I loved my 22-250 for hunting TEXAS deer and pigs. Wish I had never sold it, but alas, when somebody sees how accurate it is and offer you way more money that you have in the gun, oh well, it has a happy home.

Have done a number on quite a few in 7mm-08, and again, sold it for way more money than I had in it.

Got a new Browning XBolt in .243 that I need to get out and get zeroed. I don't like those big ole guns for shooting, but to each their own.

Get out to the range and sit down to shoot for the morn or afternoon, put at least 20 downrange each time, and you will be on the road to knowing your gun.

In fact, this has me thinking that I might just run out and look for me a 22-250.....

And people need to remember, its speed and shot placement that account for that ultimate kill, not those big o' bullets.

I have used a 308 since I was 15 . never had wonder if it was hit or track until i used a 300 win mag .

I haven't seen one recover either. But I have seen ones that starved to death or were taken down buy coyotes after being hit in the neck.

i would say 308 for everything, but i sure like the 220 swift for smaller animals and i have shot a deer with one

Gotta agree with scattergun here. Beyond a minimum set of ballistics, what's more important is how well you know your gun & caliber's capabilities and limitations. I was given a Marlin 336 when I was 12, and used it year-round for everything but plinking, putting thousands of rounds through it. Got to the point where I simply knew what my bullet was going to do. Wouldn't take a shot beyond 200 yds. (until Hornady reinvented the caliber & stretched my limit to 300 yds.), but under 200, it never failed to kill whatever I was aiming at. Add to that the fact that ammo is cheap and available pretty much anywhere (I've even bought it at 7-11 stores), and I haven't felt the need for anything else.

I've hunted with .303 British, .30-06, .308, .300 Win Mag, .375 H&H, .219 Donaldson Wasp Imp., 5.56mm, and a few other calibers that slip my mind (I'm old! :-) ), but always come back to the .30-30. Now, I'm not saying that it's the universally ideal cartridge, only that it's what I've become intimately familiar with, and that - along with the cost & availability factors - gives it a considerable edge in my case. YMMV

I have shot at 3 deer in my short hunting career with a 22-250. High shoulder shots have balled them up where they were standing. I cheat though...26 inch barrel with 1-10 twist and 70 grain speers.

This year I'll be using a Browning Eclipse 300 win mag and a Rem 700 280. The last 8 or 10 deer I've taken were with a Model 7 7mm-08 and it has always done what I've asked of it. The deer on my new lease run larger so I'm getting to put some of my new arsenal to the test ( always fun ).

IMO the best would be whatever particular rifle you shoot the best as long as it makes a quick humane kill and is legal to use in Texas.

all you have to have is a good expanding bullet and hit a the deer atleast halfway and above in the neck and the impact will break their neck. shoot your gun enough to be confident in your shot placement and you can hit anything you want where ever you want. i was taught to shoot in the neck and my dad does the same and have never wounded an animal between the two of us.

308.

X4

Favorite Remington 788 im 7mm-08. Have had it since Remington standardized the wildcat.

The neck shot diacussion. I have killed 3 deer that were shot in the neck by others and have seen other deer shot in the neck that were not dead at all from the shot, but were hit. One doe I left in the field, stiking flesh not exactly what I had in mind when I shot her.

I stopped doing neck shots with a 22-250 after trailing a doe shot with one using 60gr hornady factory loads from about 40 yards. After 1/4 mile or so of blood trailing finished the task with a head shot. Now the heart/lungs is my target of choice.

Hands down 25-06 or 257 wby

I'm gonna have to go with the 220 swift myself .Love the way it shoots and has never let me down on pigs or deer. I have killed deer with a 22-250 also .Mid way in the neck and there done . But the 25-06 is a good cal. too . I also like the 243 wssm he11 of a gun to , I'm just gonna take them all with me .

Sorry but I have to disagree with that break the neck theory. I have seen more than a few deer that were lost because of neck shots. Hit a deer even an inch high above the spine or an inch below and while it may stun the deer and knock it down, they will sometimes get up and run off, A LONG WAYS. Sometimes they survive, sometimes they don't.

We had one big buck a few years ago shot by one of our hunters, knocked down so hard dust flew up, after a few seconds the deer began kicking and got up and ran off. 25/06 shooting 100 grain Hornady, plenty of expansion. We never found it that time. One month later, same deer shot by another hunter on the place in a different pasture, the buck had a huge scab where the bullet exited just above the spinal cord a month before otherwise was no worse for wear.

I shot a buck in south texas through the neck one time. Fell like struck by lightning. Began gathering my gear and look up and the deer is up and running across the sendero, luckily the gun was still out the window and I was able to put one through the shoulders before he disappeared. Had an exit hole in his neck you could stick your fist in within an inch of the spinal cord, 270 with 130 Sierra spitzer, again, PLENTY of expansion.

Those are just two examples, I have witnessed more of the same.

Sorry, no neck shots for me, unless maybe a straight on.

Too little margin for error in my opinion unless taken at close range.


Bill

As to the original question, any good 25 caliber on up. I've taken a few deer with 223's and 22/250's just fine, but for an "all around caliber" it's definitely going to be bigger than a .22.

Bill

.260 remington is the best all around

I love my 7mm mag. I shot a 25-06 for 11 yrs and now have shot the 7mm mag for 16 yrs. It is an absolute tack driver. I also have a 22-250. If I have to pick one to hunt with in Texas it is the 7mm mag Mind you my three rifles are out of the box Rem 700s. Not a lot of money in them and if you take minimal care of them they should last you a lifetime. I like to spend my money on the glass.

.270 hands down shoots great and is plenty of gun for anything in Texas....and every mom and pop store along the way has bullets for it

Ill stick with my .45-70, its capable of taking any North American big game animal! And as far as accuracy, I can shoot 2.5 inch groups at 200 yards outta my marlin 1895, so if you do your part and work up some good handloads it will definantly do its part!

Tony Lee

6.5X55 Is my favorite by far! Big enough for deer and hogs and small enough for varmits. Also low recoil for women and the kiddos.

Another fan of the 7-08.

For years it has been my .270. Until last year, picked up a 7mm-08 and I think I like it better.

A 280 Remington, 700 mountain rifle.

The best all around gun is a .30 caliber of some flavor. Mine just so happens to be a Browning A-bolt in .300 WSM.....LOVE IT!! I've taken 10 lb. hogs with it, all the way up to a 2,000 lb. bull Eland.....and everything in between.

I am also not a fan of the neck shot. A lot of hunters use the reasoning of "I'll either drop it right on the spot or miss cleanly". You are more than likely hitting some of the deer that you think you missed. I've dropped several deer right in their tracks with a neck shot, and I've also had a few that I know I hit run off, and even had to chase one for a finishing shot. I've shot them in the neck with anything from .222 up to 12 gauge slugs, but if you are just off the spine by even an inch, then you may or may not get the deer.

As far as my choice on best all around gun, I'd choose a Remington 700 in .308. A good 30 caliber bullet placed tight behind the shoulder results in a dead deer, which is my ultimate goal.