What's your favorite caliber?

[tracker12]

What is your preferred caliber for whitetail? I know there's alot of good ones, just curious!
List the exact cartridge and load if you want!

I like 270 with 140gr hornady btsp

What is your preferred caliber for whitetail? I know there's alot of good ones, just curious!
List the exact cartridge and load if you want!

I like 270 with 140gr hornady btsp

These days I use my 243 but over the years I have used everything from 300HH to 22-250.

 

[bwlacy]

I don't know if I have a favorite. I've used 30-30, 30-06, 300 H&H, 7mm Rem Mag, and a muzzle loader. It really depends on where I'm hunting. If I'm in a treestand in close quarters I grab my 30-30 or 30-06 pump. If I'm sitting on a big open ag field then I'll grab my 300 H&H. The 7mm doesn't get used much yet, it was inherited and is a keepsake. I need to find some hand loads it really likes.

 

[hic7877]

30-06 165 grain nosler partition in a model 70 featherweight. Took several deer with an abolt hunter 260 rem 125 grain nosler partition.

 

[cboomert]

Currently 30.06, 150gr delivered via Remington 700 BDL. Thinking of picking up a lighter weight rifle with a short action.

 

[isocyanate]

Went through a 6.5 phase like many folks do.

But my current fave for deer is a suppressed 16.5" 308 shooting 150s.

 

[Rich M]

Was raised with a 30-06. Tired of the noise and recoil.

Currently using:

.357 mag with 158 gr 1900-2000 fps home loads (about 15 deer w this gun - 150 yard setup)
or
350 Legend with 158-170 gr 2300-2450 fps home loads (2 deer with this gun - 250-300 yard setup)

It's been hard to beat the 357 mag performance inside 100 yards.

 

[goalie]

45/70.

I'm in the woods when I'm hunting deer. My Marlin GSBL with 300gr bullets going around 1700fps works perfectly.

 

[Rufus]

Was raised with a 30-06. Tired of the noise and recoil.

Currently using:

.357 mag with 158 gr 1900-2000 fps home loads (about 15 deer w this gun - 150 yard setup)
or
350 Legend with 158-170 gr 2300-2450 fps home loads (2 deer with this gun - 250-300 yard setup)

It's been hard to beat the 357 mag performance inside 100 yards.

Hi Rich M. I have been interested in using a 357 rifle for white tails for a long time, just haven’t taken the plunge yet. Would you be willing to tell more about your setup? Maybe what bullet/load your using and what rifle?
Thank you. -Rufus

 

[Rich M]

Hi Rich M. I have been interested in using a 357 rifle for white tails for a long time, just haven’t taken the plunge yet. Would you be willing to tell more about your setup? Maybe what bullet/load your using and what rifle?
Thank you. -Rufus

@Rufus - I wrote a humongous PM and decided to keep it short so you don't die while reading it.

Have single shot and Ruger M77-357 SS bolt action rifle. Using 4x and 2-7x scopes.

My loads are a beefy load of Lil Gun, CCI primers, 158 gr XTP FP, 158 gr Fury soft point, 165 FTX (.355 bullet) for 1,900-2,000 fps.

All 3 shoot inside soda can bottom at 100 yards and the Fury and FTX will group well at 225 yards, even using the 4x scope. 158 XTP FP doesn't shoot too well at 150 yards. POI will vary a little between the bullets at 100 but not enough to change zero between ammo for hunting inside 100 yards.

The XTP FP would be my choice inside 100 yards. Fury & FTX bullets from 100 - 200 yds. Still have yet to shoot a deer with Fury bullet but FTX has killed 2 out of 350 Legend.

The Ruger M77-357 rifle is like 5-6#, recoil is about the same 5-6#, muzzle blast is hardly noticeable, and it kills deer.

The Fury bullet is exciting to me cause I can get it to fit in the magazine and it shoots so well, just need to put one in a deer and see what happens. FTX won't fit in the M77-357 magazine and is for single shot only.

