Game/Deer Rifles and Cartridges

[Wardove]

I usually use an 18 inch barreled 308 Rem 600 with downloaded 125 grain Sierra pro hunter bullets(2600fps). Put thru the lungs, have never had deer go more than a couple steps. Longest shot out to 250, most are inside 60 yards. With 6.8 have put more than one killing shot into them to see them go 70-100 yards. Sometimes I will grab a 7mm-08 or 30-06 or even a lever gun in 30-30 or 32 special. They all work fine with proper bullet placement…with exception of 6.8 SP.

 

[steves1911]

Last week I witnessed 2 deer taken with a 22-250 with 62gr speer gold dot @ 3520fps and the results were impressive. Both were good size does golfball size exit on both neither made it more than 40yds with boiler room hits. Longest was at 165yds the other was maybe 80yds. With proper shot placement and enough patience to wait for the righ shot even the little 22-250 is a viable 300yd bambi slayer.

 

[group shooter]

I put together an encore in 350 legend Brown accuracy barrel , very accurate with no recoil

 

[hobiecat590]

So what do you guys think is the bee's knees when it comes to deer rifles and cartridges?[/QUOTE]

You are covered like a rug regarding deer rifles.

25-06 is my favorite. Laser beam accuracy, range, and not much meat damage. 6.5 Swede (or any 6.5) will perform similarly. Chuck Hawks has very good reviews on both these cartridges. These are best used in open fields since it does not take much to deflect/explode the bullets at these high velocities. For brush, the 35 followed by the 8mm.

In region B, 45/70 or 44 mag are my straight walled bush guns preferences. Thick woods and under 100 yard shots. YMMV

 

[Doco Overboard]

I don't worry about meat damage too much while deer hunting.
Never did once, even for Sika or for shooting small does.

 

[midnightSGT]

So heres my quick list.

In Pennsylvania on opening day I hunt with My dads (Passed down) tried and true Remington 760 pump, in .308 Remington with a 2X7 Redfield Scope.

Then I'll use my Rem 700 in .280 Remington that I hand load with 154 gr. Hornandy soft points, with 54.1 grains of H4831. Topped by a Nikon Buckmaster 4X14X40 Scope.

Here in Maryland I just purchased a Henry Single Shot in 350 legend with a 22 inch Barrell, Topped with a Leopold VX3 2.5X8X36 Scope.

 

[trickg]

You are covered like a rug regarding deer rifles.

25-06 is my favorite. Laser beam accuracy, range, and not much meat damage. 6.5 Swede (or any 6.5) will perform similarly. Chuck Hawks has very good reviews on both these cartridges. These are best used in open fields since it does not take much to deflect/explode the bullets at these high velocities. For brush, the 35 followed by the 8mm.

In region B, 45/70 or 44 mag are my straight walled bush guns preferences. Thick woods and under 100 yard shots. YMMV

I hadn't even really considered the 8mm - it has been sitting silently in my safe for a good long bit and didn't really consider it for some reason or other, possibly because I though it was "too slow" or something. Compared to the 25-06 it's slow, but at 2,650 fps, it's plenty fast enough at practical distances, and with a .323 bullet, it's going to hit pretty hard.

I wish my Dad was still around to ask why he landed on 25-06 as the rifle he wanted to build, but I'm glad I have it. He was building the that gun before 25-06 became commercially available. It may have been because he had plenty of 30-06 brass he could neck down, and it was different than 30-06 - a caliber he had several of. It'll get the job done though. I don't know what would be a better bullet of the two loadings I have - the 100 gr Hornady, or the 117 gr Sierra Boat tail.

He once said that the fine accuracy had been shot out of the barrel - it was primarily used as a prairie dog gun. As accurate as it is - quarter sized groups at 100 yards if the shooter does their part - it's scary to think that it was even tighter than that at one point.

There have been some really neat responses in this thread. I enjoyed RedneckGeek's post about the Remington 760 in 30-06 that has been the go-to gun for so much game all over the globe.

 

[fabsroman]

I've been studying and reading - it seems like one of the things that everyone agrees on is that no one agrees on ANYTHING! LOL!

There are some people who say that the 35 Whelen is too much bullet. Others say that the bigger, heavier bullet leaves less bloodshot meat. Some people want magnum performance, but I've read that the 300 Win Mag can be a bit much at shorter distances as well.

It sounds like your shot with the 30-06 was a good shot with great bullet performance - it wasn't a through shot, but it almost was, and did exactly what it was supposed to...according to what I've read. I'm almost embarrassed that I have no firsthand experience of my own.

This is correct. Nobody is going to agree on one single cartridge for deer hunting.

I've used .220 Swift, .270 Win, .30-06 and .300 Win Mag. Most of my rifle kills have been with the .300 Win Mag and some were out to 250 yards, maybe a little further. Bought a .25-06 a couple of years ago that I need to put glass on, but can see me using that for deer too. Will probably get my kids started on deer with the .220 Swift.

