Perfect deer caliber

[mcwoodduck]

the perfect deer rifle is either my rem model 7 243, or my 6.5x55 swede mauser sporter or my older rem 700 in 06. now if you dont believe that, then im goin to listen to your opinions and ponder that information and hopefully dont want to buy a new rifle!

I don't believe it, I think you need a new rifle.  Something in the 7mm Rem Mag class.   

[BBF]

  It is the time of the year again when I need to decide which rifle is going to be picked.
 
I have an unbloodied Handi in 45-70 that is making the most noise in the gun cabinet.There will be a change in my hunting location this year and I will find out just what sort of topographical features await me. I really want to use a cast bullet but keep chickening out.
 
There is also  the most recent bought Axis in 308 Win making unhappy noises, mainly because I have not drooled over it nor gone to the rifle range in months nor do I have a load figured out for that rifle.
 
Then there is a very recently ( very fancy) restocked Ruger 77 in 284 Win that hasn't been used for years.
 
Last in consideration  is a Rem 742 with a shortened barrel in 30-06 that fits me like a glove. I've got several loads at hand.
 
I've got about 6 weeks before the Season opens.

[mcwoodduck]

It is the time of the year again when I need to decide which rifle is going to be picked.
 
I have an unbloodied Handi in 45-70 that is making the most noise in the gun cabinet.There will be a change in my hunting location this year and I will find out just what sort of topographical features await me. I really want to use a cast bullet but keep chickening out.
 
There is also  the most recent bought Axis in 308 Win making unhappy noises, mainly because I have not drooled over it nor gone to the rifle range in months nor do I have a load figured out for that rifle.
 
Then there is a very recently ( very fancy) restocked Ruger 77 in 284 Win that hasn't been used for years.
 
Last in consideration  is a Rem 742 with a shortened barrel in 30-06 that fits me like a glove. I've got several loads at hand.
 
I've got about 6 weeks before the Season opens.

Grab a quarter, a Dime a Nickel, and a Penny.
Assign each gun to a coin.
Flip the coins.  If one coin is odd from the other you have your choice.
After that to pick a second one is flip the three remaining and find the odd coin.
so take the one and the second for the season.
Or go hunt in a state like NC that allows multiple deer and shoot one with each. 

[Empty Quiver]

I tend to choose chamberings that are more than adequite. Don't know why but that's how it is. A 300 win mag Tikka T3 lite, a Marlin 1895 in 45/70, and a Winchester M70 in 325 WSM. Between the three I can argue there isn't a difference of an ounce in killing power. Talk about three different guns though, each lends itself to differing environs. Thats pretty much what I was after when they were aquired.
 
I'm about to get the same coverage in lighter chamberings I fear. All of the above seem a bit much for deer sized game and I'm beginning to get the itch to hunt antelope. What do you think fellas .308 bolt, .260 bolt, and maybe a blr takedown in lets say 7mm-08. Again, too much? Maybe .243, 6.5 Swede, 30-30?

[geezerbiker]

Wouldn't one need to find the perfect deer to need the perfect deer round? 

Tony

[keith44]

antelope are just deer with speed and more lungs    so definitely get a faster lighter set up for them (240 Weatherby class maybe  )

[Empty Quiver]

antelope are just deer with speed and more lungs    so definitely get a faster lighter set up for them (240 Weatherby class maybe  )

I like your thinking, I don't tend to think about Weatherby much.

[BBF]

I bagged two of those goats with a 284 Win. loaded with the old Nosler solid base bullets

[mcwoodduck]

I tend to choose chamberings that are more than adequite. 

You never know when you have used too much gun, but you sure know when you havbe not used enough!
I agree with you. 

[ironglow]

  I planned on using just my H&R .243, but bear are in season at the same time ..so i have the .Ruger American .308.  If the Ruger being light (6.12 lbs) kicks a bit more than I care to deal with..I may load down to 30/30 level or a bit higher.  I have 150 gr Hornady interlocks and I read a recipen for 42.5 grs of Varget for about 2650 fps..
   Anybody have a good 150 gr recipe?

[mcwoodduck]

  I planned on using just my H&R .243, but bear are in season at the same time ..so i have the .Ruger American .308.  If the Ruger being light (6.12 lbs) kicks a bit more than I care to deal with..I may load down to 30/30 level or a bit higher.  I have 150 gr Hornady interlocks and I read a recipen for 42.5 grs of Varget for about 2650 fps..
   Anybody have a good 150 gr recipe?

How do you like the Ruger American?
I was thinking of one for knock around pig rifle.

[keith44]

I'm researching loads for my 45-70 for this deer season...300 grain hollow point at 2,100 fps ought to do the trick

[BBF]

I'm researching loads for my 45-70 for this deer season...300 grain hollow point at 2,100 fps ought to do the trick

Be careful with those 300 gr HP's.
 
 I don't know if all of them are somewhat equal in construction and alloy. I've used a 300 gr. Rem HP handload at well below factory velocities on a Red Deer at less then 50 yards and found the  bullet rather explosive loosing most of the offside shoulder.

