I like to run a 376 Steyr. It's fun, accurate....I push a 270 @ 2500 from a 20" tube.
Recoil is very manageable.
Bullets are tough and don't detonate so meat loss is not as bad as the uninitiated assume.

Who else likes to use excessive for animal rounds?

no such thing. I once shot bullfrogs with 378 bee.

Used the 400J #1 on Whitetail once.

Worked good too...

I don’t think there is such a thing as too much rifle. If you can shoot it accurately and comfortably, and it is portable enough for you style of hunting, use it.....it’s a personal decision!

It’s far easier to be “undergunned” than “overgunned”! memtb

I've shot a lot of stuff with Way Too Much gun. Some of the worst examples are: 5# coyote pup with a 458 B&M, 100# pig with a 500 N.E., and a 110# whitetail doe with a 458 Lott. Ads a sense of adventure to fairly "mundane" hunts. Oh, and no need for follow up shots!

Nope. I like 308 Winchester........... for big game, not squirrel.

Got invited to hunt on the East Coast. I asked the in-law what should I hunt with, and he said "bring a lever action and you'll be fine".

So I did

I’ve entertained myself with shooting rockchucks with a .300 Win Mag😂

Depends on how and who looks at it and their perspective on what’s excessive for the game hunted. But I could have been one of those guys having used a 340 Wby over a quarter of a century for elk.

But I shot it a lot, could control it, and really liked the cartridge, and just as importantly, I liked the rifle I had had built on a Rem 700 action.

Also, unlike the reports of many here, I took some 80% of my elk at between 350 and 500 yards without any apparent way to cut the distance at the time of each opportunity. These were all one-shot kills and I had great confidence in the rifle and the cartridge.

Three or four were taken between 100 and about 150 yards.

I always realized that the 340 wasn’t necessary to take elk and never would have said so, but it wasn’t until I got older and didn’t like the 8.5 lb (which really isn’t all that heavy considering the medium magnums) ready-to-go weight while climbing mountains and carrying some sort of pack that I gave it up.

And honestly, as you get older recoil doesn’t get any dearer either. I did take two bulls, one with a 30/06 and another with a 284 Win and both did fine, the former at 400 yds again, and the latter at about a hundred.

I have shot coyotes with a .300 Win and I liked it! 😁.....Hb

The older I get, the more I enjoy hunting with, and carrying, my big-bore handguns for hunting- 3-3.5 lbs. is a lot more enjoyable to carry than 8.5-9 lb. magnum rifles. Of course, I get the argument of using 'too much handgun', but that is another argument for another day......

Down here we use 150 grain SGK's in a 300 WM to shoot bull frogs. Hit them in the body and it makes skinning the legs easier. I fact the legs are already skinned.

I've killed 2 deer with a .338 RUM and 3 with an 8 mm Rem mag. I deer hunted a couple if times with a .416 Rem mag but never had a shot opportunity. So yeah, I've done it.

IMHO, too much rifle is relative.....

I've shot crows in the tops of pecan trees with a 17 remington and 20 gr. bullet. If you've ever seen a pillow explode during a pillow fight, the effect is much the same.

I've killed pigs with 100 gr. Partitons out of a 257 weatherby @3,650 fps. and the results were significantly more blood shot meat than a 45-70 using a 400 gr. bullet under 2000 fps.

I've also killed deer using 180 gr. Ballistic tips out of a 338 RUM @3,400 fps, and had the meat turned to jelly for about 12" in diameter.

IMHO, bullet construction and velocity make much more difference that the diameter of the bullet!

BTW,
I love the 376 Steyr on hoglets



ya!

GWB

Yup, I am guilty My usual 6.5 Grendel Is way more than enough gun for our midwest Whitetail that seldom go over 300 lbs on the hoof. A 6mm ARC or 300 BLK would suffice for my type of hunting. Seldom do shots exceed 100 yards.

Shot this doe a few years ago with a .404 Jeffery. Then a week or so later shot a buck out of the same blind with a .221 Fireball.

After watching grandkids slay deer and pigs plus a couple Aoudads, yes I’m using too much gun.


I don’t care. I like my rifles.

Same here. I’ll run a 300 RUM, 338 Win or 375 Improved just cause I want to. They don’t hurt meat much on rib shots and heck, you only get so much time to hunt!

