.25-06 or .270

[Whoaru99]

Blaa blaa blaa. The main thing to remember is the gun will decide what ammo you will use not you! Case in point my 25wssm will put 3 120 grs in .75in at 100yds and 115grs the best I can do is 1.5in at 100yds.

The only interesting gun is an accurate gun.

To some degree. Granted, that difference might be very important if you're shooting at gophers or prairie dogs but on a deer-sized critter I doubt that difference is going to be make or break unless it's a pretty poorly placed shot to begin with.

[Alagnak]

To some degree. Granted, that difference might be very important if you're shooting at gophers or prairie dogs but on a deer-sized critter I doubt that difference is going to be make or break unless it's a pretty poorly placed shot to begin with.

Some people shoot at a deer. While some of us like to execute does with a head shot once and a while so you don't waste any meat. So, dialing in rounds that shoot best and/or hand loading is a huge difference in some barrels. Not just for prairie dogs.

[Gordie]

To some degree. Granted, that difference might be very important if you're shooting at gophers or prairie dogs but on a deer-sized critter I doubt that difference is going to be make or break unless it's a pretty poorly placed shot to begin with.

The more accurate you have the gun will mean that the poorly placed shot lies on the shooter not the gun.

[Whoaru99]

The more accurate you have the gun will mean that the poorly placed shot lies on the shooter not the gun.

Poor shot placement is most often the shooter's fault, not the equipment. Practical field accuracy and off the bench accuracy are two different things. The point is that 3/4" improvement in off the bench accuracy isn't likely to make a big difference in a typical hunting situation where the ability to shoot the rifle accurately is a much bigger factor than the inherent accuracy of the rifle. There are exceptions to everything, of course, but talk usually tends towards using wost case to support a point rather than the most likely situation. The most likely situation is that the basic accuracy of the rifle exceeds that of the person shooting it in a field situation.

[LABS4ME]

Actually, a great MN deer round would be the old reliable 45-70. And even more fun if you could shoot it in a trap-door Springfield! But now there are several modern rifles chambered for it, including a nifty new Henry octogon barreled lever gun.

I know its slightly off the question, but a great deer gun nevertheless. Especially in Minnesota brush country.

Me? I've lost count of the number of deer and caribou downed with my trusty 6.5 Mannlicher. Real OLD cartridge and gun. Quaint even. Ha Ha Ha!

Love my 45-70! Short quick handling rifle that packs plenty of punch! I have the Marlin version in a lever action. 18" barrel, 1.5x4 scope....

With that said I used a .270 for years and still have it. Killed plenty of deer. I almost pulled the trigger on a .25-06 for my son last year, but the same Tikka showed up in .308 and I opted for that instead. A broader selection of shells, a shorter action and almost always available shells, even in Podunk WI in the gas station. I really like the .25-06, but most likely would go with a .270... in that instance.

They're all good calibers! everyone has their favorite!!!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Comit 2]

Federal premium with sierra boattails at 3030(?)fps. The best I could do was 1.25in at 100 yards with that gun so it was not a GOOD 300yd plus rifle. Oh yea the far side shoulder and ribs would be so blood shot it was of no use to me. If the gun would have stabilized 140gr bullets I would have used them. Slower speeds with less shock wave.

Montana, Milk river White tails. Blue tongue whipped them out a few years back. It was fun to see over 100 deer a day on a good day. With that many deer around I should have seen it coming.

[Whoaru99]

FWIW, another opinion fairly well supported with information.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/practical_accuracy.htm

[yakfisher]

FWIW, another opinion fairly well supported with information.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/practical_accuracy.htm

Good article. Thanks.

[Comit 2]

In my gun a Browning A Bolt S/S. The 115gr boat tail congers up dreams of long range shots with great BCs but if your gun is shooting MOBroad side of a barn flat trajectory means nada. Yes when you are pushing a bullet around 3000ftps thing like air pressure and elevation can mess thing up also.

To keep it simple to that respect, stay between the Mach zones (1,2,3). 2800-2900fps is a safe zone in most areas. You do not want you bullet in that pressure wave between muzzle and target. That is how you explain "When the stars aline).

[Comit 2]

I guess what I'm saying is, wouldn't it be nice to go out to get a deer and get a deer and not just get a deer when the stars aline?

[Whoaru99]

I'm not exzctly sure where all that's going, but I've never had to blame the rifle or the alignment of the stars, so to speak, for not getting a deer even though I shoot a plain old off the shelf Ruger M77 with plain old off the shelf Remington Core-Lokts.

[Comit 2]

My only point is, if you are looking at a 270 or 25-06 which are known to be flat shooting cartridges for long range shooting. There are better cartridges out there. Just look at the top 1000yrd rounds. 260 rem or the 6.5x47 lapua. No one uses 30-06 spinoffs.

That is all.

[fishuhalik]

FWIW, another opinion fairly well supported with information.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/practical_accuracy.htm

What's this, an article about shooting that makes sense in the real world? This has no place on the Internet. This is a place for extreme accuracy only! 1/2 moa or your rifle is garbage

[boXCar JiggY]

25-06 chamberd with 117gr Hornady sst superformance. done deal.

[diederich06]

I vote for the 25-06, I've had my for 5+ years and have been very please with it! In regards to shells a box should last quite awhile and if planned out approprietly you shouldn't need a emergency ammo run.

[PurpleFloyd]

I would say the 270. Unless you want to split the difference and get a 260 which some say is the best all around white tail cartridge on the planet.

[lawdog]

I would flip a coin as both are great choices

The rest of the five pages of this thread is really not necessary, this says it all... The dead deer will not know the difference!

[swamptiger]

Quote:

Still say there are other options. But I would not want to be in Goodrich ND or Two Dot MT or Hawley MN and looking for the 25.06!

So there!! LOL

Quote:

Me? I've lost count of the number of deer and caribou downed with my trusty 6.5 Mannlicher. Real OLD cartridge and gun. Quaint even. Ha Ha Ha!

That old 6.5 will put a deer down as well as anything mentioned here, and you probably wouldn't find that ammo in any of the places mentioned either.

But then again, how many boxes of shells does it take to put down a deer or two?...