Author Topic: Perfect deer caliber (Read 9598 times)

BRL · « **on:** April 15, 2012, 02:54:46 PM »

Did I get you with that subject? It's probably one of the most popular posts in many forums. My last post post in a similar forum went something like this...

The forum topic was comparing the 7mm-08 and the .30-06 as the best whitetail round. Well, that just doesn't sit well with me. I happen to love both rounds. BUT, not because of something to do with the round itself (velocity, BC energy at X distance, etc.), but more to do with the rifle I have in those calibers. I tend to choose my "rifle of the day" as to which action/fit/feel I am going for VS the caliber for the job...all else being relitively equal. I wouldn't take a .243 moose hunting because I like the rifle...you know what I mean.

But, taking a rifle along in the woods isn't about a 7mm-08 VS a .308, VS a .30-06! It really does NOT matter. Hence, insert any round firing a 130 grain bullet to a 165 grain bullet anywhere from 2,300 fps to 2,900 fps. The outcomes will almost be the same...EVERYTHING else being equal, shot placement, yardage, etc. A whitetail simply cannot withstand a GOOD shot from any cartridge that can achieve those parameters.

So, my preference tends to lean toward what rifle I like for the situation I am about to endeavor, not what is the ultimate whitetail round of all time. I love my Browning BLR. It is light and handles well and seems to have a stock design that makes FELT recoil seem less than some other stocks. Mine happens to be chambered in 7mm-08. Does that make the 7mm-08 is the best whitetail round ever? No, it makes the BLR the best rifle for my needs at a particular time. It wouldn't matter if the BLR were chambered in .243 or .348, I would grab it for most of my woods hunting. I love that rifle.

The bolt action rifle that gets the call if I'm into accuracy or a bolt gun...my Winchester M70 Featherweight, hands down. Is it because it's chambered in .308? NO! It's because the M70 fits me really well and is very comfortable to carry and shoot. Again, it wouldn't matter if it were chambered in 22-250 or .358 Winchester. I would grab it for a day in the field if I were on foot all day.

Guys...we've been looking at it all wrong, I think. I prefer the right rifle for the job...not the caliber. (within reason...come on, I'm not talking about a .223 for 350 yard shots on mule deer if the rifle is right).

Just something I have been pondering.

Thanks!!

PowPow · « **Reply #1 on:** April 15, 2012, 03:24:54 PM »

I agreed with your logic. My Ruger #1-RSI looks good laying across the rail of my climber and feels good in my hands all deer season, and does what its supposed to do during the 3 or 4 moments of the season that I need it to do what its supposed to do. Its a 30-06, could easily have been a 270 or 7x57.

scootrd · « **Reply #2 on:** April 15, 2012, 03:40:47 PM »

I don't disagree , it's the total package,

As I stated i the other post -
A 7mm-08 or like in a small compact rig Like my Mod Seven, using moderate loads, provides much more significant advantages in NE than the ole '06. In Terrain I hunt this package is awesome , and the 7mm-08 was born to be
chambered for the Remmy seven. Kinda like peanut butter and Jelly. Just feels good, and makes a great whitetail
slayer .

update : and just to add , I consider a comfortable sling as a necessary part of the total PKG.
I highly recommend the Butler Creek Alaskan awesome comfort, non slip, right amount of stretch.
Only downside (if you consider it a downside ) does not come with swivels . Need to purchase separately.

jackruff · « **Reply #3 on:** April 15, 2012, 03:59:42 PM »

I agree. That's why I almost always carry either my Marlin 336 .30-30 or my Marlin 1894ss .44 magnum. Except if I were going to be hunting a really large field then I'd carry my Ruger Model 77 6mm Remington. Any of the three would have been effective for every deer I've ever shot.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #4 on:** April 16, 2012, 09:58:05 AM »

If I am confident with the equipment and my ability to aim small and miss small, then what I carry into the woods on a given day becomes my immediate favorite. That I have shot more animals with one particular rifle means I have had it considerably longer, and so long as I am not incapacitated there remain a tremendous number (I hope) of days in which to increase the "favorite" capacity of quite a few later additions to the arsenal.

flintlock · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2012, 12:35:36 PM »

All I own in a center fire is a .243, so that's what goes...
Years ago one of my brothers offered to let me use one of his .270s...I declined, because it had a 20 year old Bushnell and my .243 had a Leupold...

