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I have been deer hunting (whitetails) for what will be 55 years this year, Lord willing. I have never owned a rifle (except for a lever action 44 magnum) with the word “Magnum” in it’s chambering. I have Elk hunted just once and successfully used a .308 Winchester. I have owned rifles chambered from the 223 Remington up to and including the 30-06 Springfield. I currently have a 6.5 Creedmoor and a 7mm-08 Remington and feel like I am well chambered for anything I have hunted and will hunt in the future. No Grizzleys in my future. My battery is complete. Call me a wuss if you want, but I’ve always liked shooting rifles that hurt worse on the front end than they do on the back end. Anybody else think the same way I think?


If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.

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purt' much.....

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Yep, I rather use my .243 or 25-06 for whitetails, rather than my .308 or 30-06 !

In fact, the oly reason I still have either big gun, is sentimental value.

The .308 is a Savage M99 & the 30-06 is a Browning (miroku) 1895.


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Nope. smile


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Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell

Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard

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I have used some pretty small rounds...and some pretty big ones. Lots of mid sized too. Admittedly, I have come away with the "liking for game" the .280 over the 7mm/08; the 6.5/284 over the .260; the 30-06 over the 30-30 ( 308 same as '06 to me!) and the 300 mags over the 30-06 when it comes to elk. Anything over 30cal is just and has always been "just for grins" for me, ha. While I have had many big, honking .458WM, 458 Lott, 404 Jeffery, .416 Taylor, .416 Remington mag and 416 Rigby....I've never killed game with anything bigger than a .375 H&H/270 Failsafe. Lots of game with 338WM, 340W, 338 RUM. I could not benefit from a 300 RUM over a 300WM as I don't shoot at unwounded game much past 300yds anyhow. I just got another 300WM, but I am only going to use the 150s in it. Barnes for elk, partition for deer, etc. I will also load up some reduced loads ( sorta reduced 2750fps to 2800) with Hornady 150 SST just for grins or coyotes. No use jarring my eye teeth with hot 180s and 200s in my future anymore. smile

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I had a 22 mag but it kicked to hard so I got rid of it for a standard 22. Ed k

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Last 40 years chasing PA and NY bucks with a Remington Classic 270. In deference to both age and lightweight rifles, this year will find me on the mountain carrying a 308 Montana.
Have always felt perfectly gunned.


"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
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Originally Posted by ERK
I had a 22 mag but it kicked to hard so I got rid of it for a standard 22. Ed k



Bless your heart!


If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.

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The one rifle that I have that can hurt to shoot a lot is my Guide gun.

Most of the time, though, I'm either using a .308 or .30-30. I recognize the versatility of the .308, and I don't think there's an easier-carrying rifle than a Model 94 Winchester.

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Originally Posted by lastround
I have been deer hunting (whitetails) for what will be 55 years this year, Lord willing. I have never owned a rifle (except for a lever action 44 magnum) with the word “Magnum” in it’s chambering. I have Elk hunted just once and successfully used a .308 Winchester. I have owned rifles chambered from the 223 Remington up to and including the 30-06 Springfield. I currently have a 6.5 Creedmoor and a 7mm-08 Remington and feel like I am well chambered for anything I have hunted and will hunt in the future. No Grizzleys in my future. My battery is complete. Call me a wuss if you want, but I’ve always liked shooting rifles that hurt worse on the front end than they do on the back end. Anybody else think the same way I think?



Lots of men out there that don't mind recoil one damn bit! I'm fact my uncle that just got shoulder surgery on his shooting shoulder said that [bleep] never bothered him a damn bit either. In fact if your touph enouph you can get every kind of surgery known to man at some point

I used to work with an oldtimer that wasn't all that touph but somehow managed to get more done at the end of the day than the young "TOUPH" guys. I remember he used to always tell me two things. He said: "Son, work smarter not harder" He also said something about "all braun and no brain!"

I'd like to think I fall into the work smarter crowd! In fact my largest caliber at the moment is a 6.5X55 sweedmoor. No I've never had shoulder surgery


Trystan


Good bullets properly placed always work, but not everyone knows what good bullets are, or can reliably place them in the field
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When I started hunting in the 1970's conventional wisdom among my mentors and other hunters I knew was that 30-06 was middle of the road, 270 was borderline too small for deer and certainly anything smaller than 270 was not adequate. I don't believe that was ever true, but especially with the better bullets and loads we have today my 30-06 is my big gun. And I've had the 30 caliber and 7mm magnums in the past as well as 338-06 and 35 Whelen.

There are folks killing elk at near 1/2 mile with 243's. Not that I would advocate that, but it's being done. I don't see how anyone can justify anything larger than 30 caliber anymore unless you're hunting Africa. I'm now of the opinion now that anything 26 caliber and up will take any game animal in North America. It all boils down to how far you want to shoot, and how much recoil you're willing to tolerate. I down sized to 308 about 10 years ago, and recently bought a 6.5 CM just to see what the fuss is all about. Never had a 7-08, but if anything it is a touch better than my 308. At least on paper. I don't feel a bit handicapped.


