Best Caliber for Deer Hunting

[gringo]

.223 is all you need no recoil and very accurate

Maybe - in the hill country !

[WHFAN]

I hunt in hardin co. and i have used the .223 for the last 3 years and havent lost one yet.( knock on wood I hope I dont this year )

[gringo]

I hunt in hardin co. and i have used the .223 for the last 3 years and havent lost one yet.( knock on wood I hope I dont this year )

OK, maybe in the Hill Country and Hardin county - but if you go down south your gonna need a bigger gun.

[WHFAN]

If i went down south Id take the trust worthy 30-06

[tvc184]

I don't think that I would ever hunt with a .223 but I bet that I have some ammo for the .223 that will bring down any whitetail in Texas.

[WHFAN]

What kind of ammo do you have

[tvc184]

I think it is .223 but it might be 5.56 NATO. I need to find my boxes and look for sure.

Federal Tactical Bonded Boat Tail Soft Point 62 gr.

It usually retains 100% of the weight of the round and expands up to 50 caliber in ballistic gelatin.  It goes about 20" deep and expands to .44 caliber in the gelatin after going through two 3/4 inch plywood sheets and so on.

It is some pretty devastating rounds that Federal has hit the market with recently. I have not shot it at a deer and don't know that I would but I think the round clearly outperforms other .223/5.56 rounds on the market.

EDIT: Even though it is a great round, the problem with the .223/5.56 is downrange. Try to drop a 5.5 year old once in a lifetime deer at 250 yards with it and you might be disapointed with the terminal ballistics. At 100 yards it is more than enough gun.

[WHFAN]

good point

[Guest lawdog]

I am 53 and I've hunted since I was about 6.  I always thought you had to have a 30-30 or larger until about 10 years ago.  I started hunting whitetail with a Savage 22-250.  Ive killed at least two every year and I have never had one to get up after the shot.  The bullet is small but release at lot of kinetic energy on impact.  Don't lose any meat either.

[Wildfire]

too bad no one put up the shot gun i got a 12-ga remingington express pump with a rifled mossburg slug barrel when you use the winchester rifled slugs drop line trajectory of a 100 yards that bad mamajamma doesn't start to drop till 100 yards and with a limbsaver butt pad on the stock it's recoil is like a .223... any other shot gun hunter out there

[duckbutter]

I started off using a .243 as a kid and later got a .300 win mag because I was tired of tracking deer, even when shot good.  On a trophy class animal I put it right through the front shoulders and it USUALLY drops them in their tracks, except for elk.  I did't mind the recoil of the mag but didn't like it either so I put a brake on and regret the day that I did.  One shot with a break and my left ear goes deaf for a few minutes and rings for the rest of the day.  I started taking ear muffs to the stand to keep this from happening but they are a pain to keep up with and a bigger pain to put on in a rush situation.  This past summer I bought a Tikka T3 Light in .270 wsm and I love it.  Best shooting gun that I ever owned, even better than my Rem 700 bdl .300 win mag. which has been customized a great deal.  Can't wait to see how it performs on deer this year.  Saw someone mention the 25 wsm and was wondering if it is suitable for a young kid, 6 yo, and how it compares to a .243.

[txstar]

Duckbutter, I purchased a Model 70 25 WSSM when they hit the market.  It had a fast  kick to it.  It shot quarter sized patterns at 200 yards.  I bought it to thin down doe populations in South Tx.  For a kiddo, I'd maybe look at a break from Ray Perry in Bridge City.  As you mentioned, it will be louder and require ear protection.  I put a break on my 300 Win Mag and it will make you deaf.  You may look at the 700 SF II, from Remington, it is very heavy, but sure takes the kick out of it.  I'm almost certain the Rem 700 SF II comes chambered in 25 wssm

[Guest beat-em_deep]

I shoot a .270 and it works just fine. I have a friend who shoots a .25-06 and he has dropped so many deer in their tracks its not funny so we named it the meet getter.

[Zoneblock]

I use 308, 22-250, 243, all great rounds. Just got a remington 700 sps-dm in 7mm-08. Hopefully it will preform as well as the other rifles i have.

[Guest beat-em_deep]

22-250 a very good rifle for younger children and women that dont like recoil.

[Wildfire]

??? ??? hey im looking for a .270 or a 30-06 rifle for sale for this deer season a thumb-hole stock would be great but a regular bolt action is dandy too.. any sellers out there

[txstar]

Wildfire, go to www.southeasttexas.com, they usually have one or two .270s for sale and Gander Mt. in Beaumont has a good selection of guns, both new and used.  If you can find a Model 70 in decent shape, I'd buy it.  I highly recommend the .270 Winchester Model 70, from experience.  Mine shoots the old Federal Premium 130s the best

[Wildfire]

thanks bud ill be sure to take a look but i aint on that good of a budget cuz of football practice and all so maybe i might be able to find one cheep but i'll doubt gander has ANYTHING cheap but i'll take a look any ways

[Guest beat-em_deep]

go look at  ableammo.com they have good prices and they are based out of huntsville.

[Wildfire]

THANX BUD hey i can't beleive shooter's supply closed up it was pricey but i liked there store

[Wildfire]

anybody kill anything yet

[tvc184]

anybody kill anything yet

Only with a bow during archery season.

[Guest beat-em_deep]

i saw a big 8 last weekend but couldnt shoot him cause we are guest on the lease and they have not shot a buck yet and didnt want us to so i shot a big doe instead ..... the next morning my dad saw a big 10 chasing 2 does but didnt shoot at anything.

[EHS Cheerleaders_07-08]

yeah i saw this bunney and it was so precious but the rest of the time i slept lol

[txstar]

Guiding last week, we only had 4 hunters of 10 shoot out...2-135" eights, 1-155" 11pt., and 1-169" with a drop...all free range...the moon has got to get right and it will turn on

Saw a bunch of young bucks and does, as usual with a bad moon