Good long-range deer calibers.
#123
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 99

Most all posts on this subject have been good, the 30.06, 308, 270, and 30.30 will probably account for 75% of all kills this year in North America by deer hunters. But this gentelman asked what would be best choice.
Hear is my 2 cents worth, I have shot deer, moose, wolves (timbers) and black bears. with 21 diffrent guns over the years and they all worked.The 30.06 is 100 years old, 70+ for the 270 and almost 50 years for the 308 and all great calibers.
It is now the year 2005 and there is much better choices, I probly got the last gun I will buy and it was more than I ever expected. Rem 700, in 7mmwsm with 24" Hart barrel with Mcmillan stock 6.7lbs it was very easy to find a load 67grs of 4831 with 140gr noslers, three shot group at 100 under .125 just amazing gun, shot a 200lb buck this fall at 390 yards (lasered)from a fence post it was on a walk speed, its was like a bolt of lighting hit him stone dead. with good rest I would not be affraid to go to 500+ with confidence. I tested some 140 gr Lost River bullets J 36, a BC of 644,they sentme a ballistic chart on my load at 3220fps It shoots flat, 0 at 300 22" low at 500, and energy is great, 300yards 2350lbs,500 at 1901fbs
at 700yards 1523lbs and recoil is a little more than .30.06 and very light to carry, quick action, and many bullet choices.It handles well in tight and can do what youn want at long ranges as well as much heavyer guns.
Go with your first thoughts of the wsm, but buy it in a bolt action.
You will never look back, and in the end save money.
Good luck, just a little advise from a old crazzy Canuck.
Hear is my 2 cents worth, I have shot deer, moose, wolves (timbers) and black bears. with 21 diffrent guns over the years and they all worked.The 30.06 is 100 years old, 70+ for the 270 and almost 50 years for the 308 and all great calibers.
It is now the year 2005 and there is much better choices, I probly got the last gun I will buy and it was more than I ever expected. Rem 700, in 7mmwsm with 24" Hart barrel with Mcmillan stock 6.7lbs it was very easy to find a load 67grs of 4831 with 140gr noslers, three shot group at 100 under .125 just amazing gun, shot a 200lb buck this fall at 390 yards (lasered)from a fence post it was on a walk speed, its was like a bolt of lighting hit him stone dead. with good rest I would not be affraid to go to 500+ with confidence. I tested some 140 gr Lost River bullets J 36, a BC of 644,they sentme a ballistic chart on my load at 3220fps It shoots flat, 0 at 300 22" low at 500, and energy is great, 300yards 2350lbs,500 at 1901fbs
at 700yards 1523lbs and recoil is a little more than .30.06 and very light to carry, quick action, and many bullet choices.It handles well in tight and can do what youn want at long ranges as well as much heavyer guns.
Go with your first thoughts of the wsm, but buy it in a bolt action.
You will never look back, and in the end save money.
Good luck, just a little advise from a old crazzy Canuck.
#124
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,329

Early on I shot a deer in the guts with a .308. She dropped like a stone. Not even a twitch. I don't believe that it had anything to do with the 300WM. Just luck.
Tom
Tom
#125

Just finished the first week of deeer season. Six mule deer with six shots from the 270. Lets see now, how could it get better than that? The deer do not know that the poor old 270 is now out of date and is not a short, fat expensive rifle.

#126
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 99

I guess your throwing a little flame at my post about the 7mmwsm short fat bullet, you are probably right, I spent to much money, with Hart barrel and scope, etc. but my friend just bought a new Remington bolt in wsm for under $550 Canadian dollars, and I think he might just skin some of those 270win, on mule deer at some distances say 500+ yards. or maybe thats a little to much to expect from the 270
#128

If I were fool enough to poke at a deer at 500 yards then the 270 would handle the job just fine. I have hunted enough to get much closer than that to the animal. I have shot 7MM Mags plenty having owned five of them. I have found however that the 270 and 280 will do the same job with less recoil and muzzle blast. This was my 49th deer season and I know what works. Don't need any Magnum cartridge to hunt deer. If I did I would have kept one of them. This said, anyone who needs that kind of range has the option of the current crop of powder burners.
Thought you were flaming cartridges that have proven their worth beyond any doubt. Pardon me if I misunderstood.

#129
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Baileysville, WV
Posts: 2,925

Theres definitely reasons those calibers have been around since Jesus was a baby. Like I have said many times, when talking about deer hunting the 270 is never the wrong answer. I am anxious to see how this 7-08 does at the occasional 300 yarders the 270 handled with ease.
#130

It should work very well as well. Rick Jamison who is one of the better gun writers IMO, has praised its capablilities out to 300 even for Elk. This of course with good shot placement. It has plenty of energy out to well beyond that if one can place the shot. Come to think about it, thats rue of EVEN the magnums
. Even the big boomers can't scare them to death.