Unless you can expect shots in the 150  yard range I would recommend keeping the MV around 15-1600 ft/sec. The exception being the Nosler PT which I don't see needed for deer.
 
My next try would be with a 400/405 gr bullet or if I can find an accurate load I will go cast.
 
Hornady and Speer make 350 gr bullets that require higher MV to ensure expansion, again, not needed for Deer.

[keith44]

I want it fairly explosive, as I will only shoot through the lungs (yes I have enough self discipline to do that) The 405's I've tried do not expand at all in deer, and the 350 grain has a heavy jacket that seems to need to hit a bone to expand really well.  At 1,600 fps the 300 gr hollow points do not "pulp" the vitals like I would like to see, at 1,800 fps with lung shot only the deer ran about 35- to 45 yards and went down hard Max loads are the last to try 2,100 fps... I'm only gonna load two or three of these.  My standard load for the 45-70 is a SOFT 405 grain chugging along at about 1,400 to 1,600 fps.  Just wanting to play with the the big cases other personality 

[ironglow]

  I planned on using just my H&R .243, but bear are in season at the same time ..so i have the .Ruger American .308.  If the Ruger being light (6.12 lbs) kicks a bit more than I care to deal with..I may load down to 30/30 level or a bit higher.  I have 150 gr Hornady interlocks and I read a recipen for 42.5 grs of Varget for about 2650 fps..
   Anybody have a good 150 gr recipe?

How do you like the Ruger American?
I was thinking of one for knock around pig rifle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
  I haven't had my rifle down to my woods or my buddy's gravel pit yet to test fire it.  I do like several features though, the thing fits me just right.  the rotary magazine is really neat and blends right into the stock conformation..holds 4 rounds.  The bolt swings just 70 degrees, allowing my 4x-32 scope to be mounted really low.  I just had a hernia screen installed down low on Friday so it may be a bit before I get the test fire done.
  The bolt chamber is of a hexagonal shape and quite pleasant lines.  At the price, the bolt is not polished, but it operates especially smooth.  Thusfar, I haven't had a chance to tst it for accuracy..but all the testers including GunBlast have been getting minute of angle or less..certainly good enough for a big game rifle.

[mcwoodduck]

  I planned on using just my H&R .243, but bear are in season at the same time ..so i have the .Ruger American .308.  If the Ruger being light (6.12 lbs) kicks a bit more than I care to deal with..I may load down to 30/30 level or a bit higher.  I have 150 gr Hornady interlocks and I read a recipen for 42.5 grs of Varget for about 2650 fps..
   Anybody have a good 150 gr recipe?

How do you like the Ruger American?
I was thinking of one for knock around pig rifle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
  I haven't had my rifle down to my woods or my buddy's gravel pit yet to test fire it.  I do like several features though, the thing fits me just right.  the rotary magazine is really neat and blends right into the stock conformation..holds 4 rounds.  The bolt swings just 70 degrees, allowing my 4x-32 scope to be mounted really low.  I just had a hernia screen installed down low on Friday so it may be a bit before I get the test fire done.
  The bolt chamber is of a hexagonal shape and quite pleasant lines.  At the price, the bolt is not polished, but it operates especially smooth.  Thusfar, I haven't had a chance to tst it for accuracy..but all the testers including GunBlast have been getting minute of angle or less..certainly good enough for a big game rifle.

Cool,
Hope you heal quickly.
Post a review of the rifle when you get healed up and are able to shoot it.

[ironglow]

mcwooduck;
  I found this link on GBO..this fellow has a new American..read the followups too, some are by American owners/shooters:
 
  http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,263869.new.html

[jhalcott]

 Since you titled this thread PERFECT DEER CALIBER, I thought I would add some salt to the wound! MY favorite deer GUN is a 6.5JDJ T/c Contender. A 14" barrel and a Leupold 2.5x8 scoped deer slayer supreme! I've killed quite a few deer with this rig. It was the only gun I used for a couple years. Ground hogs, coyote, deer and a few prairee dogs fell to its bark! I have many different caliber guns in handgun, rifle and muzzle loader configuration, even a few shotguns. Every thing from .17 hmr thru 45-70 in handguns. I've found the 6.5JDJ to be equal to the 7-30 waters for deer, but the 6.5 has better accuracy. Health problems prohibit me walking the fields like I used to and the light weight  and light recoil of the 6.5 JDJ do not bother me like a full sized rifle.

[kizzo-06]

my last red stag.
Done with Steyr light,30-06,Sako ssh bullet.
 

[hillbill]

the perfect deer rifle is either my rem model 7 243, or my 6.5x55 swede mauser sporter or my older rem 700 in 06. now if you dont believe that, then im goin to listen to your opinions and ponder that information and hopefully dont want to buy a new rifle!

