kdsberman

I marked 30-30, but my .50 cal is a very close second.

cwnut

My father-in-law used .243 to take deer for years. He has passed it on to me to use. He had to give up hunting in the late 90s due to cancer treatments. They really messed him up. Now he has to use a walker or a cane to walk. He has always been there to offer advise or a tale from his days hunting. He has seen and taken his share of deer. To keep him in the hunt for deer, I now carry some of his gear with me. I thank God that I have a man like him I can turn to when I need advice about hunting. He is still planning to go hunting again next year.

Carpmaster

Wow what a loaded question!!!

I chose the 30-06 it will kill whatever at whatever range!

IMO to break it down...

Shots 75 yards and closer top picks are: 30-30, 444 Marlin, 45-70, Slug gun, or hangun if you are proficient
Shots 75 yards to 150+ yards: Inline 45 or 50 cal, all short actions
shots 100 to 250: all '06 family, 308, 7-08, 260 rem
shoth 200+ to whatever your max range is: Mags, '06 family, any other gun you shoot well!

There is really no "perfect" IMHO! Thats what makes it fun!

jaybird2

308

JayDeavor

I had to vote for the .270... I used my .270 with 130 grain bullet for 6 years now and just love that gun... very easy to handle and very accurate...Haven't had anything walk away as of yet![/align][/align]

Alsatian

My view is that the .25-06 is the best deer cartridge. I have a .243 and two .30-06 rifles. The .30-06 will certainly take deer reliably, at any range I should be shooting at deer, as well as substantially larger game. But the question was best deer cartridge. In my aesthetic, the lightest cartridge that reliably, predictably gets the job done is better than the heavier cartridges. Heck, why not take deer with a .416 Rigby? a .375 H&H Magnum? These, too, will take deer reliably. Anyway, so, in my opinion the .25-06 will reliably take big mule deer at 300 yards with appropriate loads and enjoys the benefits of a flat trajectory. Sure, the .270 is also good, but it is more than is needed. Indeed, the .30-06 is good, but it is more than needed. The .340 Weatherby magnum would be a good deer killer . . . but it is more than is needed. I think the .25-06 probably has the edge on the .243 which may be questionable on big mule deer at 300 yards. Sure, some people swear by the .243 on all deer, but others consider it marginal at these longer ranges on heavier deer.