Use Enough Gun

[Carl 9.3x62]

??????????????????????? I guess like many other times, I have been .wrong

Haha just giving you a hard time. Old is relative I suppose.

 

[Ben Lamb]

@Carl 9.3x62 showin' up at hunting camp every year:

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

@Carl 9.3x62 showin' up at hunting camp every year:

View attachment 181963

Gosh I hope I am better looking than Steve

 

[Wyominghunter]

I’ve never been a big fan of the .243, it kills fine but where we hunt whitetails the brush is so thick & thorny if you don’t get a real good blood trail recovery can be difficult to say the least. My daughter shoots a .243 hand loaded with 80 grain Barnes TTSX’s and usually it gets full penetration and there is somewhat of a blood trail - those bullets have caused me to warm to the caliber a little. In more open country where you can see where an animal runs I would be less hesitant to use smaller calibers - a hole in both lungs kills every time but if there is no exit finding the dead animal in heavy cover is extremely difficult. I’ve personally always had great success with .30 calibers punching a hole that bleeds well from both sides and makes recovery easier.

Agree with the .30 caliber, my favorite for hunting white tail in brushy area is my 45-70….take the neck shot and there is no tracking, no bullet deflection from any brush that may be in the way.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Agree with the .30 caliber, my favorite for hunting white tail in brushy area is my 45-70….take the neck shot and there is no tracking, no bullet deflection from any brush that may be in the way.

And you forgot: no bloodshot mess when you skin that deer shot with a 45-70. Won't get the same result with a .243! 45-70 isn't a long range calibre but getting up close and personal is real hunting. Good choice. What's not to like?

 

[Mustangs Rule]

And you forgot: no bloodshot mess when you skin that deer shot with a 45-70. Won't get the same result with a .243! 45-70 isn't a long range calibre but getting up close and personal is real hunting. Good choice. What's not to like?

I agree. Somehow I just missed getting the 45-70 but your point is well taken. I spent decades using a 35 Whelen, had two actually. They had reeasonable range and were kind to meat,

MR

 

[Trap]

Lots of Smaller calibers are accurate and capable of killing all kinds of big game. But why? Why use them if you can shoot something even MORE effective? My son shot a 257 Robert’s when he was younger he took out lots of animals every year he’s 18 and has been shooting a 300 win mag last 4 years. Less tracking if any and if necessary he’s comfortable shooting longer ranges. I understand kids shooting smaller caliber but as an adult WHY?

 

[shoots-straight]

Lots of Smaller calibers are accurate and capable of killing all kinds of big game. But why? Why use them if you can shoot something even MORE effective? My son shot a 257 Robert’s when he was younger he took out lots of animals every year he’s 18 and has been shooting a 300 win mag last 4 years. Less tracking if any and if necessary he’s comfortable shooting longer ranges. I understand kids shooting smaller caliber but as an adult WHY?

Yea, I know, a real man can handle the recoil and muzzle blast afforded by those larger magnum calibers. I mean really, when your full grown, and grew up learning to live large like the Marlboro man, you shoot Magnums.

Many people do shoot magnums well, many don't. I've had the displeasure of tracking many a bull that took a bad hit from someone that didn't shoot them well.

If you shoot them well, great, but there's plenty of reasons why shooting non magnum calibers are just as good if not better. A bullet that strikes the dirt after exiting an animal kills that animal no better than one where the bullet lodges against the far side of the hide.

 

[Nick87]

Lots of Smaller calibers are accurate and capable of killing all kinds of big game. But why? Why use them if you can shoot something even MORE effective? My son shot a 257 Robert’s when he was younger he took out lots of animals every year he’s 18 and has been shooting a 300 win mag last 4 years. Less tracking if any and if necessary he’s comfortable shooting longer ranges. I understand kids shooting smaller caliber but as an adult WHY?

Why only a .300 win mag? Why not a .375 ? I mean a .300 will do the job but why?

 

[OntarioHunter]

Yea, I know, a real man can handle the recoil and muzzle blast afforded by those larger magnum calibers. I mean really, when your full grown, and grew up learning to live large like the Marlboro man, you shoot Magnums.

Many people do shoot magnums well, many don't. I've had the displeasure of tracking many a bull that took a bad hit from someone that didn't shoot them well.

