What cartridge for NOT long range (300 yards and in ) whitetails?

[adam32]

nope, I am firm believer in bullet mass and Taylor KO factor-(within reason of course; I'm not using a 450-400 on deer any more than I'll use a 22)... In both of these respects-mass and ko factor, a 22 is a joke. I pretty much start at 6.5mm/270 for white tailed deer and work up from there.

Well that's the difference between us...I know deer aren't hard to kill and while I've killed plenty with a 6.5/270 caliber rifles, I know within the ranges given that they aren't needed. A 90gr Berger at 3300+ will blow thru a deer shoulder with ease, a 120gr 6.5mm at 2900 won't make the deer any more dead....DEAD is DEAD!

It's all about shot placement with any of the cartridges listed in this entire thread.

 

[WalksLikeADeer]

If you did not have a deer rifle (maybe a very rare hunting of a black bear) and wanted to buy one for 300 yard shots and in, which cartridge rifle would you be buying?

I hunt for meat and use a .243 Win for deer.

 

[adam32]

Speaking of dead deer...here's mine today with a 22-243 and a 64gr Hammer at 3600 fps...about a 75 yard shot thru the lungs...30 yard death dash and dead before he fell over.

 

[RiverSink]

A 308 would be my choice for your requirements. Probably a Tikka T3 Lite cut down to a 20". Good luck

 

[WalksLikeADeer]

I'm not sure, I have never shot a bear but from everyone I know that has it seems a black bear isn't all that hard to kill. But personally, I have no idea.

87 gr .243 Win 350 lb. Black Bear boar dead run at 100 yds 1 shot rolled into a ball DRT.

 

[NEMTHunter]

Speaking of dead deer...here's mine today with a 22-243 and a 64gr Hammer at 3600 fps...about a 75 yard shot thru the lungs...30 yard death dash and dead before he fell over.

Nice! good job. At that range my 22lr would have dropped him where he stood with a head shot. Does that make it the gun of choice?

Just so you know. I have nothing against a 22-250 shooting deer. Or a .243. Its just not my gun of choice.

 

[FEENIX]

This boils down to personal preference and hunting situations/conditions. The .300 WM remains my go to chambering for antelope to elk size game up to 1K yards. Why? Because most of my hunting areas has antelope, deer (WT and muleys), bear, and elk.

 

[Defiance7mm]

6mm CM or .243 Win... Light recoil... It's about shot placement, put it in the boiler room and they aren't going far. My 2 cents

 

[dougduey]

Hard to beat a 30-06 for your intended use. Depending upon what you're hunting you can go down or up in bullet weights. It will kill anything in North America. Plus, you can find factory ammo on the shelf in any small town if you forget to bring yours.
It was the very first big game rifle I ever owned. It was used for hunting the thick woods and cedar swamps in Northern Michigan where I never had a shot over 250 yards. Now, my '06 became a bit of a safe queen after I moved to Colorado and wanted a magnum rifle. I purchase a 300 WSM, and it's my dedicated elk rifle. Then I got the reloading bug, started spending a lot of time on this website, and started buying more rifles in different calibers. I "rediscovered" my 30-06 this past year and wonder why I ever got away from it. It's extremely accurate and easy to reload for. I gets to go deer hunting in West Texas this November!!

 

[mountainman83]

I used a .270 win throughout my teenage years and into my 20's and early 30's.
Had great success with whitetails, black bears, coyotes, groundhogs. Ranges were from 25 yards to 450 yards all taken with a Leuopold vari-x II 3x9x40. This rifle was sighted in 3" high at 100 yards. The majority of game taken with that cartridge were one shot kills. All with factory ammo.
Now I'm 48 was bit by the long range bug and have a safe full of different calibers.
I haven't used that .270 in probably 15 years. Maybe I'll dust it off and use that .270 again this fall.

Great cartridge!!

 

[dougduey]

Now I'm 48 was bit by the long range bug and have a safe full of different calibers.
I haven't used that .270 in probably 15 years. Maybe I'll dust it off and use that .270 again this fall.

Great cartridge!!

It's fun finding your "first love" again!!

 

[lee31]

My three choices would be 257 Roberts, 25-06 and 6.5x55