Whitetail Caliber
 

Whitetail deer. Name your cartridge if you must, but what do you think the ideal caliber for the game is? Why? What makes it so great?

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

I went with the .264 caliber as my many swedish Mausers have taught me the wonderful characteristics of not only this round, but also diameter. It's long-for-weight profile give it fantastic penetration with low recoil. It is darn near perfect for whitetails.

That said, my 7 X 57 ain't too shabby either!

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

7mm-08, I'm in a slug only state, but any whitetail hunting I'd do would be hard pressed to shoot over 300yds let alone 200yds, So I think the .308 case is a great choice, though I prefer it in 7mm, little more velocity, longer range, lighter bullets. If I had to shoot out to 500yds, I'd choose a .270Win.I think. Under 300yds I'd probably take a 7mm-08, maybe a .308, past 300yds I'd take a .270 Win.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

30.06

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

.277 cause it works

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

I think .243, .257 and .264 are all just about right. Though if I were to pick a cartridge specifically for whitetails, I'd go with the 25-06. So my vote goes to .257.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

.284 for me.

7mm-08, .280, 7mmRM, 7mmUMall sweet deer calibers.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

Its the .277 for me it has the mass to give suffecient damage and still shoots flat and fast.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

.284 for me. They pack a big punch, little recoil, and carry flat over long range. :D

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

Anything from 243 to 300 mag I guess.. I prefer a bow or a 12 guage slug gun personally... IF I had to choose a rifle I'd probably do 30.06...

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

You'd prefer that 30-06 over the 12 gauge IF you COULD choose a rifle that is.....;)


I prefer the bow myself too.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

i think that your rifle should fit your personality and body. how far are you going to be shooting? will you want follow-up shots? How much recoil can you handle? Is ammo available?all these things should be questions to have answered before choosing a caliber

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

Other - .50cal - Muzzleloader.

Why because it's darn fun shooting/hunting withfront stuffers. I won't lie a nice benefit is the season starts a month earlier.I seem to be hunting less and less for deer with a CF, even when rifle season is open I have been choosing the ML instead the past number of years. However I still do and always will pull out the long stick during the year for deer hunting.When I do it's.284 cal- chambered in a 7mm rem mag.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

Like the flat line of the .284 in either my 7-08 or my 7 mm mag.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

.277 -- Flat shooting, better B.C. , low recoil by most standards..... I have used one of a variety of 7mm's I own to take most of my deer. It is my favorite diameter as in 7mm-08 , .284, 7 mag.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

My new favorite is .366 and to be more specific, 9.3x62. I can load it up or down for anything from hogs and Whitetail deer to elk or large African game.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

It would be a toss up between a 6mm and a 25-06.and I would lean towards the 25-06. Perfect combination of low recoil,flat trajectory,super accuracyand killing power. a 117 or 120 grain pill put in a deer at 3000 fps is all that is needed and it matches up well with a 270 using a 130 grain pill.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

Just to be contrary, I'll pick one of the hot .224 bores.........anything from the 223 on up. I've shot a good many deer, both mule deer and whitetail with 223 and 22/250 and the animals don't go anywhere but down. Only trick to it is use 55 gr bullet and not one of the lighter possibilities.

Why are Americans so over-gunned? A 257 Roberts will kill any deer that ever lived and do it at any reasonable rangebut most shooters think they need something larger. Silliness.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

308 Winchester, accuracy, power, and low recoil.

I use Federal Powershoks, it's hard to find faster bullets than that, lol.

RE: Whitetail Caliber
 

243 low recoil and that 85 Grain BTHP is wicked on deer out to 300 yards..