Favorite deer rifle caliber?

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  • Hoggin

    Well-Known Member
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    Nov 17, 2014
    165
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    Madisonville
    My hunting arsenal was designed for hog stalking on public land. So after trying a few options I wound up with my fav hog stalking rifle during small game season... a semi-auto Magnum Research .22 magnum. Absolutely lethal head shot weapon accurate as far as I could typically see with minimal bullet drop. Love that rifle. During Primitive season I used my el-cheapo CVA crack barrel .444 with Prostaff scope. A very lethal shot to virtually anywhere on the hog's body. Then normal Firearms season was my lever-action .444 so I could take more than one hog if the opportunity presented itself. Those are my fav three hunting rifles.

    But now that I'm getting into deer hunting, and hunted a lot this past season, I'd like a new rifle (imagine that!) specifically for taking white tail during normal Firearm season. I missed two shots this year with my .444 at 200 and 225 yards. I've never had range practice over 100 yards, so I've got to get that range time in this off-season. However, that .444 packs too much of a punch for deer hunting. For hog stalking, I want maximum controllable stopping power for relatively close shots (ave 40 yards maybe). That's overkill for deer. I borrowed my son's .270 for a hunt this year and really liked the way it shot. At 100 yards, the .270 brings about as much feet-pounds of energy (2350) as the .444 (2300), but has a reduced kick which has to help with accuracy. Additionally, the ballistics coefficient of the .270 is so much nicer. The .444 drops like a brick in a bucket of cement. Zeroed at 100 yards, the .444 will drop 16 inches at 250 yards compared to 6 inches for the .270. Also, the .444 has the heavy bull barrel whereas my son's .270 is much lighter and easier to swing around in a stand. So, obviously the .270 is a better load for white tail hunting at an average of 100-250 yard shots, but I've not tested other calibers.

    You guys have been doing this a lot longer than I have (presuming you've deer hunted for more than one season), so I wanted to see which calibers you prefer for white tail regular Firearms season at 100-250 yards.

    Then it's time to shop :) Will also get a nice scope in the $500-$750 range that allows maximum light in. The hogs don't move at dusk and dawn as much as deer, so definitely need to address that as well.
     

    mike84z28

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    Aug 13, 2012
    1,158
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    Kenner
    My choice has been .270 for a while now, but 3 years ago I went to .270wsm and love it. I have taken deer at over 300 yards and yotes at 375 yards. If placed correctly there is no tracking involved and little to no meat loss. I use Nosler Accubonds and shoot a browning xbolt with a Zies scope. The best combination I have ever owned. I do still hunt from time to time with my .270 and when I know my shots will be less than 150 yards sometimes my 30/30 but that .270wsm is awesome. For Primitive I shoot an H and R handi in .35 wheelen.
     

    highstandard40

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    Apr 14, 2009
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    Prairieville
    I have a custom built Remington 700 in 7-08 that has taken more deer than any other rifle I own. I am becoming fond of my Contender Carbine in 35 Remington. I built this gun to hunt Louisiana Primitive season. It sports a 20" MGM barrel and is scary accurate. It is a handy and quick handling rig. I hunted most of the past regular season with it. 212 yards was my farthest shot with the 35 Rem on a nice 6 point buck this past season. DRT
     
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    RustyHammer

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    Feb 9, 2008
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    NOLA
    30/30 .. mostly because of the platform. My grandfather's old Winchester .. awesome old gun. 70+ years old. I feel like he's with me every time out!

    Lock and load!

    /Rusty
     

    bowhtr1

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    Nov 1, 2016
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    US
    I killed at least a hundred deer with my 280 Remington model 700. I bought the first year the mountain rifle came out. That is my favorite cartridge. Retired it for a 7mm08 Remington model 700. Killed only about 3 deer with it. Got the 7mm08 to cut weight. Then I decided on a all weather lightweight rifle. Went with the Tika T3 ultralight with carbon fiber stock in stainless with ss fluted barrel. They didn't make it in 7mm08 so I went next best they offered. 308 win.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
     

    Labeeman

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    Oct 11, 2010
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    Baton Rouge
    .270. Plenty of punch and a flat shooter. Get a Winchester Model 70 and never look back. On the other hand you could go with about 10 other calibers that would work just fine.
     

    twinin

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    May 5, 2017
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    Houma
    .257 Weatherby Magnum - Flat shooting, devastating, but expensive
    .308 Win - cheaper, lots of bullet choices
     

    Bmash

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    Dec 23, 2013
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    Zachary, LA
    My favorite is a 260 Remington with a Brux barrel and suppressor. Light recoil and very effective. I, and my granddaughter, also use a 300bo in woods where shot will be less than 200 yards. I have also used 30-06, 7 mag, and various others. Anything from 243 Winchester up with a decent tragectory will be fine.
    Some considerations include how much recoil, length of the action (eg 7mag vs 308 class), diameter of cartridge (7mag only holds 2 or 3 in magazine while 260 holds 4), price and availability of off the shelf ammo, and other potential uses. (Eg - my 260 rem has bullets down to 85 grains for varmint use.)
     
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    BlueShamu

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    Oct 21, 2015
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    D'town
    Lots of factors can be plugged into your decision. I grew up shooting marsh deer with a .243. Couldn't even begin to count how many deer that gun put on the ground....errrr....floaton.

