Bloodnativ

Well it's that time again. Season's over and time to start looking at new guns for next year. My question is much more specific than which gun to buy but will probably stir controversy equally well. What caliber will be LEAST destructive to meat in deer? .270 or 30-06? I have heard horror stories about how much meat the .270 will destroy on a deer and my deer are not big to start with. I don't want to lose the whole shoulder because a .270 blew it to parts unkown on exit. It is however one of the most popular deer calibers out there. I already have a 30-30 and slug gun so I'm covered out to 150 yards or so. I want to extend that now. I don't have a lot of long shots but they do present themselves from time to time and I would like to be able to take them. Thanks in advance.

bobcat 10

i have a 30-06 it blew a big ol hole in the doe i shot.270 and 30-06 are almost in the same ball park.i like the 30-06 shoots preety far to. longest shot was 450 yards.

Turkey Blaster

I have a .270 and I don't think that It does any more meat damage than the .06. It all depends on the bullet, powder charge, and shot placement.

Turkey Blaster

Federal premium nosler partition seems to do very well on controlled expansion and stopping power. If you use something like the ballistic tip, you will destroy a lot more meat.

RustyOlRanger4x4

i shot a deer friday with my 30-06 first one ive shot with that gun and im shooting balistic tips winchester 168gr to be spicific and i was under the impression it would blow the deer in 2 from the way everyone talked but the hole wasent no bigger then a quarter to be honest i was disapointed it was a double lung through the ribs but i was exoecting to have a hole the size of my fist so personally i think you`d be alrite with a 30-06 as far as damage goes but now im in the market for a new round to fire i dont like trailing deer i perfer they drop like a brick and i shoot where theres not much meat(ribs) so im now looking for something that pack a little more whallop

sean

TREEDOG

You need a 338 mag to drop deer

OakGroveTiger

What is the best shot placement? your opinion, if the deer will turn any way you wish, which is the best to save meat?

bambikiller6

ribs
hey can you make deer ribs like you would pork or beef?

RustyOlRanger4x4

i have a few friends who cook deer ribs just like pork or beef but i dont know about up north but down here our deer are skinny and theres not much meat on the ribs but like i said i have friends who eat them and as far as shot placement i shoot for the ribs just behind the shoulder less bones to hit and thinner bones and the lungs are right there and theres not much meat in the ribs just gotta make sure the shots not to far back or you`ll hit the stomach and everyonce in a while a good ol neck shot will do the trick but its a small target

sean

Mountain Cur

You know, I see all these posts from time to time worried about meat damage. For me personally, getting the deer is my first priority, meat damage is secondary. If you want to drop deer consistantly with little meat damage, shoot a premium controlled expansion bullet like a trophy-bonded bearclaw ( wich is what I shoot ) or others like the a-frame or scirrocco, or barnes x, Hornady came out with a new one this year for 2003, but they didn't get 'em in production for the stores in my area to have them. Anyway, let me explain my way of thinking, ya'll can agree or disagree, but here in Louisiana with our liberal bag limit I have plenty of experience. The area where I hunt, I don't want to have to blood trail a deer if I can help it, these cut-overs are so thick, one hop and it is so thick you have to crawl through it. So 90% of the time I'm aiming for a slightly high shoulder shot, if they don't drop then I pulled off a little, but the good thing is, if I do pull I'm still in the vitals. I shoot the bearclaws, because on the off chance that I do have to blood trail I KNOW I'll have an exit hole, and with the bullet retaining most of it's weight meat damage is minimal, even with the .300 mag. Besides that, there ain't nothing in the shoulder anyway except hamburger or roasts. I shoot 150 grn bullets in the .300, 165grn in my '06, and 140 grners in my 7 mag. I used to shoot the barnes x, but went to the bear claws because they have just enough lead in them to make a bigger exit hole than the solid copper barnes x, had an experience with a double lung shot several years ago and although I had no trouble finding the deer, I wasn't satisfied with the blood trail, those barnes x's made small exit holes in my experience, the few that I have had to trail with the bearclaws on the other hand, I was extremely pleased. My 2 cents for what it's worth, good luck in 2004!