Author Topic: Favorite caliber? (Read 2356 times)

Justin10mm · « **on:** April 22, 2010, 03:48:02 PM »

What is your favorite caliber to use in texas? From coyotes to big hogs?

markc · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2010, 05:03:47 PM »

Interesting question Justin. At one time I was strictly a 30-06 guy, handloaded a lot for it, used an old sportorized Enfield. A few years ago I bought a slightly used Marlin 336 CS in .35 Rem. I had bought a .35 Rem barrell for my TC Contender, so the Marlin was kind of a no brainer. I have pretty much fallen in love with that rifle and caliber. It is my favorite now and is what I shot my whitetail with last season, and 1/2 of them the previous season, and only thing I've shot feral hogs with for 3 years, and 2 coyotes in December, until just recently. I have really been impressed with my wife's little NEF youth in .243. So, I recently bought a Rem -25 semi auto in .243. I just recently shot the biggest/heaviest feral hog ever for me, plus my very first Axis buck (pictured on the forums) with that rifle and factory Rem 100 gr Core Lokt ammo. It is not my favorite rifle, too heavy, but I am fond of the caliber.

saddlebum · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2010, 09:32:14 PM »

I choose the .30-06. Loaded with sabots and .22cal 55gr bullets at 4000fps for coyotes. 150 or165gr bullets for medium size game. 180s in case an elk or moose wanders into Texas.

Duke0313 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2010, 10:21:24 PM »

I'm still lovin' the .30-30 (Marlin 336, of course) because I don't reload. If I did, I would try the .35.

Justin10mm · « **Reply #4 on:** April 23, 2010, 06:11:27 AM »

A friend of mine was bow hunting whitetail on a small lease in the hill country a few vyears ago. He said he heard a weird sound and went to check it out. It turns out it was a (spike elk). And yes he did manage to get an arrow in him. You could see enything in texas.

saddlebum · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2010, 07:18:43 AM »

Good thing he just happen to have a Texas elk tag on him. Everyone should carry one.......just in case.

JWP58 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 23, 2010, 09:32:08 AM »

.243 or .223 or 30-30....i'd take any of the three. (own all 3 as well)

Dee · « **Reply #7 on:** April 23, 2010, 10:21:12 AM »

Back and forth between the 3030 and 223. I was heavy on the 357 mag in a rifle but until I put a tang sight on it, the front sight has gotten fuzzy with my old eyes.

Justin10mm · « **Reply #8 on:** April 23, 2010, 02:16:06 PM »

Quote from: saddlebum on April 23, 2010, 07:18:43 AM

Good thing he just happen to have a Texas elk tag on him. Everyone should carry one.......just in case.

I hope you are jokeing.

I E no tag needed for exotics.

saddlebum · « **Reply #9 on:** April 23, 2010, 06:11:41 PM »

I apologize Justin. I had no idea that Elk are considered exotics or the regulations concerning them. Please accept my apology.

Justin10mm · « **Reply #10 on:** April 24, 2010, 09:29:16 AM »

Quote from: saddlebum on April 23, 2010, 06:11:41 PM

I apologize Justin. I had no idea that Elk are considered exotics or the regulations concerning them. Please accept my apology.

Apology accepted. Just don't let it happen again.

DennisB · « **Reply #11 on:** April 24, 2010, 02:00:18 PM »

#1: 25/06 - specifically, the Springfield I helped Dad sporterize back in 1963-64.

#2: .270 Win - Model 70 that Dad bought in 1949, the year I was born. I used it to take my avatar buck up in the Panhandle in 2008.

Both the above have taken their share of deer, hogs, whatever else was asked of them, and are semi-retired. Now, I'm "breaking in" another pre-64 Model 70 in 30-06.

markc · « **Reply #12 on:** April 27, 2010, 07:38:53 AM »

From the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department...

EXOTIC ANIMALS AND FOWL
Exotic animal refers to grass-eating or plant-eating, single-hoofed or cloven-hoofed mammals that are not indigenous or native to Texas and are known as ungulates, including animals from the deer and antelope families that landowners have introduced into this state. Includes, but is not limited to feral hog, Aoudad sheep, Axis deer, Elk, Sika deer, Fallow deer, Blackbuck antelope, Nilgai antelope, and Russian boar. Exotic fowl refers to any avian species that is not indigenous to this state, including ratites (emu, ostrich, rhea, cassowary, etc.).
There are no state bag or possession limits or closed seasons on exotic animals or fowl on private property. It is against the law to:
Hunt an exotic without a valid hunting license.
Hunt an exotic on a public road or right-of-way.
Hunt an exotic without the landowner's permission.
Possess an exotic or the carcass of an exotic without the owner's consent.
Penalty: A person who violates these laws commits an offense that is a Class A Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor ($500-$4000 and/or up to one year in jail).

saddlebum · « **Reply #13 on:** April 27, 2010, 09:17:29 AM »

Imagine how creepy I felt when I read that on the website after making the comments I made above. Comments made in ignorance. I have lived in elk country all my life and never would have imagined a person could shoot an elk whenever they wanted to without an elk specfic license or tag. Texas is a different world from Wyoming. Again I am sorry for my comments.

mrbigtexan · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2010, 10:02:20 AM »

i really like the 308 but have recently got a 7mm saum and i am really liking it. i beleive that i will probably never need anything more than a 308 but there are occasionally long shots up here in the panhandle. i will not take a 1st shot outside of my comfort zone, meaning that i will have to have lots of practice before hunting beyond 250 yards. so far my longest 1st shot at a deer has been 225 yards and he dropped in his tracks. i have watched and let walk the biggest mule deer i have personally seen while hunting and it was around 400 yards.

