Two best calibers ever produced, no matter what y'all think.
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Caliber Choice
- Thread starter Mrs_Esterhouse
- Start date
I’ve killed mature whitetail bucks with rifles chambered in .223 up to 300 Win Mag. They were all just as dead as the others. A well placed shot with the right bullet will do the job, regardless of caliber. Some folks like the added knockdown, especially in the Southern Zone counties where the mature bucks have potential to weigh well in excess of 200#. Maybe it’s for added range. Some folks opt for a single caliber that enables them to hunt any game on the continent. I say take whatever rifle you choose to the stand if it makes you feel confident that it’ll get the job done.
I suppose if I were hunting across a soybean field... or looking 500 yards down a power line easement, I'd probably want a round that hits as hard at 500 yards as a plain-Jane .308 hits at 50 yards.
But since most deer are killed at 100 yards, and my longest shot on a deer was 230 yards (and I've never seen one farther while hunting, unless you count across-the-valley several hundred yards), and most deer hunters can't hold a 5 moa group in the field anyway... yeah, it's quite unnecessary to have a big magnum gun.
My hunting rifles are .308 and 243, although there's nothing wrong with the .30-06 and the necked-down variants of that either. I think the .270 Win is a marvelous cartridge for anything you'd want to hunt in the Southeast, even those long shots.
But since most deer are killed at 100 yards, and my longest shot on a deer was 230 yards (and I've never seen one farther while hunting, unless you count across-the-valley several hundred yards), and most deer hunters can't hold a 5 moa group in the field anyway... yeah, it's quite unnecessary to have a big magnum gun.
My hunting rifles are .308 and 243, although there's nothing wrong with the .30-06 and the necked-down variants of that either. I think the .270 Win is a marvelous cartridge for anything you'd want to hunt in the Southeast, even those long shots.
I'd be perfectly happy with some of these 100+ year old cartridges, developed as the first generation of bottlenecked rifle rounds to use smokeless powder:
6.5 x 55 Swede. (dates to 1894) Shoots 140 gr. bullets at 2,700 f.p.s.
7 x 57 Mauser. (dates to 1892) Shoots 140 gr. bullets at 2,950 f.p.s.
.30-40 Krag (dates to 1895) Shoots 130 gr. bullets at 2,750 f.p.s.
.300 Savage (dates to 1920) Shoots 150 gr. bullets at 2,700 f.p.s.
.280 Ross (dates to 1907) Shoots 140 gr. bullets at 2,900 f.p.s.
6.5 x 55 Swede. (dates to 1894) Shoots 140 gr. bullets at 2,700 f.p.s.
7 x 57 Mauser. (dates to 1892) Shoots 140 gr. bullets at 2,950 f.p.s.
.30-40 Krag (dates to 1895) Shoots 130 gr. bullets at 2,750 f.p.s.
.300 Savage (dates to 1920) Shoots 150 gr. bullets at 2,700 f.p.s.
.280 Ross (dates to 1907) Shoots 140 gr. bullets at 2,900 f.p.s.
I do 95% of my hunting with a 22-250. It has been my go to deer gun for 15-20 years now. I comfortably shoot deer every year with it up to 200 yards and occasionally farther than that when opportunity presents itself and the shot is right. I shoot them exclusively in the neck or head and don't have to track them nor do I destroy a bunch of meat. Sure, that does mean that I don't get to take as many shots at deer because I'm more particular about shot placement than I would be if shooting a big caliber gun but I'm OK with that and it's part of the deer hunting challenge for me. I've been doing this for years and deer meat is the only red meat my family eats, so I typically put about 4-5 deer a year in the freezer with my little pea shooter. With the lower recoil it is enjoyable to shoot and practice with, and (although I do reload for it) it is more economical to shoot. Now, that being said...I also have a 7mm Mag. It has been in my gun safe basically since I started shooting the 250 up till last year. As some of you may recall, I took it to Collier the end of last year and had him put a brake on it for me. I did take it out hunting last season and did shoot a deer with it (still in the neck, because I'm not gonna waste the meat) but my little 250 does everything I need it to do on S Ga deer.
Down here I hunt with a 7mm08 but have recently picked up a .300 WM as I intend on going out west on a hunt in the future. Just need to pick up a good scope for it
6.5 creedmoore
No, it's not. It's important, but it must be combined with the proper cartridge and bullet design to do the job right.
Cartridge and bullet selection can also determine what good shot placement is.
My personal choice is a 444 Marlin as most of my stands are set up to see 100 yards or less. I use it for several reasons.
Its a gun I am most comfortable with even though I own many other options.
Works great on hogs or bear that my cross in front of me.
Pokes a big hole on the front side and a HUGE hole on the back side on a deer. With the rounds I use due to the velocity full expansion occurs inside the deer. Huge holes means that IF I have to track its not far or hard to do.
Its a gun I am most comfortable with even though I own many other options.
Works great on hogs or bear that my cross in front of me.
Pokes a big hole on the front side and a HUGE hole on the back side on a deer. With the rounds I use due to the velocity full expansion occurs inside the deer. Huge holes means that IF I have to track its not far or hard to do.