 

[Rufus]

@Rufus - I wrote a humongous PM and decided to keep it short so you don't die while reading it.

Have single shot and Ruger M77-357 SS bolt action rifle. Using 4x and 2-7x scopes.

My loads are a beefy load of Lil Gun, CCI primers, 158 gr XTP FP, 158 gr Fury soft point, 165 FTX (.355 bullet) for 1,900-2,000 fps.

All 3 shoot inside soda can bottom at 100 yards and the Fury and FTX will group well at 225 yards, even using the 4x scope. 158 XTP FP doesn't shoot too well at 150 yards. POI will vary a little between the bullets at 100 but not enough to change zero between ammo for hunting inside 100 yards.

The XTP FP would be my choice inside 100 yards. Fury & FTX bullets from 100 - 200 yds. Still have yet to shoot a deer with Fury bullet but FTX has killed 2 out of 350 Legend.

The Ruger M77-357 rifle is like 5-6#, recoil is about the same 5-6#, muzzle blast is hardly noticeable, and it kills deer.

The Fury bullet is exciting to me cause I can get it to fit in the magazine and it shoots so well, just need to put one in a deer and see what happens. FTX won't fit in the M77-357 magazine and is for single shot only.

View attachment 333004View attachment 333005

Thanks for the info. I’ve been thinking about getting a short barrel lever gun in 357. Probably won’t push quite as fast as you are in the bolt gun, but only really looking for a 100 yard gun anyway. Lots to think about.
Thank you. -Rufus

 

[yazoomark]

260 with 127gr Barnes LRX. 43gr H4350 2835fps

 

[kloppy]

Was the 30-06 w/ 168gr TTSX, and probably always will be, but the .350 legend w/ 150gr winchester deer season XP's is really growing on me.

 

[Studd muffin]

I use the 7mag with 160gr accubonds. Kinda overkill for whitetails, but does the job well. I also use the gun to go elk hunting so it works as a good all around caliber.

 

[chicoredneck]

28 Nosler shooting 195gr Berger bullets.

 

[TheGDog]

.308 Win with 168gr VOR-TX Barnes TTSX is a bit much for Deer. Works great but like 6" circle of bloodshot around entry wound.

.30-30 - works great, hardly any bloodshot waste.

Gonna try .223 Rem 62gr Barnes TSX this year. I think.

 

[Rich M]

Thanks for the info. I’ve been thinking about getting a short barrel lever gun in 357. Probably won’t push quite as fast as you are in the bolt gun, but only really looking for a 100 yard gun anyway. Lots to think about.
Thank you. -Rufus

You'll have fun with a 357 mag lever - can shoot 38 specials out of em too. Don't overthink the process, just start looking.

 

[actiongeoff]

I've been using a .270 and I think it's a great all purpose round. I DO think that it's a bit of a clunky woods gun because of the length and have liked the shorter barreled lever action guns for use from a tree stand. I'd like to try out a 45/70 for my next deer gun since I can load it light for whitetail or heavy for elk. It's a very useful round, but I've heard it's painful to shoot.

 

[goalie]

I've been using a .270 and I think it's a great all purpose round. I DO think that it's a bit of a clunky woods gun because of the length and have liked the shorter barreled lever action guns for use from a tree stand. I'd like to try out a 45/70 for my next deer gun since I can load it light for whitetail or heavy for elk. It's a very useful round, but I've heard it's painful to shoot.

Mine is a powder puff to shoot with 300gr bullets loaded to 1750fps or so.

It thumps on both ends loaded hot and heavy

 

[FireDuck401]

I like my Model 7 in .260 an awful lot.


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[Mosby]

Depends where I am hunting. In the mountains of PA on public land, I will likely have a 30-06 with a 165 grain Speer or Nosler. If I am hunting in Iowa, I use a Henry 45-70 with a 300 grain Barnes. If I am hunting in an area with longer shots, I will have my 300 WSM with 130 grain Barnes TSX.