I’d try a 416 if I had one. In the same breath I’ve used 222, 223, 22-250 and about everything in between. It’s all in the name of fun. GeeDub nailed it when he said it’s the Bullet used more than the diameter.

Shot my first and biggest Sitka Blacktail with a 458 Winchester pushing 350 Hornadys at 2550. He was 210 yards away up a hillside on Kodiak and it sounded like you whacked a plastic trash can with a 2x4 when it hit him in the chest.

I’ve killed deer with a hot rod 45/70 and pigs too.

After changing my ways and seeing how well 223 kills with good bullets I probably ain’t going back to the boomers.

Given that the 250 Savage is probably perfect for deer, my 308 and 30-06 are too much.

Given that the 308 is OK for elk, then my 338 WM was too much.

But I'm comfortable with my choices.


Okie John

I have hunted squirrels with a .308 Win.! Cast bullets, light loads.....head shoot them. Even “barked” a few, just to see if it would actually work....it does! memtb

Have shot a pile of prairie dogs with the .375 H&H....

Forgot to mention shot placement in my previous reply.



222 Remington and 50 gr. Nosler Ballistic tips will do just fine if one is able to do a CNS and the critter is DRT.

However, the nature of the terrain also plays a big part in my go to choices of 6.5 mm and up for the majority of my meat making.




The locations I hunt, typically if the animal is not DRT and one cannot find a blood trail within 10' of the point of impact, the animal is lost. That is why I like two big leaky holes.....



That if I have to track, I want a blood trail a blind man can wade in!

Here tracking at night in the cedar scrum is a no-go and coming back in the morning is a waste of time as the meat will be green from the temps or despoiled by hogs and other vermin.



Aoudad taken with a 9.3 x 62 and 250 gr. Accubond.

He was DRT, no tracking!

ya!

GWB

I've used my 9.3x74's with 286 grain oryx's effectively for whitetails. I did find my 416 Taylor gave full pass thru with 400 Hornaday softs, adequare, but not overgunned. That helped me decide I did not need solids for pasture grizzlies. The solids would have been overgunned. And there are all the squirrels I took with my .54 flintlock. Nope never overgunned, it's all about proper bullet placement.
Bfly

With modern controlled expansion bullets, the only real down sides of Big Boomers is Recoil and Costs

I like the idea of one rifle nowadays that does it all for me here in North ID

I chose the .338 wm and 210gr Barnes TTSX as a hunting rifle that goes on every hunt from now on, we shall see how that works for me hehehehe Maybe I won't get the "itch" to grab a different rifle out of the safe each time

I think the 30-06 is perfect varmints.The 165gr Ballistic Tip worked great.If you look close at the top of the hole,you can see the little green tip.

I sure do see a lot of used 7MM REM MAG for sale lately, several years back it seemed like everyone had to have one.

I shot a skunk with a .350 Rem Mag and made the mistake of walking through the vapor of the vaporized skunk. When I got back to the cabin everyone knew a skunk was involved.

I dunno...I've shot jackals and baboons with a .375....

Many decades in the past when money was tighter my "one gun" go to rifle was a pre-64 Featherweigh Win 70 308, using Nosler Partition 165's. That was when coyote hides were worth $75 - $100 and the 165 worked great - a bullet diameter hole in a bullet diameter bullet hole going out and the coyotes dropped right where they stood.
One of those rifles I kick myself for letting go while in lust for something different.

drover

Used a .376 Steyr solely for Whitetails for about 10 years or more. Switched to a .35whelen AI last couple years. 225gr in both.

I had an antelope look like that after shooting him with an early Ballistic Tip..........good grief it was ugly.

yup



Decent sized hoglet taken at +/- 120 yds. 6.5 Leopard (6.5-300 WSM), 140 gr. Sierra Spitzers @ +/-3,200 fps, MV (IIRC).




Made a pretty good hole!

ya!

GWB

If Goldilocks had a rifle, it would be a 30-06. Its just right.

