WHAT CARTRIDGE FOR WHITETAIL?
It's that time of year. Wondered what's your favorite cartridge for Whitetail? Or cartridges......as some can't just choose one![:)]
0
-
410 slugs inside 50 yards will knock them flat. 0 -
winchester 30-30 0 -
7x57 Mauser is a classic as is the 257 Roberts. My go to rifle will always be the 30/06 but I'm having shoulder problems so this year I'm going to lighten up a little and will mostly use a 25/06 and a new 7mm08 carbine. 0 -
I'll second the 7X57. The 257 Bob is a good cartridge also. But the 6.5X55 is my all time favorite. 0 -
Cartridge rifles aren't permitted in Ohio. Never much a fan of slugs.
My favorite muzzleloader is a .58 cal civil war replica. A bit of a beast to carry but it's accurate out to 200 yards- at least good enough to hit a deer in its vitals- and a 500 gr slug will sure knock 'em down.0 -
Here at home I'm limited to shotguns w/slugs, muzzleloaders, and straight wall handguns with barrels between 4 and 10 inches. I cheat as much as possible, 12 ga with fully rifled barrel and a ruger redhawk in 44 mag. Most other zones within the state usually brings out the mini 30 7.63x39 to replace the shotgun since I stalk hunt when there is enough area that I can walk all day without retracing my steps. I rarely hunt anywhere that shots over 200 are possible. 0 -
I have used everything from the 22LR to the 300 RUM, 45-70, 458 Winchester, 35 Remiongton, and like them all. There is no ones single favorate for deer...I don't think. But If I had to choose one it would be my 260 Remington.
Best
EDIT 1
Hey Beany...thanks for the vote of confidance. Where I hunt most of the time in the Northern Adirondacks of NY, we have everything from thick Cedar swamps to open powerlines. We have the area to shoot 800 to 1000yards, though my longest on a deer is 535 yards with a 300 Win Mag. NY is a no deer hunting with rimfire state, but I have relatives in other states that let you use then for nuisance permits. The 22WMR is my favorate...it is grossly underestimated. Not sure where you are located, but our bucks this year, have been averaging about 160 pounds dressed. That is plus or minus 40 pounds...oour smallest is 116, and our largest is 206...so far...season runs untill the first Sunday in December...6-7 weeks long!
Best0 -
.270 Winchester. Accurate, flat shooting, light recoil (and it's almost as much of a classic as the .30/06). 0 -
As long as it's a 7mm I'm fine with that... a .284 Winchester in a XP-100 is my old standby.. 0 -
big fan of .300 savage 0 -
quote:Originally posted by tsr1965
I have used everything from the 22LR. . .
Shame on you! [;)][:D]
Edit; Obviously, I'm just busting your chops. I don't have any problem with .22LR so long as its legal, and you are close (and competent enough) to place the shot EXACTLY. .22 magnum has literally 3x the energy as .22LR and is effectively a whole different animal. IMO, that's a much better choice, even for "fish in a barrel" type close range shooting.
On deer weights, the weights are inversely proportionate to average regional temperature. Up north in Maine you get gigantic 200+lb whitetail bucks (or even moose) and in Florida you get micro Key-deer that can weigh 40lbs. I don't want to say exactly where I am, but about an hour ago I passed a dead deer on the side of the road that got my 60mph estimate at 100lb [;)]
And then there is a distance factor. If you're in the woods and not going to take a shot past 75 yards, you can get away with something that would be totally unsuitable for a 300 yard shot.
Personally I'd like to try a 7.62x54R on a deer. After that, 7.62x39, and this is really more about which guns I like to shoot rather than any specific features of the rounds. If you figure 7.62x54R is more or less the same as a .30-06 and 7.62x39 is like a .30-30, then we're talking about the Russian equivalents of old American standbys!
On a 100lb deer there are so many rounds that COULD work, the head spins. What cartridge largely comes down mainly to personal preference, and in many cases it may even be preference for the GUN rather than the cartridge.
I think the general "favorites" in terms of absolute statistical frequency of use would be be .44 magnum from a pistol, and 30/30 from a rifle.
Both of these are super "classic" choices, and its hard to argue with either one of them.0 -
.243 for me. 0 -
30-06 with a 150 grain Soft Point Boat-Tail bullet. 0 -
284 Win, 7mm-08, 270 Win, 260 Rem, 308, 30-06, 25-06....... 0 -
Well, whitetails are not usually very big, or very hard to kill. So, I would go with mild cartridges that you shoot well, in rifles that handle quickly.
This could easily run the gamut from .243, 6mm, .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, 25-06, .260 Remington, .270 Winchester, 6.5 X 55, 7 x 57, .300 Savage,.308, 30-06, etc. You get the idea. Of course, the magnums will work, but are not necessary, either for the long range shots or for their killing power. You will just ruin more good venison.
Of course, many of the older cartridges will work as well, including 30-30, 30 Rem, 35 Rem, 30-40 Krag, 45-70, etc.
I shot my first whitetail with a .257 Roberts.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Nwcid
.243 for me.
That's a deer killing machine out west. I still like my .257 Rob by a smidge though.0 -
What State and kind of ground are you hunting. Close woods hunting is so different then open ground and the cartridge will reflect this. The laws of your state will also affect cartridge choice. Personally most cartridges 6mm and up will should work fine with the right bullet and good shot placement. If you want to be certain of a clean kill you can always go for 50BMG. Personally I'd grab either my 25-06 or 6.5swede...... 0 -
.257 Bob hands down. Also .243, .260, .270, .250-3000, .30-30, 7 mag, .32 win spec. .300 Savage and .308. 0 -
308 150 gr nosler bt [:)] 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
19 comments