Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger
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Jonathon head on over to Meateater they have a lot of articles on just this question. Everyone is going to have there own opinion on this obviously and you know what they say about opinions. I’d agree with what has been said here, 30-06 or 308 will def. get the job done. If you want to step up to any bigger game a 338 Win Mag would be a good choice. You biggest limiting factor at the moment is ammo availability.
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30-06 is a tough round to beat, it is very versatile. You can buy loads from 110 grain up to 220 grain with (my opinion) 150, 165 and 180 being the best for this rifle. I shoot 165 with good results. I have always said if I was going to own one caliber it would be 30-06.
bocephus I’ve harvested many deer & elk here in Colorado’s High Country. I’ve always used a 30-06, with 150 gr for deer and 180gr for elk. However, some of my hunting buddies swore by .308 & the .300 win mag. I my opinion the 30-06 is probably a little cheaper and also more available than some of the other rounds at this time. Jonathan if you are buying a new long gun you’ll probably be sending quite a few rounds down range just sighting it in. So cost may be a factor.
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I personally use a 7mm Mag Weatherby. It will take down all the game that I hunt, including Elk and Bear. Being stainless steel, it makes a great brush gun here in the wet NW. I do own an old lever action Marlin 30-30 that has shot many deer, but that was from long ago when my grandfather had it.
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Guns are like meat processing you think you can get by with the minimum then you look around and wonder where all the stuff came from.
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Ii think that a 30-06 is a versatile option to consider
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Out of the ones you listed I would go with the 7mm Mag. I am very partial to a .270 and not the magnum cartridge. I have shot many deer with a cheap Savage chambered in 270. I also shot my one and only bull elk with it too. But I did buy a Savage 7mm Mag that is almost identical to my 270. My Dad and 2 brothers all shoot 7mm Mag and they have for over 25 years.
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Also right now is probably the worst time to be buying a new rifle with ammo the way it is, but its slowly showing up or well staying on the shelves.
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There are lots of calibers that will kill deer and elk effectively.
No rifle or cartridge caliber can compensate for poor marksmanship or poor shot placement.
I would argue more game is lost due to the poor marksmanship/shot placement than to someone who wasn’t carrying a rifle chambered in the “best caliber”I would recommend borrowing a rifle now if you have to and spend some serious time at the range. Also remember, deer hunting is different than shooting off a bench at the range. Sometimes while hunting you are shooting from awkward positions in bad light and crappy weather.
After your rifle is sighted-in, target practice under realistic field conditions is a better way to prepare for a hunt than just popping off rounds from a bench with sandbags or a rest.
As far actual chamberings, I like the .270 Winchester (non-magnum). Great for deer and with heavier bullets adequate for elk. As others have mentioned, 30-06 is a excellent choice and the recoil and ammo price won’t beat you to death like some magnum calibers can. If a rifle recoils so hard you can’t stand to practice with it, it makes it more difficult to get proficient with it.
During normal times, calibers like .270 Win. 30-06, and .308 Win. are readily available at stores like Walmart and other small-town businesses that might not carry more exotic calibers.
These days, ammo availability can be hit or miss on most calibers, but getting better around here.
Paul
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.270 is my favorite deer round. I have no experience on it with elk, but would say it is on the small side. I also have a .300 win mag that will put any deer or elk down. I also notice it is one of the last rounds to go off the shelf at the store so availability is better than the more popular rounds.
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So, like I said I am trying to make this the year I actually get out deer hunting, did it twice when I was a kid in upstate NY but that was almost 25 years ago. I am looking at a rifle that is good for deer and possibly Elk. Right now I am looking between 7mm, 30-06, or 6.5 Creedmoor. I don’t care much about preserving for the mount, more concerned with the ability to possibly go after larger game.
Hopefully I am not about to start a riot.
Jonathon there are several calibers out there that will get the job done. I have a .270 WSM, 30/06, .300 Win. Mag. I shoot Federal Trophy Bonded Tip ammunition in all 3 rifles, I have harvested game of all sizes with all 3 calibers. My go to deer/elk rifle is my .300 Win. Mag. I shoot 180 grain Trophy Bonded Tip ammo out of this rifle, and I have harvested game from pronghorn antelope, to elk with this rifle and everyone of them were 1 shot kills, and I feel this combo of caliber & bullet will harvest anything on this continent. Every animal I have harvested with this bullet acts like they have been hit right between the eyes with a sledge hammer. If I can give you a bit of advice, it doesn’t matter the caliber/bullet combo, if you can’t shoot your rifle well, and put the round where it needs to be, neither caliber or bullet type matters.
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270WIN is what I use for culling nuisance deer…good out to 300yds for me and drops them where they stand. 150gr bullet here. Custom load.
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bocephus I’m with you on the 3006. It’s one of the most versatile riffles made. With all the different grains of bullets made for it you can hunt anything. If I was able to own only one riffle this would be it. My son who is 12 started hunting with one of mine last year. He harvested 2 bucks with no tracking. He handles the recoil just fine.
cdavis the 30-06 is not necessarily my personal favorite, but is probably the most versatile, you hit the nail on the head there. I decided to keep my mouth shut on all the rest though, for now.
