Author Topic: best deer caliber (Read 1394 times)

TrapperZach · « **on:** November 20, 2004, 03:37:37 AM »

hi i now this might be contriversial and i dont want it to cause any arguments but i need to now when i get enogh money to get my deer rifle what caliber should i get?

longwinters · « **Reply #1 on:** November 20, 2004, 03:42:28 AM »

Trapper,

If you do a "search" on this topic you will find lots of opinions. However for the short answer . . . if you are looking at a caliber just for deer (and you don't reload), you can't beat a 7m-08.

Long

Steelhead · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2004, 03:54:40 AM »

About anything from 6.5mm to 30 caliber. No belts or WSM's and you should be in business.

THE#1hunter · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2004, 04:55:24 AM »

Here ya go..this might help, it has a little bit of both, good luck with you decision

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=19467

New Hampshire · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2004, 06:14:58 AM »

I agree, there are too many opinions and variables. A Blanket answer? Ok, if ya hunt close, confined woods then anything slow in .30-50 caliber. Wide open and beyond .243-35 caliber goin fairly fast to blistering hot is about the norm.
Brian M.

iiibbb · « **Reply #5 on:** November 20, 2004, 06:17:12 AM »

Of course it depends on where you are and what conditions you'll be hunting in.

Can't go wrong with 30-06 or .308.

If money is an issue... buy a M44 Mosin Nagant for $75. 7.62x54R is a nice accurate cartrige right in between 30-06 and .308.

I've never shot 7mm, but that's super popular.

Everyone loves 30-30, but from what I'm told shot placement is somewhat more critical with 30-30 (My friends call it the most popular deer wounding round in history).

savageT · « **Reply #6 on:** November 20, 2004, 06:25:56 AM »

TZ,
You didn't say what conditions are where you hunt, but for someone with an interest such as trapping and hunting, I would recommend looking at a lever-action, light- easy carrying carbine like a Winchester 94 or Marlin m336 in 30-30 or m1894 .44Rem mag. They are great woods carbines and certainly have taken many deer and bear in the past.

Too bad Savage doesn't make my favorite m99 any longer. There never was a better gun or cartridge .300Sav. for deer.

Jim

Lawdog · « **Reply #7 on:** November 20, 2004, 01:23:21 PM »

Quote from: TrapperZach

hi i now this might be contriversial and i dont want it to cause any arguments but i need to now when i get enogh money to get my deer rifle what caliber should i get?

This is actually a bit of a loaded question. Need to know what the country is like where you will be hunting, the type of hunting you will be doing(sitting on a stand, still hunting, etc.)? Why not check with your local game warden and see what he/she thinks for the country your are in? You can use anything from a .243 Win. on up to as big as you can handle. Lawdog

victorcharlie · « **Reply #8 on:** November 20, 2004, 01:27:43 PM »

Come on guys! The correct answer is a fellow only needs 3 guns. 30.06, 12 gauge, and .22 LR.

KYsquirrelsniper · « **Reply #9 on:** November 20, 2004, 01:37:28 PM »

My vote goes to either a 270 or 30-06. Most shooters can handle the recoil of both calibers without any major problems, there's a wide variety of factory ammo for both, you can find ammo for both at basically any store that carries ammo, and both are more than enough for deer at normal hunting ranges. If you tend to like bigger and heavier bullets, go with the 30-06. If you like light and fast, go with the 270.

Arkie-06 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 20, 2004, 01:41:27 PM »

30-06

bubba · « **Reply #11 on:** November 20, 2004, 03:37:26 PM »

The one that feels comfortable for you to shoot and harvests deer.

jgrass5 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 20, 2004, 04:15:24 PM »

308 or 30 06 it's just personal preference. I like the tidier packages in the 308. I've killed deer with both, and non of the deer took more than one shot.
Iv'e been partial to winchesters model 70's fwt (30 06) and savage model 99's (308). Check out the kimber in 308. This is probably the ideal eastern big game rifle. Just alot of $$$.

Good luck
JGrass5

Graybeard · « **Reply #13 on:** November 20, 2004, 04:24:35 PM »

There is no "best" anything. Just some we like better than others among lots of perfectly acceptable choices.

BUT, iffen ya won't tell anyone else I'll share a secret with ya.

The 7-08 REALLY is the BEST DEER CARTRIDGE in the whole wide world. :eek: Shhh. Don't let anyone else know. :lol:

Flash · « **Reply #14 on:** November 21, 2004, 01:08:04 AM »

I let the terrain and the surrounding conditions where I'm hunting influence my caliber choice. If you're hunting in an area where your longest shot will be 50 yards, maybe a lever gun in 44 Magnum. Then your next purchase can be a handgun. :grin: If you're hunting fields, then a good stout rifle caliber is best. The 7mm bullet can't be beat for overall physical characteristics so I concur with the 7mm/08 fans and before buying a platform to shoot it from( since you didn't ask about a caliber), consider the Encore. For another 200 bucks or so, you'll have another gun by buying a new barrel.

papajohn428 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 21, 2004, 10:02:40 AM »

The best is the one you can hit the deer in the right spot with at the distance he's at. As has been said many times, you can kill a deer with a 22, a ball peen hammer, or a 2X4. All ya gotta do is hit 'em in the right spot! :wink:

Papajohn

TrapperZach · « **Reply #16 on:** November 22, 2004, 09:54:32 AM »

k thanks that realy helps.

