Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Looking for real life results on a couple of calibers

As I also tend to like short action rounds, I'd take the 7mm-08. I've used mine for mule deer and whitetails down to coyotes, and can't find anything I don't like about it.

On your list I add to the 25-06 group. However, 280 stands out in my mind as well.

Chip, You had or have the perfect compliment. The 25-06 in a WBY lightweight. wink....


Dave

Since .270 is 'off the list', I would say the closer the better. So I'll suggest 6.5-06 .

Chip,

You've asked an emotional question. Most here have answered with emotion. I shall try to answer the question simply, not with emotion; but with logic.

Given that you're a handloader, the 6.5/06 will do anything the .25/06 and the .270 will do but with a wider range of bullet weights. Being a handloader simplifies a lot of potential problems...

Grasshopper

My most used rifle (now) is a 7mm-08, because it's in a titanium rifle and so much of British Columbia is so very steep to walk up and down - and even with a new bionic knee - I'm not getting any younger as each new hunting season rolls around.

But, when the landscape is a bit flatter, or I'm not planning on walking as far in a day - I love the 25-06! Mine is in a rather heavy older style, "fat-bolt", slab sided, pre-A-bolt Browning bolt action. The round is about as flat shooting as any modern magnum, and it recoils so little, that it requires no mental effort to shoot the head's off of grouse. It not only flattens deer at any range you can hit them, but, with premium bullets, my gun has made short work of every big bear, caribou, elk and moose it was pointed at too.

It's one of my all-time favorite rounds. Since it's the furthest from what you already own - it would be my first choice. Less "overlap" that way. Everyone should own one.

Thank you all. MarkD, the wc 6.5 interest me as well.

DaveH,

You are correct, I had the perfect compliment and ticked about letting it go, fortunately where it went has the option to come back home and a reason for this post.

I would go with the 25-06 in a very similar rifle to what you have, that way you have a truly matched pair with slight overlap but different intended uses.

Of course, I'd just split the difference and hunt with one rifle, a 30-06.

I've shot deer with a .270win and can see why it's not on the list.
I have a .25WSSM and love it. A nice little Rifle. There all good rounds. I would go with a Model 7 in 7mm-08. You though I was going to sat 25-06 didn't you.

It all has to do with shot placement and a Deer isn't that hard to bring down.

'Nother vote for the 25-06. Have owned half a doz. over the years. It's a great cal. Presently have it's cusin, the 25-284 (grin!)
Virgil B.

Have any of you guys actually hunted deer in New England?

We're talking fifty yard shots... a 25-06/6.5-06/270 is kind of a silly choice IMO...

I have to admit that I've not hunted New England in particular. At what range are the pronghorn usually shot in New England?

7-08!! I have seen, shot and been around alot of deer kills. Most of them taken with.243 .270, 7mm mag, 30-30, 30-06, 300wm,. For the last 7 years I've seen the 7-08 do anything that these others do and then some. It has never failed. I honestly beleive that with the 140 partitions it is as close to a perfect killer as it gets. By this I mean I think it's that the velocity, bullet diameter, barrel length etc just is the perfect combo. We have 14 yrs combined experience with the 7-08 and deer don't stand a chance. All one shot kill's. I cannot say that for any of the others.

I have never used a 25-06, 6.5-06.

I am playing with a .260 right now. Pretty close to a 7-08. I'm tempted to say that the .260 prolly beats the 7-08 in the ballistics dept with bullets in the 125-140 range.

But until the .260 can prove itself. 140 partitions and the 7-08 get my vote.

By the way, of the above I have experience with the .243 was the worst.

I think you have mistaken the 25-06 with a death laser.

7mm-08

my 2 bit is a death lazer!

an 87gr sierra going way too fast=dead yotes before my 8.5lb gun is off target from recoil. I likey very much.

Mr. ChipM:
Have a friend with a couple 6.5-06�s with Douglas barrels on 98 actions. They are very nice to shoot and he has shot a fair few deer with them. They work fine.
That said, the .25-06 is likely to get the nod. I was with a buddy who shot an honest 30� inside 3x4 mule deer with it using 117gr. BT Hornady�s. We boned it out right there and had just about 130lbs of meat. He and I also used it on some smaller bucks and it worked fine on them as well.
But as another gentleman posted, it was a coyote bomber from the dark side. After the hide market died on us and we no longer cared about exit holes, we used 75gr. Hornady HP going out at about 3550fps. Oh my.......
Yep, I�m a .25-06 fan.
Dwayne

I like the 7mm.08 best on your list, Its a great round if you reload. Otherwise the .308 cal offers many more choices of factory ammo......Good luck.............547.

Brad: Yeah...me!270 GUY will post on this also.My deer back here have been killed with 270,30/06,7/08,7x57.Not all New England shots are short; on the same day,in the same country, you can snow track a buck, maybe shoot him at 30 feet. Or the end of day may find you at a power line crossing or clearcut for an evening stand. The two largest whitetails I've fired at in the northeast were at 300 and 379 yards. I killed one of them.

You see a lot of 270's and 30/06's in use up here.They smack those big deer Northeast bucks around good.Plus, when we hunt the west each year, we use the same rifle. Works great.

Brad,

Yes New England is thought of as heavy brush country but over the last 26 yrs I have hunted here there have been clearcuts, power line rightways and farms. I've hunted CT, VT, NH and ME and though you see a few lever actions around, the overwhelming majority are using the 30-06, 270, 308. As Bob stated, you maybe in a cedar swamp in the morning only to see the deer you have been dogging 350 yds on the other side of a clearcut. What a bummer if your holding a 30-30 in your hands knowing you have no shot