Your choice of rifle caliber

[Mule88]

For whitetails in a rifle, i like the .308 Winchester.

 

[Combat_Diver]

I'll take my midbores ie 270 Win, 7x57,308 Win, 30-06 or 8x57 depending which rifle I'm in the mode to shoot. I also like taking my Marlin 1894 in .41 Mag. But I'll miss this season like last years by being down range.

CD

 

[NFrameFred]

Seems as if there is a lot here favoring the 308.
Sure wish some of those posting here would have described their hunting terrain and avg shooting distance.

Well, 99% of my hunting has been done in the hills and on the farms.

Short shots are about 50 yards, long shot about 250 to 300. It pays to anchor them in this country since the hills are generally covered with laurel and pine thickets and a lot the terrain is steep enough that if you hunt the ridges or near the tops of the mountains a wounded deer in full flight downhill can cover a lot of ground and find lots of places to hide before they bleed out.

As I said in my first post, I can only recall one hit with my .308 that did not drop the deer in his tracks; and that was because of my shot placement and not the cartridge.

I was shooting between a gap in two trees about 50 yards away at the deer at about 75 yards, and the angle was such I only got one lung. He ran straight at me when hit and rolled like a rabbit about 25 yards before he got to my stand. I was prepared to hit him again about the time he dropped and he was dead when I got to him.

Like I said, a center-mass heart/lung shot and they've all dropped in their tracks. Having used many different rounds to take deer, at least to me, the .308 round with a 150 grain pill seems to have just the right shock power for an animal that size - turns out the lights immediately and doesn't blow them up. YMMV.

 

[44Steve]

Hi, Steve here. I mostly use a 7MM O8 in PA. this cal. is so reloadable. I all so use a 7/30 Waters for the smaller mountain deer.

 

[Pop's2]

300 savage
8mm mauser
270 win

successfully used since 1955

 

[DeadAye]

Been sued over NOTHING - Not taking any chances!

 

[gr8AmericanBash]

I might add that my 3 choices are because I'm color blind. The ground, grass and blood are all the same color to me. NO WAY I can track a wounded critter and MUST have them fall either DRT or a few steps away.
So far, so good.
Shot placement and distance/caliber all have an effect on a quick, humane, kill.

You and I are in the same boat.
Unless I'm hunting in the snow (and it never snows in NC during hunting season), there is no way I can spot a blood trail.


Just about every deer I've ever killed has been with either a .243 or a .270.
I'll take either one any day of the week.
With GameKings, CoreLokts or comparable bullets, I see no reason why either one wouldn't work on nearly all North American whitetail (larger Canadian bodies may be the exception) with proper shot placement.

I believe there were 1 or 2 deer the last few seasons that I used a .300 Win Mag on.
For NC deer, I believe this caliber is overkill and it is likely I will not use it again in this state.

I've recently come into some new rifles and will hopefully be using a .308 and a .30-06 this year on some critters.

 

[Jst1mr]

#1. .30-06 #2. .308 #3. .270
Oh, and maybe .22LR on them Texas-size rascals

 

[Centenniel]

I've used quite a few cartridges through the years to hunt whitetail deer. For the past 11 years, the 6.5x55 and 7x57 have served me well. More thump, more come-back ain't necessary for deer.

 

[GyMac]

My favorite rifle/caliber is a cut-down No 4 Lee Enfield in .303 Brit. It is smooth and after fiddling with the sights, it hits dead on with the aperture rear and post front at 100 yds. I've always wanted to own a 7mm Mauser, though.

 

[DiscoRacing]

I prefer the 30-06 that I have used for years....but have also used .270, .308, 7mm...and have a 300 magnum now. Too big for whitetail I would think tho.

 

[NE450No2]

I use the 308 quite a bit. It is my favorite General Purpose hunting round.

 

[Horseless Trooper]

30/06 is my handsdown favorite rifle cartridge, preferably in an 03 Springfield. Close behind are the .308 and the 30-30. That said, my favorite deer rifle is my old Model 8 Remington with a Marbles tang sight in .32Rem. Model 8s are just too cool.

 

[ancient-one]

My .243 has served well on oklahoma deer.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

308/NATO 7.62, 7.62 x 54R, 30-06

 

[snake charmer]

Remington 260.

 

[boatbum101]

6.5 x 55 Swedish , 7mm-08 , 30-06 & 358Win . Depends on size of the critter & range of the shot .

 

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

Winchester .32 Special fired from the Model 94
.41 Magnum fired from either pistol or Marlin 1894 Rifle
Winchester 32-20 and for a brush buster the
.35 Remingtion


grizz

 

[smith17]

I didn't start hunting deer until I was 30 years old and bought a BLR in .308. Then I couldn't stop hunting. After about 20 years I developed a sensitivity to the recoil and couldn't put my first shot where I wanted it. I had become a wus or something. Anyway, it was beyond my control. I bought my first Remington, a VLS heavy barrel in 6mm which is very accurate and have regained my composure. However, a relative recently left me a National Match in .308 in his will so I might have to put some optics on it and try to reach out across this oat field I can hunt on in Lampasas county.

 

[FlYFiShErMaN]

Whitetail, Mulies and Elk were all taken with a 35 Ackley Whelen Improved.

Great round for the lower 48.