Caliber survey

[Tenntrapper]

This should be interesting.
1) list the centerfire calibers you have hunted with... mostly interested in deer hunting. Indicate if you killed with them.
2) if anything extraordinary about one, please indicate so.
3) if you've settled on something, please list reasons why.
Not interested in shotguns or MLs for this survey.

For me...
(K) indicates kill

.222
.223 (k)
.243 win (k)
.260 rem (k)
7/08 (k)
.308 (k)
6.5 Grendel
7.62 x 39
6.5 CM (k)
6.5x55 Swede (k)
7mm Mauser
8mm Mauser
30/06 (k)
30-30 win
35 rem (k)
.300 Weatherby
45-70
.357 mag
.44 mag (k)
25-06
25 wssm (k)
.270 win
6.5 x 284 Norma (k)
22-250 (k)
.303 British


I think that's all of them. I don't remember any of them killing a deer any deader than the others. The only deer I ever lost was shot with a 35 rem.
I've settled on the 243 win. The light recoil is easy on my bad shoulder. I've also taken quite a few deer with it, and it gets the job done. Serves double duty for yotes, so...win win.

 

[backyardtndeer]

223 killed loads of varmints, but no deer
243 killed a few coyotes and deer, my wife and kids have killed a lot of deer with their 243's
7.62x39 killed first deer with one
270 killed a lot of animals mostly deer
6.5 cm killed several deer and coyotes
308 killed several deer and a few coyotes

Of those, the 308's have all been bang flops on deer. Last couple years been hunting mostly with a 6.5 cm gas gun.

 

[44 mag]

I am not sure I can remember all the different ones but I will try. All though the numbers are no where near what yours are lol.

44 mag (k)
357 mag
7mm-08 (k)
30-30 (k)
7.62x39 (k)
444 marlin
45-70
30-06 (k)
300 blackout (k)
356 win (k)
223
35 rem
308 (k)
35 Whelen (k)
6.5 carcano


I can't say that I have settled on anything. I have grown to like large bore lever actions. I have been holding off this year hoping my son will kill something but I am about to break out the 444 or 45-70 marlins and get some blood on them.


Edited to add some I forgot.

 

[LenS]

30/30 K
.25/06 K
7mm/08 K

I think both the .25/06 and 7mm/08 are underrated rifles. Because I don't have a shot further than 125 yards where I hunt I've settled on the 7mm/08.

 

[DeerCamp]

My first rifle was a 303 Enfield rechamberred into. 308. Guy I bought it from had cut 6 inches off the barrel to "make it a scout gun'. I was 14, paid him $30 for it. The trigger was like breaking a rusty lugnut, it grouped about 10 moa nd i blew 2 scopes out with that hunk of metal.

So that was deer #1.

After that all of my "K"s: .270, 30-06, .243, 7mm-08, 6.5cm, 12g slug, .280AI.

Next K up is 9mm.

Best: 7mm-08. Reasoning (for deer), low/moderate recoil, short action, good ballistics, excellent results even from marginal shots, but doesn't overly destroy meat.

 

[Tenntrapper]

My first rifle was a 303 Enfield rechamberred into. 308. Guy I bought it from had cut 6 inches off the barrel to "make it a scout gun'. I was 14, paid him $30 for it. The trigger was like breaking a rusty lugnut, it grouped about 10 moa nd i blew 2 scopes out with that hunk of metal.

So that was deer #1.

After that: .270, 30-06, .243, 7mm-08, 6.5cm, 12g slug, .280AI.

Next up is 9mm.

Crap... forgot about that one. Add a .303 British to my list. Didn't kill anything with it though.

 

[DMD]

30/30
30-06

Never had any interest or reason to change from a 30-06. Been hunting with same Remington 710 30-06 for 20+ years. Had a guy tell me I needed to get a better rifle for deer hunting once. I said, "listen...that rifle has killed more deer than you've probably seen in your life. It's just fine, thank you"

 

[Union Co. Boy]

.223
25-06 (k)
.270 (k)
.44 mag
.350 Legend
.300 WSM (k)
.30-30 (k)
.30-06 (k)
.280 (k)
7MM REM Mag (k)

I would have to say that the 7MM Mag is my favorite out of all of these. However, being new to the .270, I have settled on hunting with it over the last couple of years. I have one in a Win Model 70 & a Ruger American. I hunt more with the Ruger because I don't mind dinging it up a little. Plenty of power, range, and ammo availability.
Side note: I do plan on buying a Bergara 7MM Mag after Christmas and will probably switch back to it.
Fun list! Thanks!

 

[Jcalder]

357 k
270 k
30-06 k
25-06 k
7-08 kid kill
280 k
280AI k
7x57 kid kill
243 k
308 k
300wm
6.5 grendel kid kill
223 k

The 223 was the least impressive. I would like to revisit it and will in the next few seasons.

 

[44 mag]

Next up is 9mm.

I have killed a few with a 9mm and 40 S&W but they were all mercy killings after being hit by a car. I have never hunted with them so I didn't count it. With in appropriate ranges they will do the job just fine.

 

[EastTNHunter]

My kids and I have used the following (that I can remember):

.223 rem - k
.243 win - k
6.5G - k
.270 win - k
30-30 win
.308 win - k
.30-06 - k
.300 Roy - k

Underwhelmed by performance of .223 and .243, but the .243 was a small sample size. .223 left very little by way of blood trail with 62gr Barnes bullets even when perfect shots were administered. 65gr SGKs were better. I know that some have experienced different, but that was the case over several deer.

