Caliber for Deer Hunting

[LePetomane]

I'd like to start hunting for deer with a rifle. Previously I hunted in western Pa. and NY with a 30-30 belonging to my dad. My brother inherited that gun. I'm looking at different calibers. What do you guys (and girls) use?

WJLP

[FJ540]

Really depends where you'll hunt. Southern half of the state is shotgun only. Northern half doesn't offer many chances for more than 300yds.

[BBeckwith]

I'm partial to 30-30 and 30-06. Always hunted northern MN and that is what I grew up with for hunting calibers. The deer I took this year was a .308.

[Speeter]

cant go wrong with .308

[FJ540]

If I wasn't concerned with caliber cross-compatibility and had the choice of any caliber I wanted, I'd go with a 7-08.

I have a .25-06 that's done plenty of bambi killing, but the gun is heavy and not well suited for mobile hunting or areas where you'll need to swing the barrel to follow an animal leading up to a shot.

[rugersol]

If yer likely to forget to bring ammo (or yer gun), and need to stop in the KwikeeMart 80mi outta Roseau, probly .30-06 er .30-30!

.... otherwise, 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem, er 7mm-08'd do most anything ya'd ever need!

[LePetomane]

The reason I asked is that I have a chance to buy a Kimber .270 at a good price. It is only a good price if I get to use it.

[rugersol]

The reason I asked is that I have a chance to buy a Kimber .270 at a good price. It is only a good price if I get to use it.

...that should be fine!

[grousemaster]

The reason I asked is that I have a chance to buy a Kimber .270 at a good price. It is only a good price if I get to use it.

The .270 Win is a fantastic deer cartridge

[yuppiejr]

The "big 4" cartridges suitable for the everyman shooter in terms of recoil, available ammo, and terminal performance on all North American big game would be the .308, .270, .30-06, and 7mm Remington Magnum. With at least one of these in your safe you pretty much have all of your bases covered for hunting and can then add purpose specific calibers as you see fit down the road (if ever) - thus that .270 would be a superb choice.

For a recoil sensitive shooter a .243, 7mm-08 or 25-06 would also be good choices for the same reason (possibly excepting larger game animals) as would the classic 30-30 leverguns out there. There are lots of good but less common chamberings out there but I'd argue for most "recreational" shooters widely available cheap ammo for practice or "doh" moments afield are better than a few foot pounds of energy or a flatter downrange trajectory. Picking a caliber that's in common with someone else you hunt with is also a good idea for the same reason.

[rukwikenuf]

i picked up my first new-to-me deer rifle a couple years back, an old Ruger 77 (pre hawkeye) in 270Win. i'd like to say that it's taken down multiple deer, but i'd be lying.
however, 270Win is a great cartridge, offering a little less recoil than a 30-06 of comparable weight, slightly flatter trajectory, and a GREAT selection of ammunition

[gunforhire]

.35 remington is great for heavily wooded areas with 200 yd and less shots. get a marlin 336 chambered in thins and you have a nice short lever carbine capable of taking anything you want in those ranges

[FJ540]

I got the 300blk barrel for making my AR into a 30-30 equivalent for brush hunting at shorter ranges.

The 300 won out over the 6.5 and 6.8 for ultimate conversion ease and parts compatibility with the .223. I just need an upper swap to make it easy. Bolt and everything else is the same. Once lowers are cheap again (or I mill my own), I'll turn it into it's own gun.

If deer is your largest target, the 300blk is a good option in the AR platform but I'd go with something else if you want a different style gun. It doesn't pack enough oomph for larger game IMO. Guys are using it suppressed for hogs down south too.

[45Badger]

I'd like to start hunting for deer with a rifle. Previously I hunted in western Pa. and NY with a 30-30 belonging to my dad. My brother inherited that gun. I'm looking at different calibers. What do you guys (and girls) use?

WJLP

Greetings from a fellow NY/PA soul!

I use .308 Winchester but .243, 7mm-08, .30-06, and .270 will all do the job. I like bigger and slower bullets vs. small and speedy. For me, they seem to produce cleaner/faster kills and damage less meat.

[LePetomane]

Thanks for the replies. I bought it.