RON17T · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2010, 01:27:17 PM »

I use a .270 for everything.I just got back from Texas where I killed 2 hogs with it.One of them was at 225 yards. It's a great caliber for everything except very large game.

S_J_KENNELS · « **Reply #16 on:** April 28, 2010, 07:23:42 PM »

IMHO a 243 is all you need for any game here in Texas. However with that said I do like my 3030,270, and 308 as well LOL. I will grab the 243 before the others anyday I head to the deer blind, but when I am out spotlighting hogs I grab the 308 or 270. Dunno why I do that as I have taken some big hogs with the 243, but I do lol.

markc · « **Reply #17 on:** April 30, 2010, 01:49:10 PM »

Shane, I've become pretty fond of the .243 as well. Do you think the time of day/night has anything to do with you taking the .308 rather than the .243 when its dark? The largest/heaviest hog I've shot was with my new .243 recently. I really like that caliber.

S_J_KENNELS · « **Reply #18 on:** May 01, 2010, 07:16:53 AM »

Quote from: markc on April 30, 2010, 01:49:10 PM

Shane, I've become pretty fond of the .243 as well. Do you think the time of day/night has anything to do with you taking the .308 rather than the .243 when its dark? The largest/heaviest hog I've shot was with my new .243 recently. I really like that caliber.

My feeling is more along the lines of not haveing to worry about shot placement as much with the bigger caliber I guess LOL. Shot placement is everything, but there is a bit more room for error with the larger caliber. When I take my niece and nephews spotlighting they use their 243 with no problems, but then they only shoot when the hogs are not running from the lights and they have a good rest. My brother shot an killed a 200+ hog on the run with a 243 so it can be done. I honestly have no idea why I grab the 308. I just do LOL.

Dee · « **Reply #19 on:** May 01, 2010, 11:23:33 AM »

I wouldn't worry too much about a 243 being enough gun for feral hogs. They ain't hard to kill. I use many times a 223.

rockbilly · « **Reply #20 on:** May 02, 2010, 04:18:20 PM »

Not bragging but I could go to the safe and select a gun in most every caliber mentioned here plus several that were not mentioned.

That said, my go to gun for well over 40 years has been a Sako L59 in .243, my second choice is a 6.5x55 Swed that I sporterized. I do occasionally work on the hogs with a Winchester model 100 in .308, but that is only when I am attempting to reduce the size of the herd.

S_J_KENNELS · « **Reply #21 on:** May 03, 2010, 06:52:50 AM »

Quote from: Dee on May 01, 2010, 11:23:33 AM

I wouldn't worry too much about a 243 being enough gun for feral hogs. They ain't hard to kill. I use many times a 223.

No they are not hard to kill. I just like the 308 for night shooting. I did just get a sks 7.62x39 though that I am going to start using for herd reduction. One of the farmers I work/hunt for said he will buy the ammo so I am just going to open up on them LOL. He just wants them dead and out of his fields. Now that the grain is in we are just running the dogs, but look out after harvest. I want to see what that SKS can do.

markc · « **Reply #22 on:** May 03, 2010, 02:55:20 PM »

Nice thing about an SKS is that you can still pick them up cheap at times. How about ammo though? Is there decent cheap ammo in that caliber? My bro n law has an sks he bought years ago, doesn't really shoot. I might try to pick it up from him for nearly nothing...That is 7.62X39 right?

S_J_KENNELS · « **Reply #23 on:** May 03, 2010, 04:08:32 PM »

I have just shot it at a target and it shot fine. I have been sick and in the hospital since January 4th and have not been able to hunt. It is a 7.62x39. I find the ammo cheap at academy when I can catch it before it is all bought out. Also cheaper then dirt has it.

Ironwood · « **Reply #24 on:** May 03, 2010, 05:33:39 PM »

My favorite centerfire cartridge is the 7MM Remington Magnum fired from my Ruger Model 77. I've taken Mule deer, Whitetails, and Feral Hogs with it. Long ago I settle on the 160 grain Nosler Partitioned for everything.

That being said, my next favorite cartridge is the 6MM Remington. I took my best Axis deer with it and the 95 grain Nosler Partitioned bullet.

RaySendero · « **Reply #25 on:** May 03, 2010, 06:18:44 PM »

Quote from: Justin Holder on April 22, 2010, 03:48:02 PM

What is your favorite caliber to use in texas? From coyotes to big hogs?

From coyotes to big hogs? - Hands down 270 Winchester!

emsemt911 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 05, 2010, 02:08:06 PM »

I love my .270 win and 6.8SPC

markc · « **Reply #27 on:** May 07, 2010, 02:31:24 PM »

Ironwood, thats a nice Axis.

patw · « **Reply #28 on:** May 12, 2010, 05:32:07 PM »

We have been hunting the Hill Country for twenty years or so. I started out with a Ruger No1 in 300 H&H, then shot a 30-06 for a little while, both did the job. Then I built a 300-221 on an AR15 for my daughter. She did not take to hunting and I used that for a few year, killed white tails, pigs and one axis buck no problems, did the job too. We sometimes see pigs that tend to be on the large side, and I was worried that the little 300-221 might be light for the big hogs, and I went to a 6.8 AR 15 a couple of years ago. It has done the job too. This is a pig that dropped in its tracks when hit with the 6.8. I think the bottom line is to pick a caliber and gun you are comfortable with. A well placed shot will drop an animal better than a sloppy shot from a big gun.

Dee · « **Reply #29 on:** May 12, 2010, 05:54:33 PM »

Well since my last post, I found a slightly smaller aperture for my Model 92 in 357 mag, and cleared the front sight back up, so I'll add it to my 3030, and 223, although the 3030 has been gettin most of my business.