What's The Smallest Caliber You're Using

[hodgeman]

"Too dead" is not nearly the problem "not quite dead enough" represents...

I've killed a few whitetail with a .223 many years ago and found it underwhelming. Today's bullets are a lot better than what I had back in the 80's but it's a bias I can't overcome. I had a .243 for a season and it worked but I really think the 260/6.5/7-08 type of cartridges are basically ideal for deer. I've killed a bunch of them with a 308 and a 30-06 too.

I'd say if your buddy wants a .308, there's a lot worse choices he could make.

 

[MarcherLord]

I've killed a pile of deer with 6 Creed and 108s.

 

[eddiewiggles]

I started out with a .243 and have even killed a couple with a .223 but my dads always said “if the buck of a lifetime walks out in front of you, wouldn’t you rather have something with a little more power?”. I never had any problems with the smaller calibers I named before but if he’s comfortable with nothing smaller than .30 cal and he picks good bullets/good shots he’ll never have an issue anyways


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SoDaky]

243

 

[OXN939]

“if the buck of a lifetime walks out in front of you, wouldn’t you rather have something with a little more power?”

Depends on what kind of load you've got going on. Walmart Core Lokts? Yeah, I'd probably want something else. Hornady GMX or Barnes TTSX? Nope. I'd feel better with my .243 in that situation than just about anything. Google the slow motion videos of those loads in ballistic gelatin if you do still think you'd be undergunned

.

 

[eddiewiggles]

Depends on what kind of load you've got going on. Walmart Core Lokts? Yeah, I'd probably want something else. Hornady GMX or Barnes TTSX? Nope. I'd feel better with my .243 in that situation than just about anything. Google the slow motion videos of those loads in ballistic gelatin if you do still think you'd be undergunned

View attachment 185009.

I agree with you 100%, the deer I’ve killed with my .243 and .223 didn’t go more than 10 feet, if they went anywhere but straight down. What you quoted came from my father, and he’s been hunting for 50+ years. He’s got a little bias in him, bullets have changed dramatically since he started hunting, and not everyone reloads. There’s tons of factors that play into it, but like you said, there’s some damn good bullets out there now that would put any whitetail down with a good shot. I don’t personally think anyone would be truly undergunned with a .243, but if someone isn’t confident carrying one, I guess it’s good there’s plenty of other/bigger options


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Varminterror]

22 Hornet would be what I’d generally consider a minimum for deer. I’ve used 223rem enough to know it works fine with a handful of different bullets, and I especially favor the 60 Partition.

My ideal cartridge for whitetails is something on the order of 243LBC (6 Grendel) to 243win. I prefer heavier bullets than the 243win generally tolerates, so I favor faster twist barrels. 6 Dasher, 243 LBC, 6 Creed, 243win... even lump 6.5 Grendel in there for the folks who don’t reload.

If KNOW I’m going to put a lot of air under a bullet before reaching the target, 600+, then I use a 30cal Magnum or larger, but for typical whitetail hunting, I’m not wasting that much powder or tolerating that much recoil.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I've killed a pile of deer with 6 Creed and 108s.

I haven't hunted with it yet but I was impressed by the ballistic capabilities of the 6 creed so I picked one up and managed to develop a pretty lights out load with 105 VLD's. This will probably be my go to deer rifle now because of the consistency I get out of it and the confidence I've built shooting it.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Tractor/truck/ATV gun is 22mag...stacked a pile of yotes, hogs and other varmints with a 22mag. You hit'em in the brain pan and they will go down. 40 gr Segmented HP are all you need.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Culled over 200+ Whitetails with 22-250. Under certain criteria and conditions it’s extremely deadly. In other conditions and criteria it’s reckless, which pretty much applies to any caliber.

Explain Reckless conditions plz

 

[jfs82]

6.5 right now but I'm likely rebarreling a 6.5 cm to 6mm cm (243) soon since my 6.5 prc makes the 6.5 cm pretty superfluous.

 

[positivepete!]

My 6mm has killed a lot of deer and antelope

 

[wind gypsy]

For a dedicated deer rifle i'd choose a 6.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I only get one.....maybe 2 deer tags per year. You guys getting to utilize a huge schmattering of Novelty Cartridges makes me very jealous. I would love to see some first hand shots with a 243 with a neat bullet.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Depends on what kind of load you've got going on. Walmart Core Lokts? Yeah, I'd probably want something else. Hornady GMX or Barnes TTSX? Nope. I'd feel better with my .243 in that situation than just about anything. Google the slow motion videos of those loads in ballistic gelatin if you do still think you'd be undergunned

View attachment 185009.

Caliber and weight of TSX and application it was utilized?

 

[WeiserBucks]

I guess I'm the only idiot using a 300 Norma for everything.

 

[6mm Remington]

I only get one.....maybe 2 deer tags per year. You guys getting to utilize a huge schmattering of Novelty Cartridges makes me very jealous. I would love to see some first hand shots with a 243 with a neat bullet.

All shot from a 6mm Remington into gallon water jugs lined up at 400 yards. Testing penetration, expansion, and weight retention. Great practice and a lot of fun!


6mm Remington 100 gr. Partition on an antelope.


Different 6mm Remington same results. Dead antelope. Also used a 100 gr. Partition.


6mm Remington on a bighorn sheep.


Water jugs lined up for testing.


Son's first elk. One shot at 350 yards with a 6mm Remington & 90 gr. Nosler E-tip. Hit her tight behind the right shoulder. The bullet angled forward slightly and exited out the center of her left shoulder. She staggered 20 yards and dropped.

 

[Crghss]

257 Roberts, I think this is a great whitetail round.

But .308, ‘06 and 30-30 are great rounds also. Can’t go wrong with ‘em.

Wonder what he things of .270 Win?

 

[ElkArcher918]

For whitetails and pronghorn I shoot a .270 w. a 130 grs. Barnes TTSX bullet. I also like Nosler Partitions.

 

[Corvus Corax]

.243win, Washington has a .24 caliber minimum requirement. I’ve had good experiences using mine on several whitetails. I’d even give consideration to a .223rem with a proven bullet if it was an option.