Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger
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ND Mike I think I get more excited when my nephews shoot a deer than when I do now especially when it is there first one. I had one nephew who was acting like it would be no big deal until he shot his first (a doe) and he was holding the deer’s head up and his hands were shaking from excitement. I have always thought it is our job to pass on our love for hunting, fishing and the outdoors to those of the next generation and beyond.
bocephus I agree with you fully. We have to keep hunting alive by passing it on to youngsters.
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Jonathon I think just about any modern manufacturer produces a very accurate and affordable option these days. I remember in the 90/early 2000’s when I started hunting that the Remington models just couldn’t be beat. Unfortunately, I think their lineup has gone downhill lately but I haven’t kept up on Remington lately. Since their quality declined I had been looking at Savage, which other have mentioned, and I personally needed up going with Ruger in my last rifle purchase. I went with their American Ranch line which is light weight and short but I was in the market for 300Blk so light and short fits the bill there. The Ruger American lineup is pretty affordable. I don’t know if you can beat Vortex optics for the money either.
@matt-westerhaus said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
Jonathon I think just about any modern manufacturer produces a very accurate and affordable option these days. I remember in the 90/early 2000’s when I started hunting that the Remington models just couldn’t be beat. Unfortunately, I think their lineup has gone downhill lately but I haven’t kept up on Remington lately. Since their quality declined I had been looking at Savage, which other have mentioned, and I personally needed up going with Ruger in my last rifle purchase. I went with their American Ranch line which is light weight and short but I was in the market for 300Blk so light and short fits the bill there. The Ruger American lineup is pretty affordable. I don’t know if you can beat Vortex optics for the money either.
I agree about the overall trend toward greater accuracy and precision in the firearms industry over the last 20 years or so.
CNC machinery and advanced metallurgy has become so prevalent in the machine tool industry (including the firearm industry ), that manufacturing tolerances are incredibly tight now.
In the past, it took a skilled gunsmith many hours of hand-fitting to assemble a bolt action rifle with the accuracy to shoot sub-MOA groups. Now most of the production rifles that come off the assembly lines of the major manufacturers will routinely do that right out of the box. -
ND Mike I think I get more excited when my nephews shoot a deer than when I do now especially when it is there first one. I had one nephew who was acting like it would be no big deal until he shot his first (a doe) and he was holding the deer’s head up and his hands were shaking from excitement. I have always thought it is our job to pass on our love for hunting, fishing and the outdoors to those of the next generation and beyond.
bocephus Amen to that!
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bocephus I agree with you fully. We have to keep hunting alive by passing it on to youngsters.
ND Mike said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
bocephus I agree with you fully. We have to keep hunting alive by passing it on to youngsters.
X 10
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samnora1 said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
7mm period
???
Lots of 7mm cartridges out there.
7mm-08, 7x57, 7mm Rem Mag 7mm Win Short Magnum 7 mm Rem Short Magnum 7mm Weatherby Magnum to name a few.Paul
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samnora1 said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
7mm period
???
Lots of 7mm cartridges out there.
7mm-08, 7x57, 7mm Rem Mag 7mm Win Short Magnum 7 mm Rem Short Magnum 7mm Weatherby Magnum to name a few.processhead 7mm ultra mag which is a small tank round…
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processhead 7mm ultra mag which is a small tank round…
HerbcoFood said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
processhead 7mm ultra mag which is a small tank round…
lol
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Well, 270WIN is a super flat shooter, flatter than the 6.5 Creedless…and a hard hitter, lots on harvested meat in my freezer with no tracking.
Funny story, I was sighting in my newest load.
Sent my first shop down range and looked through the spotter and couldn’t find the shot on the paper. I couldn’t believe I wasn’t even on paper.
Waited for clear then got the paper and the shot was in the middle of the X, which is why I couldn’t see it. Guess my load and sight was on. Paper is now on my loading closet with the load data written on it so I never forget it.
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For guys that hand load, you can really bring out the accuracy potential of a rifle. Working up a load and shooting groups with different combinations of powder weight, type, bullet types and primers.
Rifles have unique personalities. Not all ammo shoots the same and what shoots good in your rifle may not shoot that great in mine. -
Sorry I was not more specific.
7mm Rem Mag is what I meant. I have killed deer from 30 yds to 400 yds in Missouri. And elk up to 600 yds in Colorado.
Four black bears fell to this bullet in Quebec in years past. For an all around weapon, for me, is this configuration. -
For guys that hand load, you can really bring out the accuracy potential of a rifle. Working up a load and shooting groups with different combinations of powder weight, type, bullet types and primers.
Rifles have unique personalities. Not all ammo shoots the same and what shoots good in your rifle may not shoot that great in mine.processhead said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
For guys that hand load, you can really bring out the accuracy potential of a rifle. Working up a load and shooting groups with different combinations of powder weight, type, bullet types and primers.