The last buffalo I shot was a 4.5 year old cow. She was standing at a slight angle to the left there were not any in front of her. Lasered at 99yds I hit her 3" behind the left rear rib, the bullet exited 4 ribs back from the brisket on the right side penetrating the muscle on the right front leg under the hide , it was recovered. 500 grs 1 in 30 alloy fn paper patch bullet driven by 140 grs Fg Goex Express from my 50-140 Shiloh Longe Range Express. That day I was a " member of the brought enough gun club". Big bp driven bullets don't blow the hell out of your eating, they just break bones and ruin vital organs as they make a full caliber hole thru the animal. Only worry about the cartridge you use when it isn't enough. Magnum Bob

The 416 Remington with the 350 gr TSX just seems to work as an all arounder...

Mighty fine EdM.

Best,

GWB

Ding ! Ding ! Ding !

I never choose "just enuff".

My sig line used to say -

"I choose to be overgunned."


Jerry

I hunt in Michigan where my shots are usually 150 yds and closer. Have killed a bunch of deer with .375hh just because I like to use all my guns. 7wsm, and 338 win mag as well.

YEP. I’ve killed deer with my 8mm Rem Mag.
200 gr Speer (designed for elk)
80 grs IMR 4831
3100 FPS.

It works.


Jerry

I've been useing a 6.5 Swede for most of my hunting. Think I might downsize to a 243

If that's still to much I'll go 223

Jericho

Some guys have gone to Lace on their Nylon panties !!

I’m 70 and in the last 5 yrs I’ve come to choose the 7 RM as my
ONE for all game.

I hunted WT the last 2 yrs with a new 7 and plan to again this Fall

When do they get Too Dead ?


Jerry

I like to shoot. I have used various rifles to kill game and varmints but I shot what was fun most times. There are times I shoot guns and bullets perfectly matched to the game I want to kill like when I was shooting hides for money. I did NOT want large holes in them.

But for the most part, I use bullet that don't blow up for any game I want to eat, and I don't pay as much attention to the chambering as many other do. I have killed deer with guns as small as a 22 WMR and the most powerful rifle I ever killed a deer with was a 460 G&A. I have head shot cotton-tails for food with a 375H&H, and also shot the heads off grouse and chucker with that gun. I killed 3 mule deer does with a 458.

I am on my 3rd barrel in one of my 270s and on my 2nd barrel in my 375H&H.

As you may guess, the 375 was not shot out killing elk and moose or elephants and buffalo. Most of the bore erosion in my 270 was not done killing deer, elk and antelope either. What they did get used for a LOT was jack rabbits and rock chucks. But I did learn the trajectories REALLY well, as well as windage holds, and I got to be a very good shot with those 2 rifles. So when I fired at a deer, elk, antelope, bear or moose I hit them where I wanted to. The large number of my misses were shot at running rabbits and Rock Chucks at long distances. Get good that hitting them and a deer gets pretty easy.

So shooting a lot with a big gun often means you are shooting more power than you need. Looking back over the 54 years I have hunted I can only count 1 time I ever fired a 270 two times at an animal (both hits) and only shot 2 times (also both hits) with my 375H&H at a moose. ALL the other shots at big game animals with those 2 rifles were one shot kills as far as I can recall. ( With those 2 rifles. I can't say that with some others I have owned) I expect good results with both rounds, but placing the bullets either exactly where I wanted to, or "very close to exactly", I believe my supper high success rate with those 2 rounds is not because there is some kind of magic inherent the cartridges, but because shooting the 375 about 11,000 times and the 270 about 21,000 times, I got to be VERY good at bullet placement.

Are they "too much gun" for most of the kills? Yes. So what? Why would that matter?

My 270s have killed every big game animal I have ever shot with them and so did my 375. Are they "too much gun" for marmots and grouse ? Yup.

But that didn't kill them any less than a 22-250 or 222 Remington---------- and they never lodged a single formal complaints,--- least wise none I ever got.

I think my biggest mismatch was a doe antelope and a wolf with a .375 H&H with a 260 partition.

LMFAO

😎

I probably fall in that category most of the time. A really big mature buck where I hunt goes 160 on the hoof. I generally use a 30-06 with Hornady IL 180's. I've killed everything from Fox to 400 pound boar hogs with it during deer season and it's effective.

I do plan to go completely overkill at some point and I will either have a 9.3x62 or a 9.3x74.

