What cartridge do you use for deer?

[LuckyShot]

k98 with irons in 8mm Mauser
198gr

First deer dropped was with a .243 as a teen.
Then started rotating between a K98 and a Cetme 308 with optics

 

[44man]

12 guage is my go to down here but I have used .44 mags in both rifles and pistols. 30/30, 45/70, 6mm Remington, 30/06, .303 British, .308 and I am sure I have shot deer with other calipers as well

 

[2500yards]

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.

For sure. To be honest, I never did focus on the bullet expansion. Most of my shooting is for accuracy on targets at those longer ranges. Definitely won’t be a 338 Lapua at 2500yards. Had my eye on a .408 CT for a while but looking hard at the .416 Barrett after those guys set that record this year at 7774yards (4.4miles).

 

[Biggfoot44]

You must shoot on the ES or Out West to be taking a deer at over 150 yards.

Or the right location along a power line right of way in WM .

 

[RRomig]

I’ve killed all my deer but one with 100 gr BH. The other was with a 45 cal ML. I’ve been trying to get my 350 or 30-06 out for some crop damage work but no takers yet and I would really like to refill the freezer. My sons only rifle kill in his very short hunting career was with a rem 7mm and that was a bang flop.

 

[Sticky]

Interestingly enough, after reading some of the responses here, I checked the box of Fed Fusion 62gr 223 ammo that I use in WV where they have no restrictions and it does show a muzzle energy in excess of 1200ftlbs, so I suppose that is legal here. I shoot it out of a 20" bull bbl, so I'm sure I make muster with the energy requirement. That changes things... 223 is plenty for deer in these parts. Glad I went and looked! lol

 

[Doctor_M]

I've taken deer with 20ga, 12ga, 7.62x39, 30-30, and for the last 15 years, nothing but 30-06... it just works. They always drop on the spot with that.

 

[stan5677]

Overkill for me a 7saum

Sent from my SM-S908U1 using Tapatalk

 

[fabsroman]

Do you have the reloading gear for center fire rifle? You could always work up a reduce recoil .243 load.

Or, I might be able to convince you of the merits of 6.5 gendel if you want to try out my Howa mini 1500 in it.

I have everything I need to reload centerfire since about the beginning of the new millennium. I think my son would be just fine with .243. Maybe you were thinking about 25-06 in the new gun I need glass for. Really not new, since I got it 3 years ago, but it has never been fired.

I am still searching gunbroker for a NIB old stock Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .243 or the even older ones like my .25-06. I could get the Ruger Hawkeye compact in .243, but I am struggling with that 18" barrel on it. If Ruger had a Hawkeye in a .243 with a 20"+ barrel on it, I would buy it immediately. Might have to call my contact at Ruger corporate and see if he can find anything in a back room for me. I actually ended up looking at the Sako 85 tonight. Plenty of nice selections in .243, but that might result in me selling all my Rugers and becoming a Sako fan. Might result in divorce too.

 

[Brickman301]

For bang flop effect, I’ve watched my son when he was younger do it more times than I can remember, and it was with a .243.
All ways make me wonder if I use to much gun? Lol

I really think “bang flops” happen more often when the deer isn’t spooked or on hi alert.
I also read an article about the bullet making impact at the same time the hear is “mid pump”. If the timing is right all the extra pressure from the bullets energy is dumped right into its blood pressure, causing instant death.
Kinda makes sense why sometimes it’s bang flop, and other times it makes a short run. Maybe you just hit it between heartbeats?

 

[lazarus]

I have everything I need to reload centerfire since about the beginning of the new millennium. I think my son would be just fine with .243. Maybe you were thinking about 25-06 in the new gun I need glass for. Really not new, since I got it 3 years ago, but it has never been fired.

