Whitetail Deer Hunters: What caliber you grabbing?

[IronWave86]

I’ve been out of the hunting game for approximately 20 years now. Recently, my youngest has decided that he would like to take up an interest in it. He is going to learn to shoot with a .243 and that will be his primary rifle moving forward.

I have never shot anything other than a 270 and a 7mm-08. I know that there have been several advancements in calibers in the 20 years that I have not hunted. If I was to look for something new today, what is a caliber that I should consider? It would primarily only be used for Whitetail deer, maybe coyotes, and range fun.

 

[zwhit]

My sons have been shooting the 350 Legend this year. I usually stick to the tried and true rounds as they've never let us down but we really like this round.

Low recoil, plenty of range for a youth hunter, and puts a big enough hole in them that they don't go far. They've both shot a deer each this season and they didn't get out of eyesight before dropping. They put it right through the lungs but with the faster rounds, they would get a little further and we'd have to track them into the woods a lot of times.

 

[McPriimate]

Started with the .243 and put down plenty cleanly. Switched to the .270 about a decade back and love it. Strong enough medicine for anything in the lower 48 except a grizzly, flat shooting, more than enough range for any shot I want to take these days including even antelope and others that are typically a bit longer poke.

Love that gun and my kids took the .243’s. Would like to try the creedmore and the 30.06 and .308 are classics I haven’t shot, but a .270 and a marlin 30.30 for the brush are really about all I need.

Now, all I want is a different story lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[IronWave86]

I forgot to add, this rifle would be for me personally, not the son. He’ll use the .243.

Would like to try the creedmore and the 30.06 and .308 are classics I haven’t shot, but a .270 and a marlin 30.30 for the brush are really about all I need.

I’ve been reading about the Creedmore. I also like the fact of getting at .308 in an AR10 platform for the modularity aspect of it.

 

[tommygunz]

.270 bolt action is tough to beat.

 

[IronWave86]

.270 bolt action is tough to beat.

That's what I had up until a year ago. Then I sold it because it hadn't been touched in 20 years. Weatherby Vanguard

 

[McPriimate]

That's what I had up until a year ago. Then I sold it because it hadn't been touched in 20 years. Weatherby Vanguard

Oooooooo - that’s a nice piece of kit.

Sorry for your loss and wish I’d been the buyer lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[IronWave86]

Oooooooo - that’s a nice piece of kit.

Sorry for your loss and wish I’d been the buyer lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks. Luckily I sold it to my Grandpa-in-law. I'm sure it will get passed back down one day.

 

[Milford King]

.308 and .338 lapua

 

[Wardamn]

I’ve been out of the hunting game for approximately 20 years now. Recently, my youngest has decided that he would like to take up an interest in it. He is going to learn to shoot with a .243 and that will be his primary rifle moving forward.

I have never shot anything other than a 270 and a 7mm-08. I know that there have been several advancements in calibers in the 20 years that I have not hunted. If I was to look for something new today, what is a caliber that I should consider? It would primarily only be used for Whitetail deer, maybe coyotes, and range fun.

For deer, yotes, and range shooting the 6.5 creedmor would be a good cartridge to check out.

Light recoil with high BC bullets. They buck the wind well and cut down on wind drift at longer ranges. The lighter recoil is nice when shooting all day at the range. Tons of ammo availability.

 

[Wardamn]

I forgot to add, this rifle would be for me personally, not the son. He’ll use the .243.


I’ve been reading about the Creedmore. I also like the fact of getting at .308 in an AR10 platform for the modularity aspect of it.

Heavy and cumbersome for a hunting rifle. I would stick to bolt guns for hunting.

 

[McPriimate]

Heavy and cumbersome for a hunting rifle. I would stick to bolt guns for hunting.

Only time I wished I’d brought my AR was whacking piggies at night when we were in Texas. But same token, the 30.30 was a ton of fun for it too - and how many do you really need to shoot at once anyway lol

Completely agree with you tbh. bolts are the way to go for hunting imo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Syntha Claus]

If I was killing Bambies I would use my AR in 6.8 SPC. Pretty much use that for most anything and I wouldn't worry about scratching it like I used to with my overpriced bolt rifles.

 

[tommygunz]

I have killed countless deer with this .270 Remington Light Weight. I’ll admit it’s not a Weatherby but it’s a reach out and touch them at long yardage and didn’t break the bank. I like the ones they sell with polymer stocks, takes the fear out of dinging a nice walnut or laminate stock. It will change your eye glass prescription if you take it to plink with at the range , it’s a light weight and has big recoil but you can carry it all day.
There are so many great choices and it’s hard to chose. For North American thin skinned game you don’t need a cannon.

Happy shopping

 

[Syntha Claus]

I have killed countless deer with this .270 Remington Light Weight. I’ll admit it’s not a Weatherby but it’s a reach out and touch them at long yardage and didn’t break the bank. I like the ones they sell with polymer stocks, takes the fear out of dinging a nice walnut or laminate stock. It will change your eye glass prescription if you take it to plink with at the range , it’s a light weight and has big recoil but you can carry it all day.
There are so many great choices and it’s hard to chose. For North American thin skinned game you don’t need a cannon.

Happy shopping
View attachment 219250

I had a beautiful Sako .375 H&H. I wasn't exactly going to drag it around the bush with me. Not that I know WTF I bought it for.

 

[tommygunz]

I had a beautiful Sako .375 H&H. I wasn't exactly going to drag it around the bush with me. Not that I know WTF I bought it for.

I don’t buy expensive rifles unless they’re for play for just that reason. High end firearms like Sakos are out of my budget but they sure are a fine rifle.