Many campfire members seem think that any cartridge that recoils more than a .223 is just way too brutal to endure, but there are a select few than can stand the recoil of the 6.5 creedmoor. This mighty cartridge can easily kill any animal that walks up to and including a T-Rex (with the right bullet of course) 😁......Hb

I've been shooting deer the last few years with a 9.3x62 and it works a trick. Very little wasted meat.

szihn, Thanks for reminding me about the numerous grouse that have fallen via headshots with both my .375 H&H and my AI.....along with quite a few Prairie Dogs ( most when fire-forming brass for my AI), a fox and a few coyotes. Some of the coyotes were called-in, most were just shots of opportunity! memtb

I had amy .22-250 open a coyote up like that. 40g V-MAX or BT.

One instance that comes to mind where I do believe I used "too much rifle"..................




This bobcat was a target of opportunity, I was hunting pigs with a NEF 12 gauge slug gun. IIRC a one ounce slug would be the equivalent of 437 grains. I took him at 17 paces. Not only did it knock him cross-eyed, but it removed most of his spots. Consequently I began referring to that firearm as my "spot remover".

ya!

GWB

I'd rather use "too much gun" than "too little".. Don't need my 7mm RM for antelope but it works as well as my .257 Roberts. Killed one antelope with a .375 Winchester. Killed lots of prairie dogs and coyotes with my 7mm RM - good practice.

After reading some of these posts I feel like a piker using a 375H&H on blacktails and coyote. I think I need to up my game.

Would a 416 Bee on antelope qualify? 300 X at 3150 fps. Shot at 363 yads




entrance


Exit



Or 378 Bee on elk? 778 yards 270 Hornady at 3155 fps via MRP

Digital Dan kills hogs with a .22 short, so I guess we all use too much gun.

[quote=baldhunter]I think the 30-06 is perfect varmints.The 165gr Ballistic Tip worked great.If you look close at the top of the hole,you can see the little green tip.


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the flip side of this discussion....I'm not changing my story but I found a PERFECT bullet for fur bearers in the 6mm Rem.
I have a stock of these so I don't know if they're available any more.

In 6mm Rem, >>> 80 gr Speer H P are Fur Friendly. I use (also stocked up) H 450 and vel is @ 3200 fps <<<. I have to look at records for the powder charge. Most won't use H 450 since it's out of production.

Every coyote I shot ONLY had an entrance hole.....NO exit.

This was before cell phone cams so unfortunately NO pix. sorry Wish I had a few.

Jerry

Been hunting whitetails here in Georgia with a 338 Win Mag for a couple of seasons now. Loaded with 180 Grain Accubonds. Blood trails have been great, and less than 12". Had similar results with my 300 Win Mag, 300 Weatherby Mag, and 7mm Mag. I don't believe in "to much gun".

There is only one degree of dead so if it gets them dead it was just right. Myself I like two holes and copious blood trails. Very, short, blood trails.

Fotis, you are over the top. 😀

Fotis

I bow to your Excellence !!!


Jerry

This one is also a doe shot from my 416 Bee. 330 grain GS Custom bullet at 3100 fps.

I wacked her at 452 yards,

I've never had an exit like this on a deer.It could be it was reaching it's max size of it's wound channel on the coyote as it was making it's exit.I know the 165 and 168gr Ballistic Tips do produce a good wound channel on deer shot into the heart,lungs chest cavity.Every deer I've shot with them drop on the spot with the 30-06,but they were all good shots too.Here is the graphics of wound channels of what some different bullets produce.

Does deer and antelope with a 340wby or coyotes/prairie dogs with a 300wby count? I keep my 300wby in MT so I don’t have to deal with airlines in NYC on my annual mule deer boondoggle. I check zero by center punching prairie dogs at 300yds. I haven’t had to adjust the scope in 20+ years:). Truth is, I own lots of rifles and like to use them regularly. Hence, there is no such thing as being overgunned.

Well, after reading some of these posts, I now feel like a piker.
😀

I shot a white tail doe at maybe 50 yards facing me with a 416 Taylor and a 300 gr Swift bullet. It traveled length wise and exited her back ham. Total meat loss was minimal.I worked up a reduced load in a Pre 64 M70 375 H&H but haven't tried it out yet as I bought a Ruger #1 and have a load using a 270 gr Speer at 2600 FPS. That and a 35 Whelen and a 405 Winchester will make it out this year. Whats REALLY fun is using my Heym 500 BPE rifle, It's a hammer gun with stalking safeties and a Jones under lever. I can easily hit a deer at 100 yards with it. The 365 gr cast bullet goes right through them and they are DRT.

well... umm...

