Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Your favorite deer caliber and rifle?

I have a Montana in 7/08. It's cerakoted black. It's a joy to carry, and hunt with, pretty much my go to deer rifle.

Don't have one...I use to think bigger is better... what a joke that turned out to be...

Deer I shot with a 300 Win mag, were no deader than ones I shot with a 243 or a 22.250

Last couple deer I've taken were shot with a 6.5 Grendal....those were bang flops also...

all handloaded of course....don't use factory ammo except in Rimfires...

.260 Rem Tikka T3 or T/C Encore

Mod 7KS in 7-08

For now, I like this Winchester high wall in 25-35. It is a special order take down with set triggers…

Pretty fancy shooting iron! That vernier sight is cool, with my eyes, it would be like looking through a screen door.

Thats a very nice rifle Shrapnel. I also wish my eyes would enable me to shoot something like that. I have a Winchester 1892 in 25-20 that begs to go hunting but I can't shoot it well enough to take it.

257 WBY Mark 5 Ultralight

I have this rifle as well. It's my go to western rifle especially for Antelope

So. Bait or not. if you shoot them where they are eating its basically baiting. Regardless the legal part of it.

Drives. Yeah. Can't hunt a deer on its own turf so you push it out to where you can shoot it.

I'm not seeing a lot of difference there.

I'm not keen on the drive part. Mostly due to adrenalin in the meat worries. And the fact I dont' have time to judge the age/antlers/sex etc...

That said If its what works for you good on ya.

As to harder or easier. Those that start that [bleep] are just [bleep] to start with.

Semi custom 270 Win Build on a Remington 700 action, Bartlein barrel and Bansner Sheephunter stock, & Timney trigger.

My favorite deer rifles has been my Ruger No. 1-A in 7x57mm

Remington Model 7 in .308

This is mine, Montana 7/08 ceracoated by Eddie Fosnaugh

My favorite cartridge would be the 8x57 (8mm mauser) In Mauser 98's. Been also Using 6.5x55, 7x57, 7x64, 30-06, 338 win mag over the years.





Also been enjoying my semi-custom 8mm-06.

If I had a favorite I would have to sell some twenty rifles and hunt with the one. Big fan of the 7x57 and 7-08 though. 30-06 is the last rifle I would sell so that is three to start off with.

Savage 99 re-barreled to 450 Bushmaster.

I've hunted all the major military cartridges from the world wars...all of them good including the older .45-70, .270 and .257 in commercial..so,so,good enough.
But I keep going back to the 8x57, just a nice balance of attributes...recoil, accuracy, power, meat retention, not picky about components, and comes in some beautiful easy handling rifles without mortgaging the firstborn.

Dandy bucks!

I’ve never had a 280, gonna try it this fall.