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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,147
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,147 |
Although I have never owned one, a .250 Savage would be hard to beat.
Low recoil. Low muzzle report. Long lineage as a proven game taker,
James Pepper: There's no law west of Dodge and no God west of the Pecos. Right, Mr. Chisum? John Chisum: Wrong, Mr. Pepper. Because no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law. And sooner or later they find God's already been there.
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 14,742 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 14,742 Likes: 2 |
Pick the rifle that you like first. Then worry about caliber.
Politics is War by Other Means
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 655
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 655 |
On the hunt for a new deer bolt gun...
Ive been looking at 243, 270, 25-06 and the ol 308. As you can see I dont need any fancy caliber thats $4 a round, Just a reliable deer killer. Im also not trying to have a high recoil caliber (ie, 30-06, no reason to shoot an 06 when you can shoot a 308 in its place)
I dont need a long range caliber either, I doubt ill ever poke past 200 yards in my life (unless a western trip comes into play). But, Even with a gun i try to get close...
Just looking for some feedback on these as I havent used any of them aside from 308
There is also a chance that a bear could be targeted too since our deer overlaps with bear for a week. But, we've flattened several 500+ pound bears with 30-30s and none of these fall behind a 3030 so im not concerned with that.... #1 270 very flat, easy to find ammunition and ammunition sales, which leads to lots of practice #2 308 not as flat, but the other benefits apply #.243 - low recoil, easy to find ammo, a bit on the small side #4 25.06 - actually, very good caliber, but ammunition where I live is expensive, hard to find, and limited choices.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151,841 Likes: 20
Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151,841 Likes: 20 |
270, 25-06, 308, 243. The 270 is very versatile.
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 32
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 32 |
They all will work fine, with correct bullet selection.
As for the recoil, after my Dad's neck fusion surgery I started loading 43gr IMR 4895 under a 130gr Hornady sp, recoil was noticeably less for him and still a lot of dead deer.
It's been a few years and he has healed up some so I load 45 gr. nowadays. I ran out of powder one year so I cooked him up some other mix and he didn't like the recoil noticed it on his first shot. I ended up giving those to me nephew and going and buying more powder >.<
I personally hunt with a .277 Wolverine, and a 6.8X43.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,693 Likes: 23
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,693 Likes: 23 |
PS....i wont buy a 6.5Creed because i wont chase a fad lol I don't mind that it's popular. The ballistics look good. But paying a premium for a chambering in most cases is BS. In lots of cases the same rifle in .308 is more expensive if chambered in 6.5CM. Then it sounds like you need a new gun shop. Yeah, I'm sure that's it. My gun shop charges more.. Not the manufacturer....  AR10 .308 ~$1099 ~ https://diamondbackfirearms.com/portfolio/db10emlb/AR10 6.5CM ~$1229 ~ https://diamondbackfirearms.com/portfolio/db1065cb/Some do charge more. At the manufacturer level.
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 18,329 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 18,329 Likes: 1 |
If ammunition cost is important the 308 would be the right choice, simple WW 150 grain factory ammunition will work without fail. I like my Roberts and shoot 117 grain Hornadies but I reload. The 25-06 idea is appealing but you would want to reload. The 257 Weatherby based on conversations I have had is an amazing deer cartridge but again you need to be able to reload. In my experience thin skinned deer react faster to fast movers placed into their shoulders.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,631 Likes: 2
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,631 Likes: 2 |
If you deem an 06 to have "recoil" then go with the 243. It's an excellent deer round.
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,721
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,721 |
Bought a Ruger M-77 in 1969. 25-06 and never looked back. Never had any difficulty in locating ammunition. I do reload however and my pet load is a Nosler 90gr bullet and 58 grains of 4831 short cut.
Last edited by Timberlake; 11/05/18. Reason: sp
The things that come to those that wait may be the things left by those who got there first.
