What is YOUR Small Caliber on Big Game Experience?

[KHntr]

I can't believe 94.5 percent of roksliders are on the small calibers for big game bandwagon.

That could be that the “won’t use it and am against it” guys likely haven’t opened the thread due to the title.

 

[Unckebob]

That could be that the “won’t use it and am against it” guys likely haven’t opened the thread due to the title.

I don't consider a deer to be "big" game so I voted no.

I have been talked into the 223 with 77g TMK for deer and have a Tikka I am getting handloads dialed in.

I plan to let my little guy use it.

I will shoot my

 

[LeftyWilbury]

my newish 243 with 87 gr hammer absolute hunters has only taken two deer so far, but i feel confident it will kill anything i appropriately point it at. this coming down from 30-06 and 7mag and 308.

but i'm NOT a long range hunter. my woods are thick and i'm quiet. i support smaller calibers and better shots. ymmv

 

[5811]

That could be that the “won’t use it and am against it” guys likely haven’t opened the thread due to the title.

Probably some truth to that. I tried to make a neutral title but I could have done better.

 

[mt terry d]

223, 77 TMK
If deer qualify as "big game"
@60 yards One n' done
@250 yards One n' done
@120 yards One n' done
@320 yards One n' done
If cow elk qualify
@320 One n' done

 

[mt terry d]

If I'd waited a day to post I could have added these
223 77 TMK

144 yards One n' done


346 yards One n' done

 

[nubbin]

With big game being subjective, i do 90% of my deer hunting with a .243. I’ve shot whitetail and hog with it. The results of those shots have all been pretty boring results. I shoot them in the vitals, they run 20-60 yards and die. I’ve had the same exact results with 308, 30-06, 30-30, muzzle loaders, and Archery. Blood trails and exits wounds have all varied solely on shot placement, regardless of method used on said deer. I’ve only elk hunted once (archery) but my .243 wouldn’t be my go to choice, I’d take the 30-06. Used the 30-06 on mule deer, and IMO it did nothing that my .243 wouldn’t do.

With that being said, outside of Archery, I’m a simpleton when it comes to hunting. I don’t data crunch, i don’t fret over the trying to cover every what if. I put more thought into Archery and arrow set ups because using a bow, oh crap moments seem more common place. I don’t gamble on shot angles, I’m not afraid to pass up because a situation feels uncomfortable. I shoot heavy for caliber and stick with the vitals. If someone told me i could hunt whatever, whenever, for free but all i could use was my .243, I’d sign the dotted line and go hunt.

 

[MoeFaux]

I don't consider a deer to be "big" game so I voted no.

Agreed. Poll results might (but - being rokslide - also might not) differ if we defined big game. I would call all deer medium game, and would have no compunction about chasing one with a .223. I voted NO, however, because my personal minimum for elk or caribou is a 6.8/270.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

6.5 Grendel with 123gr factory eld murders count?

7 seasons Alberta, 21 animals, 10-420 yards, average shot distance 170, average recovery distance 10 yards, 7 species. Moose, sheep, wolf, black bear, whitetail, muley, antelope. 3 different shooters.

Launched from several rifles, anywhere from 2605 fps on high end down to a good majority of kills only launched at 2386 fps including a 420 yard bang flop deer.

Positive experience. Get shorter recoveries and more drt’s than I was with .270 wsm and .270 win running 140 accubonds. All about the bullet.

Which for me I set a low limit of 120gr, after seeing some .243 experiences moved to Grendel 123’s and would never look back. We can hunt 6mm here and I would with 108’s and prolly would try 88’s in arc if .22 allowed. My low limit of 120gr may end up moving. Not worried about much with eldm in .25 sd range at moderate velocities, very good performance.

If I were forced to mono I would have to move to a 120 with more case capacity to get speed up. However before that would happen I’d just buy a couple boxes of cx ammo and give the ammo away and keep the boxes and put my eldm ammo in there instead for any potential fish and game conversations.

 

[Unclecroc]

I’ve not personally shot a deer with a 223 but my late great uncle always hunted deer with a tc contender pistol and #1365 55gr Sierra gamekings and he never had much issue staying in deer meat.
I have shot many deer with a 22-250 with everything from 55 corelokts to 50gr ttsxs. I’ve witnessed many more with a 22-250. All accounts have been impressive and let me say these rifles weren’t no fancy fast twist deals, they were all 1-14 and 1-12” twists. The main thing is stay away from varmint bullets. A 22-250 is one heck of a deer cartridge when loaded with the right bullets.

 

[mt terry d]

And..........

223 77 TMK
331 yards
Dropped on the shot.
She lifted her head so I put another one in her ear hole.
Why? Because I could.
Pretty cool to see the "poof" when the bullet hit.
Kinda like the Zapruder film.

 

[wind gypsy]

Deer are the first thought that comes to mind when I hear "big game". Probably because they are about the biggest thing you can hunt in much of the country and where I grew up, not counting the bears.

 

[mt terry d]

Re: Post #66
She was quartering to me facing right.
Concerning the bloody hole in the brisket.
I thought that was the bullet entrance and knew her
right front leg was broke when I gutted her and had the thought
"that's odd" but didn't dwell on it due to conditions at the time.
But after boning out her right front leg I'm not so sure.
Could the hole in the brisket be from bone fragments or
possibly part of the bullet?
And no, her leg wasn't broken before I shot her

 

[AKSandman]

Use what works for you and I’ll only offer my opinion if asked. I just ask the same in return.

Here is my experience with small cartridges and big game.

5 moose and counting with a 2O4.

All headshots, instantaneous lights out, not even a muscle twitch. From my experience, it is so ridiculously effective that I will not be changing tactics (switched from heart/lung shots with a 300 wsm). Cleanest kills I have ever seen. Period. No if, ands or buts. Walk up and slit the jugular to bleed them out like in a slaughterhouse. Cleanest meat I’ve seen. No bloodshot meat.

On large bulls (50”+ or 3+ brow) it doesn’t break the skull cap, so if you shoot a 50”+ with two brow tines, you are legal. On spike/forks and cows, expect a broken skull plate. Not sure I’d shoot a bull over 65” with it, but for your average moose, it’s an absolute killer if you are a marksman and a level headed hunter.

Of note: the next time you have access to a cleaned moose skull, shine a light in the hole at the base of the skull and take note of where, and how thin the thin parts of the skull are. You don’t have to hit the thin spots to kill with a 20 cal traveling at nearly 4000 fps, but seeing how thin some parts are makes the whole “I’ve heard of people killing a moose with a 22” make a lot more sense. And no, I don’t recommend you shoot a moose with a rimfire because that is Illegal, and for good reason.

Would I recommend my methods to others? No, but then again, I don’t really recommend anything to anyone. This is just my experience.