I just slink off..........




NEVER, NEVER again will I consider myself overgunned !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ll have to use my puny 8 “mini mini” mag this year.


YE HAW !!

Great Thread.

Jerry

Jerry Likes ! 2 Thumbs UP !!

Lizards in nevada with my 30-06.

Started out using a .22-250 on whitetails. 1970, IIRC. No trouble killing them to a bit over 200 yds. A loony even then, had to try Ed Harris' reduced loads using Unique in an '06. 170 FNs barely supersonic. Worked, too, despite zero expansion. Foregoing were taken in open fields, not dense cedar swamps.

So I'm the last person to claim you can't kill deer with a .22CF, 243, or even a BP .32-40 load. I know better.

Used various .300 Wins and Roys for most years. Last two years a .375 Ruger. Overkill, obviously.

The choice had zero to do with killing power. The choice reflects terrain/surrounding cover. I need to find them after killing them. Larger leaky holes - preferably two - make that simpler. Alot.

The relationship between marginal placement vs power gets debated endlessly. If folks would stipulate circumstances before posting - ie., shooting elk grazing in wide open pastures behind your barn on whatever day you choose vs being in nasty thick cover on the last day/last hour of what will be your only elk hunt in this life - justification for these debates kinda disappears. Finn Aagard wrote a great piece covering this very issue.

Then there's the distance traveled vs cartridge debate. I've read the SC DNR study. While I don't entirely buy their stated conclusions, if you believe bullet diameter makes no difference fine with me. But it is still fact that a deer with a wrecked boiler room can cover up to 200 yds. .22CF, .32-20, .375 Ruger, .300 Roy. In the event of long runs there's nothing like a blood trail. The .300s and .375 reliably give that. The .22CFs (and .243) do not. BTW, those slow 170 gr .308" bullets gave modest blood trails, 100% exits, but travel distance was greater vs the .22-250.

Bottom line: overkill is fine with me because there's no such thing as over-retrieval.

Does a 358win shooting 250gr sierras count for shooting whitetails? Our shots rarely exceed 150yards and the deer seem to just go down right now.

Honestly the only time I felt I over did it was shooting a 6x47 lapua that was loaded hot with 105 gr Bergers. I was close and the front end of the doe pretty much came apart and ended up trash when it came to processing.
When my boy started hunting and some conversations on here lead me to have him start out with a 223 I had my apprehensions. After I saw how effective it was, I started to think how unnecessary so many 30-06’s were at camp.....

Sounds as if you have answered your own question but the bigger question is what are the conditions under which you hunt? At the distance you state you shoot why would you not like the rifle/bullet combo you provided? Heavy and slow at moderate ranges have been used and proven for a long, long time.

Sam H said above....

"Bottom line: overkill is fine with me because there's no such thing as over-retrieval."

Never heard that concept. Very Good Point.

"over retrieval" .... might be if they Fall IN the truck ? otherwise you are right.


-----------------------------------------------------------

Guys, several have mentioned following blood trails. I know what you're are talking about.
Here's my solution.

Since 2012 I've been deer hunting family 70 acres and I don't have permission to hunt "surrounding" property.
Also NICE - NO ONE else has permission to hunt where I do !!!

I have been shooting HIGH Shoulder shots.....D R T (Drop Right There). Some here have said you lose too much meat.
NOT more than a double handful.

Mule Deer recently said, " Hi Shoulder -Spine" shot. I promise, you don't lose much meat.

I could post several pix but I'll only post one to illustrate the point.
The EXIT side -- OFF side,



I shot this Doe, Hi Shoulder SPINE shot. DRT, no blood trail with a 270 Win, 130 Cor Lokt, +/- 100 yds.
Always my preferred shot.


Jerry

Why am I not surprised ?


I'm undergunned with the new 338 win mag.

Well I never did say I was "normal" right? LOL

I almost forgot, I wacked a nice buck last year at 178 yards with a 340 Bee. 210 TTSX at 3150 fps.

Most years I hunt exclusively with a model 70 300 ultra I built just the way I wanted it. Even used it last year on antelope. It works, it fits me perfect and it's a familiar friend.

