatz]

If you haven't spent some time shooting it in the last six months I'd say it doesn't matter what you shoot....odds are you'll miss.

If you just HAVE to go I'd take the 45-70. It will put a deer down as quickly and finally as any of the others.

But do the deer a favor and spend some time shooting it the next few days.

[TooTallTom]

Whichever gun you're most comfortable/ accurate shooting. You owe it to the animal to be as proficient as possible before going afield after them. Assuming the shotguns are smoothbore, I would have the most qualms about picking up one of them and taking it afield with untested (by you) ammunition.

[LABS4ME]

Looooooooove my .45-70! It is a fantastic round... the Hornady 350gr. all copper ballistic tips shoot and group phenomenal. I am very confident to 150 yards with it. I'd maybe go 200 if I had the perfect opportunity. That's my max anyways. Every deer but one was taken at 50 yards or less anyways.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Ufatz]

Yeah, I've always said smackin' a critter with a 45-70 is like hitting them with a bowling ball thrown by Superman.

BAM! Thud! Done. LOL

But some of the puny guys might not like the recoil of a real man's load.

[TooTallTom]

I'm sure glad I put my eighteen inchers on this morning. The PoorWordUsage is getting awfully deep around here.

[Archerysniper]

I love my 45-70 the old original trapdoor if I remember the date right I believe it was made in 1878, I shoot the black powder loads through it and man it drops the animals.

[MikeH55343]

If all the guns have open sights... leave the 44 at home. The 3030 or the 4570 are your best bets. Like the previous post - it is the 4570 over the 3030 if you have good ammo.

[nonteepical]

No need for overkill use the 30/30

[swamptiger]

If you have any long shots, better take the Swede...

Federal ammunition:

6.5 x 55 Swede - 140 gr. - energy foot lbs. @ 300 yds 1338 - bullet drop (zeroed at 100 yds) 15.5"

45-70 - 300 gr. - energy foot lbs @ 300 yds 1001 - bullet drop (zeroed at 100 yds) 47.7"

[TooTallTom]

That was my first thought too, but none of the rifles have optics. I'd be pretty hesitant to take a shot at more than .30-30 or .45-70 distances without optics. Especially if I was just picking up the rifle I'd be using.

[swamptiger]

The OP never stated how much shooting he does or how good a marksman he is. If the Swede rifle is a miltary version, it came with sights adjustable for shooting to 800 or 1000 meters, and the Finns and Scandinavians who were issued those rifles originally regularly shot at those distances and the rifle is capable of accuracy at those distances.

So without making too many assumptions, I'd still go with the 6.5...

[DRH1175]

The swede, 30-30, and 45-70 all are great rounds. Honestly you can't go wrong with any of the 3. Take what you like the best and you will be good to go! With the calibers you have to pick from I wouldn't even look at the Shotguns.

[TooTallTom]

I understand that the caliber has been used to shoot very long distances with open sights. I also know that accuracy becomes a relative term at those distances. Point targets become area targets. In a hunting situation, all targets are point targets. For the purposes of military shooting, a scared target is acceptable, a wounded target is great, and so is a dead one. I'd have no problem calling a hunter with that mentality unethical.

I'm a cautious guy by nature, and I'd be more inclined to assume that the OP doesn't spend the amount of time and money on practice that the Finns and Scandehoovians shooting at 800 or 1000 meters did, rather than that he does. I know that some people do, but not nearly enough to make that the default assumption.

[swamptiger]

Quote:

I know that some people do, but not nearly enough to make that the default assumption.

Guess we'll just have to assume that some people are more into primitive weapons...

[TooTallTom]

I guess I don't follow. I must've put my thick skull on today when I got out of the shower...

[swamptiger]

Quote:

I guess I don't follow. I must've put my thick skull on today when I got out of the shower...

All things considered, it's tough to make recommendations based on the sketchy information provided by the OP, and any of the firearms mentioned would do the job under the right circumstances. If it was thick brushy cover, I'd probably opt for the 30-30. But if he's going to be sitting in a stand in the corner of an open 40 acre field, there's only one of the bunch mentioned that I would feel comfortable with...

[TooTallTom]

Ah, okay.

I agree that only one of the calibers mentioned is a good candidate for shooting a couple hundred yards or more. But, I don't think that any of the firearms mentioned should be used for that without optics and/ or (preferably) a ton of practice.

OP mentioned that none of them have optics, and I'd bet that a poster asking which one to take with on short notice has the necessary amount of practice with any of those firearms.

[swamptiger]

Quote:

OP mentioned that none of them have optics, and I'd bet that a poster asking which one to take with on short notice has the necessary amount of practice with any of those firearms.

That's probably true. It all gets down to choosing the right tool for the job, and knowing how to use it. As far as the open sights go, there's really nothing wrong with open sights for hunting purposes if you have good eyesight and do enough shooting to know where you are aiming.

[TooTallTom]

Familiarity with the appropriate tool is exactly right. And I don't think optics are necessary at all, they just make the job a little easier.

And I guess I said exactly the opposite of what I meant (unintentional sarcasm?) in the sentence you quoted. I'm glad you understood anyway.