I am still searching gunbroker for a NIB old stock Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .243 or the even older ones like my .25-06. I could get the Ruger Hawkeye compact in .243, but I am struggling with that 18" barrel on it. If Ruger had a Hawkeye in a .243 with a 20"+ barrel on it, I would buy it immediately. Might have to call my contact at Ruger corporate and see if he can find anything in a back room for me. I actually ended up looking at the Sako 85 tonight. Plenty of nice selections in .243, but that might result in me selling all my Rugers and becoming a Sako fan. Might result in divorce too.

Bah, yeah I meant a reduced recoil .25-06 load. But, you could also work up a reduce recoil .243 load if the weight of the 18" M77 is a concern. Or add a bit of weight to it with some heavier glass.

Don't get a Sako. It will lead to divorce. I've got an old early 80s Sako Forester in .308 with, I think it is, a 590mm barrel (~23"). It is just such a sweet gun and supremely accurate so long as you slow fire it. Bedding the stock and in letting the fore end would likely fix a lot of that. Well under 1MOA 3 shots, just don't keep shooting or the group will start to wander. Let it cool down a few minutes, and you can rip off another under 1MOA 3 shot group. And the bolt and trigger are just so smooth and crisp and the wood engraving and metal work on it...

Yeah, don't go Sako unless you want to start lying to your wife about the kind of money you are dropping, or she bought something really, really expensive without consulting you and now feels bad.

I was looking at a Tikka for a .223, but decided to go Howa. Not as nice, but I had one in 6.5 grendel already that I liked quite a bit. And I figured for half the price, I'd likely end up with 90% of the gun (I don't own any Tikkas, but I've tried a couple). The Howas are about there for Tikka accuracy, but aren't quite as refined. And Tikka doesn't make any fairly light .223s. Though they are all threaded 5/8" rather than 1/2", which would have been a gain there. I would need to swap the mount on my .30 suppressor when mounting it on my .223. But eh, I can live with doing that. Sako is just out of my reach for new guns (the Forester was a hand-me-down from my Wife's uncle).

 

[fabsroman]

Bah, yeah I meant a reduced recoil .25-06 load. But, you could also work up a reduce recoil .243 load if the weight of the 18" M77 is a concern. Or add a bit of weight to it with some heavier glass.

Don't get a Sako. It will lead to divorce. I've got an old early 80s Sako Forester in .308 with, I think it is, a 590mm barrel (~23"). It is just such a sweet gun and supremely accurate so long as you slow fire it. Bedding the stock and in letting the fore end would likely fix a lot of that. Well under 1MOA 3 shots, just don't keep shooting or the group will start to wander. Let it cool down a few minutes, and you can rip off another under 1MOA 3 shot group. And the bolt and trigger are just so smooth and crisp and the wood engraving and metal work on it...

Yeah, don't go Sako unless you want to start lying to your wife about the kind of money you are dropping, or she bought something really, really expensive without consulting you and now feels bad.

I was looking at a Tikka for a .223, but decided to go Howa. Not as nice, but I had one in 6.5 grendel already that I liked quite a bit. And I figured for half the price, I'd likely end up with 90% of the gun (I don't own any Tikkas, but I've tried a couple). The Howas are about there for Tikka accuracy, but aren't quite as refined. And Tikka doesn't make any fairly light .223s. Though they are all threaded 5/8" rather than 1/2", which would have been a gain there. I would need to swap the mount on my .30 suppressor when mounting it on my .223. But eh, I can live with doing that. Sako is just out of my reach for new guns (the Forester was a hand-me-down from my Wife's uncle).

Neither of those things will ever happen. I've spent more on a shotgun than a Sako 85 costs and she barely bats an eye. She gave me the green light to buy a $15,000 shotgun for my 50th birthday, but I passed on it because it was not exactly what I wanted. Thing is, I am usually brand loyal and I really like Ruger and that they are made in America. If I switched over to Sake, I have no idea what I would do with all my current Rugers.

Tossing around the idea of building an AR-10 upper in .243 and going that route. Guess I could also buy a Ruger Hawkeye Compact in .243, put a Hogue stock on it with a full length bedding block, and then put a new barrel on it that is 20 to 22 inches in length. I can never leave something stock. lol I want to have this rifle set up before summer gets here so the kids can have some time behind it before deer season comes around next year.

