Whats the best deer cartridge?

Literally no gun can outshoot a 7mmRM with good bullets on deer sized game. Not too much recoil, for a grown man either. Can live with barrels shorter than 26' if needed. Plenty of brass, and even plenty of factory loads for those too unskilled to roll their own, which takes out so many wildcats or pet cartridges developed the last "few" years. Tried and true over decades. Ballistically superior to .243, .270, 30-06, 25-06 and generally any other "standard" caliber. 300WM is just overkill at any range by comparison, though I wouldn't argue against this cartridge on an elk discussion, so much love to this classic. The only other cartridge that truly belongs in the competition is the .280, and yes I do own one in a Mt Rifle, which is as well a balanced gun as I've owned, including bird guns. It just isn't ballistically superior, and really only reaches it's potential in the pet version, Ackley(which I also love, but don't own), so you can't get the loadings or find the ammo as readily unless you roll your own.

So there is my argument. Every other classic, that has ample ammo on the shelf is either ballistically inferior, too big for the job, or a new pet that is not yet proven to either do the job or last, long term.

That said, the best deer rifle is the one you love and shoot well, and most importantly have confidence in. Here's to old bessy, the real winner!
 
I love my 257 Weatherby as a deer rifle. My son’s 7mm-08 is also a great one and I grew up with a 280 Remington.

my next gun project will be a full custom 280AI. Once that is finished I will get rid of my 300 WSM and keep the 257 Weatherby for deer sized game and 280 AI
 
ok my buddy and I didn't see eye to eye on the best cartridge for deer, rather its whitetail, blacktail or mule deer. What do you guys think? What's the Best Deer Cartridge? Myself likes the 8mm mauser.
It's more of a matter of geography, close range or long shots, brushy or open and my favorite meat damage my preference is a 308
 
The one you have in your hand when a deer is within range. There is way more to actually being able to shoot than there is what gun you are shooting.

If you wanna get technical though “deer hunting” has so many different forms across the US and Canada that it’s pretty hard to narrow it down to one. If you are hunting eastern woods with 50 -100 yard shots in a state where both rifles and shotguns are legal it might be a tossup between a slug gun and a straight wall cartridge. If you are sitting a box stand in Texas overlooking a sendero it could be a 7mm Rem. mag or a .300 Win mag. If it’s the mountains in the west it might be those .280 Remington 700 mountain rifles as previously mentioned or if it’s hunting blacktails on Kodiak Island you might want to consider a gun that doubles as protection against large bears.
 
Fake news. 7/08, 35 Rem, 280, 44Mag, + others aren't even listed. How many still hunt with a 300 Savage, for bear, that Bass Pro would recommend it? Was this done in the 60"s? It's obvious some numbnut Marketing flunky put this Ad together just to try to sell t
Fake news. 7/08, 35 Rem, 280, 44Mag, + others aren't even listed. How many still hunt with a 300 Savage, for bear, that Bass Pro would recommend it? Was this done in the 60"s? It's obvious some numbnut Marketing flunky put this Ad together just to try to sell ammo.
To sell ammo would require actually having some in stock. They aren’t very good at that these days.
 
The one you have in your hand when a deer is within range. There is way more to actually being able to shoot than there is what gun you are shooting.

If you wanna get technical though “deer hunting” has so many different forms across the US and Canada that it’s pretty hard to narrow it down to one. If you are hunting eastern woods with 50 -100 yard shots in a state where both rifles and shotguns are legal it might be a tossup between a slug gun and a straight wall cartridge. If you are sitting a box stand in Texas overlooking a sendero it could be a 7mm Rem. mag or a .300 Win mag. If it’s the mountains in the west it might be those .280 Remington 700 mountain rifles as previously mentioned or if it’s hunting blacktails on Kodiak Island you might want to consider a gun that doubles as protection against large bears.
“Box stand sendero work”......hopefully these 181 mtmuley hammers.
 
ok my buddy and I didn't see eye to eye on the best cartridge for deer, rather its whitetail, blacktail or mule deer. What do you guys think? What's the Best Deer Cartridge? Myself likes the 8mm mauser.
This has been a question for every hunter for the last 100 plus years. There is only one true answer. It is the gun in your hands at the right moment. My father was a WW2 vet and a diehard 30.06 shooter . I have been shooting a 243 for 50 years however I have been hunting with a T/C Contender for 30 of those. Everything 30 caliber is good. It is all up to you. I taught hunter education for nearly 30 years and I have seen more than most when it comes to caliber.
 
I’ve killed them with everything from a . 222 to a 45-70.
Every single one of them did i the same thing if I put the bullet in the vitals. Killed the deer. I’ve killed more with a 25-06 than anything. It works extremely well on deer sized game with being obnoxious.
 
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