A good scope trumps caliber.....

Don Fischer · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2012, 05:16:54 AM »

I could not agree with you more. For many years my favorite hunting rifle waqs a mod 660 Rem in 308. I had on it an old Denver Redfield 2 3/4x scope I bought new about 1971. Was never at a disadvantage with it. Worked really well even here in Central Ore. But my son ended up with it when I got my mod 700ADL in 25-06. Not long after my son swiped my 660, he decided the 2 3/4x just wasn't enough so he gave it back and got a bigger scope for it.
I've mixed feelings on my favorite now. I have a 6.5x55 on a Win 70 FW with a @-7x Redfield and a I recently got a Rem 788 in 308 and put another very old Redfield on it, 1-4x. For hunting rifles I've always prefered shorter barrels, abour 2o" to 22" is ideal for me. This 788 has an 18" barrel. Shoots great and handles well but I might at some point have a 20" or 22" barrel put on it.

Even though I have several 3-9x scopes, I think they are more than need for a hunting rifle. My 2-7x is really nice and my 2 3/4x and 1-4x are even better. My 25-06 has a 3-9x on it but I could live really well with a decent 4x fixed!
Your right, way to much is made of cartridge and not near enough of the rifle!

KAYR1 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2012, 03:29:42 PM »

I have a lot of rifles in deer calibers, some real fancy, some beaters. I choose what I hunt with along the same lines as you. Early season, .450 Marlin, bolt gun as the woods open up. I ususally gravitate to my beater Savage in .300 WSM due to accuracy.

Calibers, not as important as fit, like you, but range from .243, 7-08, 308, .270, up to the big mags that are really too much, but I like to hunt with them.

I agree that its more about fit, handling, accuracy and the job at hand if the rifle is chamered in a cartrdige that is up to the task.

mechanic · « **Reply #8 on:** April 22, 2012, 03:50:03 PM »

You know you can't kill a deer with less than a 458 wm don't you? A 500 ne would be better.

Ben

charles p · « **Reply #9 on:** April 23, 2012, 01:28:41 PM »

My favorite caliber changes every time I buy a rifle in a new caliber. Only exception was the 300WSM. Took my largest whitetail with it on a MT elk hunt, but it is too much gun back east where I live. My 7mm mag is too heavy and recoil is heavy. Anything based on the 30-06 case or the 308 case works great.

abolt-fan · « **Reply #10 on:** April 27, 2012, 05:32:52 PM »

I read recently where a poster was questioning .308 or 30-06 for deer hunting. My reply to that question was basically the same as what BRL has started with this thread.

As long as the caliber is adequate to the task the rifle becomes more the question for me. Circumstances or just because I want to determines which rifle gets the call up.

schoolmaster · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2012, 06:02:00 PM »

35 caliber. Can get a .35 caliber of some description in several different platforms.

RevJim · « **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2012, 07:55:00 AM »

I prefer slim, light and livey rifles, especially in a bolt gun. I could hunt the rest of my life with a Marlin 336, or a BLR . Its funny but these are the only carbine length rifles I like to carry! I admit I really like the Remington 700 Mountain rifle style with a slightly heavier than factory barrel; Hey wait a minute...I'm having a 30.06 made up right now with a 24" #2 shilen Barrel, older Mod 700 Mtn Rifle, and its stock being refinished, new pad. My Model 700 .35 Whelen AI also does it for me. I had a Kimber 84M in 7mm/08 for awhile, and it was very light, almost too light for the prairies ( wind blows me around too much with a light rifle, I do better with a standard weight or heavier rifle) but I found I kept wanting to take my Mod 700s.

ppine · « **Reply #13 on:** May 05, 2012, 02:55:10 PM »

Whatever you own that you can shoot well. I have always liked .270, and .30-06 but have used many others.

rockbilly · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2012, 07:57:58 AM »

I have a fair collection of “quality” deer rifles ranging from .222 up to 338. I have owned most of the guns for years, all have been used at some point.

