What cartridge do you use for deer?

[lazarus]

Ok so I looked it up. It must meet 1200ft lbs per MD law, some ammo BARELY meets that at 1293ft lbs. With out further research it wasnt stated what size barrel was used to achieve that. Also after watching ammo test I know it can vary easily by rounds in the same box. So yes .223 is legal but I wouldnt want to risk it if they really wanted to push it. I could understand using it for crop permit cause if the deer got away well its gone, but if trying to put food in the freezer id be using something with more put down power for sure.

Generally just go with what’s on the box. I can’t recall any stories from anyone about a NRP officer interrogating then about muzzle energy. That said, almost no .223 with less than a 20” barrel can make >1200ft-lbs.

It’s as much there to do things like catch poachers using 22lr as anything. Or something obviously not meeting the requirements like an M1 carbine (which is sad and silly because with soft points it works great on deer within 100yds.

 

[1time]

45-70 and 450 Bushmaster have given bang flop with the exception of one each that made it about 10 yards.
Most were at 125 with a few at 150.

My 10 yo killed one at 68 yards last week with the Bushmaster. He smiled and said “that kicked a lot, I think it lifted me out of the seat”. He got a 350 legend for his birthday a few days ago.

I got a 300 black out with the intent of wacking a Bambi. The flu and Covid delayed that so I’m not sure how that works.

 

[OMCHamlin]

Using a 458 Socom right now, It’s flattened every deer I shot at this year (or, in other words, none, so far…)

 

[rossiski]

I have hunted with the same 6mm my whole life. It has killed a lot of deer over the years. This was my sons first year in the stand so now he is using it.

 

[lazarus]

Even better further west where I live. I don’t even enjoy hunting deer at close range anymore. I often won’t even take a shot if it’s less than 500 yards. My longest deer kill in MD is 1500 yards with my 338 LM. My goal is 2500 but I’m not there yet.

I guess some people just want to say they've done it or have the thrill and pride of an amazing shot. I realize your skills are likely infinitely better than mine at such long distances. But a half MOA rifle prints a 7.5" group at 1500yds. And a 1% error in ranging or being off 1-2mph in windspeed translates to a couple of inches off. That odds of putting one into the vitals is relatively low even for someone with exceptional skills. And I hope and assume this is a bedded deer, because time of flight is enough the deer can easily take a step. And at 1500yds it's only a little above supersonic. I am not sure any 338 bullets will expand at that slow a speed. A big long bullet to hit something with still.

Let alone 2500.

We are supposed to be more ethical hunting animals than people are in war.

/My Curmudgeonly statement for the week.

 

[Sticky]

Most of my deer hunting is done in AA Co, so 12ga. It's killed deer every year since I bought that gun some 40yrs ago. I live on venison for the most part, so I need deer meat. I use an AR in 223 in WV, no issues with a well placed shot. I also hunt a bit down in DoCo, so I'd likely grab either a 308AR or my old 25-06 for those longer shots in the open fields and if it's a really long shot, like going out west, I'd opt for my 300wsm, but that is really overkill for a deer.

 

[rseymorejr]

.300 Win Mag - shot the deer in the pic at 70 yards and he fell right over. Broke the front shoulder, hit both lungs, and blew the heart out completely. I have also used .270 Win, .30-06, .50 black powder, and 12 gauge with Barnes sabots. My favorite is my .300 Win Mag in the pic. I have a Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .25-06 sitting here that needs glass and I think I am going to let my son work himself up to it. Looking for its brother in .243 to get him and my 10 year old started on bolt rifles, but finding one new is painful. Ruger offers the Hawkeye in .243, but only in a compact rifle. Not sure I want a smaller rifle for them to start with because of less absorbed recoil.
View attachment 391657

My son bought a CVA rifle in 243 last year and loves it. Very accurate. The first shot he fired in the woods with it he took a 190 pound 7 point in VA. He said it's he go to rifle now. I didn't even know CVA made centerfire rifles until he showed me his.

CASCADE™ Blued/Charcoal Gray – CVA

cva.com

 

[EliteContent]

.308

 

[Blackstar65]

I just started hunting in 2020. I shot my first deer with a 30-30 round I loaded Hornady 160gr Hornady FTX. I shot my second deer with a 45-70. I loaded that cartridge too. 325gr Hornady FTX. Both deer ran approximately 10 to 15 yards and dropped. I plan to give it one more shot this season with a 200gr. Maker Rex 300aac subsonic expanding round.

 

[CharlieFoxtrot]

All .308 since where I hunt went from shotgun to rifle a while back. Before that 20 gauge. I have taken my 35 Remington out, but that gun seems to be a jinx as I’ve never gotten a deer with it.

 

[Deerminator]

.270Win
.30-06
.308
6.8 SPC
6.5CM
.243Win

Have used them all in the last couple years. Love the .270Win for deer hunting, but take the others here and there for variety.

