Best straight wall caliber for deer?

[rp672]

Straight wall cartridges are now legal for deer hunting in IL. I've hunted with a 20 gauge shotgun all my life, but I'm considering picking up a rifle such as a 350 Legend. Anyone have experience hunting with straight wall calibers? Pros/cons vs. shotgun hunting? Thanks!

 

[SBR Sarge]

I’ll weigh in on this. I’ve killed more whitetail deer than I can recall with straights, and lots with a 12 ga slug gun.

I used a .375 Win chambered Winchester Big Bore Model 94 to great effect for years up in northern Michigan.

In Southern Michigan I have used the 350 Legend with stellar success for 5 or 6 years now. I have a GSL Technologies can that stays on my Legend full time. Before this was legal, I used a 12 ga with Rem copper solid slugs.

If you go 350 Legend, get the faster twist barrels in case you want to hurl some subsonics. Even if just for some fun plinking, subs are a hoot.

Bear Creek Ballistics loads some great 140gr Legend ammo.


Pros/Cons……… I think I get less meat damage with my Legend as compared to the 12 ga copper slugs I used to use, and the critters seem to die just as fast. In the end, just pick the gun that you like and shoot the best, get good ammo, and go with it.