Lincoln Co Archer
Well-Known Member
browning 308 dropped a doe at 400 yards last year and never had a deer run more than 20 yards
Best Caliber
- Thread starter dt-34715
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Huntaholic
Well-Known Member
LOL these threads are always fun! Truth be known, ALL of the ones already mentioned will do the job, it all boils down to what YOU feel comfortable with. Yes, most all calibers can be loaded down with light bullets or up with heavy ones, BUT all guns seem to have a certain weight bullet that they shoot the best. It's all got to do with twist rates, barrel length, burn rate of the powders used, the list goes on. Ive had the good luck to own most of the "deer" calibers listed, everything from a .243 all the way up to a .300 RUM and Ive taken deer with all of em. That said, when I reach in the safe my "go to" gun is a .300 win. mag.
JimFromTN
Well-Known Member
What is the best bullet weight for your 300 win mag?
stik
Well-Known Member
JimFromTN said:
whichever one YOUR gun shoots best.
I just don't understand the need for anything bigger than a .270 for Whitetail in TN.
DBLAARCHERY
Well-Known Member
I SHOOT A .257 WEATHERBY MAG...CAN'T SAY IT IS THE BEST BUT I WILL SWEAR BY IT ON ANY OF MY KIDS...JUST REMEMBER .25 CALIBER ROUNDS ARE THE FLATEST SHOOTING CALIBERS OUT THERE...
AIM AND SQUEEZE...")
AIM AND SQUEEZE...")
DBLAARCHERY said:
Brother in law swears by his 25-06.
DBLAARCHERY
Well-Known Member
DON'T BLAME HIM GREAT CAL. WE JUST BOUGHT ONE FOR MY GRANDFATHER...NOW IF WE CAN JUST KEEP HIM FROM SHOOTING MORE THAN ONE DEER AT A TIME...")
CZ284
Well-Known Member
These threads are always interesting. Good bit of discussion about shotgun slugs. I hunt quite a bit with them down here, primarily in the evening. I get silver dollar size groups out of a Hastings rifled barrel with a 5 MOA red dot scope. I've taken a lot of Minnesopta bucks with it. Largest was 265 pounds field dressed at about 40 yards. Farthest was 120 yards. Neither went more than 50 yards after being hit with the Federal Premium Barnes load in 2 3/4 inch shells. Like anything else, they are extremely effective if properly placed.
As far as center fire rifle, I'm a 7 mm fan. My go to gun is an A bolt rechambered from 7-08 to 284 Winchester with 150 gr. Barnes bullets. Other is a custom Mauser in 7 mag. Both will do pretty much the same thing. My son shoots a TC Encore in 7-08, Barnes 150s and it's a real machine.
Main thing is know what the rifle will do and shot placement.
Good luck everyone this year. Be safe.
As far as center fire rifle, I'm a 7 mm fan. My go to gun is an A bolt rechambered from 7-08 to 284 Winchester with 150 gr. Barnes bullets. Other is a custom Mauser in 7 mag. Both will do pretty much the same thing. My son shoots a TC Encore in 7-08, Barnes 150s and it's a real machine.
Main thing is know what the rifle will do and shot placement.
Good luck everyone this year. Be safe.
JimFromTN
Well-Known Member
mike243 said:
I have some 150's loaded up at 2800 fps for less recoil but my groupings are about an inch which is good enough to hunt with and I have taken several animals with it, but I want better. My best groupings (1/4 to 1/2 inch) was with cheap 180gr Estate Cartidge Company rounds. I can't find them anymore. I had done some reading on one of these custom rifle sites that the rate of twist determines the best bullet weight for your cartidge. I have a standard rem 700 300 win mag, not the police version which has a different rate of twist for heavier bullets, and it seems that it should be somewhere in the 150gr to 180gr range.
Huntaholic
Well-Known Member
In my gun, the 180gr. bullets shoot the best.JimFromTN said:
rldel
Well-Known Member
JimFromTN said:
sorry so late... that's what the 450mar/45-70gvmt class do but always make two holes!
rldel
Well-Known Member
UTGrad said:
on the 300wm subject... overkill... I have toppled a few with mine - faster flatter harder... but even with bonded core elk bullets nomatter where I hit them - I cleaned gut out. got tired of that. :/
Camp
Well-Known Member
I like 30-06 just for versatility of ammo available (including military surplus for target shooting). That's more of a preference for the versatility and effectiveness for any hunt and cheapness of only having to buy 1 rifle for everything than it is the specific kill performance of the 30-06. As previously posted you can hunt anything that walks North America with an '06. Varmints to Grizzlies.
With that said, I will probably be doing a lot of hunting with a 30-30 Marlin in the near future in TN. Most of my TN hunting will only allow shots of 100 yards or less and I found a DEAL!!! on 30-30 ammo for my Marlin for only $6.99 a box! That's about as cheap as practice FMJ military ammo for the 06. And for the record I would much rather have a slug gun in the woods than a bow. Since I can't make 100 yard shots with the bow. :grin:
BTW........love the argument. I mean discussion! :grin:
With that said, I will probably be doing a lot of hunting with a 30-30 Marlin in the near future in TN. Most of my TN hunting will only allow shots of 100 yards or less and I found a DEAL!!! on 30-30 ammo for my Marlin for only $6.99 a box! That's about as cheap as practice FMJ military ammo for the 06. And for the record I would much rather have a slug gun in the woods than a bow. Since I can't make 100 yard shots with the bow. :grin:
BTW........love the argument. I mean discussion! :grin:
JimFromTN
Well-Known Member
Although I do the majority of my deer hunting in TN with a shotgun, I do have a 300 win mag for when I know I am going to need a flat shooter for distance. The 300 win mag is versatile rd as well. You can get anything from 150gr reduced recoil rds up to 220gr rds for larger game. If you are a reloader, you can have even more versatility. Currently, I am shooting 150gr bullets at 2800 fps which is about the same as a 308. With that load, I am only getting 1 inch groupings. Once I shoot all the rds I have I am going to play around and see if I can't make a good reduced recoil rd that is more accurate for my rifle. Reduced recoil rds not only save your shoulder but they also lengthen the life of your barrel.
