Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Opening Day: What caliber, What bullet, Why?

In my home state: Marlin 336, 35 Remington, 200 grain Core-lokts.

Out of state: Sako AII, 308, 165 interlocks

On The Opener, I carry a Savage 99 in 308 WIN with a 165 grain Hornady IL over H4895. In the afternoon, I usually switch to a Ruger Hawkeye 30-06 with the same 165 grain Hornady IL. The difference is that one rifle is set up for deep woods treestand work, and the other for open fields from a ground blind.

The reason for this choice goes back to shooters.com days. I'd just started reloading, and I was asking for a good load for an upcoming boar and deer hunt in the Hill Country of Texas. The hunt got cancelled, but the load stayed. When I got my Savage 99, I used the same bullet and downloaded to a 300 Savage-ish velocity.

I've taken the #1, #3, and #5 camp records with these loads.

In the Mn. northwoods, .270 win. 130 Barnes TTSX
Out west, 280 A.I.145 Barnes LRX

In your scenario of grab and go I have one definite choice. It is a Winchester model 70 in .30-'06. The rifle is a WallyWorld special with push feed, the cheap plastic stock, and blind magazine. It is more accurate than such a rifle should be. The only rifle of mine I've shot more is an M1 Garand. I've never needed a second shot with this rifle. The scope is a Leupold VX-II 3-9x40 with a German #1 reticle in Leupold dual dovetail mounts. I've used other ammo in the past, but currently it's the Sierra 150 gr. SBT/IMR4350 at 2900 fps. The hunting is in the woods and hills of Michigan's U. P. where shots over 100 yds. are rare.

I like to try different things, but if I need something that I don't have to ponder about this is it.

6.5 x 55 swede, 140 interlocks--- why? Because it always works

Our farm, 280 Rem with 150 BTs or 270 Win with 130 Pro Hunters or Interlocks; northern woods my 358 Win with a 200 Sierra.

Either the 257 Roberts with 100 grain Sierra Gameking or the 25-284 with Nosler 115 CT BT.
GreggH

I rotate through the safe most years, but the most used is always the Ruger 77 MkII 257 Roberts with one of my dwindling supply of 100 Interlocks. With it I've taken whitetail bucks into the 160s B & C and several antelope at up to 400 yards. Always works

Lately it's been the MK II 9.3x62. It is a woods hammer. 286 NP over 58 grains of RL15 and a WLR primer.

Tikka T3 in 260 Rem; SWFA 3-9; 139/136gr Scenar. Haven't been disappointed yet.

7-08 or 260 Rem and 120 TTSX

Like my Savage.308 model 11 with Hornady American Whitetail 150's and CVA Scout .45-70 with Hornady Leverevolution 325 gr FTX.

It depends on the weather and where I've seen the best sign.
Last deer season was the first I hunted without my Uncle Hank who got me started so I took the Winchester 94 NRA Centennial 30-30 that he left me for sentimental reasons.
Usually I take my 30-06 loaded with Hornady 165 grain SP because the deer ain't going anywhere but down when I hit them with that.

The remington 280 mountain rifle with nosler 140 BT has been a go to opening day gun for the last few seasons. But I think it will be replaced with the new to me 280AI this upcoming season the bullet is yet to be determined either nosler 140 BT or maybe Berger 175s.

Hunt mostly western SD prairie and Black Hills..

Model 70 classic 270 Win and 130gr bullets. Interlocks, BT's, T/TSX, GMX. They all work.

Also have a lot of confidence in my 338-06 with 200gr Ballistic silvertips.
My newly acquired 6.5x55 with 129gr Interlocks is showing promise after one deer last fall.

Come on, true looney fashion can not pick just one!

I don't care what else they say, you have good taste in ammo! The 165 gr Fusion load is all I use in my .308 Kimber Montana these days.

i just need some tag's then I'll think about rifles, but I've got a 358 wcf and a 35 Remington just waiting to go!

If it's raining or snowing a stainless rifle. If it's not a blued walnut. 243/7mm-08/30-06 depending on my mood. Corelokts in the 243s, Nosler 120gr BTs in the 7-08s, and Hornady 165gr flat base Interlocks in the 06s.

This is easy - "Well, haven't used this one in awhile....."

280 imp with 150 Nosler BT’s has been my go to for the last 8 years or so.

This coming year I’m going to take a 6.5 Grendel mini Howa. Haven’t played with bullets yet. May just stick with factory SST’s.