The BEST deer cartridge!

[wildgene]

...hmmm, probably the .32-20, less report than a .22LR, less recoil than a .223, kept a large family fed thru 2 World Wars, a Great Depression, a number of recessions, mill strikes, mine strikes, & other assorted 'hard times. Used for commercial hunting in the Roaring '20's, "First Deer Rifle" for a wife, daughters, grandchildren, even a couple greatgrandchildren. In it's almost 100yrs. of service it's probably accounted for 10X that many deer, maybe even a couple of bloody noses that decided who got to use it first... :mrgreen:

 

[hubcap]

If you pinned me down to deer only my no.1 pick is going to be the .270. Followed very closely by the 30:06.

 

[diverdown]

My first five deer were taken in Maine with a Marlin 336 in .35 Rem. After that I took many a deer home with a variety of calibers, always wanting to see which one worked the best. Now, I am in Fotis' camp. I use a Remington Titanium in 7-08 for my deer hunting. At 71 years I love light rifles and this one definitely fills the bill.

 

[preacher]

I have forgotten how many different calibers I have killed deer/deer sized with. But growing up in the Big Thicket I personally used 2 exclusively...the 30-30 and the 30-06. In the woods, you couldn't beat that 30-30 Mod 94 ( I liked the Classic carbine with that heavier barrel, it made offhand shots so easy) but I have also had to pass on shots out around 200yds + because my iron sights covered them up. A scope Mod 742 '06 solved that, but while I was ready for the long shot, I never got one with it! ha I averaged around 60yds with that thing! I did make a 90yds shot with the 30-30 OTOH, ha. But, as I mentioned before, the Mod 742 in 6mm Remington was considered the Ne Plus Ultra buddy! I knew lots of guys who used them, loved them and killed deer near and far, even with iron sights. Surprisingly, the .270 and 25-06 was poo pooed! Go figure that? I think it had far more to do with tradition, etc. The scoped Marlin 30-30 guys killed them out to 300yds like no bodies business, but all my family were "Winchester Men By Gawd!" ha.

 

[tecumseh]

I'd have to go with my 280 Rem or a 7mm-08.

 

[sask boy]

I am not sure how many Whitetail & Mule deer I have shot with my 270win but it has been a bunch. But I have also shot them with at least 10 other calibres as well.
I am hoping this coming year I can take one with my 280AI which by the way my newest best calibre :mrgreen:.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[35 Whelen]

The Hanson buck stood as the #1 B&C Whitetail for almost 75 years, it was shot with a 25/20, there have very likely been more
Deer shot with a 30/30 then about any caliber? The 30/06 would likely be the only caliber that could unthrone it? But when its all said and done alot of the cartridges that work wonderfully out to 150 yds begin to fall by the way side. From 200 to 300yds
See the vast majority of the rest of them laying down as well, but its behond 300yds where you can separate the hay from the chaff. For guys like me, that wont lug a belted case, the headstamp will always read .270 Winchester!

 

[Gunner46]

When I was 15 I bought a 7X57, never shot anything with it. Didn't no nothin' 'bout how to hunt. Shoot the hell out of it though.

At 17 I lucked a shot on a Ohio whitetail with a 12 ga slug.

Then I used buckshot in NC, and 3-4 more graced the table.

When I graduated college, and still didn't have any money I went into the "Mag is Better" craze. A 7RM and 338WM joined the stable while I was running around Arizona.

Wifey HATED the west, so we wound up moving back to NC. Over the course of the next 10 yrs I 'learned' how to hunt form a fellow vet. We got to be goo buds. He showed me the little, little things I missed.

After that, My list of Drop "em's when to something like this:

30/30
35 Rem, awesome !
44 Mag
20 Ga
308
357
223 (not recommended, short head shot)
243, nahhh
and then my Love
The 7mm/08.

Each man holds true to his own, but still ..... The Hunter demonstrates the ability of the cartridge more so than the cartridge ables the Hunter.

 

[Guy Miner]

Yes, it's the hunter, far more than the cartridge...

Tell your wife that I spent a few years on the East Coast under protest and it is Very Difficult to get me east of the Mississippi River... I get nervous when I cross the Rocky Mountains, going east... My family and I belong "out west." :mrgreen:

Regards, Guy

 

[345 kv]

The one that the rifle I like the best that year is chambered in.

 

[DON]

Many years ago I remember some older hunters using the 30-40 Craig. It killed deer pretty well.

For me the 264 win mag, 25-06, 270, 280, 7mm Mag,30-06, 35 Whelen and any 300 magnum will kill anything on the planet given the proper bullet and if the shot placement matches up. FWIW I've killed a few Whitetails with a 222 Remington. :wink:

But then too, whatever you shoot well will work as well.

Don

 

[Guybo]

Good post!, I've only used two calibers over the years for deer hunting and they are the 30.06 and the 25.06. I harvested many whitetails with the 30.06 but it doesn't see much action anymore because I just love shooting the 25.06 more. I did harvest a couple with the .308 a couple years back but that's pretty much my paper puncher and target rifle but it did do a fine job on the deer I shot with it using the 125gr BT.

I started my daughter off with .243 and she used it for one season and harvested a couple deer with that then I purchased her .260 and she's used it every since. I really like the .260 but not enough to switch from my 25.06.

I agree shot placement is the key and all the calibers mentioned will get the job done if the shooter does their part.

