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Deer Rifle #5413488 11/11/14 07:16 PM
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creedeman Offline OP
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What is the best caliber deer rifle for white tail deer?

Last edited by creedeman; 11/11/14 07:17 PM.
Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413497 11/11/14 07:23 PM
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TFF Caribou Offline
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Big ole can of worms there. There about 10 readily available calibers that are all effective. 25-06 30-06 .270win .243 7mm-08 .308 and a whole host of others.


The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference. -George Washington
Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413498 11/11/14 07:23 PM
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Whichever one you can shoot most accurately.

308 if I only could have one.

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413503 11/11/14 07:26 PM
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The one that you can comfortably shoot accurately and develop the confidence to seal the deal in the moment of truth.

For me it's a .270 Win, but a .243, 25-06, 30-06, etc, etc, etc, ad nauseum will get the job done. Don't buy into the magnum hype. Nobody needs a 300 Win Mag to blast diminutive wt's over a feeder at 100 yards or less. A 30-30 will get that job done just fine. Now, if it's your choice to blow deer to kingdom come with a magnum at 100 yards, then by all means. But it's not necessary.


Mike
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Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413517 11/11/14 07:33 PM
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redchevy Offline
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Like has been said above there is no best.

How will you be hunting? Blind/feeder? Spot and Stalk? etc...

For typical texas hunting I would say anything from 243-7mag are you most common options. Some are gonna think 7 mag is too big and some 243 too little but they are all capable. With no other agenda other than a good deer rifle I would probably be looking at 6.5 creedmore, 260, 7mm-08, or 308. They are all lower end of recoil very capable deer killers and will even do elk sized game if the opportunity presents one day. Out of those my first pics would be the 7mm08 and 308 for ammo availability. But almost anything will work with proper ammo and shot placement.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413583 11/11/14 08:04 PM
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Oh man now many times have we done this post... The answer is always 6.5 Creedmoor wife

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: HorizonFirearms] #5413618 11/11/14 08:15 PM
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Originally Posted By: HorizonFirearms
Oh man now many times have we done this post... The answer is always 6.5 Creedmoor wife


Out to 800yds

past that 50bmg

popcorn

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413649 11/11/14 08:26 PM
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With having only 10 posts, you will quickly learn about certain questions. This may go on forever, again.

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413664 11/11/14 08:33 PM
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cheers popcorn

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413685 11/11/14 08:40 PM
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300 blackout



It is far more important to be able to hit the target than it is to haggle over who makes a weapon or who pulls a trigger.

� Dwight D. Eisenhower
Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413714 11/11/14 08:48 PM
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.17 and make sure you have you big ole light with ya aim

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: HorizonFirearms] #5413736 11/11/14 09:03 PM
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Originally Posted By: HorizonFirearms
Oh man now many times have we done this post... The answer is always 6.5 Creedmoor wife


cough cough cough 308 aim

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: Toxarch] #5413767 11/11/14 09:16 PM
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Originally Posted By: Toxarch
300 blackout



This literally made me laugh so hard my eyes were watering

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413877 11/11/14 10:12 PM
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If I can see it with my 3-9, it's gonna die with my 270. That's just because I haven't been able to build a 6.5 anything


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Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5413955 11/11/14 11:03 PM
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Let's just end this. Have Horizon build you a 6.5 Creedmore.

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5414000 11/11/14 11:31 PM
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I certainly wouldn't disagree with 6.5 Creedmoor but I have yet to kill a deer with mine...so... With the guns I have killed a deer with...300 WM, 7mag, 30-06, 308, 30-30, 280, 270, 7mm-08, 22-250 I believe the best has been the 6.5X55 Swede. It has hit the hardest of all the rifles...what I mean is that it was the most perfect in departing its energy into the animal. In my early years I used my 7mag the most followed by my 300mag and I can assure you the deer I hit with those two rifles ran more even hitting them in the shoulder verses those hit with the 6.5X55 Swede.

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5414172 11/12/14 12:47 AM
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243 has worked great for me. There isn't anything in texas I wouldn't feel confident in shooting with it. The right bullet in the right spots does wonders.

Walter


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Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5414215 11/12/14 01:05 AM
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Nothing less than a .340 Weatherby will do. Doesn't anybody read gun rags anymore??


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Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5414220 11/12/14 01:06 AM
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Starting loads for my 270WSM will give me 270 Winchester velocity. - Just about right for whitetails.


Kind regards, charlesb


Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5414233 11/12/14 01:14 AM
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I would experience shooting different calibers. The calibers already listed are great choices. It comes down to what you are most comfortable and accurate with. Good luck!

Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5414266 11/12/14 01:26 AM
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An honest and straightforward answer would be that you can hardly go wrong with any of the popular and readily available centerfire rifle cartridges out there. You'd have to really work on it to find something that wasn't up to snuff. The only caveat is that if you choose a caliber that is also considered a varmint caliber, you have to select your big game ammo with a certain amount of care. That applies to larger calibers also to some lesser extent.


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Re: Deer Rifle [Re: RiverRider] #5414319 11/12/14 01:40 AM
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.308 Win parent action. Whatever that actual measurement is.

.243
.260 Rem
6.5 Creedmoor
7mm-08
.308 Win

.30-06 parent action.

25-06
6.5-284
280 Rem
284 Win
30-06

.300 Win Mag action

6.5 Win Mag
7 Rem Mag
300 Win Mag

That's the short list.

Pick one.

Last edited by FiremanJG; 11/12/14 02:58 PM. Reason: made a correction

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Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5414345 11/12/14 01:47 AM
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Top three :
1) 30-06
2) 30-06
3) 30-06

And if you need another choice,
4) 30-06

cool


THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER AND THE PARTY NEVER ENDS.

F##K YOU JOE BIDEN !!!!!
Re: Deer Rifle [Re: Ranch Dawg] #5414379 11/12/14 01:56 AM
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Everyone has an opinion, and so do I.

Over a half-century, I've shot deer with almost every caliber between .22-250 up to .338 WM. I believe I like the middle sevens the best:

.284 Win
7mm-08 Rem
7x57 Mauser

Open your safe, close yours eyes, grab a rifle, kill a buck. Repeat.


"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple.....and wrong." H. L. Mencken
Re: Deer Rifle [Re: creedeman] #5414441 11/12/14 02:25 AM
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I don't think there's been a bad post on this thread. The best caliber is the one that you'll practice shooting accurately.


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