Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire rate these calibers for deer

I've had a lot of .308's over the years but I've never accused any of them of having light recoil nor being particularly easy to coax good groups out of because of the long throating. It can be done but usually you're going to be longer than magazine length. I'm sure the 22 long rifle has racked up more kills on deer over the many years of it's history so any of the various calibers mentioned are fine especially at realistic game ranges. Although we all like to claim relation to Natty Bumppo reality is pretty humbling when you compare actual aggregate groups over time from our rifles. These threads usually end up in a whizzing match over what our favorite cartridge is and which one's we like to berate.

i use my 45-70 more than anything now a days, but have killed way more deer with the 243 than any other caliber.

Me too! Mine had a monte carlo stock. I hated shooting that rifle.

Of the options listed in the original post, I wouldn't give a nickel's difference to have one instead of the next one. They'll all reliably kill deer if you do your part.

Several good reasons to shoot an 3006 instead of a 308 if you are a one gun man. Never a mistake.

The .45-70 is enough gun. One of my friends named my rifle "Thumper". I don't get it.

Last time out I shot 70 rounds with 530 bullets and full charges of Lord Black. It didn't hurt and there were no bruises, though I'll admit to covering my shoulder with a tee shirt I was wearing. Note: "wearing" not folded.

I like the 130 Horn SP for WT’s in .308 and ‘06. You can push them to 3,100 fps. Lot of DRT. Good entrance and exit wounds.

DF

I've hunted Pa. whitetails for 58 years. Most of my deer taken with a rifle have been taken with a .243 without any issues. I love the .243. About 10 years ago I started hunting with a .260 too just to try a 6.5 caliber and without any real need for more power. Now I love the .260 a bit more. Recoil is just a bit more than the .243 in the same weight rifle. I'd pick the 6.5 Creedmoor from your current list without hesitation and consider the other calibers in the order you have listed. You're not going to make a mistake with any of them if you get a gun that fits you well!

I rate them as excellent.

cost of ammo has never bothered me, kinda like worrying about the cost of gas for your hot rod.

PERSONALLY, I prefer the 25-06. It shoots like a .243 and kills like a .270.

Double D,

You left off the best caliber ever created for deer!!! The grand ol’ .58!! Knocks ‘em over like an F-350 at 80mph!!

Why I once killed a herd of five with a single shot and a couple of lucky ricochets... I’ll have to tell ya about it sometime.

Ha I was loading a Winnie with the 130's.

But I\I'm sure the .308 version works just as well.

This is correct .

I’ve killed a bunch of critters with the .25-06, .270 Win and .308. They all work just fine, and for all intents and purposes, they work about equally.

I find the .308 to be the most lackluster of the three. The .270 and .25-06 just seem to kill things (up to elk) more impressively.

All this being said, I have a 6.5 Creedmoor and now really have no use for the others, other than just wanting them.

The Creedmoor is more accurate, kicks significantly less, shoots lights out with all different kinds of bullets and kills stuff dead. It makes things easy and without worry.

Get a 6.5 Creedmoor and find a factory loading it likes in 120-147gr (this will not be difficult) and have fun.

308 all the way. Available at every sporting/outdoor/rural gas and hardware store. Surplus military ammunition so you can shoot to your hearts content. Great 30 cal. Bullets. I wouldn’t personally even consider the rest.

Just my opinion.

If it were just deer 243 all the way . I also live in Pa so I know about the overlap with Bear so 308 win would be a better choice . 308 loaded with a good 150 gr bullet is the best combo IMHO . A nice short action rifle with a 20 inch barrel in 308 would be about perfect. The 150 will perform well on thin skinned animals like deer and still have the punch to penetrate a Black bear at most angles. Nether one are hard animals to kill but the bear will take a little more of a beating before expiring. I found standard Remington cor-lokt in 150 is a great performer over the years .

If those choices were my choices , it would be the 308 . Haven't shot a 25-06 for along time , I remember dad slayed a lot of deer with his . Sometimes deer just don't want to give the spirit up . Have seen devastating shots and they still run off a hundred yards or more . The only shots I have seen them DRT every time was from head shots , and that is a risky shot .
Kenneth

People that have killed lots of deer tend to shoot them in the neck when possible.

It anchors a deer DRT just like a head shot does. But without the mess.

I'm going to be deer hunting with a .308 this year. A friend and I both ordered 6.5 Creedmoors last year that both arrived just in time for deer season. When my wife saw that both rifles shot bug hole groups with the first load tried it became "her Creedmoor". She has taken the whole first week off for deer season this year.... I'm grateful that I have a wife that really enjoys hunting and appreciates fine accuracy.... so I'm Ok with having to wait until late season to hunt our newest rifle.


The point I offer for your consideration is that both of the Creedmoors I loaded for are 1/2" at 100 yards shooters right out of the box. Trigger adjustments was the only "work" done on either rifle. Moderate recoil and we scored 5 clean kills with 5 shots last year. Lots of great choices out there so have fun with whatever you pick.

It does. You can't tell a difference.

IIRC, they make a Varmint version. You want the std. SP.

Here's a group from my HVA with the 130 gr. Council. These are hand made BR bullets. Ralph Council says they work well on WT's. I've only used the 130 Horn SP. May need to gives these a try. .308 and '06 are the same with these bullets. '06 has an advantage with heavies, not with these.

DF