For a 243, the 80 grain, Barnes Tipped TSX will produce through and through wounds on feral pigs shot in thorax.

I want a minimum of 2000 ft-lbs at impact.

What is the basis for that standard?

A 308 with 175 SMK will not work at 200 yards according to that standard. Lots of animals, and enemies in military and police conflicts, might find that standard unsupported by actual results.

Shot placement is far more important than power.

Yeah, wow!

How tough are whitetails?

My preference. I want enough energy at impact to knock the thunder out of them.



Your right, might be why I don't shoot nor do I like 308's.

I personally have used that combo for my longest shot on a deer - 475 yards by the rangefinder. It dropped where it stood with the first shot.

Just my experience. Everyone has to pick what works for them.

Whelen preached 1000 ft. lbs. as a deer minimum-most since have been fine with that as a rule of thumb.

And that's all I said. I simply said I apply that rule to myself, I didn't ask anybody else to nor suggest that they should. It's a rule that has worked well for me for over 40 years and I don't plan on breaking it.

I wonder what he thought was the ideal ft-lbs?

IDK. IIRC your 2000 ft-lbs was his elk minimum. I'm reading Boddington's latest rifle book and he agrees with Whelen on both counts. Boddington also prefers heavy-for-caliber bullets and, while he admits the .243/6mm is an adequate minimum mid-sized game round, his preferred minimum is .25/26 caliber.

He also loves the .30 cals for their added weight and bigger frontal area-which he believes translates to both more penetration and shock-neither of which are found on a ballistics chart.

He won't speak out directly against the long-range craze, but refuses to discuss anything above 400 yards in his book, basically saying that (largely because of wind effects) such shots should not be taken by any but professionals. Relatedly, says BC is the most over-talked about and least relevant factor in hunting cartridges these days-because of the long-range craze.

Boddington and I think very much alike-probably because his earlier books had such a big influence on me.

Agreed .243 is much better overall than a 22-250 but it AINT an all-around caliber ... in Texas or anywhere else.

To get closer (no such thing as ONE all-around caliber!!!!!!) to an all around you need to go to the 30 calibers. My preference is the 300 win mag. Mine shoots off the shelf factory loads with Remington 150 g managed recoil (Texas deer, varmit, and small hogs inside 200 yards); Hornady 180g SST superformance (larger pigs, anything outside 200 yards, and larger exotics, western US, and African Plains game), and Federal premium Nosler 200g trophy bonded bear claw (bear and really big African plains game -- eland)... all in a 2 1/2 inch group at 100 yards (each will shot 1 inch groups independently).

Even the 300 win mag will never be an all-around because it isn't even legal on African Dangerous Game, so you will ALWAYS need a minimum of 2 rifles. And if you have DG rifle and an all-around rifle, why not have a superhot little 22-250 or 6mm for varmits?

I don't hunt with a 243 because I don't think it's quite enough gun in some circumstances, or at least that was my opinion for a long time. Now I hunt with a 260 and use a 100 gr Nosler bullet at about 3000 to 3100 fps. That's 243 type performance, and it works on central Tx whitetails very well. I will say, however, that the 120 gr bullet is more effective on deer than the 100 grainer is. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind of that. I just use the 100 grainer as my all around pig, coyote, deer bullet.

If I was going to hunt larger deer, I'd use the 120 gr Nosler or move back up to my 270 with 130 gr Ballistic Tips.

Best all around caliber for varmint hunting (including pigs) is probably the 243. For deer, the best (to me) is probably the 270 or the equivalent. And I will also say that bullet BC, for hunting at reasonable ranges of 400 yards or less, is a number the Hunter doesn't even need to know. The Long Range guys need it, and we understand the why's and wherefore's of that.

257 Weatherby

Definitely a 243 if you are limited to those 2. Best all around for big game it is hard to beat the 30-06. You can find ammo just about anywhere and probably have the most choices in bullet weights. 55, 110, 130, 150, 180, 220. These are the one that I know of. Not sure if they still sell the 55s. I know they took them off the market at one time. I believe they also make a reduced recoil cartridge for the -06.

The .243 gets my vote of the two. I rotate my .243 and .270 hunting west texas, but I'd feel more comfortable with the .270 if a Mule Deer shot ever presented itself.

25-06

.308

X-2 and I shoot all three.

Loaded question.

Without selecting a caliber.

One easy to find

Inexpensive when compared to other calibers.

I love my 22-250. I got it primarily for coyotes and bobcats, but killed a 225 pound 8 point and a doe with it this season. I wouldn't make a practice of shooting deer with it long range, but it is well capable of putting down a whitetail. My main long range guns are a .270 wsm and a 25-06.

Match the shooter to the animal to figure out the tool. Terrain and distance are also a factor. There is a lot of difference in East Texas and SW Texas to consider. I don't know the OP nor do I know his size, age, shooting capabilities, terrain hunted, etc. A 22-250 might be all that he can handle. I know that I'll never shoot another 10 ga shotgun.

I've used just about every tool/toy from a 222 through 30-06 for WT, mulies, antelope and elk. As usual, it all depends on a lot of variables. There are a lot of technical reasons for one caliber over another but that's seldom the whole story.

My go to caliber has always been 30-06. I've never found an animal that was overly dead. I've only lost one WT, out of ten or so, with the triple deuce but that was my fault. I've lost 4 WT with my 30-06's in 50 years of hunting. As we all know, some animals just refuse to die in convenient places.

If he thinks that he might like to someday hunt other game like elk, etc, neither of his 2 choices are ideal. But then, who would want to confine themselves to just one gun?

Don't mind me I'm just passin' through!

Already been proven .270 can do the same thong on Africa a .30cal bullet can do...just saying.

.30-06! There is a reason it has been the military's preference since 1906! Most versatile round there is.