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What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 10:51 am
by COWBOYBUCK
I was just wondering, with gun deer season 2 days away here in Wisconsin, what is your favorite deer hunting caliber?
Also, do you hunt in a wooded or open area?

My favorite is 30-06., I hunt in a slightly wooded area looking out over rolling fields, because of the hills, my longest shot would be about 100 yards.


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Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:50 pm
by SHOOTER13
In the hills and valleys of Pennsylvania, where the longest shot presented on whitetail is usually no more than 50 yards tops...my Winchester Model 1894 chambered in .30WCF utilizing iron sights is all the gun I require to bring home meat for the pot.

Image

Having said that...I also own a 3x9 scoped Remington Model 7600 pump action chambered in 30-06 and a 3x9 scoped Remington 700 BDL bolt action chambered for 7mm Rem Mag should I need to reach out to drop my quarry.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 5:01 pm
by COWBOYBUCK
I like lever actions.


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Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 6:25 pm
by MikeD
My favorite is a 300 Savage fired from a Savage Model 99.

My current go to deer rifle is a P17 30-06 when I hunt where rifles are allowed.

The rest of the time is use a bow a 12g, TC Contender 45/44/357) or a .50 muzzleloader.

I like options. LOL

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Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 10:29 am
by DHonovich
I really love .308 however .30-06 and .30-30 are close behind for me.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 1:42 am
by loic
30-30 scoped or .35 remington with peep sight. 100 yards or less .ImageImage

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 3:52 pm
by remingtontoter
Well, years ago while hunting in Michigan, I used a Winchester Model 88 in .308. Got my very first deer with that rifle, iron sights, but it was only about a 60 yard shot. Here in northern Indiana, we are limited to pistol caliber rifles, rifle caliber handguns, and shotguns. I have not hunted deer here yet, but I am hearing that they might be opening up a short rifle season, chambered in rifle calibers. If that happens, I will use my Model 700 in .30-06. Shooting from up in a tree, pointing the rifle downwards, will not worry me as much about a bullet traveling too far on this flat terrain.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 1:58 am
by Rick 51/ R51
remingtontoter wrote:Well, years ago while hunting in Michigan, I used a Winchester Model 88 in .308. Got my very first deer with that rifle, iron sights, but it was only about a 60 yard shot. Here in northern Indiana, we are limited to pistol caliber rifles, rifle caliber handguns, and shotguns. I have not hunted deer here yet, but I am hearing that they might be opening up a short rifle season, chambered in rifle calibers. If that happens, I will use my Model 700 in .30-06. Shooting from up in a tree, pointing the rifle downwards, will not worry me as much about a bullet traveling too far on this flat terrain.


Wow rem, you didn't get to appreciate the accuracy of that Model 88 at 60 yds. With the lever operated rotating 3-lug bolt, it is about the most accurate of all lever action rifles. It is really "bolt action" on a lever operated platform. And .308 on top of that, who needs any more accurizing than that? Winchester did it for us. My Pre-64 Model 88 .308's first harvest was a single shot hunting trip on a 900 lb moose. I want to find another M88 .308 to rechamber to .260 REM for 600+ yard target work. rem, do you still own your Model 88?
Back to the "favorite deer hunting caliber", I've never seen the need for .30-06 or any other long action or Magnum loads for any North American hunting, except for larger bear and other more dangerous game. A well placed .308 in 150 gr is all a hunter needs. One shot is my rule and if that shot won't do it, I won't pull the trigger. But, everyone has their favorite caliber & gun preferences and I respect that. After all, that tool is an extension of your body & mind, and if it fits and is successful, it's going to be a good day in the field.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 5:59 pm
by Buck Wild
Wow, lots of old school lever action fans. No love for the .270 yet? I'll speak up on that one. I've always used the .270 as my go to rifle of choice for hunting whitetail deer, when I've hunted where rifles are legal. Year after year, shot after shot, if you hit them where you should, the .270 will make sure they come home with you. 50 yards? No problem. 250 yards? No problem. Sight it in one inch high at 100 yards and you can hit anything you want out to 300 yards. Put a 150 grain Nosler partition in it, and it's lethal on any American big game you choose to shoot at. For a long action, it has very little recoil, and you can find ammo for it almost anywhere. Go .270! My second favorite is the .308.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:21 pm
by SHOOTER13
The .270 is a fine deer getter...good choice !!