But each year I find myself going to the safe and dragging out a sportrized 6.5x55 Swed for deer season. As far as use is concerned, it gets ten times the use than the others in the safe. I have hunted all over the US with this gun, even used it to take Mule Deer and a couple of Elk. I built my first 6.5 shortly after returning from Viet Nam in 1964, my son took that gun when he came of age, I had to build myself another one. It looks like I am about to lose that one to a grandson, but I have two in various stages of rebuild to either replace it or provide one to my grandson.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2012, 08:16:35 AM »

The perfect one is the one you have and can shoot . The power of the round depends on how you hunt and where . I love my mod 94 in 7X30 waters . I also take issue with the 130 gr. being the lowest

as I have taken many deer with the Federal factory load of 120 gr bullet. Nothing goes far not more than a few steps and most of the deer are shot while they are running. Largest a 12 pointe r about 180-190 lbs . It is not a bean field rifle so 25-06 30-06 and 300 WM do well there. Before the 7X30 it was 30-30 , 308, 307 44 mag 708 and others in the woods even a 30 carbine that has taken a fair amount of deer. Several things are for sure SHOT PLACEMENT is important, powerful fast expanding bullet can destory alot of meat, Big slow bullets can destory alot of meat. The 30-06 and the 30-30 will cover most any deer hunting need. So will most rounds from 22-250 to 300 WM why go larger ? Unless you have a gun you enjoy hunting with ? Why go smaller ?
Lets really open a can of worms - a 3-9 is all the scope a deer gun needs if it needs any at all

scootrd · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2012, 08:59:25 AM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on May 07, 2012, 08:16:35 AM

Lets really open a can of worms - a 3-9 is all the scope a deer gun needs if it needs any at all

All my grand father ever used in NE was open sights, all my my dad ever used in NE was a Fixed 4x,

I happen to swap between two scopes in NE , a 2-7x32 (usually set somewhere between 2.5 - 3) and a compact 4.5-14x32 (usually set at 4.5) for NE terrain I hunt. Eye relief and FOV are of greatest importance to me over large objective Bells, I prefer smaller Objectives and compact lightweight low mount scopes.

The fun part choosing a new scopes is always looking for the perfect scope for desired application.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #17 on:** May 09, 2012, 04:30:18 AM »

IME with the .243, 7mm-08, and 30-06 I have to use a more fragile bullet with the 7mm-08 and 30-06 to get the same results I have with the .243 using a 100gr Corelokt. I have not found any "magic" in the 7mm-08 as some claim. It's a fine cartridge but with 140gr cup and core bullets it doesn't work any better or worse than my 30-06 with 165gr cup and core bullets.
As always, YMMV. Dave

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #18 on:** May 09, 2012, 04:34:11 AM »

its not always about the round but the package . A gun that kicks less , lite to tote , comes up well , and other qualities that the owner likes all make the perfect deer rifle .

jackruff · « **Reply #19 on:** May 09, 2012, 05:13:12 PM »

I don't think there is any "perfect" deer rifle caliber. But there can be a favorite! I agree with whoever said the one you most enjoy hunting with is the one you should use. Just stay within whatever limitations it has - and each one has its own limitations.

Savage_99 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 09, 2012, 05:19:26 PM »

For me no single cartridge or rifle for that matter are 'perfect' for deer under all conditions.

For woods hunting deer where the ranges were always less than 100 yds and I might take a shot at a running buck I used a 99F in .358 Win for 50 years now. Perhaps some other rifle would be just as good or better.

For longer ranges on a farm a 30-06 or other cartridge has the range I want. There a heavier rifle is ok to as I am close to the car.

Now that there are SS rifles with syn. stocks I have some when its wet..