    As I started picking up other rifles over the years, I have come to love the 7 mm magnum. Also have a 25-06 that is not a bad round.

    It's hard to go wrong with many of the calipers mentioned, though.
     

    Wolfgang1952

    LOCAL Fla. Par, Cha. Pres
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    Jul 27, 2009
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    Mt Hermon / Franklinton La, USA
    I have used many different rifles from 30/30 Win, 45/70 Marlin, 444S Marlin, Ruger Mini 14, but my favorite is my home built 7.62x51/308 Win DPMS / Ar10a2 Carbine. I’ve taken more deer with my Mini 14, but my Ar10 is catching up quick.

    Wolf
     

    Bigchillin83

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    Feb 27, 2012
    6,188
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    Livingston
    Handloads
    Suppressed subsonic 45/70 405gr
    Suppressed subsonic 44mag 300gr
    Suppressed supersonic .308 165gr sst

    As much as I love my ar10,sbr7.62x39, I haven't connected with one yet on those
     

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    tbone

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    I used a .270 for years and recently, when my wife started hunting, I gave that rifle to her and bought a .308. I have no complaints about either one and would choose either one if I had to make that choice. Anything with similar ballistics would work fine and I suppose that in an emergency those cartridges could be found just about anywhere.
     

    Win1917

    Win1917
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    Apr 13, 2009
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    Lafayette
    I have a habit of taking something different every time out so everything is a favorite depending on the day. I like handguns on public land cause they're so much easier to carry for long hikes. A Contender 10" 357 Herrett is a favorite but the 7-30 Waters is a close second. On private land I tended to carry rifles more, 260, 25-06, 35 Whelen, whatever, put a good bullet where it needs to be and they all work well. Although my last hunting rifle purchase was a Ruger #1 in 7x57 with plans for it to be my "deer rifle" for awhile unless the weathers bad, then it's a tupperware day :D
     

    topgunz1

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    Sep 13, 2006
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    Prairieville
    CVA 35 Whelen for Primitive season, it hits like a freight train, on both ends! For regular season it's a toss between my 300 Blackout SBR and my Marlin 45-70 with a scout scope setup. Where I hunted we had max shots of 150 yards, if I had opportunity to shoot 200+ I'd bring a cartridge better suited for it.
     

    MikeR

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    Oct 13, 2011
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    Carencro
    For a "brush gun" and out to about 250yrds, I use an AR15 that I built in 6.8SPC (essentially a .270 light). It has a 16in AR Performance barrel, simple Magpul CTR adjustable stock, simple free float tube handguard, no backup iron sites, and a 3-9x50 scope. It's light, easy to get up on target quickly, packs enough punch out to 300-350yrds (though others have taken deer further with that caliber), and I typically have a 10rnd mag in it. Where I hunt most of the time (family property in TN), you can take 3 does per day and they come out in huge numbers...this set up makes it easy to take 2-3 does at one time (have also taken multiple hogs in a matter of less than 10 secs).

    When I hunt at longer ranges or areas with longer sight lines, I built an AR10 in .308W with an 18in barrel, adjustable stock, 4-16x44 scope, and 10rnd mag. Again, in TN, some of our spots have very wide open spaces and this is my out to 500yrd rifle. While follow up shots with this one are quick, it's not quite as fast as the 6.8SPC (much lighter recoil impulse), but the energy it delivers is a huge plus at longer distances.

    While I still love my bolt action rifles, and there are places where I'd prefer to use them (an Elk hunting trip where there are very wide open spaces), the above two rifles are my go to rifles for deer and hog hunting.
     

    Hoggin

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    Nov 17, 2014
    165
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    Madisonville
    The .270WSM has my attention. I know gun/bullet weight/grain matter a lot, but the .270WSM seems to be a very flat shooter with a relatively low felt recoil. On paper, it seems to bring the velocity, power and relatively reduced recoil. Destructive, accurate and easier on a damaged shoulder.

    Two websites that I like to use when researching:
    Ballistics: http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.rifle-cartridges-ballistics.html
    Recoil: http://www.twoamendments.com/post/rifle-recoil-table-sortable

    If I were to buy primitive again I would take 35 Whelen over my .444 Marlin. Similar power but a much flatter shooter.

    I converted one of my .223ARs into suppressed .300 BLK for hog chasin, but I don't like it. Most people love the .300 BLK, but in a suppressed AR format it's just not quiet. The round is great but I it's not quiet in that format. When I want to take a hog quietly I love my suppressed .300 BLK CVA crack barrel pistol. That's a fun little $375 single shot quiet pistol, but only useful to me if I've got a hog trapped.
     

    whbonney26

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    Nov 2, 2008
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    30/30 .. mostly because of the platform. My grandfather's old Winchester .. awesome old gun. 70+ years old. I feel like he's with me every time out!

    Lock and load!

    /Rusty


    I'm like you on this one.

    There are so many great deer calibers but the trusty old 30-30 is my go too gun. I got away from it for a while and carried fancy guns with great scopes and all these do-dads to "help" me but I felt I was getting away from the real reason I liked to hunt so I put all that stuff back in the safe and started carrying my old 30-30 and made hunting fun again.

    I have pretty much retired my old family heirloom 30-30s but every year I still use a Winchester Ranger 94AE 30-30 that I bought in the 1990s I think. Its a great gun and gets the job done.

    Have some deer jerky in the dehydrator as I write this.
     
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