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:56 pm
by Rick 51/ R51
I haven't found that Model 88 yet to have re-chambered to .260 REM, so I might have to settle for a basic bolt-action Savage or Remington. But, everything I need is available in a "short-action" round. My .308 WIN gets me from 'point-blank' to and a little beyond 300 yds, but sometimes I'd like to reach out and touch the sweet-spot on something far beyond 300. That's why I want the .260 REM. I discovered the .260 REM at the end of 1996, before Remington introduced it. This 6.5X55 is a very accurate round in the 120 & 140 gr weights and the .260 REM has an interesting origin. I'm fond of the "flat-trajectory" ammunition with lighter bullets over the higher powered "knock-em-backwards" Magnums and several hundred grains. All I want to do is hit a couple of valves in the heart, not blow out a quadrant of the animal. It's all in the placement of the bullet. Know where it's going or don't pull the trigger. "One shot... One kill."

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:02 pm
by remingtontoter
Rick 51/ R51 wrote:I haven't found that Model 88 yet to have re-chambered to .260 REM, so I might have to settle for a basic bolt-action Savage or Remington. But, everything I need is available in a "short-action" round. My .308 WIN gets me from 'point-blank' to and a little beyond 300 yds, but sometimes I'd like to reach out and touch the sweet-spot on something far beyond 300. That's why I want the .260 REM. I discovered the .260 REM at the end of 1996, before Remington introduced it. This 6.5X55 is a very accurate round in the 120 & 140 gr weights and the .260 REM has an interesting origin. I'm fond of the "flat-trajectory" ammunition with lighter bullets over the higher powered "knock-em-backwards" Magnums and several hundred grains. All I want to do is hit a couple of valves in the heart, not blow out a quadrant of the animal. It's all in the placement of the bullet. Know where it's going or don't pull the trigger. "One shot... One kill."
You got that right. Don't pull the trigger, unless you are certain of a clean, ethical kill. I wish more hunters took that to heart. Myself? I would never take a shot at an animal beyond 200-250 yards. Not so much because of the hardware I have, but more because that is about the longest range I practice at, and I know what I can hit from that distance.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:32 pm
by Assault
30-06…… hands down


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Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:55 pm
by Rick 51/ R51
.30-06 Springfield vs. .308 Winchester...... Quite possibly the race with no finish line. They both win competitions in 600 - 800 yard patches. However, top marksmen around the country found a slight accuracy advantage in the .308, so much in fact, that the competition organizers had to decrease the size of the bulls-eyes to avoid so many ties between shooters of the .308. With factory loaded ammunition, it's a "hair-splitter" between the two. It's really a matter of preference to the shooter/owner/hunter but I prefer the "short-action" round for quickness for a possible follow-up shot out in the field. At almost a half inch shorter, I can pack out more rounds per pound and I have a larger variety of firearms to choose from. Still in yet, if I need to touch something accurately at 1000 yards or more, I'm sticking with my "necked-down .308", the formidable and extremely flat shooting .260 Remington. I respect everyone's choices for the reasons they chose them and we've all earned that right to choose. We love our favorite calibers, ammo, guns, cars, ice-cream, etc.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 6:01 pm
by remingtontoter
Rick 51/ R51 wrote:.30-06 Springfield vs. .308 Winchester...... Quite possibly the race with no finish line. They both win competitions in 600 - 800 yard patches. However, top marksmen around the country found a slight accuracy advantage in the .308, so much in fact, that the competition organizers had to decrease the size of the bulls-eyes to avoid so many ties between shooters of the .308. With factory loaded ammunition, it's a "hair-splitter" between the two. It's really a matter of preference to the shooter/owner/hunter but I prefer the "short-action" round for quickness for a possible follow-up shot out in the field. At almost a half inch shorter, I can pack out more rounds per pound and I have a larger variety of firearms to choose from. Still in yet, if I need to touch something accurately at 1000 yards or more, I'm sticking with my "necked-down .308", the formidable and extremely flat shooting .260 Remington. I respect everyone's choices for the reasons they chose them and we've all earned that right to choose. We love our favorite calibers, ammo, guns, cars, ice-cream, etc.
I am a huge fan of the .30-06, own one and shoot it often. The only bigger game I have ever taken, was taken with a Winchester Model 88, in .308 Winchester. Don't think that buck would have known the difference between the .308 or the 06'.