I don't believe it, I think you need a new rifle.  Something in the 7mm Rem Mag class.   

 
naww, no 7 mag for me, good round, but a long shot for my area is only maybe 275 yrds.just got out my 6.5 yesterday and it was shooting dime groups a inch high at 50 yrds.a better shot with a better scope could prob put them all in the same hole.not bad for a rifle made in 1916. my son will shoot his 06 browning bbr.you couldnt git that thing away from him no way.he has made sum awesum shots with it for a teenager.
 
like some posters have said, what rifle you have confidence in is going to be what you do the best with.i enjoy hunting with my 40$ swede mauser and my son likes the bbr browning his late gpa left him.

[mcwoodduck]

the perfect deer rifle is either my rem model 7 243, or my 6.5x55 swede mauser sporter or my older rem 700 in 06. now if you dont believe that, then im goin to listen to your opinions and ponder that information and hopefully dont want to buy a new rifle!

I don't believe it, I think you need a new rifle.  Something in the 7mm Rem Mag class.   

 
naww, no 7 mag for me, good round, but a long shot for my area is only maybe 275 yrds.just got out my 6.5 yesterday and it was shooting dime groups a inch high at 50 yrds.a better shot with a better scope could prob put them all in the same hole.not bad for a rifle made in 1916. my son will shoot his 06 browning bbr.you couldnt git that thing away from him no way.he has made sum awesum shots with it for a teenager.
 
like some posters have said, what rifle you have confidence in is going to be what you do the best with.i enjoy hunting with my 40$ swede mauser and my son likes the bbr browning his late gpa left him.

I was just being a wise acher.
Depending on where and how you hunt 7mm mag may be too much and will be a problem in the thick pine woods of the midatlantic south.

[HuntRGathRR]

Nice stag kizzo-06, I wish I knew more about those animals.  The perfect deer caliber is completely subjective.  I like that.  I have killed deer with my 270 win. and my last one with my 300 win mag.  I have killed moose with both of those rifles as well, but I find deer harder to kill. Or at least they take a lot longer to know they are dead.  You can make a great shot only to see them run fifty yards and jump a fence, to which property you dont have access to.  So after some negative experiences with that I have decided to give deer a bigger whack.  My deer last year was my first and last with the 300. decent 9 pointer at about 20 yards he lost two lungs and a heart but managed to trot 30 yards.  It hit a bit to hard for my liking and to loud to flat and far shooting for this area... its a moose gun.  I would like to try a 450 marlin 444 45/70 or even 375 h&h and make sure I shoot behind the shoulder.  I have yet to collect those guns and will try my new 35 whelen handi rifle out. my 300 is a sako too kizzo-06 and in my parts the 3006 is the most commonly used.

[deernhog]

We have used a 7mm Rem mag with a 4x Tasco since 1981 from 20ft to 125 yards never had a problem. We thought it might be too much gun but that is what we had and it filled the freezer. We hunt some thick SE Oklahoma brush and woods. My current favorite is the Mossberg ATR Super Bantam in .308 with a 3-9 x32 dialed to 3 power. 150 grain Win Silvertips. 

[yellowtail3]

I've found the 30-30 to be wholly sufficient, and effective as far out as I'm really competent.

[SHOOTALL]

I've found the 30-30 to be wholly sufficient, and effective as far out as I'm really competent.

bad thing about the 30-30 is the nice easy to tote guns they come in   

[dammyankee]

  My favorite gun is my dads Mod 99 Savage in 300 Savage. Between me my brother and dad it has taken over 300 Whitetails. None were ever lost and most fell where they were shot. My dad left it to me when he passed away and it is what I use when I walk the woods. 

[Swampman]

.30-06

[Oldshooter]

When I was a young man someone talked me into a 6 mm rem 700 with a varmint barrel . Man was that a heavy thing to tote. But it never missed and rarely did I have to track.  I still have that rifle 43 years later and still use it from time to time. These days if I am walking any distance it will be a 308 rem. in a light 700 or 798. Have used 44 mag pistols, 44 mag rifles, 35 rem., even used an " assault rifle" in 6.8 the other day. Go figger.


I prefer one that groups well and for distance I need good optics so's I can see. Other than that makes no difference. 

[jackruff]

Hard to beat the 6 mm Remington caliber.  Don't know why it never became real popular.  I still think Remington should have stuck with .244 magnum for its name.  It is after all, basically equivalent to a magnum version of the very popular .243 Winchester.

[ironglow]

  I proved my Ruger American out first couple minutes of the first day.  Good, big buck at 100 yards, quartering away.  One shot, one kill..he did wobble about 30 yards before he dropped though.
  As an old geezer the American in .308 is a delight to carry @ 6.12 pounds..add scope and ammo..
I don't mind the kick, although if I did ..I would load down to 30/30 level, since I consider the 30/30 to be entirely adequate for any eastern mountains/wooodland big game.
    http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRifle/models.html
       The 150 gr WW Powerpoint fragmented; otherwise I believe the buck would have bang-flopped right there.  Next fall I will be using 150 gr Nosler partitions.
      ..But first out next season will be my new CVA Scout .44 mag, with 240 gr Hornady XTPs.  The .44 mag in a rifle is another good eastern woodlands round (IMO)
 
  Check out the Ruger American videos here:  http://www.ruger.com/resources/videos.html