If you shoot them well, great, but there's plenty of reasons why shooting non magnum calibers are just as good if not better. A bullet that strikes the dirt after exiting an animal kills that animal no better than one where the bullet lodges against the far side of the hide.

Agreed. Too many (like my brother) have "stepped up" to magnum so they can shoot into the next zip code. I'm willing to bet most if not all the bulls you had to track down were shot by nimrods trying to stretch the limits. That's my biggest objection to long bomb guns. 99% of the people who own them don't have the expertise to use them properly with a reasonable expectation of making a humane kill. Having said that, a 300 Win can be loaded down to be a very good calibre at reasonable ranges without blowing the critter to pieces, especially if something pops up close.

 

[jcbdc]

I worked my way from .22 then 270, 25-06, 30-30, 308, 30-06, 7 mag, 300 WEA mag, Now that I am older I am going to a .243 or 7-08

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I worked my way from .22 then 270, 25-06, 30-30, 308, 30-06, 7 mag, 300 WEA mag, Now that I am older I am going to a .243 or 7-08

I had a .260 Remington. It was actially quite impressive, same as the 6.5x55 Swede. I only sold it because it was in a Model 7 rem.

I shot it a lot and the trigger pull went way up. Truns out the grigger just plated cheap cast metal. I wore through the thin plating replaced the trigger and sold it.

That was the end of Remingtons for me.

I think the 7mm-08 is a genuine all around choice.

My caliber preferences have been forever swayed towards more after having been a wild boar hunting guide. Lots of huge boar too.

 

[Don Fischer]

I think to meet the requirement's of enough gun, the proficiency of the shooter must be taken into account. I don't recommend a 243 for deer muself but what do you say to the guy that has killed a bunch of deer with one shot with one for years? Sounds like enough gun to me! I have a 25-06 and love it, for deer! For elk I use my 30-06 with 180gr bullets. If all I had was that 25-06 and needed an elk for the freezer, I'd use the 25-06 in a heart beat! Actually if the need to fill the freezer was high enough, I could do it with my 22 RF! For any cartridge to qualify as, "enough gun" it's gonna depend highly of the shooter. I think if the shooter has a huge ego about his ability to shoot, hunt and properly place shot's, he runs into trouble, his ego get's in the way! And then there's the other side of the coin, don't use to "much gun"! if you shoot your 308 with comfort and generally it's recoil never bother's you should you jump up to a 300 mag with recoil that does bother you? I don't think so! So a guy that doesn't shoot a lot, maybe a couple time's just before the season goes out and get's that 300 mag because someone said it's "enough gun" only problem being he can't get past the recoil. So we say the guy that doesn't shoot much need to start shooting more. Lot of us shoot a great deal but most also shoot from a table and sand bags. The other guy that doesn't shoot much lays down on the ground and shoot's at his target over there! He's aware he's not that great a shot so take's the time to get closer and every year brings home the freezer meat with a couple shots. Normally I shoot one shot and the animal is down. With the heavier bullet's I've gone to, they are often not knocked off their feet but rather walk off a bit and lay down. That other guy makes a good hit but the deer doesn't just fall down and he racks in another round and shoot's again right away. Dressing out the deer it never occurs to him to check his hit, if he had, he see that he really didn't need the second shot. I didn't take it because I know what I hit and what is going to happen and one shot game over. Of course I remember a time long ago when I screwed that up!

Use enough gun sound great on the surface but that 243 is plenty for one guy but the next needs the 30-06. Depending on the hands they are in, both are enough gun!

 

[Don Fischer]

Yea, I know, a real man can handle the recoil and muzzle blast afforded by those larger magnum calibers. I mean really, when your full grown, and grew up learning to live large like the Marlboro man, you shoot Magnums.

Many people do shoot magnums well, many don't. I've had the displeasure of tracking many a bull that took a bad hit from someone that didn't shoot them well.

If you shoot them well, great, but there's plenty of reasons why shooting non magnum calibers are just as good if not better. A bullet that strikes the dirt after exiting an animal kills that animal no better than one where the bullet lodges against the far side of the hide.