Unk
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,950
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,950 |
I have a friend of mine who reloads his 308. He uses 125 grain bullets. Of course deer down south are typically smaller than up north. He said 125's explode everything in the rib cage. Use heavier rounds for bear. I've had 150 gr bullets go completely through a deer without very much expansion. I think he is on to something.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 830
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 830 |
I just called around...
6.5Creed is $17/box
7mm-08 is $22/box
25.06 is $22/box
308 is $17/box
i dont think cost is a big enough issue to consider here. But, thats the 4 calibers im narrowed down to
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,209
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,209 |
I've used all but the 25-06 but have a 257 Roberts that I load at +P specs so it is close. You won't notice a lick of difference in the larger rounds, and the main difference you'll see in the two smaller ones will be recoil difference from the larger ones on deer.
That said, I've shifted to 25 caliber and under for the last several years for my deer hunting. Mostly the 257 Roberts and a pair of 250 Savage. With any reasonable hit, these cartridges have been one shot wonders. I'm not hunting small deer, 3 of the last 4 years I've taken a 160+" buck. Teh one 2 years ago with the 250 Ruger was the largest bodied buck I've ever seen while living and working among them for 65 years here on the farm. Several years ago I got one that grossed 173 with 100 Hornady Interlock out of the 243.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,003
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,003 |
You can't really beat a hot .308 with any of the usual cartridges. If yours will shoot the Hornady Superformance 165gr SST load, buying anything else is just 'cause you want to, not 'cause you need to.
Living in a world of G17s and 700s, wishing for P7s and 202s
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,174 Likes: 15
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,174 Likes: 15 |
Best I can figure the following calibers are adequate for deer:
.22, .24, .25, .26, .27, .28, .30, .32, .33, .34, .35, .37, .38, .40, .41, .44, .45, .47, .50, .54.
And more.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,810
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,810 |
A mans got to now his limitations. Ed k
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 317
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 317 |
I just called around...
6.5Creed is $17/box
7mm-08 is $22/box
25.06 is $22/box
308 is $17/box
i dont think cost is a big enough issue to consider here. But, thats the 4 calibers im narrowed down to Could you say what reasoning you have for excluding the 270 win?
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,344
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,344 |
Just a reliable deer killer. Im also not trying to have a high recoil caliber (ie, 30-06, no reason to shoot an 06 when you can shoot a 308 in its place) 30-06 and 308 WIN can be quite close in felt recoil. The reason is that 30-06 is a long action and 308 is a short action. The extra weight of the rifle will affect things. THey're close enough that the fit of the rifle is going to play more into how much recoil you feel. I'm a big fan of 30-somethings for whitetail. However, I would agree with the first response in this thread: they're all good.
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,168 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,168 Likes: 5 |
I just called around...
6.5Creed is $17/box
7mm-08 is $22/box
25.06 is $22/box
308 is $17/box
i dont think cost is a big enough issue to consider here. But, thats the 4 calibers im narrowed down to Could you say what reasoning you have for excluding the 270 win? Probably doesn't want to be accused of being ghay....  DF
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,693 Likes: 23
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,693 Likes: 23 |
Just a reliable deer killer. Im also not trying to have a high recoil caliber (ie, 30-06, no reason to shoot an 06 when you can shoot a 308 in its place) 30-06 and 308 WIN can be quite close in felt recoil. The reason is that 30-06 is a long action and 308 is a short action. The extra weight of the rifle will affect things. THey're close enough that the fit of the rifle is going to play more into how much recoil you feel. I'm a big fan of 30-somethings for whitetail. However, I would agree with the first response in this thread: they're all good. I had a Savage 99 in .308 that would kick the snot outtta ya. Rifle and stock configuration factor in for sure.
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 95,770 Likes: 3
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 95,770 Likes: 3 |
'06 for elk and 270 for deer.
Ecc 10:2
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the left.
A Nation which leaves God behind is soon left behind.
"The Lord never asked anyone to be a tax collector, lowyer, or Redskins fan".
I Dindo Nuffin
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