Best caliber for deer hunting?

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I have hunted deer before, just got away from it when kids started coming along. Did my hunting then with a .30-06. Dad always preached to me that, that was the best overall caliber around here in the midwest for hunting. One friend uses a .25-06 with no problems, another uses .243 and never lost a deer.

Got a 10 year old son who is begging to go hunting with me.


Better start getting him ready. Kids grow up quick, hunting would be a good way to spend time together. Your 10 year old needs a low recoiling round.
 
"Your 10 year old needs a low recoiling round."

Finn Aagard (speling ?) thougt the 30.06 was one of the most versatile rounds. He got one for his kid, loaded down with 150gr bullets.
 
By all means, get that kid in the woods! Really is best to get out there and spend time before starting on deer though. Ten-year-olds,.22's,and squirrels sure make a good starter combo! Started my son with 7.62X39, then moved up to 30-06 with reduced loads and 125gr.bullets.

Bob
 
.243 is a necked down .308 and an excellent dear cartridge. Very accurate, very little kick. Both .308 and 30-06 have the advantage of being easily obtained and usually on sale. If I had only one hunting rifle it would be .308 or 30-06, with 30-06 being my first choice, but only by a small margin. Both of those cartridges are adequate for any North American big game, except Kodiak bears. Note I said adequate, so don't flame me for saying people should hunt moose in Alaska with a 30-06, even though you can.

Being a good shot is far more important than caliber and ballistics. Patience is the key.
 
.270 Win, in a Remington Model 760 pump action rifle. She's light, so she kicks a wee bit, but she's a tackdriver to 400yd (not that I ever see a 400yd shot in my woods).
 
Just saw a hunting show on the outdoor channel where a guy went moose hunting with a .270 Winchester. He put 3 shots into it, and it did the job. It was only about 50 yards, and he placed the first shot well, and second shot was pretty nice as well. I know certain outfitters require certain calibers, and his guide thought he was shooting a .30-06, because he asked about it. The guy did some defending on his choice of the .270, but he put it down quickly enough.
 
As mentioned, proper shot placement is more important than the caliber used. A 500 Nitro Express is not going to stop a deer any better than .223 if you shoot it in the leg. That being said, I am a huge supporter of a .243 Winchester or 6mm Remington, with the edge going to the .243. I am able to practice more due to the lower recoil. Also because of the lower recoil, I do not flinch with a .243 like I do with the larger calibers which also helps with ensuring the bullet hits where I want it to.
 
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Just saw a hunting show on the outdoor channel where a guy went moose hunting with a .270 Winchester. He put 3 shots into it, and it did the job. It was only about 50 yards, and he placed the first shot well, and second shot was pretty nice as well. I know certain outfitters require certain calibers, and his guide thought he was shooting a .30-06, because he asked about it. The guy did some defending on his choice of the .270, but he put it down quickly enough.




Not to demean the venerable 270, but when I got my moose, I dropped it in it's tracks, with one shot. 300 Wby with a 220 grn Sierra roundnose works well on larger game. Great for large game, but misery on the range when working up loads. After about 15-16 shots my shoulder just says "no mas".
 
"300 Wby with a 220 grn Sierra roundnose works well on larger game. Great for large game, but misery on the range when working up loads. After about 15-16 shots my shoulder just says "no mas"."

I was working up some 190gr 30.06 long range loads one day, and while taking a break I noticed a couple of guys fussing with a .300 Wby. They said that they were both starting to flinch badly and couldn't get the scope zerod in. I said that I hadn't fired it yet and could probably get a few rounds downrange before flinching, and so they said have it at. It didn't kick that badly, perhaps because I had my lightweight shooting jacket on, but the muzzle jump bordered on stupid. We got the scope zerod in.

I put about 100 rounds down range testing different loads that day, just a bit more than a normal highpower match with no extra strings to shoot. A M70 Target is a little heavier than a .300 Wby though, especially the barrel.
 
I got a padded recoil vest to make range time tolerable. It makes all the difference in the world. I was so happy when I had my different loads recorded and chronographed. I have a nice heavy 700PSS in .308 that gets most of the range time now, at least when I have the time to actually make it to the range.
 
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Best caliber for deer hunting?




A Dodge. Someone had to say it.




I once successfully took a medium sized roo with a 16940000 grain projectile at 50fps.

Projectile mushroomed perfectly.
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OK Shannow lessee- 16,940,000 grains, you were driving a 2,420 lb vehicle; 50 fps =~34 mph.(yes, I was cursed with knowing there are 7k grains/lb, & 88 fps= 60 mph. Oh the useless trivia stored inside my poor ol' head!
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) And the "projectile" mushroomed?
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Wow, it's good you weren't driving- ah, I mean it wasn't moving faster!
cheers.gif
 
Wow thats like a little over 94,000 ft lbs of muzzle energy, makes a 460 Weatherby look like a pea shooter...
 
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