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There are lots of calibers that will kill deer and elk effectively.
No rifle or cartridge caliber can compensate for poor marksmanship or poor shot placement.
I would argue more game is lost due to the poor marksmanship/shot placement than to someone who wasn’t carrying a rifle chambered in the “best caliber”I would recommend borrowing a rifle now if you have to and spend some serious time at the range. Also remember, deer hunting is different than shooting off a bench at the range. Sometimes while hunting you are shooting from awkward positions in bad light and crappy weather.
After your rifle is sighted-in, target practice under realistic field conditions is a better way to prepare for a hunt than just popping off rounds from a bench with sandbags or a rest.
As far actual chamberings, I like the .270 Winchester (non-magnum). Great for deer and with heavier bullets adequate for elk. As others have mentioned, 30-06 is a excellent choice and the recoil and ammo price won’t beat you to death like some magnum calibers can. If a rifle recoils so hard you can’t stand to practice with it, it makes it more difficult to get proficient with it.
During normal times, calibers like .270 Win. 30-06, and .308 Win. are readily available at stores like Walmart and other small-town businesses that might not carry more exotic calibers.
These days, ammo availability can be hit or miss on most calibers, but getting better around here.
processhead I could not have ever said it better!
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So, like I said I am trying to make this the year I actually get out deer hunting, did it twice when I was a kid in upstate NY but that was almost 25 years ago. I am looking at a rifle that is good for deer and possibly Elk. Right now I am looking between 7mm, 30-06, or 6.5 Creedmoor. I don’t care much about preserving for the mount, more concerned with the ability to possibly go after larger game.
Hopefully I am not about to start a riot.
Jonathon Choose something that is legal, will do the job, & allow you to feel comfortable with it & place your shots well. Practice, Practice, Practice, & then Practice some more. Keep it clean. By the best quality (not fancy) that yo can afford. Keep it forever.
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My two cents.
I think a lot of it comes down to the terrain you are hunting. Brush, wooded, swamp or open fields. Distance you ae shooting is a factor. For instance, heavily wooded land doesn’t require a large caliber or “faster” round, where as, open range does.I’ve used a Marlin 30-30 for the last forty years as does my one son. Our typical shot is less than a 100 yards. My other two sons use a 30-06 and 7mm. They all do the job. No tracking required.
Ultimately, you want the knock down power.
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My two cents.
I think a lot of it comes down to the terrain you are hunting. Brush, wooded, swamp or open fields. Distance you ae shooting is a factor. For instance, heavily wooded land doesn’t require a large caliber or “faster” round, where as, open range does.I’ve used a Marlin 30-30 for the last forty years as does my one son. Our typical shot is less than a 100 yards. My other two sons use a 30-06 and 7mm. They all do the job. No tracking required.
Ultimately, you want the knock down power.
PapaSop Another excellent point. Just about anything will do, if you can place the shot right, consistently. There again, I had better keep my mouth shut regarding the rest of the story, for now.
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For an all around great gun, my vote is the 30-06. They all have good things about them. I own 6 different calibers, but seem to always go back to the 06. As pointed out in another post, ammo might be hard to find. I am sure you know someone who has a 30-06 you could borrow shells from
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So, like I said I am trying to make this the year I actually get out deer hunting, did it twice when I was a kid in upstate NY but that was almost 25 years ago. I am looking at a rifle that is good for deer and possibly Elk. Right now I am looking between 7mm, 30-06, or 6.5 Creedmoor. I don’t care much about preserving for the mount, more concerned with the ability to possibly go after larger game.
Hopefully I am not about to start a riot.
Jonathon OMG YOU ARE TRYING TO START AN ALL OUT WAR!!! That’s how it would go on any other social media platform when you ask a question like this. But as you can see us folks here are so much different than the other platforms. My first thought was “boy he’s gone and done it this time” lol. All jokes aside you will get many opinions on this subject as folks have all different preferences on what they like and how the firearm fits them as well as how it shoots with accuracy. All comments have been very good information for you, although you probably have not received a definite answer to your question. One question I have is what is the yardage you plan to be shooting? For whitetails there are a large array of calibers that can achieve a lethal harvest. For elk that caliber starts out a bit higher however, with proper bullet placement even the smallest caliber can be lethal for either animal but it comes down to respect and true sportsmanship for a quick lethal expiration.
Here is my 2 cents, for whitetail my wife shoots a $250 .243 Savage Stevens. That gun is phenomenal for coming right out of the box. The trigger is light, smooth, crisp and short. It shoots 100gr soft point bullets and man it does a number on the deer!! But I would not shoot an animal past 300 yards with it.
