Tennessee Deer Talk: Best rifle caliber for deer?

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#1285566 - 04/11/09 08:37 AM

Re: Best rifle caliber for deer? [Re: cecil30-30]

jakeway
TnDeer Old Timer
10 Point

Registered: 11/22/99
Posts: 3449
Loc: Hendersonville, TN, USA

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Originally Posted By: cecil30-30

Can't go wrong with a 30-06!

But a 270 WIN shoots faster, flatter, farther, less kick, and just as effective at the terminal end.

The 30-06 is probably the most versatile of all rifles for all of North America, but it's probably not the best at anything.

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#1285676 - 04/11/09 11:03 AM

Re: Best rifle caliber for deer? [Re: jakeway]

mike243
14 Point

Registered: 09/06/06
Posts: 9826
Loc: east tn

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jakeway i pulled up rems balistics on the 2,i dont see no whuppin by the 270,what i do see is more energy avalible in the 30-06,heres the heavest load for 270 & a matching for 30-06 plus the litest ,i only pulled the express as its got wieghts in both cal

Cartridge Information
Index Number Cartridge Type Weight (grs.) Bullet Style Primer No. Ballistic Coefficient
R270W1 Remington® Express® 100 Pointed Soft Point 9 1/2 0.252
R270W4 Remington® Express® 150 Soft Point Core-Lokt® 9 1/2 0.261
R30061 Remington® Express® 125 Pointed Soft Point 9 1/2 0.268
R30063 Remington® Express® 150 Bronze Point™ 9 1/2 0.365

Velocity (ft/sec)
Cartridge Type Bullet Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
Remington® Express® 100 PSP 3320 2924 2561 2225 1916 1636
Remington® Express® 150 SP CL 2850 2504 2183 1886 1618 1385
Remington® Express® 125 PSP 3140 2780 2447 2138 1853 1595
Remington® Express® 150 BP 2910 2656 2416 2189 1974 1773

Energy (ft-lbs)
Cartridge Type Bullet Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
Remington® Express® 100 PSP 2448 1898 1456 1099 815 594
Remington® Express® 150 SP CL 2705 2087 1587 1185 872 639
Remington® Express® 125 PSP 2736 2145 1662 1269 953 706
Remington® Express® 150 BP 2820 2349 1944 1596 1298 1047

Short-Range Trajectory
Cartridge Type Bullet ------50 100 150 200 250 300
Remington® Express® 100 PSP 0.0 0.5 zero -1.6 -4.6 -9.1
Remington® Express® 150 SP CL 0.3 0.8 zero -2.4 -6.7 -13.0
Remington® Express® 125 PSP 0.0 0.6 zero -1.9 -5.2 -10.1
Remington® Express® 150 BP 0.2 0.7 zero -2.0 -5.6 -10.8

Long-Range Trajectory
Cartridge Type Bullet------- 100 150 200 250 300 400 500
Remington® Express® 100 PSP 2.3 2.8 2.0 zero -3.6 -16.2 -38.5
Remington® Express® 150 SP CL 2.0 1.8 zero -3.6 -9.4 -28.6 -61.2
Remington® Express® 125 PSP 1.5 1.4 zero -2.8 -7.4 -22.4 -47.6
Remington® Express® 150 BP 1.7 1.5 zero -3.0 -7.7 -22.7 -46.6

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#1285781 - 04/11/09 02:21 PM

Re: Best rifle caliber for deer? [Re: mike243]

jakeway
TnDeer Old Timer
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Registered: 11/22/99
Posts: 3449
Loc: Hendersonville, TN, USA

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Originally Posted By: mike243

jakeway i pulled up rems balistics on the 2,i dont see no whuppin by the 270,...

Well, this has been one of the longest arguments, and that's what makes it fun. (I hope this is taken in a spirit of fun, as it was meant.)

I never used the term "whuppin". The difference in most deer hunting calibers isn't really all that great. The way I define "better" is the total package, not just one measurement like KE. Here's how I see it:

1) pick the bullet you'd like to use to do the actual killing. Look at the construction, weight, ballistic coefficient. Then pic klthe appropriate weight for the two cartridges being considered. In this example, lets hypothetically pick the 130 grain .277 and the 165 gr .308.

2) look up the ballistics tables for the expected velocities of the powder of your choice and the length of barrel in your rifle.

3) Check the trajectories, Point blank range for that bullet/velocity combo, KE, and recoil measurements for the two cartridges. WIth the above mentioned loads, both sighted at 200 yards, the 270 drops 7.1" to the 30/06 8.0". That might not seem like much, but if you sight with Point Blank Range criteria, the PBR of the 270 is 20 to 30 yards farther. That helps a lot when you don't have time to laser sight the target.

4) Since "dead is dead", the KE is the least importance to me of the above measurements, as long as they are both well within the acceptable range for deer. I consider 1100 Ft lbs as the minimum. The 270 has 1565 ft lbs at 300 yards, the 30/06 has 1777; a good hit with either cartridge will be a killer, probably a pass through, so it's a wash in my book.

Given these criteria, I think that the .270 is "better" than the 30-06 because it brings the bullet to the target with adequate energy and with a longer Point Blank Range (the distandce at which I can hold dead on and still hit +/- 3" of point of aim) with significantly less recoil.

For where I hunt, all things considered, my 260 REM is "better" than my .270. That's why I carry the 260 and not the 270 most of the time. So for those conditions, the 260 REM is "better" than the 30/06 too. It kills the deer dead in their tracks with half the recoil in a rifle weighing only 7 pounds with scope.

In other conditions, such as where bear are present and KE becomes much more important, than the 30/06 might be "better".

If your definition of "better" is different than mine, have at it. That's what makes this country free.

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#1285855 - 04/11/09 03:26 PM

Re: Best rifle caliber for deer? [Re: Gravey]

browning708
4 Point

Registered: 11/10/08
Posts: 258
Loc: on the creek

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i shoot 7mm08 great round no rcoil

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#1285905 - 04/11/09 04:01 PM

Re: Best rifle caliber for deer? [Re: browning708]

rrhoghead
6 Point

Registered: 11/25/08
Posts: 750
Loc: Shelby Co.Tn.

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30-06 is the most useful of all / everything in North America / never has the 270 out performed the 30-06 at wimbleton

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#1324790 - 05/12/09 12:55 PM

Re: Best rifle caliber for deer? [Re: Gravey]

Kentzavol
Spike

Registered: 03/27/08
Posts: 74
Loc: Maryville,Tennessee

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I am seriously looking at the 308 Marlin express or the 338 Marlin express. They are both lever guns but the performance is very interesting. The 338 is pretty close to a 30-06 and the 308 express close to the regular .308. I never would have thought you could get this range from a lever action. I am a bit sceptical until more of the rifles are sold because of ammo availability. Out of all the calibers mentioned above there isn't a bad one.

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#1325379 - 05/12/09 09:48 PM

Re: Best rifle caliber for deer? [Re: dmitchell28]

Venison1
16 Point

Registered: 01/09/07
Posts: 12022
Loc: United States

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Stuck on the 7MM REM MAG
Like many of the other calibers it can reach out and touch them
or you can knock em down close up.
Never have blasted any meat like some would think it would do.

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