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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 332
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 332 |
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 196
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 196 |
My first deer rifle as a teenager in the late 90s was a 25-06. After a few years I thought I needed something bigger and bought into the new 300 RUM. After a few years of foolishly punishing my shoulder I moved down to a 7 rem mag. After a few years I again decided to move down and went with a 260 rem. I have tried some other similar calibers since. I am now convinced that anything that shoots a 130-150 grain bullet in the upper 2000s FPS range is the perfect deer caliber. To pick one I’m going with 7-08. However I would never disagree with 260, 6.5 CM, 308, or 270. This year if I fail to tag out in ML or archery season, I’ll be shooting a 270 wsm that I couldn’t pass up. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be more than I want though.
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,416
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,416 |
Since no one has mentioned this cartridge, I'll put it on the list:
8x57 Mauser
"Behavior accepted is behavior repeated."
"Strive to be underestimated."
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,047
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,047 |
Excellent recommendation buttstock. Due to the confusion over groove diameter's, that's probably the most under appreciated and under utilized cartridge in the US....and in reality, one of the best.
NRA Benefactor 2008
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." John 14-6
There is no right way to do a wrong thing
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 22,869
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 22,869 |
Hanco: For an "all around" GREAT Deer Hunting cartridge it would be VERY hard, if not impossible, to improve upon or exceed the 270 Winchester! I think I have about tried em all" and keep going back to the mild mannered, accurate, reliable, lethal and CLASSY 270 Winchester. Been using them for over half a century now from the rain forests for Blacktails to the thickets and dense woods for Whitetails to the wide open country for Mule Deer - the 270 Winchester has always performed exceptionally well. Long live the 270 Winchester! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 971
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 971 |
I have downed dozens of mulies and whitetails with my 1979 purchased Glenfield 30-30 carbine. This great shooting rifle matches my hunting techniques perfectly so that I'm always presented with a short to medium range kill shot. I hunt either spot and stalk or ambush styles. But this carbine is not a do-all hunting tool. For antelope I reach for my Remington .243 and for elk, my Savage .308 gets the job done for me.
30-30 is a keeper!
Shjerwood
FIRE UP THE GRILL - is NOT catch and release!
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,160
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,160 |
Hanco: For an "all around" GREAT Deer Hunting cartridge it would be VERY hard, if not impossible, to improve upon or exceed the 270 Winchester! I think I have about tried em all" and keep going back to the mild mannered, accurate, reliable, lethal and CLASSY 270 Winchester. Been using them for over half a century now from the rain forests for Blacktails to the thickets and dense woods for Whitetails to the wide open country for Mule Deer - the 270 Winchester has always performed exceptionally well. Long live the 270 Winchester! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy I suspect that if every bit of information available was loaded into a computer, and that computer was asked to pick the perfect deer cartridge, the winner would be the 270 Winchester. I have killed deer from 15 to 400 yards with one, and although I retired mine and gone on to other cartridges, I have yet to find anything better.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 150,239
Campfire Savant
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OP
Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 150,239 |
Hanco: For an "all around" GREAT Deer Hunting cartridge it would be VERY hard, if not impossible, to improve upon or exceed the 270 Winchester! I think I have about tried em all" and keep going back to the mild mannered, accurate, reliable, lethal and CLASSY 270 Winchester. Been using them for over half a century now from the rain forests for Blacktails to the thickets and dense woods for Whitetails to the wide open country for Mule Deer - the 270 Winchester has always performed exceptionally well. Long live the 270 Winchester! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy I suspect that if every bit of information available was loaded into a computer, and that computer was asked to pick the perfect deer cartridge, the winner would be the 270 Winchester. I have killed deer from 15 to 400 yards with one, and although I retired mine and gone on to other cartridges, I have yet to find anything better. The 270 would be damn hard to beat, I have 3plus a 270 WSM. I like the 130 grain Bear Claws in them.
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179 |
J Jr.
That's why the 270 W is still DOING WELL. It's been one of my favs since 1976 at least. Jerry
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179 |
Great Attractant fo sho. Jerry
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,067
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,067 |
The 257 Roberts thread made me think of this. I say it’s the 30-06 with the 270 close behind. In the post title, he doesn’t specify east or west, high or low. In spite of the fact one can kill a deer with about anything with a barrel, this is an intellectual exercise. What is “the best”? That means one specific cartridge. Though I’ve not had one for years, I would probably nominate the .308 Win which probably has enough OTC loads to fit about any situation aside from any hand loading one could do. Not too powerful but fairly flat also..
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,019
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,019 |
Anything between .243 and .375 H&H. Pick the one that makes you smile and can get the job done. My personal favorite is the .358 Win.
************************ NRA Benefactor member
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 615
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 615 |
Geesh this is a loaded question lol. I have everything from a 243 to a 338 win mag as I'm sure most do. I'll usually grab the model 70 7mm08 classic compact when I'm hunting deer tho.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 971
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 971 |
30-30 works for us redneck country boys who hunt close and hunt hard!
Sherwood
FIRE UP THE GRILL - is NOT catch and release!
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179 |
From P 3 As others said, its all in where and how ya hunt! Hunting a in a thick area where most shots are under 50yds and 100 is max, a 30-30, 35 Rem or even 444 Marlin in a short, handy lever gun may be the ticket. Carry that same chambering in an open area and you may be at a disadvantage! I do not own A short range deer rifle. I like a rifle that works at 12 yds, feet! < EDIT ----(my closest kill) out to 400 yds. That’s my comfort confidence distance. Many rifle/cartridges combos would fill that scenario. MY, repeat MY, choice as best deer cartridge is 7mm RM in my Tikka T3X SS Lite. I’m 70 y o and my choice is the result from deer hunting since 1972 with A LOT of diff rifle/cartridges.
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,493
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,493 |
Remember 40 years ago, your dealer could get a "hand-picked" M77R from one of the vendors in Shotgun News for an extra $10? I had a dealer do that, in .270 Winchester. I've been using them (and others) ever since, but when it comes right down to it, I'll grab the .270 every time. It works fine (so does the 7x57, .30/06, .25/06, .44 Mag,, .243 Win. etc.) Deer aren't that hard to kill.
Nowadays, I have a M70 Classic .270, and a Marlin .30/30, both of them work just fine. Deer just aren't that hard to kill.
You can roll a turd in peanuts, dip it in chocolate, and it still ain't no damn Baby Ruth.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,310
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,310 |
My best is the 260Rem. Can put the 6.5 Jesus and 6.5 Swede with it also. They are pretty mild in recoil and kill just fine. No long runners, sometimes no runners, when you put a bullet in the slats. Kids have no issues shooting these cartridges. Bullets up to 140gr are common loads with more than enough azz to leave an exit.
I shoot my 7RM once a year to make the scope is on and use it as a backup for hunting. Killed a coyote a couple years ago with it. It’s a dust collector now.
Talking to you is like trying to nail jello to the wall.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,713
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,713 |
Yes, the .308 Win with a 130 gr TTSX at 3080 is my main choice these days. My last deer last year taken with that combination -
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,652
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,652 |
Dad just passed this July, so this year it's his 348 Win model 71. "Best deer cartrige" next year might be something else!
It isn't what happens to you that defines you, it's what you DO about what happens to you that defines you!
NRA life member
Illinois State Rifle Association member
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Joined: Sep 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179 |
SALUTE’ there Dean. Fantastic.
Sorry for your loss. BTDT
Jerry
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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