What is your favored caliber for deer hunting?

[davetclown]

any one have a favorite round and load they like to throw at them hopping horned burgers? (deer)

or do you have specialized rounds and guns for spicific hunting applications?
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[fish4fish]

.22-250, as far as brand goes, it really doesnt matter i have had no problems as long as it is a well known brand. Gun though Browning BLR sweet gun and a blast to shoot
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[theangler]

I only have 4.
2 are too small.
1 is too big.
and one is just right. 30.06. I like the 06 because it is a good all around rifle. You can go a bit smaller then deer and a bit bigger.

I have also shot a deer with a .280? (I think), I am not positive what the rifle was but wouldn't mind having one, I was visiting in Texas and shot a friends rilfe. I know it was smaller then the .06 and it was a dream to shoot. Light recoil and flat shooter right on the money.
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[davetclown]

I too use a 30.06, with 220 grain silver tips. "browning madalian"

not because it was my first choice of perches but because I won it at from a police raffel for a dollar. now I wouldnt traid it for a new one.

have yet to be disapointed with its ability to preform. the load is a bit heavy for deer but the accuricy is right on the quarter at a hundred yards. that aint bad for factory rounds.

I have concidered a reloading system, but that will have to wait till I move, My house is to close to my neibors...LOL wouldnt want to axidently wake them in the middle of the night....
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[davetclown]

if that gun from texas was a lever action it may have been a winchester 270...

a buddy of mine had his dads rifle and I got to plug a few holes in a target. it was a sweet shooting gun, certainly a candidate as a first gun for a beginning young. something with power but not the earth shattering K-boom that the larger riffels have. I think it is even light enough for a 12-15 year old to carry with out being worn down by its weight.
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[davetclown]

have you ever tried the ruger .44 carbine?

its maximum range is about 125 yards. it shoots like a 410 shot gun, semi automatic, and short. perfect for guys running the brush tracking deer.

poor choice for boar tho' I used one and had to put 4 rounds in the same place to get the fifth round to penitrate.

tho' it could have been the maximum expantion hallow points blowing up on the boars tough hide.
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[fish4fish]

I havent shot the .44 carbine, saw one though my uncle has one a ruger i think nice and short and lever action, he loads his own shots for it and says it is a fun little gun.

Another gun that i really enjoy is the good ole 30-30 cheap gun and cheap loads and it has knock down power just not much for distance
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[Flagmanonice]

MY ALL AROUND GUN IS THE 30.06 , INFACT , I HAVE 2 OF THEM ! THEY HAVE PRETTY GOOD RANGE AND GOOD KNOCK DOWN POWER. I HAVE USED IT FOR BEAR ALSO , AND IT HAS THE KNOCK DOWN POWER SO I DON'T HAVE TO TRAIL THEM DOWN IN THE DARK !! MY 270 ALSO IS A GOOD CALIBER ! ITS ALOT FASTER AND FLATTER SHOOTING THEN THE .06 , BUT DOESNT HAVE THE SO CALLED KNOCK DOWN POWER THAT A .06 HAS ! FOR OPEN RANGE SHOTS AND FOR ANTELOPE , THIS IS A GUN THAT I WOULD CHOOSE ! MY DAUGHTER SHOOTS A 243 CAL. WHICH IS A GOOD FLAT SHOOTING GUN , BUT IN THE WRONG HANDS , CAN BE A VERY BAD GUN TO USE FOR DEER ! CAUSE OF THE SPEED AND THS SMALL PROJECTILE , A SHOT NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE WILL JUST CRIPPLE A DEER ENOUGH SO IT CAN RUN AND DIE LATER !! I MIGHT BE GETTING OFF THE SUBJECT ALREADY , BUT HERE IS MY OPION ON GUNS >> YOU SHOULD ONLY USE THE CALIBER THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU ! ALL GUNS HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF DOING THE JOB , BUT THEY DON'T MEAN DIDDELLY IF YOUR SIGHTS OR SCOPE ARE'NT ON !! YOU SHOULD NEVER GO INTO THE FIELD WITHOUT HAVING IT SIGHTED IN , YOU OWE IT TO THE ANIMAL YOUR AFTER , AND ALSO KNOW WHERE YOUR SHOT SHOULD BE TAKEN ON THE ANIMAL ! WHAT I MEAN IS , YOU SHOULD NEVER HIT A DEER IN THE HINDS AT 150 YDS , IF YOU DID , YOU DID'NT SIGHT YOUR RIFLE IN , OR YOU TOOK A SHOT YOU SHOULD OF NOT TAKEN ( RUNNING , TO MUCH COVER BETWEEN YOU TWO ) !! TAKE ONLY A GOOD SHOT , BOTTOM LINE !!! NOW SINCE I'M OUT IN LEFT FIELD HERE SOMEWHERE , I'LL END MY JABBERING !!!


HIT WHERE YOU AIM,
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[BEARCLAW]

I like the .270.. The 06 is also a good medium sized game gun..
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[gdn443]

The 308 has been my favorite for years. When my 30-30 couldn't reach out and touch some of the deer.
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[kokeking]

,i used a 7mm stw .a great shooting gun,very flat for them long open shots.i think that the 30/06 has to be one of the most widely used calibers on the market especially if its hand loaded.it can be loaded light for antelope or heavy for bear if needed.just a great all around caliber.i do most of my hunting with a pistol or a shot gun now.
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[davetclown]

I too like hunting with a pistol. nothin like walking through the woods hands free. some times you do have to be quick on the draw, and just as fast to decide is that a target you want to plunk at....
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[cat_man]

I also am a 30'06 man. Doesn't matter the brand to me, as long as it shoots accurately. I use 180 grain or even 150 grain for deer. A great all around gun as has already been mentioned.
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[davetclown]

Yah, I wished I was using mine last fryday. cant use them where I live. I have to go a couple hundred miles at least in any direction to be able to use it leagly.

I had my shot gun, it seem to be shooting a foot low at 25 yards.... needles to say I made a deer jump insted of lay down on the dinner table....
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[BEARCLAW]

This was the first year I hunted deer with my shotgun. I hunted an area that only allows primitive weapons and shotguns. I was surprised how much fun it was. Quite a bit harder when you have to be within a 100 yards but the challenge is what made it so fun. Do you have a scope on your shotgun or open sights?
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[davetclown]

I had a beed on the end of the barrol. when I loned it out they put a fiber optic on the end. dosnt matter now, I filled the chamber with 00-Buck now all I have to do is point and shoot. no aiming involved. its just like throwing hand granades, Close counts []
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[mtnman]

7MM REM. MAG. 160gr. failsafe bullets from a model 70 winchester classic stainless. 6.5x20 leupold scope. Most of my shots are 400-600 yards. That is why I use this gun
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[davetclown]

that cirtainly is a sweet shootin gun, I had the privlage of shooting one some time ago.

question. dose your scope have the sub cross hairs?

and do you use a range finder to calculate your distance at that range?
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[AFDan52]

[font "Arial Black"][red][size 3] The only rounds that I use for deer hunting is a 139 or 140 grain Boattails in a 7MM magnum at long range. Seems to be very effective. Anything larger would blow it apart. JMHO.[/size][/red][/font]
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[font "Arial Black"][#ff0000][size 3] AFDan52[/size][/#ff0000][/font]
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[davetclown]

so you are using black powder rifles?

my brother uses a 50 caliber musle loader. nice gun but I would hate to have to carry it through the woods for any distance.

feels like it weighs 12-15 pounds.....
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