This thread will be all over the place with recommendations.

 

[outrider58]

I've been studying and reading - it seems like one of the things that everyone agrees on is that no one agrees on ANYTHING! LOL!

When you consider a pointy stick propelled through the air via a stick and string can kill a deer, one has to deduce that any bullet, no matter size, weight, or speed, can kill a deer if the operator thereof knows how to cause a fatal wounding of said deer.

 

[gwchem]

When you consider a pointy stick propelled through the air via a stick and string can kill a deer, one has to deduce that any bullet, no matter size, weight, or speed, can kill a deer if the operator thereof knows how to cause a fatal wounding of said deer.

The pointy stick only works well with a big tip that leaves a big hole. And it's not foolproof, or people wouldn't have ever lost a deer. The same is true of a bullet. The larger it expands, and the bigger a wound, the higher likelihood of success.

The idea is fatal wounding. But also as quick a fatality as possible.

 

[camo556]

The pointy stick only works well with a big tip that leaves a big hole. And it's not foolproof, or people wouldn't have ever lost a deer. The same is true of a bullet. The larger it expands, and the bigger a wound, the higher likelihood of success.

The idea is fatal wounding. But also as quick a fatality as possible.

why?

if a 308 fmj* can kill a deer, which it can, so can an arrow with a target point (arrows typically have an OD of >.30).

Just because maryland says you need a big tip, doesn't make it so.

* or even a 300 blk subsonic

 

[outrider58]

The pointy stick only works well with a big tip that leaves a big hole. And it's not foolproof, or people wouldn't have ever lost a deer. The same is true of a bullet. The larger it expands, and the bigger a wound, the higher likelihood of success.

The idea is fatal wounding. But also as quick a fatality as possible.

You take me too literally.

Discussing which bullet or cartridge is best to do XXXX is an exercise in futility. It's like asking which is the best shoe to wear. What is the best? I would argue there are too many to compare. It's always a matter of subjectivity.

My 'pointy stick' was meant as a starting point...

 

[outrider58]

why?

if a 308 fmj* can kill a deer, which it can, so can an arrow with a target point (arrows typically have an OD of >.30).

Just because maryland says you need a big tip, doesn't make it so.

* or even a 300 blk subsonic

(he gets it)

 

[teratos]

This is correct. Nobody is going to agree on one single cartridge for deer hunting.

I've used .220 Swift, .270 Win, .30-06 and .300 Win Mag. Most of my rifle kills have been with the .300 Win Mag and some were out to 250 yards, maybe a little further. Bought a .25-06 a couple of years ago that I need to put glass on, but can see me using that for deer too. Will probably get my kids started on deer with the .220 Swift.

This thread will be all over the place with recommendations.

The mistake people make is trying to find one correct answer in a pile of correct answers.

 

[camo556]

It's like asking which is the best shoe to wear. What is the best? I would argue there are too many to compare. It's always a matter of subjectivity.

whoa. let's not go overboard. Flip flops are objectively the best shoes.

 

[engineerbrian]

Last week I witnessed 2 deer taken with a 22-250 with 62gr speer gold dot @ 3520fps and the results were impressive. Both were good size does golfball size exit on both neither made it more than 40yds with boiler room hits. Longest was at 165yds the other was maybe 80yds. With proper shot placement and enough patience to wait for the righ shot even the little 22-250 is a viable 300yd bambi slayer.

A friend of mine uses a 22-250 with 62 grain bullets, and yeah, its an amazing deer rifle. The only problem he has right now is finding ammo for it.

 

[steves1911]

A friend of mine uses a 22-250 with 62 grain bullets, and yeah, its an amazing deer rifle. The only problem he has right now is finding ammo for it.

Blue collar relading has the gold dots if he rolls his own.

 

[Pale Ryder]

Here in Maryland I just purchased a Henry Single Shot in 350 legend with a 22 inch Barrell, Topped with a Leopold VX3 2.5X8X36 Scope.

From where? I’m looking for the same thing for next season.

 

[group shooter]

From where? I’m looking for the same thing for next season.

I have an encore with a 350 legend barrel, if you have an encore receiver just pick up a barrel ,it’s a nice shooting round accurate and soft on your shoulder

 

[Biggfoot44]

If Q = What is good Deer Rifle/ Ctg
Then A = Infinite

You need to place several additional parameters to make a sort of manageable discussion . ie :

Deer , plus bigger up to Elk or so
Up to Deer , plus long-ish groundhogs
Really long range
Easy to handle in brush , but rarely shoot 100yds or more
Sufficient range to handle the proverbial " overwhelming majority of shots on deer"
Mainstream popular enough that Wal Mart would have had ammo , when WM used to have ammo
Popular enough that most LGS stock ammo
Unusual enough to impress your gun crank friends.
Particularly good with cast bullets
Particularly good with certain jacketed bullets.
Mild recoil while supprisingly effective .
Significant recoil , but * you* can handle it