Rifles have unique personalities. Not all ammo shoots the same and what shoots good in your rifle may not shoot that great in mine.Definitely!! I got super lucky on my first load. Still shot the others (on new paper), but I can’t beat the story for sure. Hand loading is the way to go. I started with the simplest set up, Lee Loader Hand Loader. $30 and a dead blow hammer got me started. I’ve upgraded a bit since then, but that was what I was using with the shot from the story. Also shooting out of a Savage Axis II with factory scope. Looking to upgrade the scope soon.
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processhead said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
For guys that hand load, you can really bring out the accuracy potential of a rifle. Working up a load and shooting groups with different combinations of powder weight, type, bullet types and primers.
Rifles have unique personalities. Not all ammo shoots the same and what shoots good in your rifle may not shoot that great in mine.Definitely!! I got super lucky on my first load. Still shot the others (on new paper), but I can’t beat the story for sure. Hand loading is the way to go. I started with the simplest set up, Lee Loader Hand Loader. $30 and a dead blow hammer got me started. I’ve upgraded a bit since then, but that was what I was using with the shot from the story. Also shooting out of a Savage Axis II with factory scope. Looking to upgrade the scope soon.
Cory Brown said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
processhead said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
For guys that hand load, you can really bring out the accuracy potential of a rifle. Working up a load and shooting groups with different combinations of powder weight, type, bullet types and primers.
Rifles have unique personalities. Not all ammo shoots the same and what shoots good in your rifle may not shoot that great in mine.Definitely!! I got super lucky on my first load. Still shot the others (on new paper), but I can’t beat the story for sure. Hand loading is the way to go. I started with the simplest set up, Lee Loader Hand Loader. $30 and a dead blow hammer got me started. I’ve upgraded a bit since then, but that was what I was using with the shot from the story. Also shooting out of a Savage Axis II with factory scope. Looking to upgrade the scope soon.
Like you, I also started with a Lee loader when I got my first center fire rifle, a military 7.7 mm Arisaka. Norma ammo cost more than what I paid for the gun, so I started reloading for that old obsolete caliber.
Economics continued to drive my handloading after I started doing a little competitive target shooting when I was young and poor. Factory ammo was too costly so I tooled up for handgun and rifle calibers that I was shooting the most.
Not competing anymore so my handloading is less frequent now. -
Grimpuppy since I got a doe tag this year I am going to use my Grandpa’s Winchester 94 in 30-30. He shot many deer with that gun. I was with him when he shot his last deer and that was around 1990. He gave me that gun in about 2000. I’m really looking forward to it just because of the connection to him. I know he will be with me in spirit.
ND Mike you are quite a unique individual. Patrolling the highways. Delivering babies
and now teaching hunters education. Congrats 
and thank you for all you do. -
ND Mike you are quite a unique individual. Patrolling the highways. Delivering babies
and now teaching hunters education. Congrats and thank you for all you do.cdavis hahaha! Yeah sometimes I can get pretty busy. I’m glad I don’t coach football anymore or I really wouldn’t have time for anything!
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You could also buy a bow. There is a satisfaction you get from harvesting an animal with a bow that you will never get with a rifle.
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You could also buy a bow. There is a satisfaction you get from harvesting an animal with a bow that you will never get with a rifle.
Grimpuppy said in Best Caliber for Deer and maybe larger:
You could also buy a bow. There is a satisfaction you get from harvesting an animal with a bow that you will never get with a rifle.
I think Jonathon is lined up with a rifle hunting opportunity, but you are absolutely correct about bow hunting.
I got back in to bow hunting 16 years ago and my rifles don’t see nearly as much hunting action now. -
Grimpuppy processhead undoubtedly there is a feeling that you get when harvesting an animal
With a bow. Up close and personal and it’s amazing to be that close to the game and everything you experience when hunting from a stand or ground blind. All sorts of critters walk by.I think there’s also a feeling that hits you when you take an animal from a longer distance and do so cleanly. Just like upclose in a stand, that animal has no clue what hit them. I harvested an antelope at 340yrds suppressed and it was just as intense of an experience as a whitetail at 8 yards in the tree stand.
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I hunted with a bow for many years and got my first buck with an old recurve and cedar arrows many years ago.
But ,alas, at 70 yoa and disabilities I can’t draw a bow anymore. So I go for long range shots with
my 7mm rem mag to fill the thrill rush. But bow hunting is the best. -
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.
ND Mike all you hunters out there need to check out the HAMMOND Game Getter on Google so that you can harvest grouse and small game with your rifles with minimal noise and no tissue damage. I haven’t missed a head shot on a grouse in a tree in 30 years
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