This reminds me of a guy I knew in the military. We were stationed in Montana, very small radar site in Lakeside, about 20 mi south of Kalispell. He really got into ekl hunting and reloading up there and something he discovered was the 7mm Rem Mag wasn't enough cartridge for elk, they always ran off on him. Well he got really disgusted and got himself a 458 Win Mag! he was quite sure that would do the trick. never heard much from him after that. Asked him one time how it was going with the 458. Turns out the 458 wasn't accurate at all and every time he fired it the floor plate fell open. Seems to me that he would never have found a cartridge that would work until he got a hold of his own ego and got a cartridge he could actually shoot!

 

[Hammsolo]

These convo’s are fun, but nearly useless. The laws of science tell us that there are infinite variables in infinite situations. Even the “deer cartridge” argument is laughable. High mountain mature Montana mulie is completely different from a small bodied swamp Alabama whitetail. I love watching the bi-polar rollercoaster of cartridges. Shiz, in the last 20 years we’ve swung between ultra-mags to 6.5’s. Most people just want to feel cool in the echo chamber, but not us of course.

Maybe it’s about moderation for the individual? I could rile people up by comparing cartridges to politics….

 

[mtmuley]

Having said that, a 300 Win can be loaded down to be a very good calibre at reasonable ranges without blowing the critter to pieces, especially if something pops up close.

I've killed a lot of game with a .300 Ultra at ranges as close as 42 yards. I've never blown an animal to pieces. Funny how a .308 caliber bullet becomes a meat destroyer when magnum is added. mtmuley

 

[Trap]

Why only a .300 win mag? Why not a .375 ? I mean a .300 will do the job but why?

I shoot a 30-378 he borrows that occasionally. To each his own we hunt some thick country and I like stuff to drop especially if shooting across canyon etc. just a different way of looking at things I guess. My father in law always tells me they used 22 pistols to shoot lions out of trees I started using my 45-70 and that is a ridiculous amount of over kill for a lion but I have a lot less vet bills than others.my perspective is I am out there to kill an animal quickly and if I shoot it well why not have the extra knock down. I just like shooting a larger gun that I shoot well. I noticed a trend towards smaller caliber with the creedmor phenomenon so it was a sincere question. I’m not sure I totally get going smaller I will always prefer the larger gun as long as I and the gun shoot well

 

[noharleyyet]

I shoot a 30-378 he borrows that occasionally. To each his own we hunt some thick country and I like stuff to drop especially if shooting across canyon etc. just a different way of looking at things I guess. My father in law always tells me they used 22 pistols to shoot lions out of trees I started using my 45-70 and that is a ridiculous amount of over kill for a lion but I have a lot less vet bills than others.my perspective is I am out there to kill an animal quickly and if I shoot it well why not have the extra knock down. I just like shooting a larger gun that I shoot well. I noticed a trend towards smaller caliber with the creedmor phenomenon so it was a sincere question. I’m not sure I totally get going smaller I will always prefer the larger gun as long as I and the gun shoot well

Braked?

 

[Nick87]

as long as I and the gun shoot well

I think this is the most important part.

 

[Trap]

Yea, I know, a real man can handle the recoil and muzzle blast afforded by those larger magnum calibers. I mean really, when your full grown, and grew up learning to live large like the Marlboro man, you shoot Magnums.

Many people do shoot magnums well, many don't. I've had the displeasure of tracking many a bull that took a bad hit from someone that didn't shoot them well.

If you shoot them well, great, but there's plenty of reasons why shooting non magnum calibers are just as good if not better. A bullet that strikes the dirt after exiting an animal kills that animal no better than one where the bullet lodges against the far side of the hide.

My comment had nothing to do with someone’s manhood . I agree an ultra mag in the wrong hands is a nightmare. If you can shoot a 300 win mag (or even larger?) very accurately why gun down to 243? It was a serious question that I have had as the fad recently had been smaller caliber it seems. I don’t consider myself a long range shooter but practice enough that I am extremely comfortable shooting 500-600 yards if it is my only option. I shot an elk at 550 a few years ago in Hells canyon. It was across canyon and he was in heavy timber had he not dropped where he stood it would have been a long tough track job and recovery. It’s interesting that we had a trend of bigger and bigger which became borderline ridiculous and now we are going the other way. I think it has more to do with marketing than any actual hunting advantage. It’s interesting to hear other perspectives but I think it’s probably an endless debate. Each person has their own theory and perspectives heck if you consistently take game in a humane way what is there to disagree with.