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what caliber

Old 12-10-2009, 02:26 PM
  #21  
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Out of the four cartridges that you mentioned, I personally like the 30-06 although any of them will work fine. My reasoning is a little different from most people, I'm 48 years old and have pretty bad tinnitus. For some reason .30 caliber rounds make a sound that doesn't hurt my ears. I absolutely hate being near my buddy when he shoots his .270 or his 7mm Mag, it's like the noise is at a different frequency. If you didn't take trips out west I'd recomend using a 30-30. I'm really curious about the 7-08 though, since it has a shorter action maybe a gun with a longer barrel would have the same overall length, and I've been told that a longer barrel will have a different sound signiture that may be tolerable.
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Old 12-10-2009, 04:18 PM
  #22  
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Honestly, it's not too much to say in this discussion that hasn't been beaten to death. If you take a minute to read up on your Cartridges of the World as you move from one round to the next you will soon find that they are all suitable for white tail. From .243 to .300 win mag they will all do the same job. Two questions you should ask yourself.
1. How much recoil do you feel comfortable with?
If you want light recoil lean towards .243 if you want to feel that your the man that took a beating to kill the deer get a .300 win mag. Honestly, it doesn't matter how hard you hit a deer or how big the round is (the 7mm-08 proves that. It's light, small, and devastating) once the vitals are hit the deer will be dead. Period.
2. How much are you willing to spend on a box of shells?
Your gonna buy a box of shells to punch holes in paper at least for the first month or two. Do you want to spend 24.95 + per box (generally the more odd the caliber the more expensive the factory load is) or is a $9.95 box of Remington or Winchester do just fine?

My latest rifle ended up being a 30-06 because of the wide variety of inexpensive ammo available. Also, I don't really feel the recoil of the 30-06 pushing a 150 grain pill. Any caliber in the range I listed before (.243 - .300win mag) will do just fine up to at least 300 yards. Honestly you probably won't have many shots past 200 yards. If you do anticipate past that type of distance regularly then lean towards the .308, 7mm-08, and 7mm they have a slightly flatter trajectory. If not then go to the store and pick out the rifle that feels the best and then get it in the caliber that sounds "fun" to shoot. Best of luck.
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Old 12-10-2009, 04:21 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by iSnipe
To answer that, I'd have to say the .260. It has a very mild recoil and it's accuracy is incredible. You can focus on your shot better. It's flat shooting and if you use 120gr.-140gr. bullets, you'll still have over a 1,000ft. lbs. of energy at 500 yards! It's my favorite deer rifle.



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Well Said, I think the 260 is a great round and with the High Sectional Density the 140's are deep penetrating to boot with good bullets!
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Old 12-10-2009, 06:55 PM
  #24  
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i'm 15 years old. average sized kid. i can take the kick from a .338 no problem. i've got a .243 right now but i'm thinking of something bigger. i really like the 30-06. my dad has a .280 and it just doesnt shoot flat enough. if i go with the 30-06 what size of bullet would be the best for wisconsin. my shots would be under 200 yards and shots in wyoming would be anywhere out to 400 yards. i've got the model of gun picked out that i want i just cant decide on which caliber to go with.
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Old 12-10-2009, 07:03 PM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by wis_rifle_hunter
i'm 15 years old. average sized kid. i can take the kick from a .338 no problem.
It's not about the kick. It's about hitting PRECISELY what you are aiming at. Most people never realize precision or a rifle's full potential.

You shoot a .338 at 100 yards and I'll be aiming and hitting where your bullet impacted. Many here can do likewise... but most likely NOT with another magnum caliber,... most likely with a .17, .204, .222, .223, .243, 6mm, etc. It's easier to remained focused over a long period of time when you are not rocked by recoil, concussion and sound.

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Old 12-10-2009, 07:12 PM
  #26  
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i can hit where im aiming the first couple shots. then i start flinching because of the pain. i've shot the 30-06, .280 and .270 and i can shoot all day with them and still hit the bullseye. i really like the ballistics of the '06.
Originally Posted by iSnipe
It's not about the kick. It's about hitting PRECISELY what you are aiming at. Most people never realize precision or a rifle's full potential.

You shoot a .338 at 100 yards and I'll be aiming and hitting where your bullet impacted. Many here can do likewise... but most likely NOT with another magnum caliber,... most likely with a .17, .204, .222, .223, .243, 6mm, etc. It's easier to remained focused over a long period of time when you are not rocked by recoil, concussion and sound.

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Old 12-10-2009, 07:41 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by wis_rifle_hunter
i can hit where im aiming the first couple shots. then i start flinching because of the pain. i've shot the 30-06, .280 and .270 and i can shoot all day with them and still hit the bullseye. i really like the ballistics of the '06.
Also, the weight of the rifle, cheek weld, grip, shoulder set and bullet weight all affect a rifle's recoil, with the bullet weight being the #1 deciding factor. You can shoot a 55gr. bullet in a -06 and it won't have near the felt recoil of a 220gr. bullet. People have quantified felt recoil and a 220gr. bullet has 5x the recoil of a 55gr.

As for hitting the bullseye with those calibers, if you have video of hitting it consistently, not just a shot or two, get me the link of your YouTube and I'll check it out.

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Old 12-11-2009, 05:45 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by wis_rifle_hunter
i'm 15 years old. average sized kid. i can take the kick from a .338 no problem. i've got a .243 right now but i'm thinking of something bigger. i really like the 30-06. my dad has a .280 and it just doesnt shoot flat enough. if i go with the 30-06 what size of bullet would be the best for wisconsin. my shots would be under 200 yards and shots in wyoming would be anywhere out to 400 yards. i've got the model of gun picked out that i want i just cant decide on which caliber to go with.

Do you reload, or use factory ammo?

Unless you're looking to use bullets larger than 150 gr. (unnecessary to use anything larger if you're limiting yourself to deer hunting), you're going to be disappointed if you buy a .30-06 because you don't think the .280 shoots flat enough. The .280 is a bit flatter shooting than a .30-06.
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Old 12-14-2009, 06:14 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by wvnimrod
If you reload try reloader19 powder I've had the best groups with 58.5 grains but work your way up .5 grains at a time start at around 56gr. and work up you should be fine just check for signs of pressure (ie) flat or pushed out primers! I've tried lots of powder and my local smithy turned me on to the reloader19 and I've had several freinds try it and loved the groups they had with it!
I started reloading last winter.I have RL19.RL22,IMR 4350,and IMR 4398.I'll bw working up loads with all these using 140,150gr bullets for both the .280 and 7x57.Thanks for the load advice!
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Old 12-14-2009, 07:06 AM
  #30  
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.30-06 is my vote--you've said recoil is not an issue, and the practical differences between the calibers you've listed are miniscule in actual hunting situations. You'll end up wih a dead deer with any of them. The '06 just gives you more bullet options and easy to find shells at a reasonable expense. That's something a young person like yourself ought to consider, because you likely won't be able to buy many rifles in the next few years and even a box of shells can be expensive for a young person, especially if you're starving your way through college or on your first job. A .30-06 just about guarantees you a suitable rifle to hunt with regardless of the game and you can afford the shells.

Now, if you happen to come across a nail-driving rifle in one of those other calibers or one priced as an absolute steal, forget what I just said and grab it. They'll all work just fine. The real issue here is not what caliber, but what's a good knife to gut a deer with.
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