What is everyone favorite caliber for deer?

[crkckr]

Depends on my mood... I do love my Win. 270 but the .308 works just as well. My Savage .243, if I could get it to shoot better, would be a good deer killer. Even the 30-30 will get it done closer in. Of course the '06 works, too. I suppose in a pinch I could drag out the .338 WM (I've used it to bust bunnies in the desert, why not blow the livin' snot out of deer, too?) but even I will admit it might be a bit much for deer. I suppose if I were in some kind of pinch I could take the AR 20" upper and use a 60 gr. Partition or 65 gr. GameKing (with no intention of using the AR to hunt, I've not tried the Partition. However, I loaded some 65 GameKings for a friend and they shot quite well out of my 16" upper). I might be able to get the 65 gr. bullets to stabilize if I were to push them hard enough out of the 1:14 CheetaH...

If things got really bad I guess I could even hoist a BFR* up a tree and try for one that way! Just about anything will work! ("Here Bambi, come on Bambi..." Thump!)
Cheers,
crkckr
*Big Freakin' Rock

 

[VTbluegrass]

.35 Rem because of the sentimental Marlin rifle I got from my dad. But the .270 I got from my best man is by far the killingest rifle I have owned. Deer step before it at their peril.

 

[Paper boy]

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.

It's getting to seam like rifles are becomming mor like golf clubs, a diferent club for every type of shot! It's also getting to be a little crazy. Many shooters dont realise this but, many of us, for whatever reason, shoot one caliber better than another, just because we either just like them, believe in them, or maybe just have had good luck with them in the past. it' more Mental than numerical in more ways than the average shooter would care to admit.. On the other hand, if your one of the fortuate few who can afford to stuff the golf bag full of wonderful rifles and calibers, DO IT! TODAY more than ever, there are more rifle cand caliber selections than ever.
I have stated this before on these pages. I am not a hunter. i am absolutly stupid when it come to the caliber/game selection. i figure, big game, big bullet.. in the competitive shooting world paper all have the same skin thickness. The choise is what caliber, what load and what bullet will get you there and take a seat as close to the last one sent as possible. I will admit I have used this mental formular in a much more sinister roll in the past, but object of all this is very much the same.
Today, the 6.5mm and 6mm bullets seem be approaching market dominance, and for good reasons. In Europe, they have come to reason a long time ago that "more is not always better". This is evident by 6.5x55 swiss, 6.5x47 and a few others. The 6.5x55 swiss has suprised me mor than once. Several years ago I was shooting, almost exclusivley 308. Why, because everyone else was, mostly anyway. It was no accident that I began to research the forigen governments and gun manfactures and the calibers they chose. I have had amazing results with this research. One world championship, and now, (getting older of course) several local competitive matches. Todat I am exp,oring the 6.5 Cr. And better yet the 6.5 PRC. Same bullet series with more punch, and amazing results. keep the golf bag well polished.

 

[hunter0528]

Depends on where I'm hunting.
In Mass I can only use a shotgun and Slugs or my Hawken .50 for Black Powder
Maine either my Ruger #1 in 7x57mm or my grandfathers 348 Model 71 Winchester.

 

[tom ga hunter]

I have killed over 100 deer with either a 250 savage, 257 Bob, 25'06, 270, 7/08, 280, 7 RemMag, 30/30, 308, 30'06, 35 whelen, 44 Mag, or 45/70. My favorites are Rem 7MS in 308 or AO custom 7/08.

 

[Bret GRAVELINE Graveline]

338 Winchester, does not ruin as much meat as my 257 AI and 2506 at 6 pounds it's a lot more fun carry

 

[sailorjim]

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.

6mm Rem, 270 Win, 308

 

[DR 3006]

280AI,270 Winchester, 25/06. All 3 hold promise to me. And each get used quite often when headed for deer trip.

 

[tcob68]

I've shot whitetails with several different calibers and cartridges, running from 22-250 to 300 mag. I have never seen whitetails drop like the way do when hit with a 120gr Ballistic Tip out of a 264 win mag! Just like turning off a light switch!

 

[wyogeargeek]

My go to cartridge is my .270 Win, however like my 300RUM when doing the cross Canyon elk and 6mm or .243 have been there for antelope for years, save the last one which was .308. guess I like the one in my hands.

 

[Turnbolt53]

280AI,270 Winchester, 25/06. All 3 hold promise to me. And each get used quite often when headed for deer trip.

Interesting you said this, because I have two 280AI and they are my favorite deer rifles, but I recently added a 270Win because I loved the rifle (platform), and justified it as my "in case I lose my 280AI ammo while travelling back-up rifle".

But I have been wanting a 25-06 too, and just keep telling myself it's just too close to the others.

I think I'll add one anyway.

 

[skipglo]

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.

I have found my 270 wsm is an exceptional deer gun. With my 300 Weatherby deer just didn't know they were dead until they ran 30-50 yards but the 270 DRT

 

[seattleman1969]

Deer sized game, .25-06

 

[seattleman1969]

Interesting you said this, because I have two 280AI and they are my favorite deer rifles, but I recently added a 270Win because I loved the rifle (platform), and justified it as my "in case I lose my 280AI ammo while travelling back-up rifle".

But I have been wanting a 25-06 too, and just keep telling myself it's just too close to the others.

I think I'll add one anyway.

Get one, you'll love it!