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Old September 19, 2011, 01:21 PM   #1
jakeLC
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favorite deer cal

whats your favorite caliber for deer. This is a common question but one that i like seeing because of all the calibers that i cant use being from Indiana.

Again being from indiana i use a rossi lever action in 45 colt
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Old September 19, 2011, 01:35 PM   #2
Dr. Strangelove
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.270win, I hunt in Georgia
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Old September 19, 2011, 02:25 PM   #3
AllenJ
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Depends where I'm hunting. If in my home state of California, where the deer are on the smaller side then a 243 Win is my cartridge of choice. If I'm heading to Utah or Colorado though I like something a little bigger so 30/06.

Last edited by AllenJ; September 20, 2011 at 10:39 AM.
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Old September 19, 2011, 02:26 PM   #4
Saltydog235
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7mm08 with my 150grn BT handloads. Just devastating.

Popped two this past weekend, one with my .243 and the other with my .308, time to give the 7mm08 a shot at something next.
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Old September 19, 2011, 02:48 PM   #5
Toney
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270!!!!!!!!
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Old September 19, 2011, 02:59 PM   #6
sirgilligan
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I only have a .30-06, and I feel if you can only have one then it is the one to have. 110, 135, and 150 grain are all sufficient for various deer.

I am looking at a .243 for my next hunting rifle. Lever Action, open sights, 150 yards or less, quick action rifle for shooting those targets that like to move.
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Old September 19, 2011, 03:00 PM   #7
BIG P
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GA. 270 WIN with 25-06 close 2nd
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Old September 19, 2011, 03:04 PM   #8
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In the wide open spaces of Wyoming, my choice is the 257 Roberts.

Having said that if someone would ask what I recommend, I would say the 243. Not because I think its better then the 257, its just they are easier to find at your local hardware store.

There isn't a whole lot of difference between the two as long as they are both shot out of Model 70 Winchesters
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Old September 19, 2011, 03:39 PM   #9
Old Grump
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Rifle - .308
Shotgun - 20
Black Powder - .50
Handgun - toss up between 41 or 44 mag (most of my deer were shot with .357 before I got the other two)

Did you want favorite archery equipment?
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Old September 19, 2011, 04:52 PM   #10
taylorce1
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Whatever I'm holding at the moment to kill my deer with. I rotate rifles out year to year so that everything I own gets used as long as it is appropriate for the game I'm hunting. So far my favorites have been 6mm/.243, .257, .277 and .50 Cal round ball as they are what I've killed deer with. This year if I get to hunt deer it will be with a .308 caliber rifle chamberd in .300 H&H as elk will be hunted at the same time.
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Old September 19, 2011, 05:41 PM   #11
Major Dave (retired)
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Depends on how I'm hunting

"Sneaking and peeking", in tight cover, .243 in a Win M70 Short Action Carbine. Equipped with a 1.75-6X Leupold VX-III. A short, light weight rifle I can carry all day.

Sitting in an elevated box blind over a corn filled feeder, 7X57 Mauser in a modern, strong action bolt gun, equipped with a Leupold 2.5-8X VX-3. Has a heavy laminated stock, almost no recoil.

For open terrain where long shots are possible, a Win Classic M70 in .270 WSM. When you really want to be able to reach out and touch something. Equipped with a Pentax Lightseeker 3-11X AO scope.
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Old September 19, 2011, 05:44 PM   #12
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30 06 My personal favorite
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Old September 19, 2011, 05:46 PM   #13
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Me too! - 270 Winchester.
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Old September 19, 2011, 06:07 PM   #14
Antique Shooter
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Archery- Bear Kodiak Magnum 63lb

Early Muzzleloader- Navy Arms Buffalo Hunter .58 cal

First week of Rifle Season(buck)-Remington 760 .35 Remington w/ Leupold 2-7

Second week of Rifle(doe or buck)- K98 8mm, 30-40 Krag carbine,or Savage 99 .303 Savage.

Late Flinflock- TC Hawken .50 cal
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Old September 19, 2011, 06:24 PM   #15
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6.5x55 SE
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Old September 19, 2011, 06:34 PM   #16
JACK308
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308 or44 mag.
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Old September 19, 2011, 07:30 PM   #17
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25-06 with a 115 NBT or 117 Sierra BTSP.
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Old September 19, 2011, 08:06 PM   #18
jakeLC
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most of those rounds i have gotten to shoot, maybe oneday ill go on a hunting trip in a different state and get to go deer hunting with one of them
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Old September 19, 2011, 09:34 PM   #19
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I shoot some pretty long beanfields,the 7mm rem mag really anchors them out past 500 yards
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Old September 19, 2011, 10:06 PM   #20
Hunter Customs
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I have several calibers to choose from to use, 30-06, 8mm, 243, 7.62x39 and 280, I've killed deer with all of them.
The 280 is by far my favorite.
I've also killed deer with pistols 357mag and 45acp.
I've pretty much lost interest in deer hunting, did not go last year and I don't plan on going this year.
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Old September 19, 2011, 10:29 PM   #21
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I have killed more deer (as well as my first deer) with a 357 magnum Marlin lever action.

My favorite is probably the 45/70 (all so a Marlin) but the wife gets mad when I shoot those in the back yard.
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all 26 of my guns are 45/70 govt, 357 mag, 22 or 12 ga... I believe in keeping it simple. Wish my wife did as well...
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Old September 20, 2011, 02:52 AM   #22
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Killed most of my "good" deer with a .300 Win Mag (cheapo 150 gr. coreloks). This year I got a .270 Win which is the "perfect" deer caliber.
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Old September 20, 2011, 08:22 AM   #23
PawPaw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kraigwy
There isn't a whole lot of difference between the two as long as they are both shot out of Model 70 Winchesters
HA! You love your Model 70's don't you? I snorted coffee thru my nose when I read that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jakeLC
This is a common question but one that i like seeing because of all the calibers that i cant use being from Indiana.
Yeah, it is a common question and one that's been debated around campfires since man learned to hunt.

I've killed deer with BP rifles, shotguns, centerfire rifles of every stripe. This year it's going to be the .308, simply because I picked up a couple of .308s this summer as grandkid rifles and I can't pass them down unless I make sure that they work properly. It wouldn't be fair to the young'uns. I also intend to make meat with a .45-70 this year. I don't know how I've gotten this far in my madness without trying that caliber.
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Old September 20, 2011, 09:31 AM   #24
spclPatrolGroup
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.270 is my favorite, no particular reason why, but thats what I have used for a long time. For muzzleloader I like a .50 cal with saboted slugs.
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Old September 20, 2011, 10:42 AM   #25
WCW
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.303 British, 30-06, 270, 25-06, and current favorite .260 Remington. Took lots of game with all of them over many years, and all worked just fine. Have taken more deer with .50 cal muzzleloader than any of the rest though.
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