Most people don't really want the truth.

They just want constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
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The only magnum I own right now is a 300H&H. One 30-06 is next largest BG rifle.

Everything else is smaller and lighter. Two 308s, a 280, one 275Rigby with another in the works, 257Roberts and a 6mm CM forthcoming.

The 300H&H, 30-06 and/or the 275 may be sold. Long range downsizing in numbers and size.


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Originally Posted by lastround
I have been deer hunting (whitetails) for what will be 55 years this year, Lord willing. I have never owned a rifle (except for a lever action 44 magnum) with the word “Magnum” in it’s chambering. I have Elk hunted just once and successfully used a .308 Winchester. I have owned rifles chambered from the 223 Remington up to and including the 30-06 Springfield. I currently have a 6.5 Creedmoor and a 7mm-08 Remington and feel like I am well chambered for anything I have hunted and will hunt in the future. No Grizzleys in my future. My battery is complete. Call me a wuss if you want, but I’ve always liked shooting rifles that hurt worse on the front end than they do on the back end. Anybody else think the same way I think?


You're not under-gunned....you're properly gunned...

Never owned a cartridge needing more than about 55 grains of powder per shot in my life and never will. It's simply not needed. Those who say it is don't get out or kill much...


- Greg

Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
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Wuss.

You asked for it.



P


Obey lawful commands. Video interactions. Hold bad cops accountable. Problem solved.

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Yeah I dont "need" a 395HP V8 in My F150 but I like it, just like My .300's 👍 and I could care less what anybody else shoots (even the phag's that shoot creedmoor's 😁) .....Good hunting...Hb

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Keep in mind that bullet technology has changed a lot and has helped a lot for smaller calibers... However, if you think a 30-06 is a big gun.... HA... you have no clue what a big gun is... I have no idea why guys are shy about recoil... never once had an issue with it and never once felt it when I shot a deer either


The worst thing ever to happen to cops is the personal video recorder... Now people can see the truth
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Originally Posted by lastround
I have been deer hunting (whitetails) for what will be 55 years this year, Lord willing. I have never owned a rifle (except for a lever action 44 magnum) with the word “Magnum” in it’s chambering. I have Elk hunted just once and successfully used a .308 Winchester. I have owned rifles chambered from the 223 Remington up to and including the 30-06 Springfield. I currently have a 6.5 Creedmoor and a 7mm-08 Remington and feel like I am well chambered for anything I have hunted and will hunt in the future. No Grizzleys in my future. My battery is complete. Call me a wuss if you want, but I’ve always liked shooting rifles that hurt worse on the front end than they do on the back end. Anybody else think the same way I think?



I have to admit that since 1979, up until 2007, I hunted almost exclusively with the 7mm Rem Mag. Loved it and still do, however, for the last 12 years or so I've almost exclusively hunted with the 7mm08, occasionally lately the 6.5CM, and slay pigs with an old Marlin 336 30-30. The older I get the less I like recoil or intend to tolerate it, and being reoil shy is a far cry from not liking it, BTW. Unless I go to Africa again, or maybe Newfoundland moose, I don't see using the ol' 7mag much. I don't feel I've missed anything either.


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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Originally Posted by Pharmseller
Wuss.

You asked for it.



P



I guess I did at that.


If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.

Doug
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I still tend to hunt elk with a .338WM when I rifle hunt them. Not because I believe it's needed, but I've been using it for decades with no issues and it's an accurate rifle. For me it started as a young lad hearing stories about how ineffective smaller calibers were on game. So seeking advice, I read everything by everyone, and found many favorable comments about the .338WM. Then read a well respected author who said the perfect big game battery may well be a .257 Roberts & a .338WM. His comments about the versatility of the quarter bore made a ton of sense to me so I followed his advice. I used Jack O'Conners .257R load recommendations, including for varmints, and Layne Simpsons favorite .338WM load. I was happy.

Over the years bullets have gotten much better. Performance is outstanding, and consistent. While I've gradually found myself not using much of what used to be considered middle ground calibers I can't seem to let go of them, and while I rarely get any bigger ones out for much, I still reach for the .338WM when going after elk. The stock is well worn, bluing has been worn off in spots long ago but it still shoots better than I do, and works so well on elk it's hard to ignore.

All that being said, I use 22 & 25 calibers a lot. I'd have a tough time letting go of that Roberts. I'd probably not miss half of my accumulation.


“You never need fear a man, no matter what his size. When danger threatens, call on me, and I will equalize.”
Samuel Colt.

�Common sense is genius dressed up in work clothes.� - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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I'm no fan of recoil. Have owned and shot a lot of "magnums". Worst kickin rifle I ever shot was my first deer rifle. a model 94 30-30 with a curved steel butt plate. Put a lot of venison on the table with it before I "discovered" recoil pads. Pass the 270.


I am continually astounded at how quickly people make up their minds on little evidence or none at all.
Jack O'Connor
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