In my personal opinion, the only real advantage the .30-06 would have over the .308, would have to be with a heavier bullet, like around the 180 grain weight. The only reason I say this, is because the .30-06 has more case capacity to put more powder into, and combined with a longer barrel giving that powder time to burn, I think it would have the edge on the .308 Winchester.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 9:54 pm
by Rick 51/ R51
Now that you brought it up, THAT'S THE KEY to winning this race. Where 180 grains maxes out the .308, you're out of "Punch" with the limit of loading the powder. Where getting fat with modern blends of powder in the extra almost half inch of capacity in the .30-06 casing and bullet weights up to 220 grains, you hit the nail on the head between .308 & .30-06 there Remingtontoter. However, you'd best be a master of loading your own because I've seen people burn out their barrels with some uneducated powder practices. I've also seen someone actually break the barrel due to the severe over-pressure. He was just stupid & ignorant, but he learned a lesson the hard way. Fortunately, nobody was injured, but the rifle looked like it was the target. My Model 88 .308 Winchester has its 1st kill on a hunting trip to Canada on a 900 pound moose. There was only one shot fired on that trip according to the man who bought the M88 new in 1960 or 1961. That was the only reason he bought the rifle, just one hunt is all he wanted. Then my dad bought the rifle from him, and now, passed down to me. Since I've owned it, there's been numerous "one-shot" hunts with successful harvests with the longest shot being 425 yards and a few over 300. Knowing your cartridge and equipment is all it takes to be "on the mark". A little pride and humanity helps tremendously too.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 4:13 pm
by mauser9
Got both 270 and 30-06. Have used both for whitetails and dropped a decent Black Russian boar with the Model Four in 270 Win. Would like to have a gun in 243Win. but have heard the reduced recoil ammo Remington is producing can handle deer out to the distances I usually get shots. Been using the Rem. COre-Lokt stuff in 150 grain and the 130 stuff for the 270. Glad I held onto my 700 I bought back in 84 new. Cost was about $350 for an ADL back then.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 6:08 pm
by hammer 1
6.5mm has a interesting history, Bell , and others, thought it a giant killer. And with the track record who can argue it, doesnt get much bigger than elephant. Long, heavy, high BC bullets, that penetrate like no tomorrow. I had a 6.5x06 that I thought was gods gift for caribou. I was a caribou freak for a few seasons. I actually burned the barrel out on it, and so it sat till, "I would get around to doing something about it". Tastes change, and so do passions, its now a 280 ackley improved. But I would take another 6.5 without hesitation. Now im thinking, 6.506 ackley improved? No, I dont think it a giant killer, thats what my 375 is for

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:19 am
by SHOOTER13
.30 WCF

.30-06 SPRINGFIELD

7MM REMINGTON MAGNUM

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:18 pm
by joel0711
30-06 in a remy 7400,,long eye relief 4x scope,, 165gr bullet....have used 308, 30-30,, and 444 but kept coming back to the ought six......

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 5:19 pm
by Rick 51/ R51
Everyone has their favorite firearm(s) and calibers for their specific needs or desires and every one of those firearms and ammunition types are the best for the person who is talking about their equipment. Once you've become proficient with whatever tools you use, then, those are the best in the owner's eyes. As they say, "Variety is the Spice of Life." And what good would all these posts be without those varieties. Every one of you guys have your choice of tools to use for your specific reasons. Guns are tools needed to achieve a task, be it competitive, harvest method for food, pleasure hunts, self defense, tools for your daily job, etc. Everyone uses the tools they see fit for the job at hand, and each of your stories are just plain-old interesting to read, especially if it goes "BANG"...

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 11:39 am
by Litetrigger
.260 Rem for me. My Custom shop M-Seven is about perfect.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:32 pm
by mauser9
.270 Win. with 130 grainers. Bagged deer and a Black Russian

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:07 pm
by Robertt
I started deer stalking with a 30/06 but somehow accumulated a 308 and a 270 , as one does.
All did a spendid job but my favourite was the 270.
I loaded it to 2800 fps / 130g for Roe and Fallow and full belt 140g for Red and Sika Stag.
I kept a record of all the deer shot and after several hundred the average range was 110 yards , discounting a couple out to 375y and some very , very , close.
So I had a cull and ended up with a 243 mountain rifle , using 95g Nosler Partition and H4895.
Out to 300 it did everything the big boys would do without the big boom.
I wish I had of started off with the 243 as I must have wasted endless time reloading and testing the others.

Re: What's your favorite deer hunting caliber?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 6:53 pm
by mauser9
Robertt wrote:I started deer stalking with a 30/06 but somehow accumulated a 308 and a 270 , as one does.
All did a spendid job but my favourite was the 270.
I loaded it to 2800 fps / 130g for Roe and Fallow and full belt 140g for Red and Sika Stag.
I kept a record of all the deer shot and after several hundred the average range was 110 yards , discounting a couple out to 375y and some very , very , close.
So I had a cull and ended up with a 243 mountain rifle , using 95g Nosler Partition and H4895.
Out to 300 it did everything the big boys would do without the big boom.
I wish I had of started off with the 243 as I must have wasted endless time reloading and testing the others.

Often feel the same! Most deer I get ain't that big and the .243 would have been more than adequate. If starting over I would be happy with a Rem. Model 7 with a 20 inch tube in good ole .243 Win.