No such thing. Small bullets are for small game....large bullets are for ALL game.

I have several rifles. I tend to deer hunt mostly with a 35 Whelen if I can't see more than 200 yards. If I can see farther I carry a 300 Wby. The Wby drops them, sometimes they run a little with the whelen. As long as I am comfortable with them I will continue. I like the results.

This is the most sensible statement I have seen on the subject.

If you like it, shoot it well, use it!

I'm 75 and glad I still have a little kid inside that gets excited shooting powerful guns that make lots of noise! It is just more fun to shoot a 7 mag than a .22 or a 12ga.than a .410.

I have too with my .375 RUM pushing 270 grain TSX's at 3040 fps, and also a Klipspringer at 310 yards.

I'm 75 and glad I still have a little kid inside that gets excited shooting powerful guns that make lots of noise! It is just more fun to shoot a 7 mag than a .22 or a 12ga.than a .410.

---------------------------------------------

Hear ! Hear ! My Man !!

More kill pics!!!!!!!Exit holes

A little hard to see. Old Camera in 2009, pic rescued from PhotoPUKEIT, just enlarge.



300 WM, 180 gr H Spire Point, 3000 fps ->-> 150 yds.


SAME situation as above....



2008, FIRST day to hunt & FIRST deer I ever shot with my Black Shadow 300 WM
Same 300 WM -- 180 gr Speer Hot Cor...bullet SEPARATED only part of core exited.
180 yds, ->-> Same results on 3 deer ...>> CHANGED to Hornady.



Same Situation on Cam & Ph pukeit




2009 (?) 376 OR 386 yds ->-> That's OFF side with 300 WM and Speer H C >>> LAST deer using Speer Hot Cor
If you enlarge the pic you can see SMALL exit with the Hot Cor.

Even at distance the Hot Cors SEPARATED. I quit ! !



Proof In the Puddin. A little smaller cartridge.



270 Win, 130 Rem PSPCL, distance 160-170 yds. FMD (fading memory disorder)

I'll look for more pix later.


Jerry

More than once some of my buds have accused me of using “pre-expanded bullets” when I’ve killed deer with my 35 Whelen or 350 Rem mag. 😁

Phase II

Normally I don't think about pix of exit side. I have a few more here.
I have many PIX being held HOSTAGE by PhotoPUKEIT and don't remember all of em.


Here's an exit you can ALMOST see. It is under the G 2 about 2/3 of the way up.



Here he is on the ground. I had turned him 180 * from how he DROPPED, DRT. The blood on R side is from entrance LEAK.



Dec 2014, Rem 700 Syn ADL 7mm RM, 139 HBTSP - 3300 fps (graphed)
If you look above his R hip you'll see a "thin red line". That's where the BULLET sucked or blew blood after pass thru.

Here's one from 2016. Rem Model Six 30-06, aka 606 (grin)




That is the exit of a Hornady 165 HBTSP, 62 grs. H 205, 2900 fps. ->-> DRT
Sorry, NO blood trail.
Hi Shoulder Spine ---- My preferred shot.


Here's ALMOST an exit !




Nov. 2017, M 98, 284 Win, 139 HBTSP 3000 fps, +/- 200 yds.
He was walking STRAIGHT AWAY from me and I shot him in the back of the neck. Fractured the skull, bulged eyes.
His L antler is against the tailgate cable. Otherwise it dangled.

*** ALL of these were shot USING my Stoney Point Shooting Sticks ***

That's all of the Exit shot pix I can find.


Jerry


ps: My phone just pinged: RBG has died today. 9-18-20

I like your style.

I've talked about really liking my Black Shadow 300 WM and 'most' have frowned
I like the GUN and I've had an "irrational affection" for the 300 WM, don't ask me why, I JUST like it.


Jerry

I shot a fly with a 222 once... & skeeters with a 6PPC. None were moving mind you. They just happened to land on the targets.

Killed a grouse with a head shot from a 300 Weatherby once....

Was very effective, but it's alot cheaper to use a shotgun!

There’s a dude here that shoots jackrabbits with a .460 Wby.

Depends on who is asking / who is judging what "too much" is. Since I have not managed to kill one "too dead" yet, I'd have to say no. Likewise, I have not lost a cripple because of using something too small, so I have not failed to use "enough", either.