 

[Elkman]

Pick the rifle, handgun, shotgun that makes you smile when you pick it up, when you just think about taking it afield, and in which you have confidence

No question for me at all, my time tested, well worn, proven 300 WM. " what else"?

 

[Blkram]

A lot wisdom and truths posted here...and yet it is purely subjective to any given person and place!

I like and agree with the following summaries:

"The rifle you have in your hands at the time,

The rifle that puts the game in the freezer, and

The rifle that I enjoy hunting with and has worked for me for many years"

Isn't it wonderful that we have so many choices to choose from, that will work best in any given terrain and for any given species of deer?

In retrospect, I do not believe that there truly is a "best" deer cartridge. Their are too many variables. With the hunter being the most significant factor.

 

[hubcap]

How about this one from Wayne Van Swoll. THE ONE YOU SHOOT THE BEST, provided you use a bullet designed for the intended game. Hard to argue with that one.

 

[super-7]

The Hanson buck stood as the #1 B&C Whitetail for almost 75 years, it was shot with a 25/20, there have very likely been more
Deer shot with a 30/30 then about any caliber? The 30/06 would likely be the only caliber that could unthrone it? But when its all said and done alot of the cartridges that work wonderfully out to 150 yds begin to fall by the way side. From 200 to 300yds
See the vast majority of the rest of them laying down as well, but its behond 300yds where you can separate the hay from the chaff. For guys like me, that wont lug a belted case, the headstamp will always read .270 Winchester!

Not trying to knit pick as I completely understand the point you are trying to make.
But a slight correction in facts: Milo Hanson shot his world record typical whitetail , on his farm near Biggar .Sask. in November of 1993. He was also using a Winchester model 88 chambered in .308 win.
There is no best deer cartridge , there are many that are great.
For my own preference I worry more about bullet design and and consistency rather then caliber.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I use a .30-06 for 80-90 percent of my big game hunting but that is because I shoot it well and it is very well suited to the terrain and the game I chase.

For an all-terrain, all-conditions deer rifle I have long felt that the .25-06 REMINGTON is the one I would choose. You really don't need a bigger bullet than 120 grains for any deer anywhere. It's light recoil and flat shooting trajectory lends to not having to worry about holdover out to say 400 yards!

I have killed deer with many different calibers over the years and they all worked fine.

Dale

 

[35 Whelen]

Super,
That is very true, and anyone can shoot a big buck with any caliber. And of course the bullet design and where you place it is the main criteria, as I would much rather see a deer shot with a .250 Savage with a well placed ,100gr bullet and a high shoulder shot, then one shot and wounded with a 300 Weatherbee Magnum in the guts and then have to chase it all day [and sometimes into the night]. So the fact that Milo shot that one deer; with a model 88 in no way really implys; that is the best lever action gun, one could pick. Or that the .308 Winchester, is the hands down champion caliber, in any way either. Of course it is a great gun; and Milos deer is the top dog at the moment . Of course that in itself; does not imply that Milo is the worlds best deer hunter either, So I guess like Hanson; and his old 25/20, if your in the right place, at the right time; and can place the shot well , Anything is possible with any caliber. Case and Point: The biggest buck, that has been shot around here for the last 25 years, was killed by a hunter from New Jersey that had never shot a deer before , never hunted in Maine, bought a Rem 7400 from the Walmart in NJ, and they boresighted the gun, he had NEVER even fired it at a target, and on the last day of a week long hunt, having never seen a deer all week , decided to walk down a new woods road; with a Fluorescent Orange snowmobile suit on; and saw a huge buck coming up across and new cut, He and the deer saw each other at about the same time, he fired 3 shots at it, and it never moved, and as it turned to walk away he finally hit it, poorly and it ran off back into the woods, he though he had missed it. His brother, who had done some hunting decided to look for it, and actually located later in the day lying in a twitch path that the Skidders make yarding wood. He then informed him, of what he had actually shot! he has returned here every year since, and sits in that exact spot ever since hoping his next giant buck will reappear there, and of course, has never shot another deer, of any kind to my knowledge in that spot............................................. I cant remember the caliber.
It was later scored, and received the B&C "Silver Award" and was featured in Buckmasters Magazine, I think the April issue of 1993 on the cover, with the caption "Biggest Buck killed in New England"................ so even a blind hog, finds an acorn once in a while.

 

[freddogs]

I use the 30-06 most of the time for deer. It just works well for me. I like to reload it and try different bullets in the off season. I really like to use the 257 AI I have and the 7X30 waters has worked well for me too. I think the 35whelan is really good for deer. I've shot some deer with the 30/30, it worked fine. The best deer cartridge is the one you can shoot accurately and you have confidence in.
I've shot many deer with slugs and prefer almost any rifle round over them. My biggest bucks where not all killed with 30-06 but it's the best deer cartridge for me.

 

[Dwh7271]

Starting in my home state for years was slug only. 12 ga and Brennekes worked fine.
Started running all over in college hunting surrounding and nearby states with my first center fire, a Remington 788 in 6mm Rem. Shot a bunch of deer with it with no problems and slept in the back of the truck under the cap.
Since then RADD took over and I use whatever rifle I'm currently intrigued by.
Point of the ramble is the slugs and 6mm worked great. I shot the only rifle (other than a 22) I owned and didn't "need" any others. Want? Well, that's a whole different deal. :grin:
So my vote goes to the 6mm.