Whats the biggest gun u would use on a whitetail?
#14
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 203
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From:
dont you know? you cant kill these steel plated deer these days unless you use a super ultra mag! anything less will just bounce off and they will laugh at you then run away!
yah right! [&:]
i dont think you need anything larger than a 308 or 30 06 but when i get me a 45-70 i will use it at least once.

yah right! [&:]
i dont think you need anything larger than a 308 or 30 06 but when i get me a 45-70 i will use it at least once.
#16
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 107
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From:
ORIGINAL: James B
1865. I love that.
1865. I love that.
#18
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,357
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From:
If I had a .338 winchester magnum, as someday I would like to, I would not hestitate to use it on either deer or pronghorn antelope. As someone pointed out, larger, heavier bullets won't expand on deer -- which means they won't destroy a bunch of meat -- but they will probably kill the deer or antelope just as effectively. Larger calibers may also qualify -- .375 H&H, .416.
Obviously you don't need .338 to kill deer or antelope. But what if it is raining, your other guns (.30-06, .25-06, .243) are all nice wooden stocked guns, and your .338 is stainless with a synthetic stock, which rifle do you take into the steady rain?
Of course, you have to be careful of your backstops with such a powerful cartridge, but you are supposed to be taking care that your bullet is safely contained even if you miss your target anyway.
Obviously you don't need .338 to kill deer or antelope. But what if it is raining, your other guns (.30-06, .25-06, .243) are all nice wooden stocked guns, and your .338 is stainless with a synthetic stock, which rifle do you take into the steady rain?
Of course, you have to be careful of your backstops with such a powerful cartridge, but you are supposed to be taking care that your bullet is safely contained even if you miss your target anyway.
#19
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,029
Likes: 0
From: A shack in Arkansas
ORIGINAL: Alsatian
If I had a .338 winchester magnum, as someday I would like to, I would not hestitate to use it on either deer or pronghorn antelope. As someone pointed out, larger, heavier bullets won't expand on deer -- which means they won't destroy a bunch of meat -- but they will probably kill the deer or antelope just as effectively. Larger calibers may also qualify -- .375 H&H, .416.
Obviously you don't need .338 to kill deer or antelope. But what if it is raining, your other guns (.30-06, .25-06, .243) are all nice wooden stocked guns, and your .338 is stainless with a synthetic stock, which rifle do you take into the steady rain?
Of course, you have to be careful of your backstops with such a powerful cartridge, but you are supposed to be taking care that your bullet is safely contained even if you miss your target anyway.
If I had a .338 winchester magnum, as someday I would like to, I would not hestitate to use it on either deer or pronghorn antelope. As someone pointed out, larger, heavier bullets won't expand on deer -- which means they won't destroy a bunch of meat -- but they will probably kill the deer or antelope just as effectively. Larger calibers may also qualify -- .375 H&H, .416.
Obviously you don't need .338 to kill deer or antelope. But what if it is raining, your other guns (.30-06, .25-06, .243) are all nice wooden stocked guns, and your .338 is stainless with a synthetic stock, which rifle do you take into the steady rain?
Of course, you have to be careful of your backstops with such a powerful cartridge, but you are supposed to be taking care that your bullet is safely contained even if you miss your target anyway.
And take that old outdated 30-06 and shoot it at some steel plate and see the nice hole it leaves.
larger heavier bullets don't always mean a quick kill. i have trailed deer a long way after being hit by 45-70's and most recently a 450 marlin. and those heavy large bullets will expand.
But it's ok to desire a 338 win mag i wouldnt mind having one myself but then again i really would like one of each .
#20
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: summerville sc USA
ORIGINAL: deerslayer223
everyone has stated what their minimum is on a whitetail deer caliber i was just wondering what is the biggest caliber you would use on a deer? I've seen the damage on deer shot with the magnums and it is just to much in my opinion alot of meat is wasted. The biggest i think i would ever consider is a 30-06 and that would only be on big deer. I currently use a 6mm rem and find it to be the best caliber i have ever used for deer. So what is overkill to everyone what your max?
everyone has stated what their minimum is on a whitetail deer caliber i was just wondering what is the biggest caliber you would use on a deer? I've seen the damage on deer shot with the magnums and it is just to much in my opinion alot of meat is wasted. The biggest i think i would ever consider is a 30-06 and that would only be on big deer. I currently use a 6mm rem and find it to be the best caliber i have ever used for deer. So what is overkill to everyone what your max?
Largest caliber I've ever used on deer had a bore diameter of 0.729! Heck of alot bigger than anything mentioned so far. Shooting 1.25 oz of lead downrange at about 1100 fps @ 100 yards. Kills deer with extreme prejudice.


