Favorite Deer Rifle Caliber

[cribbageboy]

I recently bought a Remmington .270 and absolutly love it. What are some of your favorites?

[Scott K]

I like several, depending on where I am hunting.

1) 30-06

2) 7mm

3) .270

4) .243

These are just the ones I have and use, I love everyone of them, but they all work good in different sittuations.

[PerchJerker]

For deer my favorites are .30-06 and 7mm-08.

[Zzapp]

Since I had my Winchester .30-30 stolen and recently purchased a Savage .30-06 I'd have to say I'm partial to .30 caliber!!

[TrophyEyes]

7mm Rem Mag. for me out of an A-Bolt. I use 150 grain bullets and have never had a deer take one step after I pulled the trigger.

[MN Mike]

My goto rifle has been my Rem 700 Mountain Rifle chambered for a Rem 280, I run handloaded 150 gr. Nosler Partitions in it. I've had that gun since '88 and just love it, I also have a Sako in a 7mm Rem Mag and a Ruger 300 SAUM but I just can't give up my 280.

Mike

[Borch]

Quote:

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For deer my favorites are .30-06 and 7mm-08.

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Ditto for me plus I'd add the trusty .308

[brassman]

I like my .308, but up in da nort woods were I hunt 30-30 isn't bad.

[fishtrapgirl]

I love my Remington 700 Mountain Rifle 30-06. Thompson Center Pro Hunter muzzleloader is a close second, going to get a 270 barrel for it soon.

[harvey lee]

7mm or my 300 mag. I also use a 270 at times.

[c&amagn]

I have several calibers as well for different situations too, depends on if I'm in the woods on stand, covering a field or or the game I'm after.

1. 7mm-rem mag.

2. .270

3. .243WSSM

4. which is new to me last year wich works great is the

20ga. Hornady SST Sabot Slug out of a rifled barrel, man do they put deer down. I have my 20ga slug gun sighted in out to about 150-yards, much better knock down power at close range for in the deep woods/swamp area and very easy gun to wheel up on moving deer in the woods, I bought a used Remington Youth 20ga pump, nice and light weight.

[Meat-Run]

I think every caliber mentioned so far are all around good rounds but it always depends on where you hunt that will make the caliber shine!!! So I hunt mostly the Frazee, Detroit Lakes, Walker area's during rifle season and love my Rem. mountain rifle in a 270. If need to I can get 90 grain for yotes or other critters.

I sighted it in when I purchased it in 1993 and haven't need to since. It has been on the mark on every deer I shot that has come my way. Maybe in the near future I might upgrade my scope to a newer model for more light but it still works fine.

I love my 270 just a great caliber.

mr

[TrophyEyes]

I second that Hornady SST slug. I have a 12ga. and I dropped an 8 pt last year and the deer weighed 200lbs dressed. I recovered the bullet after it went through both sholders and it was completely intact. That is what I will be using this year as well in my slug zone. I also have to say I am impressed with my 45cal TC Encore. But like I said before my favorite is my 7mm.

[UMDSportsman]

I would put in another vote for the .270 Rem. I got a Rem Model 7400 when i started deer hunting and have used it ever since. I have never lost a deer that i shot with it.

Forgot to mention that i use reloads from my grandpa, 140gr noslers with great success.

[lawdog]

30-06, the bullet that has killed more big game animals in North America than all the others and with good reason. It is THE all around cartridge, an excellent choice for whitetails and muley's and a very serviceable choice for bigger game such as the bull Elk I killed with it last year.

The average whitetail in Minnesota at the short distances we tend to shoot here is not a difficult kill, but if you want a gun that can do more, this one gets my vote.

If I was just going to buy a rifle to shoot shorter to medium range shots on whitetails only, I'm not sure I'd go any bigger than a 25-06... Also the shotgun slugs as someone above mentioned are FAR superior for close range knock down/killing power than most any rifle. I'm talking under fifty yards here, but I'd rather have one of them than most any rifle at that range.

[ZDavidMiller]

.300 RUM, obviously on a REM 700LA, in open country ( SD ). It is my preferred LR round, with a relatively flat trajectory and at 951m/s muzzle velocity with a 200 gr SP bullet it has a lot of knockdown power. In the right hands, in the right situation 800+ m shots are acceptable.

[woody1975]

.25-06 - Only problem is that it is a little heavy to carry, but a powerful, flat-shooting deer slayer none the less.

DL

[BobT]

I agree with you, lawdog. With the range of projectile and charge options, the 30-06 is the most versatile round. Can be used for hunting short range big game, long range big game, and long range varmint. I suppose for really big game there might be an argument for something a bit heavier but then as has been said many times before, shot placement....

My ex father-in-law was a competition shooter. He qualified to represent the US in the CanAm games in the '60s but couldn't afford to take the time from work to go. His rifle of choice was his own design but included his own custom stock and Springfield bolt action in 30-06 caliber. Saw him put three consecutive shots in a quarter-sized bulls-eye standing freehand from 300 meters using that rifle. I tried to look through that 25X scope but couldn't hold the target in sight long enough to take a shot much less group them like that.

Bob

edit: It's the rifle of choice I have made as well and I have never regretted it.

[HuskerBen]

I love my Marlin model 30AS 30-30 lever gun. Most of my shots are within 50 yards, so it's plenty for my hunting needs, and it's short enough to be maneuverable in the thick stuff. Great little brush gun.

I used to hunt with an old Winchester .308 that I loved. It was a lever action with a 5-round clip, and it was dead-nuts accurate out to 200 yards. I wish I could find another like it.

I also like my .54 Hawken muzzleloader. It'll knock a deer clean off it's feet with a 450 grain maxi-ball.

[BobT]

Speaking of the 30-30. This is probably one of the most under-rated rifles on the market. If I had a nickel every time I heard someone say the 30-30 wasn't good at 100yds.... Bull!

I hunted using a Marlin 336C for most of my life in northern MN and never, and I mean never, had to track a deer. When they were hit they fell where they stood. I can't say that for my 30-06 but it isn't a gun issue, it has been a cartridge choice issue. I have been using the wrong type of bullet for the short range shooting I usually encounter and that has now been corrected.

I believe the 30-30 is an excellent choice for short to medium range deer hunting.

Bob

[Gus]

BobT, can you expand on your bullet choices and experinces?

[GRH]

270 gets my vote. Ive shot around 30 deer and never have had to track a one.

[Rost]

I shoot a 25-06 at deer. So far so good.

[boatfixer]

I had a remington 742,(which were notorious for wearing prematurely,) in a .243 and loved it. I've taken northern MN whitetail and Montana mulies with it. This time around I went with a 7mm-08. Haven't had a chance to shoot a deer with it, but it's very consistent and accurate at the range. I've heard many good things about the effects of it on deer. I've also used a 30-30 in the brush, as well as 12g slugs.

[vister]

7mm rem mag, is there a better caliber!, oh wait, maybe the .264 rem mag handloaded. same casing as 7mm, just necked down to a 6.5mm. SCREAMING bullets there! almost 800 feet/second faster than the 7mm