What is everyone favorite caliber for deer?

[J.J. Weiland]

I was and always will be a 270 win fan. However the last few years I bought into the 6.5 Creed hype and have used one on several hogs, deer, mule deer, antelope and elk. I have to say it works as long as you do your job.

Thinking of building another 270 win though as it is my favorite.

 

[Wade Phipps]

.270 Winchester because I have shot whitetail, black bear, and elk with it. It also explodes jack rabbits and other varmints with proper bullet choice. Could also be that I have 6000 bullets from buying out a reloading supplies place going out of business, and it was my first center fire rifle. If I had to buy one now, probably 6.5 Creedmoor (Due to wide ammo/projo availability and will kill all the things I typically hunt). Prior to that .257 Roberts would have been my choice. The only animal that I have ever lost was with a .243 Winchester that appeared to have hit the shoulder. I have made that same shot with .257 Roberts and .270 Win on deer, and it busted the shoulder and DRTed the animal. Also all my longer tracks after a hit on deer have all been with .243 Win so I do not hunt meat with one anymore. Besides, when sitting in a deer stand dressed like an Eskimo, I can not tell the difference in recoil.

-Wade

 

[J.J. Weiland]

I have hunted deer for 40 years now and just in the last 3 years I found my favorite.
6.5 saum using 140 berger @ 3150 fps
Is the killingist rifle I have ever owned.
It is just devastating on deer out to 650 yes with a high shoulder shots. It has worked equally well on hogs using head shots. No looking for deer in the dark now, will stay with this caliber till I can't hunt anymore.

 

[Matno]

The 6.5 Creedmoor really does nail a sweet spot as an all around cartridge. That being said, there are many similar cartridges slightly above and below the Creedmoor on various scales that work just as well in most respects (and in all practical respects). Everything is about tradeoffs. Go slightly bigger caliber, and you may have slightly more energy at close range, but also higher recoil, probably a less efficient trajectory, and possibly a cartridge that won't fit a short action rifle. Go slightly smaller and you might have higher velocity and flatter trajectory, but shorter barrel life. Etc... An added benefit of the Creedmoor is its popularity, which makes ammo available for cheap virtually everywhere and is chambered in just about every make and model of rifle on the planet. Also, because it was designed from the ground up for accuracy, nobody makes low quality Creedmoor guns or ammo because they wouldn't be able to sell them. Personally, I like it because there's nothing I hunt that it can't handle well, from marmots to bull elk, and because I'm a recoil-shy wuss who enjoys shooting more when it doesn't feel like I'm shooting a cannon. (20 years of using nothing but a 7lb, non braked .300 win mag may have something to do with that!)

 

[Urban Shooter]

I have used anything g from a 223,243,25-06, 6.5x284,7-08,30-06, 7RM, 7RUM,340 WB. Lately I find myself reaching for my 243 or 7RUM.

 

[J.J. Weiland]

I have used anything g from a 223,243,25-06, 6.5x284,7-08,30-06, 7RM, 7RUM,340 WB. Lately I find myself reaching for my 243 or 7RUM.

 

[Sirrated]

It used to be a Parker Hale 270, but now days its a Weatherby 7mm rem mag. Love that caliber and it suits me, from wild pigs to Red deer, Tahr etc, it seem to fit the bill down here in New Zealand.

 

[Rem7mm08]

7mm08 is my personal favorite.

 

[JWM]

I generally switch between a Rem Model 7 243 and Tikka 260. The 243 was bought for my son as soon as he starts hunting but I find myself enjoying it quite often. The Sierra 85 gr HPBT and some Varget do a great job on our Oklahoma whitetails.

That's an accurate bullet in my experience.

 

[J.J. Weiland]

I own a 6.5saum and a 6.5x47L. The 47L is almost identical to the 6.5 Creed and is excellent for medium game and extended target shooting. The saum however uses identical bullets but 450-500 fps faster and are DOA on game and has soft enough recoil to use at range. Add a muzzle break and recoil is soft. Only downside is you will need to be a reloader
to enjoy this caliber. My rifle was incredibly easy to find numerous accuracy nodes, not fussy at all. Love the 6.5saum.

 

[RogerPA]

This one got me thinking... I've deer hunted now for 55 years. My first buck was, of course, taken with a .30-30 Win. Model 94. Since then I've taken deer with these: .38-55, .270, .30-06, .243, .223, .7RM, .257Rob., .257 Wby., 26 Nosler, .280AI, 28 Nosler, .300WSM, .338Fed., .338-06, and ranking as my favorite deer cartridge/rifle combo, the .25-06. (There's a few others tossed in with a .50 ML, 12 Ga (Slug & Sabot), F150, and both recurve & compound bow.) The F150 truly does knock them off there feet, but the .25-06 is considerably easier to clean-up after....

 

[ZAK13]

I haven't bought into the 6.5 craze, I'm happy with my 270 Win, it hasn't failed me when I do my part.

 

[freddogs]

I've shot deer with lots of different cartridges. I used the 30.06 a lot and it worked fine. I got a 6.5 Creedmoor a few years ago and I have been using that. It works fine. The Creedmoor is in a lighter rifle, has less recoil, and kills deer as good as anything else I've used.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Hi Buddy, You have so many Great choices!!! I'm a .270 Win Life time fan for Farmland Deer and Antelope. Something perfect about a lightweight accurate Bolt Action rifle, in .270 Win. Especially if you hand load. You can make that 130 grain sizzle , and almost never need a second shot at Whitetails. 5 3/4 pound Weatherby Ultralight with 24 inch Krieger barrel with a 2.5 to 8 Leupold Vari X 3 . Totally happy with that set up. Good luck with what ever you choose. lenny