 

[DirtyIron14]

I've been having this debate with myself for 2 years lol. 308/30-06 have been my go to always. I throw a can on my 308 with 125gr sst's and my daughter uses it also, shoots like a 243. Lately I've narrowed it down to a 280ai, 300wsm, and a 7ss(short sherman). Id like to work out to 1500yds on steel and be able to have enough energy for antelope to elk all in one rifle. 280 and 300 ammo are mostly always available. The 7ss is but its over $4 a round if you dont reload them yourself.

 

[Wardamn]

I've been having this debate with myself for 2 years lol. 308/30-06 have been my go to always. I throw a can on my 308 with 125gr sst's and my daughter uses it also, shoots like a 243. Lately I've narrowed it down to a 280ai, 300wsm, and a 7ss(short sherman). Id like to work out to 1500yds on steel and be able to have enough energy for antelope to elk all in one rifle. 280 and 300 ammo are mostly always available. The 7ss is but its over $4 a round if you dont reload them yourself.

300WSM is a nice round. I have a model 70 featherweight in 300 wsm. Tack driver.

All 3 you mentioned will do the job on Elk.

Have you looked into the PRCs?

 

[JohnMcc]

Ive used a 270 and a 308 over the years, both great hunting rifles just depends on your land layout where you hunt. More fields go 270, more brush 308. Have fun hunting with your son!

 

[DirtyIron14]

300WSM is a nice round. I have a model 70 featherweight in 300 wsm. Tack driver.

All 3 you mentioned will do the job on Elk.

Have you looked into the PRCs?

I have, buddy just picked up a sawtooth in 300prc. Thing is lights out. Thought about 7prc myself. Like my shells like I like my women, short and fat

 

[TangoFox]

For deer, yotes, and range shooting the 6.5 creedmor would be a good cartridge to check out.

Light recoil with high BC bullets. They buck the wind well and cut down on wind drift at longer ranges. The lighter recoil is nice when shooting all day at the range. Tons of ammo availability.

I agree here. Great for a new young hunter too. Both of my boys started with the 6.5. Take your avg deer cartridge, zero it at 100 yds. You’re good all the way out to 300-350 yards in the vital zone. Get him a decent rifle in this cartridge, he may never replace it.

For a lighter recoil, it can be built on an AR platform as well.

 

[Benchindoghandler]

Depends where I’m hunting. I’m old school .30-30 lever action.

If kids .357/.38 special or .40 lever action good start as well if you hunting 100yds or less.

long distance , only right answer is a .308

 

[Benchindoghandler]

Only time I wished I’d brought my AR was whacking piggies at night when we were in Texas. But same token, the 30.30 was a ton of fun for it too - and how many do you really need to shoot at once anyway lol

Completely agree with you tbh. bolts are the way to go for hunting imo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

30-30 never disappoints.

 

[JB4976]

7 Mag

 

[FBird]

Not too jack your thread... but what's everyone's best shot? ( distance in yards) i would consider myself an average marksman , but the best I've done is 375 yards with 308. It was on deer drive type hunt. I crouched down to kneeling position. After shot I saw him rock an run about 40 yards then fall over dead To me that was a challenging distance. I sure love that 308!
It's always fun to hear about those stories and rifles eh?

 

[McPriimate]

Not too jack your thread... but what's everyone's best shot? ( distance in yards) i would consider myself an average marksman , but the best I've done is 375 yards with 308. It was on deer drive type hunt. I crouched down to kneeling position. After shot I saw him rock an run about 40 yards then fall over dead To me that was a challenging distance. I sure love that 308!
It's always fun to hear about those stories and rifles eh?

My best was on an antelope hunt at 289 yards. Modest by almost any standard, but a nice shot for me. Saw just the top of an antler in a gully glassing, from probably 1500 yards. Buddy didn’t even believe it was an antelope but I was pretty sure from what I could see. Duck walked, crawled and then belly crawled through gullies and behind tiny “hills” (like 2’ rollers) up to 289 yards using a fence line to obscure the last 200 yards of the stalk. Got to the fence corner and sloooooowly got to a kneel using the small metal post as a bit of cover and a bit of stabilization (but was wobbly so was more for steadying my stance than resting the gun). Clean shot with the .270 and over he went drt. 14.75” and ate wonderful (whole fam liked that one)

Had a shot at a nicer one (around 15-16” we thought and thicc - lots of meat there), but he was 311yds and I set my limit that hunt at under 300. Guy I was with was almost apoplectic that I wouldn’t take the shot, but he was past my limit, walking away and a quartering rear shot, so I passed. I was ringing steel consistently at 500yds getting ready for that hunt, knowing it would be long pokes, but I also know that adrenaline, wind, unfamiliar terrain and fatigue from stalking would likely make me a worse shooter and I hate wounding an animal (like, makes me sick/angry thinking about it), so like to keep my shots to ones I’m confident lead to a dirt nap, not a day long tracking exercise lol.

Good times - thanks for dredging that memory up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Roan]

This really all depends on where I am and the terrain. I use 30.06 for the open woods and power line, up north in the Adirondacks it is so thick, I bring out my .44 carbine or .35 rem. The out west WY, CO trips I use my .338. Good luck everyone.

 

[swollNnator]

I've been in the whitetail woods since a kid. Started with a single shot 20g and moved up to a 12g pump. Now at 42, my go to rifle for whitetail is a 6.5 creedmoor. Every deer that has been shot with it has dropped in their tracks with a 140 grain bullet. Now put the can on it, and she's quiet and sexy . Shot a doe with several around her. She dropped where she stood and all the others just look at her and keep feeding and doing their business. Its great!