308 win has yielded a few bang flops with youth loads (125 NABs and NBTs, 110 TTSXs). 6.5G the same, but full house loads with 123 SSTs and Amaxes, 100 and 125 NPTs.

.270 win has killed with consistent authority (bang flops) when using 140gr Accubonds, but I have not experienced a single bang flop using 140gr Interlocks at similar or higher speeds (4-5 kills), but always get pass throughs and short tracking. Have also used 140 SGKs to similar effect as Interlocks. Blood trails are always impressive, and I have not used a 140gr Accubond in several years since they have been so hard to find.

30-06 has killed with consistent authority when using 165gr Accubonds, but like above with the .270 I have gotten very few bang flops out of Interlocks. Always get pass throughs and superb blood trails.

300 Roy was a sample of 1. 180gr Accubond, bang flop.

 

[Tenntrapper]

Just remembered another one...22-250. killed my biggest buck with it.

 

[Stalkhunter]

I have used the following

308k
243k
223k
30/30k
7m08R/P k
6.5k
7.62x39
M1A soon lol

30/06kkkkkk my Go to and Favorite with 165 grain bullet.

I would have to buy more weapons to use other calibers, my wife would divorce I think. Not realty she calls them investments lol. A great wife.

 

[backyardtndeer]

.270 win has killed with consistent authority (bang flops) when using 140gr Accubonds, but I have not experienced a single bang flop using 140gr Interlocks at similar or higher speeds (4-5 kills), but always get pass throughs and short tracking. Have also used 140 SGKs to similar effect as Interlocks. Blood trails are always impressive, and I have not used a 140gr Accubond in several years since they have been so hard to find.

Pretty well the same experience with 270 with 150 grain core lokts. Always complete pass throughs and great blood trails. Never had a single bang flop, never had a deer I didn't recover either though. The only deer I have ever lost with a centerfire rifle was from a 270 shooting a 140 grain Winchester power point plus. Tried something different and I killed three or four with the win ammo but after losing the one, never used it again and went back to the core lokts.

I have loaded some 145 eldx for my 270, but yet to shoot a deer with them. Given the performance of the 178 grain eldx in the 308 and the 143 grain eldx from the 6.5, I think the 145 eldx in the 270 should be very effective.

 

[Lost Lake]

22/250 REM ( lots of kills)
243 Win ( lots of kills)
25 Souper
.270 Win (k)
.280 REM (k)
7mm REM Mag. (k)
30/30 Win. (lots and lots of kills)
.308 Win (lots of kills)
7.62 Russian
30/06 (lots of kills)
.300 Win Mag
7.7 JAP
8x57 Mauser (lots of kills)
.35 Remington (k)
.375 Winchester (quite a few kills)
.44 REM Mag ( lots of kills)
.444 Marlin (lots of kills)
45/70 (quite a few kills)

There are probably more that I've hunted with due to a friend years ago having an extensive collection, but I've probably forgotten them. That was waaayy back in the '80's.

If I had to settle on one bolt gun for deer, it'd be a .243 Win., and for a lever action it'd be either a 30/30 or .444.

The more that I've killed with different cartridges, I've learned that they kill far more alike than differently. That has been a long and expensive, but fun lesson that I've had to learn.

If you're going to blame something with a cartridge, blame poor shot placement or poor bullet selection.

Any spectacular kills have been strictly from shot placement, nothing more.

 

[DeerCamp]

My kids and I have used the following (that I can remember):

.223 rem - k
.243 win - k
6.5G - k
.270 win - k
30-30 win
.308 win - k
.30-06 - k
.300 Roy - k

Underwhelmed by performance of .223 and .243, but the .243 was a small sample size. .223 left very little by way of blood trail with 62gr Barnes bullets even when perfect shots were administered. 65gr SGKs were better. I know that some have experienced different, but that was the case over several deer.

308 win has yielded a few bang flops with youth loads (125 NABs and NBTs, 110 TTSXs). 6.5G the same, but full house loads with 123 SSTs and Amaxes, 100 and 125 NPTs.

.270 win has killed with consistent authority (bang flops) when using 140gr Accubonds, but I have not experienced a single bang flop using 140gr Interlocks at similar or higher speeds (4-5 kills), but always get pass throughs and short tracking. Have also used 140 SGKs to similar effect as Interlocks. Blood trails are always impressive, and I have not used a 140gr Accubond in several years since they have been so hard to find.

30-06 has killed with consistent authority when using 165gr Accubonds, but like above with the .270 I have gotten very few bang flops out of Interlocks. Always get pass throughs and superb blood trails.

300 Roy was a sample of 1. 180gr Accubond, bang flop.

IMO .243 is all about the bullet quality. Federal Fusions have been awesome. Just a thought.

 

[Creek]

My kids and I have used the following (that I can remember):

.223 rem - k

Same here .223 Federal Fusion 62g
Guess I will be the oddball here.
Nothing special happened. Does only for me, and I have never killed a buck, but our two sons killed their first bucks with it.
The rules were to always kill with a flat broadside shot, and nothing over 100 yards. As always, they had to practice every year at around 75 yards, I believe it was, to prove to me they could keep a certain size group.
Blew a big hole out the other side every single time.
Discipline and practice made all the difference. What was supposed to be a starter rifle ended up working out just fine.
Just wanted to explain a few details.

 

[Bon3_Daddy]

.243
.270
.30-06
7mm-08

My go too depends on where I'm hunting, 708 for fields, 3006 for woods

 

[30-06 type of guy]

Out of my 90ish or so deer all have been killed with my 30-06 except 1 with a 7mag.

 

[Creek]

killed with my 30-06

Hence, your username.
Thats cool