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #21 on:** May 09, 2012, 06:00:08 PM »

White tail hunting comes in a few flavors for me.
In the swamp woods where 30 to 50 yards is a long shot.
There is the edge of the field at dusk where the range can be 75 to 200 yards.
Actually I can go over 1000 yards on the farm but I have not practiced that far to make a shot with my 308.
So with that said
I like a scoped rifle for the longer range and a large optic to gather light.
I like the open sights for the short range shots.

popplecop · « **Reply #22 on:** July 23, 2012, 03:42:59 AM »

Have a lot of deer rifles, too darn many actually. This year I'll use a Savage 219 in 30-30, with a Williams Guide peep and a fiber optic front sight for my woods rifle. For when hunting more open terrain I'll use a TC 83 in 30-06 with a Leupold Vari X III. Both rifles fit me well and are not heavy and are proven deer rifles. I had just drifted away from them and decided it was time to hunt with them again.

cjclemens · « **Reply #23 on:** July 23, 2012, 04:22:38 PM »

I would love to be able to use a .243 or a .30-30 during firearm season, but I live in Illinois. All we're allowed to use are slug guns or black powder. Perhaps, one day, we may join the rest of the civilized world. I'd even be happy if we were allowed rifles that are chambered in pistol cartridges, but we apparently can't be trusted with those, either

808050a · « **Reply #24 on:** August 27, 2012, 06:58:08 PM »

These are all good calibers for deer , but the 30/06 is a caliber that you can use for a wide range of animals in North America.I have shot a lot of deer with my 270 and I have had really big deer run off. So I bought a 325 WSM and would recommend it to anyone wanting to try something a little out of the box. It has good knock down power and it shoots flat. The only thing about the caliber is the price for bullets. I have a Browning Medallion and it kicks soft, but the muzzle jump is a little extreme.

keith44 · « **Reply #25 on:** August 27, 2012, 09:35:59 PM »

I have taken deer with calibers as small as a 22 K-Hornet to as large as 45-70. I liked the 25'06 and 270 both when hunting open ground where ranges went as far as 600 yards. My most memorable kills were with the .44 magnum in a Super Red Hawk. Ranges from 80 yards to 10 feet, with the largest Buck I ever harvested being taken at 10 feet. Best deer cartridge?? The one you are shooting when you take the trophy of your lifetime

ironglow · « **Reply #26 on:** August 27, 2012, 10:44:02 PM »

Being at the point where my collection is thinning due to passing on "proven" (guns which have collected game) to my grandchildren as "remembrances' of Grandpa....after generously passing my model 336 in 30/30 last season..i started concocting a load for my H&R .243.. 2types of 100 gr bullets.. Nosler partition & Hornady interlock at about 2850 fps...
Then I made a common mistake..I visited my local gun shop...and came home with a new Ruger American in .308 Win.
Now, where we hunt, in a generally wooded, hilly area and not overly large farm fields..shots rarely reach 100 yards. I had always considered the 30/30 to be an excellent round...but as I review, the rifle which collected the most deer between myself and #3 grandson is an old H&R "Shikari" .44 mag. The "personality" of the rifle has much to do with the joy in using it...
So. why did I go with the .308? Well, my military years included the M-1 and the M-14; may sound like heresy to some, but I much preferred the M-14. Deer and Black bear season are at the same time and on the same license here. Then too, if with what years I have left I should want to go for something bigger..I will be ready.
I have a Weaver K-4 on the way for it. I chose K-4..... 1) because my old eyes need a scope 2) in a straight power with probably 80 years making them, the old Weaver K-4 should be quite dependable. 3) the 4X will provide a good, wide field-of-view 4) I don't need a high power variable since I will be shooting big game at reasonable distances and I already have varmint/predator rifles..22 mag, .17 HMR (2), .22 Hornet, .223 in H&R and Savage, plus the afore mentioned .243.
The Ruger American is light (6.12 lbs) so if the recoil is uncomfortable, I can load down to 30/30 level and still have a very adequate deer/bear rifle!
Both my .44 H&R and my marlin 336 carried a 2 X 20 scope as pictured below...and they proved entirely adequate.

surehuntsalot · « **Reply #27 on:** September 09, 2012, 12:30:45 PM »

my Ruger Model 77 in 7mm Mauser

hillbill · « **Reply #28 on:** September 09, 2012, 12:58:06 PM »

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!

T.R. · « **Reply #29 on:** September 11, 2012, 02:20:43 AM »

I hunt the forests and foothills where my shots rarely exceed 125 yards. For me at least, 30-30 is a favorite.

TR