Tom

Since having a stroke, Ifind my 338 RCM very handy.

I killed most of my deer with a 300 win mag. Might be to much gun but I never ever had to look for a speck of blood anymore. I shot them to 500 plus yards and it always blew through with lots of blood.perfect. Ed k

No one else but me ? Come on guys, show em if ya got em.

Jerry

Subsonic loads aren't overkill though

I have used a 375 H&H on deer.
338 on antelope.
270 Win on prairie coyotes, prairies dogs, squirrels and rabbits when it was my only big game rifle.

Have also been a stuntshooter, using 22 calibers for deer. That is according to campfire philosophy.

I killed a rattlesnake with two rounds of 00 buckshot back in July. Was prospecting a gold mine and the sucker slithered out from under a box, got aggressive, and tried to block our way out. That land is heavily grazed as well, and my rancher friends have a kill-on-sight policy for venomous snakes. Personally, I ignore them if they ignore me. One of my buddies brained it with a rock, which briefly stunned it. It then revived and was even angrier than before! I'm sure one shell would have done the trick, but I wanted to be sure.

The head completely separated from the body, and the snake's midsection is out of frame about four feet to the left. There's no such thing as too much gun when something is considering striking!

Guys - All y'all Guys, or Yuse guys (depending on location) - lol

I am so relieved !

I thot most had gone to 223s or 6.5X47, 6.5 Man buns, or 250 Savages, or stayed with 30-30, 35 Rem.

Someone (?) here, AND I have said, "I rather shoot too much gun than NOT enuff gun OR too little gun.

DEAD is dead , NO such thing as deadER.


Jerry

Good for you, Man. The only good rattlesnake, is a dead rattlesnake.

.300 WinMag, DRT.

338 RUM for deer. Slightly overkill but....

I shot a 4by4 buck a few years ago with a 300 grain out of my 45-70. The load was pushing just over 2600 FPS. He went down so hard and fast I thought I had broke his spine. Nope it was right bEhind the shoulder. Overkill maybe but extremely effective. Edk

I killed a little pig with a .338 WM once. I mean a REALLY little pig.

It worked though.

Hey "ERK"

I'm NOT trying to 1 up ya, really. This is true also.


This buck was killed in Nov 2017 where I've been hunting since 2012
I hunt on my feet. I had an area in mind to 'begin' still hunting. I was almost where I was going to start. I saw 2 Doe s
and got on my shooting sticks.
This guy was behind them with his nose on the ground. I saw legal antlers so I said.... HEY !
He raised his head and I planted a 7mm 139 HBTSP center NECK.
He EDIT < Disappeared > SO FAST that I thot I missed him. Looked back and he was laying on the ground.

Rifle is custom 98 in 284 Win. It was too much for him. LOL




A little disappointed when I turned him over and saw his left side broken.




Jerry

300 Win Mag with 180 grain Accubond might have been a tad too much for that unlucky armadillo that stepped out into my path. Kneeled down and took the shot. The biggest piece I could find was about the size of a 50 cent piece that hit the ground about 7 seconds after the shot. It rained dillo for a few seconds.

"Raining dillo"


Jerry

well... umm...

I just slink off..........


NEVER, NEVER again will I consider myself overgunned !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ll have to use my puny 8 “mini mini” mag this year.


YE HAW !!

Great Thread.
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Here ya go boys & girls.

Here is my 8 mini mini Rem Mag: 200 gr Speer 'spritzer'



The 'Pip Squeek' on R is 30-06 with 165 HBTSP

You don't want to see it beside my 6.5X55 or 6mm Rem.

Jerry

Oh Heck, Why Not ?




6.5X55, 120 N BT, 3000 fps

Win M 70 FTWT in the horrible Long Action a whole 1/2" longer


Jerry

Ringworm: I have been Hunting Big Game for over 60 years now and have NEVER subscribed to "to much gun".
No need and no benefits - just downsides!
But of late here in western Montana the amazingly high Grizzly population where I Hunt Elk, Spring Bear, Fall Bear and mountain Mule Deer has me questioning that policy a bit!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

V G

I don’t BELIEVE there is TOO much gun where Griz are concerned.

Jerry

[quote=jwall]



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Well I do have 416 Rem Mag 'brass'




I''m ready to play....... no rifle yet.


Jerry