What calibers have you used?

[youngbuck96]

12 Gauge
.50 Muzzleloader
25-06
.308
6.5 PRC

 

[mi650]

22 Long
22 Short (not recommended)

I have an uncle who used to 'hunt' deer at night with a 22lr and a spotlight. (Yeah, he's one of those. ) He said he'd put one just below the ear, and they'd drop like a box of rocks. I haven't talked to him for several years, no idea if he's still doing it.

 

[mi650]

Another uncle, now retired sheriffs deputy. I went out with him on my grandparents farm with one day. He took his 4" 686. He fell asleep under a tree, and got woken up by a doe in his face sniffing at him. (He snores like a freight train, and figured she was curious about all the noise!!) Anyway, he slowly pulled his gun out of his holster and shot her under the jaw and out thru the top of her head.

 

[mi650]

Several calibers mentioned so far that are on the rare side!

I'm surprised by the number of 22s, though. They aren't legal for big game here.

 

[Pilsner]

12 gauge
20 gauge
357 mag
44 mag
44 SPL
38 SPL
9mm
30-06
308
270
6.5 creed
6 creed
243
300 Weatherby
22 LR
17 HMR
22 Mag
223/5.5
6.5 PRC
7 PRC
6.5 Grendel
6.5-284 Norma
300 PRC
7mm-08
30-30
350 Legend
45 ACP
50 Cal muzzle loader
45 Cal muzzle loader
54 Cal muzzle loader
Taken from contact distance to 496 yards.
And a few that I am sure that I have forgotten. Used either hunting deer, culling deer, or dispatching deer.
I've also gotten more than a few with a Toyota Tundra, Toyota Tacoma, Honda Element, and various Chevy trucks over the years.

 

[mi650]

20 gauge
357 mag
44 mag
44 SPL
38 SPL
9mm
30-06
308
270
6.5 creed
6 creed
243
300 Weatherby
22 LR
17 HMR
22 Mag
223/5.5
6.5 PRC
7 PRC
6.5 Grendel
6.5-284 Norma
300 PRC
7mm-08
30-30
350 Legend
45 ACP
50 Cal muzzle loader
45 Cal muzzle loader
54 Cal muzzle loader
Taken from contact distance to 496 yards.
And a few that I am sure that I have forgotten. Used either hunting deer, culling deer, or dispatching deer.
I've also gotten more than a few with a Toyota Tundra, Toyota Tacoma, Honda Element, and various Chevy trucks over the years.

17 HMR?

 

[EdP]

Rifles:
6mm Rem
.25-06
.270 Win
7mm-08
.30-06
.444 Marlin

Handguns:
.357 Maximum
.44 Mag

Muzzleloaders:
.50 Flintlock
.62 Flintlock

 

[Hondo64d]

I'll start, in no particular order:

12 gage 00
7 RM
30-06
308
7-08
35 Rem
30-30
6.5G
6.5C
6.8 SPC
45-70, subs & supers
44 Mag
50 cal ML

Probably missing a couple. Over the years, I've been far more successful with archery gear, like 8-1 more successful.

It seems like I've always chased the next great thing. For the last couple seasons, I've been using 45-70 subs suppressed. I've shot a few with them, and haven't lost any, but the results weren't what I expected/hoped for. They don't expand much, but a 45 doesn't shrink. I shot one last season thru both shoulders at 50 yards, and he plowed a path thru the snow almost right to me. He died about 10 yards to my left.

Opposite of that, I haven't had to track any I've killed with either 30-30 or 6.8 SPC. They've all been DRT, so why the hell would I switch? I don't even own a 30-30 anymore. I still have the 6.8, and plenty of the load that I used. Even suppressed it's pretty loud, and for no particular reason, I'm trying to keep things quiet.

I have the idea stuck in my head that I need to try 300blk subs. I have a few boxes of 194 gr Underwoods that look they'd tear an ugly hole thru a deer, provided they open up.


Anyway, chime in! What have you used, what did you like, what didn't you like?

.223
22/250
.22GT
.243
6mm Rem
.250 AI
.257 Wby
6.5 Creedmoor
.270 Win
7mm-08
.308
30/06

Can’t say that any of them have displeased me. The .270 has provided more DRT kills for me than any of the others listed.

John

 

[Pilsner]

17 HMR?

Had a deer get caught in the fence around the mother in laws' garden and that is what I had in the truck with me that day, so it is what I used to put it down.
Worked but I wouldn't set out to hunt a deer with one given my druthers.

 

[WJS23]

30-30
7-08
45-70
50 cal muzzy
280 AI

 

[Whitefox82]

17hmr
22lr
223 rem
25-06
270
300 win
50 cal ml
9mm
40 sw
45acp
357 mag
10 ga
12 ga
16 ga
20 ga
410

 

[RCB]

308

 

[X0311]

20 GA slugs
30-30
30-06
308 Win
7X57
6.5 Swede
7mm-08
6.5 Cred
257 Roberts