Gunner46
Well-known member
The train loads of venison taken with a 30/30 is indisputable, but I'll stay with what I shoot best.....
Whats the best deer cartridge?
- Thread starter Kennedy
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sharpshooter97
Guest
I'd say anything between a .243 and .30-06
After 56 years of deer hunting, the firearms I've killed deer with are a 20 gauge pump with slugs, bolt actions include a .243, 7mm08, 30-06 and a .338wm. Lever guns have included a Marlin 30-30, a Marlin 45-70, a 95 year old Win 1894 in 25-35 my Dad gave me as a birthday present. (It was exactly like the one my grandpa used.) Plus a couple I've shot with a bow, (I know, wrong thread!) My two favorite hunting buddies, my uncle and my cousin, have used my grandfather's actual Winchester '94 in 25-35, a .308 and a .270 on hunts that I personally witnessed them shoot deer. They all worked very well at killing deer, (plus a few bears and a couple elk too!) Only one, a small doe, required more then one shot and that was definitely shooter error when I rushed the shot and hit her in the paunch. My favorite for the last 10+ years have been one of the three 7mm08's i own. I'd say that anything from 6mm on up will work fine.
Pick your poison and practice, practice, practice!!
Pick your poison and practice, practice, practice!!
willie100hank
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If you like magnums, hard to beat a 7mag or 300 mag. Non magnum, 7mm-08, 308, or 270... Lots of other great options too... We all know it's not so much what you hit them with, but where you hit them...Best of luck with the choice-
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CPAjeff
Well-known member
My all-time favorite deer caliber is a .243!
Pighunter
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Here's another vote for the 6.5 Creedmoor. It seems to do everything the .308 can do but with less recoil.
Trailsend
Active member
One with a 30-30, 2 with a 243, rest with a 30-06. Probably around 50 deer in my 30+ years of deer hunting. All worked well.
No such thing as the best deer cartridge ! What works well in the deer woods in Pennsylvania may be a really poor choice in Wyoming ! I buy the rifle first the round is secondary to me, back in 1980 I purchased a Remington 760 carbine in 3006 . I did not favor the round ( boring ) but I fell in love with the rifle. It fit me perfectly and I killed a lot of deer with that rifle. When I hunted mule deer in Wyoming it would have been a poor choice especially in the bad lands with the blow sand. For my trips to Wyoming I used my Winchester model 70 in 270 win. It was a perfect choice for me and killed many Mule deer and pronghorns.
Where do you hunt, what are your shots going to range ? Pick your style of rifle and action and pick what round you like. Advice buy a rifle for the area you know you will be hunting the most , don’t pick a magnum because you may hunt elk in the future ! If that happens for you figure the rifle out then. Are you recoil sensitive , if so choose a light kicking round 243,260,6.5 CM 7mm 08 or 308. I love rifle and cartridges and I always have several that I’m working with new and old cartridges now I’m into the 6.5’s (6.5 rem mag and 26 Nosler ) but when I think of the rounds I killed the most game with it the 3006 and the 270 win because it’s the right rifle and cartridge combo for me where I’m hunting!
Where do you hunt, what are your shots going to range ? Pick your style of rifle and action and pick what round you like. Advice buy a rifle for the area you know you will be hunting the most , don’t pick a magnum because you may hunt elk in the future ! If that happens for you figure the rifle out then. Are you recoil sensitive , if so choose a light kicking round 243,260,6.5 CM 7mm 08 or 308. I love rifle and cartridges and I always have several that I’m working with new and old cartridges now I’m into the 6.5’s (6.5 rem mag and 26 Nosler ) but when I think of the rounds I killed the most game with it the 3006 and the 270 win because it’s the right rifle and cartridge combo for me where I’m hunting!
IDFireLass
Well-known member
Do you want to take meat home?
Taken a lot of deer with the .243.
Mule deer aren't tough. Just learn to shoot better and hit what you aim at.
Taken a lot of deer with the .243.
Mule deer aren't tough. Just learn to shoot better and hit what you aim at.
Laxmanryan16
New member
I'm a big fan of the 30-06 for everything up to a moose, it's tried and true. I've been shooting the Federal Premium Berger 168g ammo and it shoots nicely and is accurate. The .308 is also a solid choice but I personally feel the 30-06 has the little extra power so as long as you're accurate it won't let you down.
Hammsolo
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And I’ll antagonize for fun. The Dirty 30 is the 69 Ford Bronco of hunting rigs. Yes, it’s a classic badass, but my Colorado ZR2 does everything better as well as having heated leather seats.
Don’t you think cartridge development has improved also?Yep. And so have powders and bullets. Don't sleep on the .06. I don't care what you drive. mtmuley
Hammsolo
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Hmmm... I don’t care what you drive either. It’s called a simile. Maybe you’ve missed the target. I have a 300 WM that I love, but if you reload you know plenty about belted magnums. There’s a reason that a 300 WSM doesn’t have a belt. Cartridge developers are scientists, and always looking to improve.
No belt here. .300 Ultra Magnum. mtmuley
I love my 6.5 Swede, my .270 and all of my .30-06. Ummm...I’ll let the expert answer.