I had a $250 7mm mag Savage Stevens that my son now has. It definitely did not have the trigger my wife’s gun has, was like dragging it through gravel the entire way before it finally fired. Although it was a good gun harvest wise I wanted something better. So I did a lot of research and compared all calibers from .243 up to 7mm mag. I printed out all the ballistic info and layed them all out on the floor categorizing from flattest shooting trajectory to kinetic energy from muzzle to 1000 yards. Which lead me to the top dog of the 26 Nosler.The 26 Nosler M48 Long Range I chose with gun and scope combo is a $6000 unit. It is easily a 1000 yard gun if the shooter is capable of it. Not everyone is capable of shooting 1000 yards no matter what caliber is being used. It’s a special talent. Furthest deer I have harvested so far is 498 yards. Now most people think I have absolutely lost my mind for spending that kind of coin on a hunting rifle. But like you I wanted versatility, if I was shooting across mountain sides I wanted to be able to do that cleanly and lethally. My ammo is $98 for a box of 20 rounds.
For you starting out and wanting to be versatile I would recommend a 30-06, 308 or 7mm mag. For whitetails stay around 140gr -150gr accubond bullet. For elk step up to 180gr accubond. If tight on cash I wouldn’t go too cheap on the rifle but definitely stick every penny you can in great optics. A proper break in period sequence is a critical time in getting the best accuracy for your new rifle which includes a final sequence of 60 rounds with a bunch of bore cleaning in between, I can get you that sequence when you get to that point. Then it will take you I bet another 20 rounds to get happily sighted in with three round groups.
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Jonathon OMG YOU ARE TRYING TO START AN ALL OUT WAR!!! That’s how it would go on any other social media platform when you ask a question like this. But as you can see us folks here are so much different than the other platforms. My first thought was “boy he’s gone and done it this time” lol. All jokes aside you will get many opinions on this subject as folks have all different preferences on what they like and how the firearm fits them as well as how it shoots with accuracy. All comments have been very good information for you, although you probably have not received a definite answer to your question. One question I have is what is the yardage you plan to be shooting? For whitetails there are a large array of calibers that can achieve a lethal harvest. For elk that caliber starts out a bit higher however, with proper bullet placement even the smallest caliber can be lethal for either animal but it comes down to respect and true sportsmanship for a quick lethal expiration.
Here is my 2 cents, for whitetail my wife shoots a $250 .243 Savage Stevens. That gun is phenomenal for coming right out of the box. The trigger is light, smooth, crisp and short. It shoots 100gr soft point bullets and man it does a number on the deer!! But I would not shoot an animal past 300 yards with it.
I had a $250 7mm mag Savage Stevens that my son now has. It definitely did not have the trigger my wife’s gun has, was like dragging it through gravel the entire way before it finally fired. Although it was a good gun harvest wise I wanted something better. So I did a lot of research and compared all calibers from .243 up to 7mm mag. I printed out all the ballistic info and layed them all out on the floor categorizing from flattest shooting trajectory to kinetic energy from muzzle to 1000 yards. Which lead me to the top dog of the 26 Nosler.The 26 Nosler M48 Long Range I chose with gun and scope combo is a $6000 unit. It is easily a 1000 yard gun if the shooter is capable of it. Not everyone is capable of shooting 1000 yards no matter what caliber is being used. It’s a special talent. Furthest deer I have harvested so far is 498 yards. Now most people think I have absolutely lost my mind for spending that kind of coin on a hunting rifle. But like you I wanted versatility, if I was shooting across mountain sides I wanted to be able to do that cleanly and lethally. My ammo is $98 for a box of 20 rounds.
For you starting out and wanting to be versatile I would recommend a 30-06, 308 or 7mm mag. For whitetails stay around 140gr -150gr accubond bullet. For elk step up to 180gr accubond. If tight on cash I wouldn’t go too cheap on the rifle but definitely stick every penny you can in great optics. A proper break in period sequence is a critical time in getting the best accuracy for your new rifle which includes a final sequence of 60 rounds with a bunch of bore cleaning in between, I can get you that sequence when you get to that point. Then it will take you I bet another 20 rounds to get happily sighted in with three round groups.
twilliams Wow, What a Review, & a rifle to boot! That is damned near a sniper rifle, but a nice one. Sadly to say, it is a bit out of my league in the price, but if I had the opportunity, & the opportunity to put it to good use, that is an excellent choice on the weapon & choose your caliber just about. Great Job, Great Review!
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So, like I said I am trying to make this the year I actually get out deer hunting, did it twice when I was a kid in upstate NY but that was almost 25 years ago. I am looking at a rifle that is good for deer and possibly Elk. Right now I am looking between 7mm, 30-06, or 6.5 Creedmoor. I don’t care much about preserving for the mount, more concerned with the ability to possibly go after larger game.
Hopefully I am not about to start a riot.
Jonathon oh and one more thing I forgot to mention, my opinion make sure it is a bolt action or single shot and not a semi auto. Bolt actions are much more accurate not only mechanically but mentally as well. When you know you may not have enough time for a second shot you make the first one count. With a semi auto people tend to get trigger happy and eject 5 shells in seconds with no or little results. Wounding an animal is the worst feeling, I watch my buddy do it every year with his semi auto. It’s gut wrenching and literally boils my blood.
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