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Best long range deer caliber

Old 11-23-2005, 10:41 AM
  #31  
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

....and how can we say no such thing as knockdown power??? Are you telling me a 180 grain bullet traveling the same velocity as a 130 grainwill have the same effect on a target??? I think not...but I could be wrong??? It makes sense to me that the 180 grain bullet will create much more energy in Ft/lbs on a target than a 130 grain at the same speed.

Our 270's were working fine this weekend. We managed only a 149 inch 8 pionter.
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Old 11-23-2005, 11:46 AM
  #32  
 
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

Everybody has their own opinion, some stronger than others as we can read. My personal experience, I favor my 7mm Rem Mag witha 140 gr. load. Took one down at a little less than 300 yds level shot.

A big factor is the shooter and their capability... ...and their personal favorite.
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Old 11-23-2005, 12:54 PM
  #33  
 
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

ORIGINAL: cmscat50

....and how can we say no such thing as knockdown power??? Are you telling me a 180 grain bullet traveling the same velocity as a 130 grainwill have the same effect on a target??? I think not...but I could be wrong??? It makes sense to me that the 180 grain bullet will create much more energy in Ft/lbs on a target than a 130 grain at the same speed.

Our 270's were working fine this weekend. We managed only a 149 inch 8 pionter.
I don't think anyone would dispute your statement, there no doubt is a difference in the power delivered to the tissue of the animal. It has to do with the size of the slug, the power behind it, and also the construction of the bullet.

But the real question, to me is, what is the effect on the animal or how you hunt it, assuming the proper choice of the type of bullet? Since I'm one of those who called "BS" on some of your previous statements, I just want to repeat that in the range you were talking about in an earlier post (200 yards), there are a lot of guns, non-magnums and magnums, that will perform exactly the same for hunting - in terms of where/how you aim (dead on the "kill zone") and their effective killing or knock down power (plenty, more than you need for a quick kill). You later clarified your statements by bringing in the longer distance of 300 yards. You're right, this is probably more on the lines of what the original poster wanted to know about. In my opinion, it is at that range that the cartridges separate themselves and I agree with you there.

If I were concerned about killing my whitetail or moose at 300 yards and beyond instead of 150 to 250 yards, I'd probably invest inat least a 300 win mag, over a .270 or 30-06. I don't personally think the 7mm mag or a 270 short mag would give me enough difference to justify it. Yes there would be a difference in the charts, but not enough in the field to justify it. However, if I currently owned one of those (a 7mm or .270 mag), I certainly wouldn't replace it with a .270 or 30-06 for ballistics reasons, because I think they are both excellent all around cartridges like the .270 and 30-06.

My old 30-30, my nephew's 7mm 08, my friends'.270's, .308'sand 30-06's,and my brother's 300WSM allworked great this season- killing nicevariety oflarge and small moose and deer. They all ended up at orvery nearto where they were hit, their eyes turned to X's and their tongues hanging out. Looking at the bullet holes and hearts and lungs, I couldn't tell the difference. Seeing what the animals did after hit, I sincerely couldnot tell any difference in knock down power.But we shoot at less than 250 yards because (1) that's what the land provides and (2) we're not competent marksmen beyond that.

Don't you wish we were out hunting instead of arguing something we probably agree on anyway?
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Old 11-23-2005, 12:59 PM
  #34  
 
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

.270 Win. or 7MM Rem. Mag.

Between the 2 calibers I've taken 8 deer over 400 yards the longest being 460 yards with the 7MM.
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Old 11-23-2005, 01:25 PM
  #35  
 
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

Can't beat the 7mm Mag.
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Old 11-23-2005, 06:54 PM
  #36  
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

ORIGINAL: cmscat50

....and how can we say no such thing as knockdown power??? Are you telling me a 180 grain bullet traveling the same velocity as a 130 grainwill have the same effect on a target??? I think not...but I could be wrong??? It makes sense to me that the 180 grain bullet will create much more energy in Ft/lbs on a target than a 130 grain at the same speed.
Energy isnt what kills, the amount of force a bullet strikes a deer is the same amount of force aplied to your shoulder when you shoot, and not one pound more ! simple physics.
wound cavity's are what kill, the bigger the wound the better, it has nothing to do with energy. An arrow kills in the same way a bullet kills, arrows cut artery's and bullets crush them. Basicaly the sameresults.

Heres a good read , pretty long though.

http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/myths.html
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Old 11-23-2005, 10:34 PM
  #37  
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

Whoooo - Wheee - Yaba Daba Dooo - such absolute knowledge here[:'(]
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Old 11-24-2005, 10:31 PM
  #38  
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

I'll have to say 7mm Rem Mag for my choice of a long range shooter. I didn't realize that 200 yards was a long shot till now. If you want a lighter recoiling gun for 300 or less a guy can't go wrong with the 243. I know my 7mm Rem Mag with 139gr Hornady SSTs (handloads) will group 3 shots at 300 yards at 1.5" I know for a fact I could tighten that group up even more if I had a more powerful scope than my Leupold VXII 3-9x40 on it. I have a nikon 4.5-14x40 that might make its way on my 7mm.
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Old 11-24-2005, 11:50 PM
  #39  
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

I quess when I think of deer rifles, the cannons don't cross my mind. Deer are not to hard to kill and IMO anything from 25 caliber up to the 30-06-308 and 270 and 280 come to mind with many other calibers also good choices. If we are ruling out most of the standard calibers then without a doubt, the 50 BMG is a top notch long range deer rifle. Is there ever enough? I like the 250 Savage, 25-06, 6.5x55, 270,280 ,7mm-08 and 308 about the best. Any deer within ranges that are even remotely reasonable is going nowhere when hit in a decent spot with any of these rifles. To me although I have used them both, the 30-06 is a bit on the big side and the 243 is a bit on the small side. That said, those two calibers have killed train loads of deer.
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Old 11-25-2005, 06:00 AM
  #40  
 
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Default RE: Best long range deer caliber

I believe it all depends on the person and there ability to hit where they are aming.all cal. mentioned will do the job out to 3oo yards and beyond in the right hands.

thats why there are all cal. and name brands. noteveryone likes the same. and thats the way it should be.

ifnot then there would be the damdest fight you ever saw. we would all want the samewoman and gun to fight for her with.

I love my 243 and will stick with it till death do us part.I can hit what I shoot at out to 200 yards, beyond that I may could do it , but wait and watch him till later.maybe closer in a day or two. the old eyes and hands just don't hold still like the once did.

good luck to you all , no ,matter what cal. you pick.
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