JPSaxMan · « **Reply #17 on:** November 22, 2004, 03:24:02 PM »

Have to agree w/ the squirrel sniper. Even tho I own a .243, I have a friend who owns a .270 (Winchester M70 Featherweight...omg....beautiful gun *drools*) and I kinda feel underpowered in his presence

. Even tho a .243 will do in woods and in most open-terrain situations, a bigger gun is sometimes nicer. I was just thinking about the .30-06; seems to me it's like a .270 (almost w/ some dimension differences obviously). But it also seems that the 06' is loaded in higher grainage (elk and w/e). So...if and when I get a new gun...I might have to think twice. Take care and good luck!

Ron T. · « **Reply #18 on:** November 22, 2004, 11:16:43 PM »

You might be well rewarded to consider a good, used Model 99 Savage lever-action rifle. The Model 99 Savage is in the midst of becoming a true American icon.

I use a 1953 Savage Model 99 (a late model Â“EGÂ”) in .300 Savage with 150 grain bullets for all my deer hunting and I don't think either the rifle or the caliber can be beat for deer out to 250 yards.

The .300 Savage cartridge, using 180 grain bullets, is easily capable of taking elk, moose and black bear at reasonable ranges (under 200 yards) while the use of 120 grain to 130 grain premium bullets turn the efficient .300 Savage cartridge into a reasonably long range caliber. The 150 grain bullet is an excellent choice for deer.

The Model 99 Savage rifle is a "classic" and handles like a dream. Its lever action is "butter-smooth" compared to most other lever action rifles.

The .300 Savage, "father" of the .308 Winchester cartridge, is acknowledged by many experts as "THE" perfect deer cartridge because most hunting bullets offer outstanding performance at .300 Savage velocities while averaging 25%-30% less recoil than a .270 Winchester with equal weight bullets.

My hunting handload, consisting of a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullet in front of 41.5 grains of IMR4895 rifle powder and a standard Winchester large rifle primer, chronographs at an average muzzle velocity of 2680 fps while giving an average of Â¾ of an inch, 3-shot groups @ 100 yards off the bench rest with my Bushnell 3x-9x variable scope set on "9x". It fired a 3-shot group of .112 inches @ 50 yards off a bench rest using sandbags and a rifle rest. IÂ’ve seen many other Model 99 owners claim Â¾ inch accuracy at 100 yards from their Savage Model 99Â’s as well and I have no reason to doubt them. The Savage Model 99 is undoubtedly one of the, if not Â“THEÂ”, most accurate lever action rifle available anywhere.

Sighted in 2.75-inches high at 100 yards, the .300 Savage cartridge has a point blank range of 265 yards, meaning the bullet does not rise or fall more than 3 inches above or below the "line-of-sight" from the rifle's muzzle to 265 yards down-range which is a long shot for most hunters.

There's something to be said about hunting with a "classic" rifle in a "classic" caliber... and the Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage caliber offers its owner a reasonably light, fast-handling, truly "classic", but very useful rifle for all occasions in a very reasonable price range.

Strength & HonorÂ…

Ron T.

AAAJohn · « **Reply #19 on:** November 24, 2004, 02:20:45 AM »

The bigger the hole, the better the blood trail.
I like 30 caliber.

Broken-arrow · « **Reply #20 on:** November 24, 2004, 03:13:22 AM »

If a man was to own only one hunting rifle, IMO it would have to be the good old 30-06. With the right bullet there is nothing on this continent that it cant handle.

TrapperZach · « **Reply #21 on:** November 24, 2004, 12:52:53 PM »

i live in wester North Carolina we have mostly woods longest shot mabey 240 yards maybe. and yest money is an issue. not recoil thoe im 14 220 and 6ft 4 in tall i dont have to much trouble with recoil.

Buckfever · « **Reply #22 on:** November 27, 2004, 03:34:03 AM »

Trapperzach the 30-06 is hard to beat for all the loads it has and knockdown power. I like Tikkas curently but I would suggest you look at a Savage. I have one and they are very accurate out of the box. They are kind of a workin man's gun no nonsense and looks are average but man do they shoot. They are also a value. The deer won't know what you shot him with just that it got the bullet there. These are quality guns, no frills they just flat out shoot! May help with the budget an ever present issue for most of us. Good Luck Buckfever