kshutingkid

I have a friend of the family that has done a lot of research on buying his gun and has informed me that the best choice for a deer rifle in his mind would be a .308. One point he made was the versatility of the bullets you can choose and the different loads you can put into them. I am no big deer hunter by any stretch, this will be my first year. ButI would also want to use my rifle for other game such as boar, coyote, and antelope. Any help would be appreciated.

trailer

Saying that the 308 is the best for deer hunting is not necessary so, but it is a very good cartridge and is one with a good selection of bullets. It can be a very accurate cartridge for coyotes and antelope but also has to do with the rifle and the hunter and yes it could handle boar also. There are allot of good choice to be made, it’s a matter of picking one and going with it. Good luck....

strut

Look at the .06 and .270 also, they would be a good choice , and they will shoot alittle flatter especially when you are chasing the coyotes and antelope. You will have several different loads to pick from especially on the .06.

timbercruiser

"Best cartridge", maybe so, maybe not. The majority of the cartridges normally used for deer size game will perform well and kill any of the animals you names quite adequately. I like a .270, but it is a personal preference of a good cartridge. More important to me is having a good quality scope topping off the rifle.

thndrchiken

The 308 is pretty hard to find any negatives for, bullet selection from 125 to 180 gr to fit just about any hunting situation. Comes in a short action gun which means a lighter gun, ammo is available just about anywhere. It pretty much duplicates 06 velocities up to 165 gr loads, ( factory ammo that is). Other cartridges to consider are the 30-06, 270, 7mm-08,280. I sounds like this is going to be your first gun. Don't know how much your looking to spend, but if your on a budget look at Savage or Howa,I would suggest the 308 or 30-06and get the best glass you can afford.

DoctorDeath

WOW THIS QUESTION IS LIKE DO YOUPREFER BLONDES OR RED HEADS ...I LIKE THE 7mm08 AND HAVE TAKEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT GAME FROM 100lb DOE'S IN ALABAMA TO A 335lb BUCK IN CANADA .... 7mm08 HAS VERY GOOD BALISTICS YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK IT OUT IT COMPARES TO A 30-06 .... BUT AGAIN JUST AN OPINION ... GOOD LUCK

DD

m.t.hands

308,309 whatever it takes

welcome to the forums kshuntingkid

and like everyone else mentioned the .308 and the others mentioned are fine cartridges, it really just comes down to what you like, btw my new personel favorite is my wifes rem model 7 s/s in 260rem, even though i own 2 7mm mags a 7mm stw, and a few other "big guns"i find it to be the most plesant to carry and for sure the most plesant toshoot, and so far none of the deer or coyotes i've killed with it has complained, not much anyway

retrieverman

This what I consider an "ice cream debate", Ithink chocolate is best, and you like vanilla. Who is right? These topics almost always end up badly. I am going to through in my 2 cents. I have killed deer with 223, 22-250, 243,270, 30/30, 300WSM,12 ga 00 buckshot,a variety of projectiles out of a muzzleloader, and even the grille guard on my Ford truck. Take your pick from my list,each is a capable cartidge for killing a deer or other game animals you mentioned. I personallyhave never owned a 308, but I have friends that do and LOVE the cartridge. If that is what you want, find a quality rifle chambered in 308 and don't look back. Good luck with your decision and happy hunting!

kshutingkid

Well this will be my first rifle that i want to spend some money on. I do have a .243 that i bought from a friend for cheap, but i haven't shot it yet. Maybe it will be a fine gun for me, and I should take some time and go shoot it to see if I like it, which, once I get into the swing of things this fall, I will do. I just became a member to hunting.net for this question mainly and have liked everybody's response. Thanks for taking the time to give me some advice.

timbercruiser

If you already have a .243 why not use it? They are a great gun. Take the extra money you have now and topthe .243off with a good scope, a Conquest or another quality glass scope. Then in a year or two, if you want to, you can put the scope on your new rifle of choice, unless you decide to keep hunting with the .243.....Good glass is as valuable as the rifle in my opinion.