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Thread: Favorite deer hunting caliber

  1. #1
    Grunt drklynoon's Avatar
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    Default Favorite deer hunting caliber

    I am wondering what every one feels is the best caliber for north american deer. My brother uses a 300 win mag which I consider to be a bit of insanity but it's his shoulder. Right now I'm usin a 303 british but am considering upgrading before next winter. I am leaning towards a 30-06 just becuase of it's versatility in reloading and use. Maybe the .308. Then again I doubt I'd need anything bigger than a .243. So what do you guys think?
    Nathan

    Casting and reloading newbie

  2. #2
    runfiverun runfiverun's Avatar
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    Default

    if you can hit them with that 303 it's all you need
    just think of it as a funny looking 308.
    if you re-load [ and i know you do]
    fire form some brass for it and read your load books or p.m. me i have 1 or 2
    pretty good and easy 303 loads

  3. #3
    Grunt drklynoon's Avatar
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    My 303 shoots around .5 MOA so she'll hit what I point her at for the most point. I have been wanting something else for a while and here within the next couple of months I should be getting some inflow of monies and I thought it'd be a neat topic to see what everyone is using and why.
    Nathan

    Casting and reloading newbie

  4. #4
    runfiverun runfiverun's Avatar
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    if you think you are going to start casting in the future and want
    to use it for both, cast and jacketed
    i would look for a 308 with a 1 in 12 twist bbl

  5. #5
    Grunt drklynoon's Avatar
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    That sounds like a solid call run. What do you use?
    Nathan

    Casting and reloading newbie

  6. #6
    runfiverun runfiverun's Avatar
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    Default

    for deer and elk i have a 7 mauser ackley improved
    my wife shoots straight 7x57 [ i have the reamer just havent done it yet,
    my oldest girl shoots 7.7 jap, my youngest girl shoots 7.65 arg and 6mm rem
    my boy likes 7.5x55
    i have a 308 and shoot both cast and jacketed through it, if i am going rough or far
    i'll take the 308 as its the light ruger they used to sell.

    my wife and daughter both had 270's untill they shot my ackley
    i have quite a few others and will take what matches where i am going to hunt
    shot my deer with 45 colt last year.
    the biggest gun i have is 25-06 unless you count 348 win but that aint goin hunting!

  7. #7
    GunLoad Trainee
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    drklynoon
    It sounds to me like you are comming in to a little money and need a reason to buy a new gun? I understand , I like to have a good reason to buy another one too. I dont know about how far south in Ga you are but I know you dont need the 300 win mag all too often on the south east part of the state . How ever if you are considering a hunting trip to texas or even colorado some day then you may want to rethink a longer faster flatter shooting caliber. Even though the 303 brit will do a number at greater distances than most give credit for. I like the .30's for the versatility in #' of reloading options as you mentioned in an earlier post. maybe a .300 win short mag is an option? the .308 win is very popular as well. I would look for the gun that makes sense to you and find one that you like and go for it. I hope you get another gun reguardless of the type or cal. just getting a new one makes good sense to me. Remember you NEED this

  8. #8

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    308 or 30-06, can't go wrong with either. That said, I absolutely love my new Weatherby 257 mag. I haven't shot cast with it yet, and may not for a while. If you are going to shoot cast, go with the 30's. DALE

  9. #9
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    Given the influx of surplus Mosin-Nagants and accessory parts for them, the 7.62 x 54R is a nice budget option with power close to the .30-06.

  10. #10
    Private C1PNR's Avatar
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    Smile Lots of Choices

    Quote Originally Posted by drklynoon View Post
    I am wondering what every one feels is the best caliber for north American deer. I doubt I'd need anything bigger than a .243.
    You're probably right about the .243. It's a great cartridge available in a wide range of rifles. It's even been used quite successfully on elk, if at shorter range.

    I think I'd go just a little larger in diameter, say a .257 or up. The .257 Roberts in a rifle that allows the bullet to be loaded at a longer OAL than most (longer action/magazine well) would kill anything you put the sight on. Or the 25-06, or even the .257 STW.

    Or maybe a .264 diameter, like the 6.5 x 55 Swede. Or like my friends .264 Win Mag, if you want to Really Reach Out.

    And of course the .270 Winchester is legend for killing deer, even if the options for bullets are a little limited.

    And then we get into the 7mm (.284) range. There are a LOT of options there. The old and proven 7 x 57mm Mauser, the .280 Remington, just to mention a couple, would work well and not beat you up shooting them.

    Once you hit the .30's, the arena is even larger. Lots of surplus rifles, in a wide variety of cartridges, are available. And many at very reasonable expense. The .303 British, .308 Winchester, '06, just a few of the options.

    Didn't mean to add confusion, but you really do have a lot to choose from.

    Let us know what you end up getting.
    Regards,

    WE

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BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
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