 

[USAF05]

6.5 CM, 270 or 243 for me

 

[Derwood]

Rifle Areas:

Farms/National Forest/Mountains open woods where I can use a rifle: 30-06 150 grain soft point with a scope on the rifle. I hit two deer this year and both dropped where they stood.

Woods/bow stands or other short range shots: 30-30 lever gun with iron sights (can't recall exact weight) -- just got this rifle last year so I haven't had an opportunity yet. I always bring this gun in the truck as a backup in case something goes wrong with my scoped rifle.

Shotgun/Straight wall areas:

44 magnum lever gun with 1x4 scope and 240 grain jacketed hollow point; before the law change, I always used a pump shotgun with Hornady SST 12 ga sabot slugs. I've never had a deer run far with either.

A reach-goal for this year is to take a deer with my 44 magnum revolver and/or the .38 WCF rifle I got last year. I'd only use the revolver for a deer that walked directly under my stand. I had it with me on Saturday along with the lever gun but didn't get an opportunity. I'll only take out the .38 WCF rife (made in the 1880's) if there is zero chance of rain or snow. No opportunity yet.

Others bullets I've used:
12 ga rifled slugs -- I used this when I first started hunting and only had a standard shotgun. I killed several deer with it. They never ran.
.270 -- deer ran despite a perfect shot...but only about 50 yards. No blood trail (a negative in my view)
7.62x39 federal fusion -- deer ran about 30 yards. No blood trail (a negative in my view). I used this so the next time someone says "no one hunts with those" I can say "Well, I have!"
.50 cal mine ball -- only used twice with my Hakwen and it got the job done both times. Neither deer ran at all.

Bow:
100 grain Rage expanding broad heads. Love these.

 

[Pale Ryder]

30-06, 50 & 54 cal. ML. I’ve used others, but these are the ones used successfully.

 

[Harrys]

45/70 or .500 S&W

 

[RRomig]

Neither of those things will ever happen. I've spent more on a shotgun than a Sako 85 costs and she barely bats an eye. She gave me the green light to buy a $15,000 shotgun for my 50th birthday, but I passed on it because it was not exactly what I wanted. Thing is, I am usually brand loyal and I really like Ruger and that they are made in America. If I switched over to Sake, I have no idea what I would do with all my current Rugers.

Tossing around the idea of building an AR-10 upper in .243 and going that route. Guess I could also buy a Ruger Hawkeye Compact in .243, put a Hogue stock on it with a full length bedding block, and then put a new barrel on it that is 20 to 22 inches in length. I can never leave something stock. lol I want to have this rifle set up before summer gets here so the kids can have some time behind it before deer season comes around next year.

You know there’s nothing wrong with stepping out on Ruger a little. Maybe get a separate safe so your secrets stay yours. I’m more of a brand whore. I think some brands make great X but others make great Y.

 

[Pale Ryder]

I have everything I need to reload centerfire since about the beginning of the new millennium. I think my son would be just fine with .243. Maybe you were thinking about 25-06 in the new gun I need glass for. Really not new, since I got it 3 years ago, but it has never been fired.

I am still searching gunbroker for a NIB old stock Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .243 or the even older ones like my .25-06. I could get the Ruger Hawkeye compact in .243, but I am struggling with that 18" barrel on it. If Ruger had a Hawkeye in a .243 with a 20"+ barrel on it, I would buy it immediately. Might have to call my contact at Ruger corporate and see if he can find anything in a back room for me. I actually ended up looking at the Sako 85 tonight. Plenty of nice selections in .243, but that might result in me selling all my Rugers and becoming a Sako fan. Might result in divorce too.

What about a Browning? Their compact I think it’s the Micro stalker comes in 243 with a medium contour 20” barrel.

 

[CombatAK]

.275 Rigby!

 

[Crosseye Dominant]

Recent advances in bullet technology have made 9mm as effective against deer as .45/70