Perfect Deer Cartridge?

[HOT ROD]

I really like the 6.5 creed with a 130 Berger Otm for antelope and deer.....

 

[Mountainrancher]

25-06 would be my choice. Or 6.5 cm if you want a short action

 

[SuperDUECE22]

25-06 OR 243 would be my choice

 

[chefcreed]

Shot deer, pigs, and a yote with a Howa Mini in 6.5 Grendel. It’s the one I grab the most. Low recoil-low muzzle blast-and kills stuff!

 

[Flyjunky]

6.5-284 running 140 or 156 Bergers

 

[WCB]

If you are look at a 6mm CM just get a .243 better and more options for ammunition and more options for firearms. 7mm-08 is a great round.

 

[JAC8504]

I don't think there is a perfect caliber/ cartridge. I think it all depends on the situation. Terrain, type of deer, etc. Am I hunting more open ground? hills? thick woods? If I was going in blind I would probably pick up one of my .308.

More open area: 25-06
Thick woods: 45/70, 44 mag
Mix: 308

 

[Anschutz]

If you are look at a 6mm CM just get a .243 better and more options for ammunition and more options for firearms. 7mm-08 is a great round.

I'm going to disagree here with the preface that I have enough .243 Lapua brass to keep me going until this barrel gives up. The best thing about the 6CM is that almost every ammo offering is either a match bullet or premium hunting bullet. At my local Sportsmans, I've seen a lot more 6CM ammo than 243. The 7-08 is a great round that is often overlooked. My wife has a Tikka 7-08. Shooting 140gr accubonds it is accurate and Caribou disapproved.

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[wildwilderness]

Suppressed 308! You will have the most options for bullets heavy to light depending on style of hunting.

The one problem I have with the .243/6mm is small bullet deflection. My 14yo just missed a his first buck because he hit a branch right if front of him (scope cleared it but muzzle was point right at it).

Was funny to watch the video replay and see the branch break (and bullet hit just over deers back)

I just put together a suppressed 308 but did t have time to dial in scope, load and some ejection issues before this hunt. But I can tell suppressed is a game changer for kids.

 

[Anschutz]

Suppressed 308! You will have the most options for bullets heavy to light depending on style of hunting.

The one problem I have with the .243/6mm is small bullet deflection. My 14yo just missed a his first buck because he hit a branch right if front of him (scope cleared it but muzzle was point right at it).

Was funny to watch the video replay and see the branch break (and bullet hit just over deers back)

I just put together a suppressed 308 but did t have time to dial in scope, load and some ejection issues before this hunt. But I can tell suppressed is a game changer for kids.

That's hunting. The .308 will deflect just as well. The problem with a 6mm in AK is the big toothy critters that are in the same woods as you.

 

[Lovellr653]

30-06 and be done with it, not exciting or new but effective. Also a big fan of the 260; it's usually a toss up which one I bring out to the field. With advancements in bullet construction these days realistically just about anything will swiftly kill a deer if you hit them properly.

 

[Go West Old Man]

I’m hoping it’ll be the 6.5-284 !

 

[z987k]

30-06 and be done with it, not exciting or new but effective. Also a big fan of the 260; it's usually a toss up which one I bring out to the field. With advancements in bullet construction these days realistically just about anything will swiftly kill a deer if you hit them properly.

He has a 300wsm. You might as well have told him to get another 300wsm.

 

[z987k]

I'm going to disagree here with the preface that I have enough .243 Lapua brass to keep me going until this barrel gives up. The best thing about the 6CM is that almost every ammo offering is either a match bullet or premium hunting bullet. At my local Sportsmans, I've seen a lot more 6CM ammo than 243. The 7-08 is a great round that is often overlooked. My wife has a Tikka 7-08. Shooting 140gr accubonds it is accurate and Caribou disapproved.

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Ya, based off what I see in the store locally and a quick browse of gunbroker... There's more 6.5CM rifles for sale than all other calibers combined in bolt guns.
You can buy pretty much any production rifle currently made in 6.5cm. It's also on the shelf, and it was most of the last year to.
I cannot say that about 308 or 223 or 30-06.

 

[Lovellr653]

He has a 300wsm. You might as well have told him to get another 300wsm.

Similar but not the same in many regards.

 

[z987k]

Similar but not the same in many regards.

Considering his request it might as well be the same.

 

[Ozarkansas]

In my opinion the perfect whitetail calibers range from the hot 6mms on the low end to the mild 7mms on the high end. .243, .257 Roberts, 6.5 CM, 6.5x55, and 7mm-08 all fall into this category. There are plenty of good guns above this range but they’re slightly overkill for just whitetail. If I had a .300 WSM I would get a .243 or -if you like to be contrarian and handload- a .257 Roberts

 

[Actual_Cryptid]

Ya, based off what I see in the store locally and a quick browse of gunbroker... There's more 6.5CM rifles for sale than all other calibers combined in bolt guns.
You can buy pretty much any production rifle currently made in 6.5cm. It's also on the shelf, and it was most of the last year to.
I cannot say that about 308 or 223 or 30-06.

YMMV, around here the creedmoor is less available than .308 or .223 and at higher cost. .308 168gr GMM or 168gr Hornady is $30 a box at the Cabelas, Creedmoor is $40 and up. people buying Creedmoor rifles also means ammo is gonna squeeze because nobody's gonna replace a .223 or .308 manufacturing line with a Creedmoor line.

When it comes to a question of ammo availability, especially for high precision hunting ammo, the answer is always to either buy in bulk or reload, IMO.

 

[madcalfe]

just load your .300wsm with some 150, 165gr accubonds and spend the money upgrading your optics or better yet if you don't reload buy reloading gear. 300wsm is so versatile, hell you can even pump out some 125gr accubonds
"insert doctor evil quote " freaking laaaaaaazer beam" lol

 

[Wapitiaddict]

.308. You can always get ammo.

Not around my neck of the woods. During the most recent ammo shortage (which is basically still going on but it is getting better) from Nov '20 until Oct '21, you could hardly find household calibers such as .308 win, 270 win, 30-06, 25-06, 243 win, 6.5 creedmoor, 300 win, etc.

What could you find? The more "obscure", less popular cartridges such as 6mm Creedmoor, 300 wsm, 7 wsm, 300 Norma, etc. Kind of ironic...everyone says pick a a mainstream cartridge because then you will always be able to find ammo....I found that completely the opposite recently.

If I had a 6mm Creedmoor or 7 wsm, I could have been shooting all day every day and no care in the world for finding ammo. At least that is how it's been in my area.