 

[Doco Overboard]

I shot a lot of deer with a 35. I wasn't really impressed with it until I started loading for it which could just be my imagination.
Also a 270 which is as good as a 7 mag for field shooting where I use them both. Because its easier to control I prefer a 270
30/40 Krag is as good as any for most deer situations.
I also use 44 mag, 7x57 06 303 and various Sg's and muzzle loaders and traditional deer cartridges like 30/30 and so on.
I'm not a proponent for 223 for deer or a 243 even though I know they work, they're just not for me.
I never shot a deer with a 223 but have with a 243 plenty times.
But, I keep a M70 243 for a lender in case someone wants to use it.

 

[HogCommander]

For the past few years I've been using a 338 Federal...Bang-flop every time. Other times have used a 308 or inline muzzleloader. The energy transfer with the ML is incredible!

 

[Doco Overboard]

I had a bang flop last week deer kill.
I was with the old girl and daughter in law when a cheap stag ran out into the field about 4:30
Once it got to hopping after managing a full run I grassed it with ole Betsy at 140 yds Quartering away.
The lady's were all giddy about seeing how they run and I was like what about that shot?
Didn't anyone see that?
They were like, Did you see how that thing was hopping? So, I guess they weren't impressed.
Anyway, it was the luckiest shot I made in some time.

 

[remrug]

A lot of deer with 270 and 50 cal ML
A handful with 12 gauge slug
Quite a few with 243 and broadhead
Put any of the above through the heart/lung area (both lungs with broadhead) and fill out your tag.

I hunt for meat, so I try to stay off the shoulders if possible. I dont get many bang flops, but the deer almost always drop within sight.

 

[akalma]

Not much firearm hunter just because the hunting season for deer is so short in MD. Majority of the hunts are with crossbow.
But for firearms I use Rem 700 in 30-06 in PA where semiauto is still(!) banned.
In MD for deer it is almost always AR15 in 6.8SPC. Also use it for pigs in GA and SC.
Before MD went for straight wall cartridge I used Savage 220 slug bolt shotgin in 20ga. Now I built AR15 in .350 Legend but didn't score with it so far.

 

[Batt816]

350 Legend “bangflop”. Note the corn pile where she ate her last meal.

 

[DEEREHUNTER]

Have used a Savage 220 bolt action with Federal copper solid slugs since they came out,great performance. Was hunting in Iowa where straight wall cartridges were a thing before Md, got a Ruger American in 450 Bushmaster works great.
Just had my Rem 700 UML converted to .45 Smokeless by LR Customs can`t wait to test it on whitetails. Going to Saskatchewan in Nov 23, as of now I plan on using a Rem Model 7 in 7mm08 that two of my sons have used to take nice deer.

 

[2500yards]

I guess some people just want to say they've done it or have the thrill and pride of an amazing shot. I realize your skills are likely infinitely better than mine at such long distances. But a half MOA rifle prints a 7.5" group at 1500yds. And a 1% error in ranging or being off 1-2mph in windspeed translates to a couple of inches off. That odds of putting one into the vitals is relatively low even for someone with exceptional skills. And I hope and assume this is a bedded deer, because time of flight is enough the deer can easily take a step. And at 1500yds it's only a little above supersonic. I am not sure any 338 bullets will expand at that slow a speed. A big long bullet to hit something with still.

Let alone 2500.

We are supposed to be more ethical hunting animals than people are in war.

/My Curmudgeonly statement for the week.

It’s pretty amazing what some people are achieving at much longer distances. I know some guys that hunt out west and have kills over 2500 yards. I understand the ethical side as well. Thats one thing keeping me from even trying that yet. I would need to feel extremely confident at that range to even think about it. 2500 is just Goal. My 338 is 0.3 MOA Rifle and no problem hitting head shots at that range. Btw, 338 is still supersonic at 1500 yards. Look up Mark and Sam on YouTube. They have target shots out to 5000 yards. They just did 4000 yards with a 338 Lapua. Search:

.338 Lapua magnum at 4002 yards​

 

[lazarus]

It’s pretty amazing what some people are achieving at much longer distances. I know some guys that hunt out west and have kills over 2500 yards. I understand the ethical side as well. Thats one thing keeping me from even trying that yet. I would need to feel extremely confident at that range to even think about it. 2500 is just Goal. My 338 is 0.3 MOA Rifle and no problem hitting head shots at that range. Btw, 338 is still supersonic at 1500 yards. Look up Mark and Sam on YouTube. They have target shots out to 5000 yards. They just did 4000 yards with a 338 Lapua. Search:

.338 Lapua magnum at 4002 yards​

That is impressive. What I can find a 300 OTM will go subsonic around 1800-1900yds at about the hottest load you can get (2700fps).

At that point accuracy plummets and you will certainly not get expansion, even if it yaws. If it doesn’t yaw, a 9mm FMJ has better wounding potential. At 1500 you might have enough velocity to expand for a tipped bullet designed for really low expansion velocities (most won’t expand under 1700, but some will down to 1600).

You’d need a 50BMG wildcat for something to have a chance of retaining enough velocity to expand at 2500.