Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .308 the cheapest deer caliber to buy ?

"All Around" in Florida for deer or "All Around" in the United States?

What a person would suggest for shorter range hunting, and for smaller deer for east coast conditions, is not the same as what one would recommend for Mule Deer in Wyoming.

For guys suggesting 30-30, this makes sense in the short range conditions of the east coast. Out in the west, the conditions can be substantially different. A 30-30 can be a real handicap here:






For "all around" for the entire US for strictly deer (Mule Deer and Whitetail), I would suggest, a 6.5 CM, or .308.

The .30-06 and .270 are excellent and factory ammo can be had at similar prices, but for east coast ranges, they are not really needed, except in niche circumstances such as bean fields, etc. Plus factory 30-06 is more often than not loaded at very similar velocities to .308. It is only until you get into 200-220 grain 30-06 ammo (ammo oriented towards larger game) that you see a difference, or premium ammo.

The traditional .270 is never really a bad answer, and thousands of deer and elk have been cleanly taken with the Campfire's favorite whipping boy.

Many many years back, on the first hunt, after working on an outfitter and guide ranch in the Frank Church, I saved up enough to buy my first "new to me" rifle. A Browning .270. Since all I had ever hunted with growing up was a .270, it made sense. Opening morning, I found the buck I was looking for right at 400 yards. The first shot out of that new Browning resulted in this runt.





So, the .270 will indeed get the job done.

In summary,

For a non reloader who is only going to hunt deer, with consideration that "all around" may mean anywhere, I would do the following:


I would pick the rifle I like first.
Then choose the cartridge.
6.5 CM or .308, with .270 as a possible mention for inexpensive ammo options.


Cheers!