Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting The best deer cartridge

Pure deer poison for me is a 25.06 with a full house of RL25 behind a 120gr Speer Hot-cor = Lighting Strike !

Has anyone mentioned the 7mm-08? A mighty fine Whitetail cartridge indeed 👍......Hb

According to my notes and failing memory I have taken whitetails with 18 different rifle calibers that run the gambit from 223 rem to 45-70. All worked as they should. If I had to pick one for the rest of my hunting time left it would be a 7-08 rem or 6.5 creedmoor.

I've decided that DOR really REALLY matters to me. So I absolutely refuse to hunt anything bigger than a rabbit with anything other than my .458 Lott. Oh, for the rabbits I use my Win Mag.

I know, I know, there is a bit of meat damage, especially when I employ the ol' Texas Butt Hurt Shot, but I think it's worth it. I had two doe tags before the Rona grounded me, and I managed to kill two doe with one shot out of a herd ... actually three, but don't tell anyone.

It really makes my head hurt, and sometimes I got a nose bleed, but for me, it's worth it, for the security it offers.
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Okay, had my fun, sorry!

For me, it's the .308. it's just so easy and cheap to load, and it's plenty accurate. I gave up on the .270 as it seemed to recoil more and wasn't as accurate as the .308.

I would have to say the 7mm-08 for longer range deer hunting and a 338Fed for shorter range stuff. I use my 338 Fed the most.

I don't have notes, just a failing memory that never was good to begin with. I too have let the air out of them with everything from a 223 to a 45-70. When I did my job, they all did their job. The best one is the one you shoot well.

Thats it. When you read it you just know. The cure for looneyism is now available.

The first chamberings that come to mind are the .270win and the 7mm-08, but a well-loaded 150gr bullet in a .308 is actually right there with them. Any one of the three gets my vote for "best". The .308 is about like a plain old manual-shift Honda Foreman. It'll always get it done, even though it's nothing fancy, and nobody can honestly tell you it's not a solid pick, even if it's not sexy.

First deer I ever shot was with a Marlin .222. Heavy SOB, but that thing will shoot! Then for high school graduation Dad got me a 7mm08 and that thing is a deer killing machine. Between then and now I've used about every rifle that we have and killed deer with them all. .243,.308, 30-06, 25-06, 30-30,6.5x55 Swede and 6.5 Creedmor. Still have to get one with the 8mm and the .35 Remington. My two favorites thought are the 7-08 and the Swede.

I didn't know Marlin ever offered a 222.

Yes, a Sako bolt action and micro groove barrel I believe.

Whatever you have the most confidence in and shoot well. No such thing as the perfect deer cartridge, but there are a hell of alot of them that will work just fine.

My favorite (perfect) deer cartridge is the 32 Winchester Special shot from a model 64 Winchester.

Moosemike... My bad, Savage Model 340 in .222. It was still a heavy SOB!!!

My personal pick would be 30-06. But you could flip a coin really.

I think with the .30-06, it doesn't make a world of difference whether you're in the river bottoms in AL or up at 12k feet in the mountains.

Nerd.

I'm in the "30-06 is king camp" but the 270 has been a favorite for decades. I've owned more 270s than any other chambering but I'm beginning to think it misses the boat with twist. I like 140s and 150s in the 270 and I think a 1/9 would be a better fit than the standard 1/10. This is where the 280 has an advantage. If I built another 270, it would be with a 1/9. If I were advising one of my sons for a rifle for deer hunting I would be hard pressed not to favor the 308 though, it seems to check all of the boxes and can stretch beyond deer if the opportunity exists. I think a lot of the older designed cartridges are twisted just a bit slow, with new and similar cartridges taking advantage of speedier twists ie...6.5CM v 260R, 6mmCM v 243 & 280AI v 270W.

Ok, that makes sense. I too have a 340 but it is a 30-30.

Micro-groove is a Marlin thing