Caliber Preferences?

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Hanshi

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I've killed deer with a HUGE variety of cartridges/calibers, both rifle and revolver. I've extensively used heavy 45/70 handloads and .338 Win mag handloads at the top end and the .22 Hornet at the lower. In the middle I've used many including the .350 Rem mag, 30/06, .308, .243, 6mm and on and on. The revolver category numbers only three calibers, .357, .41 and .44 mags. I never met a caliber I didn't like. However the .25 bore rifles, 25/06, .257 R and .250/3000 found a place in my heart where they will always stay. I've owned two 25/06, two .257 R and two .250 Sav rifles and have taken more deer with those last two than with, possibly, all others combined. My 45 year old Ruger M77 .250 is the most accurate rifle I've ever fired. 100 yard groups of around 0.3" are the norm. Interestingly my M700 Rem .350 comes in second, barely being nudged to second place by the .250.

The beloved 257 R, while never up to the .250 performance, has still reached out there to collect deer with high velocity handloads. My favorite .250, however, is a Savage M99 I've owned and hunted with for many decades. The M99 is an all time favorite of mine and I've owned three. Okay, enough of that.

Anyone want to talk about their favorite rifle/caliber/deer getter? I just like talking about guns, period.
 
I would have to say that my favorite to date was my Weatherby Mark V left hand in 30-06. However, I have been watching for a Savage 99 in 25-35. Was my dad's first rifle, and hunted lots in Wyoming in the 50s and 60s. As far as revolvers go of the ones I had, the Ruger Redhawk 44 mag with 5.5" barrel was my favorite. My brother's Bisley 44 mag is probably my favorite I have shot so far though. Everything was shot with handloads matched to the gun for accuracy and performance.
Mike
 
I've always been partial to a 25/06 and still really like that caliber, but lately my go to has been the 7mm/08. I archery hunt elk, so really only use deer calibers here and there. Anymore with my black powder and archery addiction I hardly ever shoot a CF much anymore. Once in a while I'll take my dad's old 30/06 just for nostalgic reasons...not that I don't like the caliber or anything.
In fact I'm going deer hunting this weekend to my father-in-laws spot and am bringing the 7mm/08 along. I enjoy hunting the whitetail rut with either bow or muzzleloader, so I'll only shoot one this weekend if it is really a nice buck...and will still regret it a bit if I do that I didn't take it with a bow or muzzleloader. Whitetail rut here is still a couple weeks away. We only get one tag so I hold out for a while for a buck just to extend the season...usually wind up shooting a doe at the end because I am a meat hunter at heart and love making sausage and jerky out of them.
All in all, if I'm going to my open canyon spot I'll take the 25/06, it is set up to reach out a bit for them. Most anywhere else I grab the 7mm/08. If coyotes are the target then the 22-250 goes along. I really like that caliber a lot too.
If I had to absolutely choose one favorite caliber...well, it would be a very tough decision between the 25/06 and 7mm/08.
 
Back in the mid 60's I met a guy that was building and rebuilting gravel roads in the forest in northern Colorado (Red Feather area) for the US Forest Service. I went to work for him repairing and keeping the chainsaws going for his crew. Four or five Mexican families worked for him, lived on site in tents or a slab shanky used to hang fresh meat out of sight from animals and the game wardens - always a camp fire with something cooking to help hide the smell of fresh meat. The owner kept fresh meat available all the time shot from the seat of his equipment. His weapon of choice was a High Standard Sentinal .22 revolver because of its size. When one of the workers told be that I just laughted.

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This High Standard Sentinal .22 kept a good group at 50 feet and was deadly.
Gene wore bib coveralls and carried the revolver in the bid pocket, the game animals were use to seeing the equipment - letting the cats and dozers get with 75 -100 feet from them. That was fair game for the Sentinal, within its range for .22 hollow points. The shots were all head shot (close range) in the eye or better yet behind the ear. When the Mexicxan hear a shot they would slowly work their way over to the report, look around and find the down animal. Not many escaped the Sentinal or the .22 LR Hollow Points. If I hadn't seen this I would have never believed that little revolver could handle the task.
 
I once owned a Weatherby 30/06 (can't remember the model but it had the "plastic" stock) that could scare the hair off your head with its accuracy. But it was a BIG rifle and I'm a LITTLE guy. Trying to get close enough to the scope - it was set back as far as it would go - to see a decent image was exhausting. I sadly had to sell it. I haven't hunted with cf rifles in a very long time and have used flintlocks exclusively for many years.
A 100 yard group with my handload of a 180 grain round nose over 55 grains of IMR 4350.

 
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Unlike most Americans....I don't have "magnumitis". A magnum cartridge is not needed to harvest critters. A bad hit, is a bad hit, no matter the caliber and a projectile put in the right place will kill the animal, no matter how big or fast it's going. Practicality and versatility are what I look for in a rifle. My favorite caliber for all North American big game is the 30-06. Ammunition can be found anywhere and is cheap. Not too potent for eastern whitetails and western speed goats, but still plenty for elk, moose and bear. A 150gr projectile moving at 2900 fps will drop anything on this continent as long as the shooter does their part.
 
The 30-06 cartridge case is an excellent choice for making other calibers that are capable of hitting targets well beyond the 300-yard range. Personal I have shot most of the various knock off's and settled on the 165 grain .308 bullet with a velocity of 2,820 FPS. Have shot this round and bullet weight on everything in North America since it first came available in a Winchester 88 in 1953. Ordered the gun and waited 6 month's for my dealer to get delivery.

The .308 Winchester is a rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge from which the 7.62×51mm NATO round was derived. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62×51mm NATO T65. Winchester branded the cartridge and introduced it to the commercial hunting market as the .308 Winchester. Winchester's Model 70, Model 100 and Model 88 rifles were subsequently chambered for the new cartridge.

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The 30-06 cartridge case is an excellent choice for making other calibers that are capable of hitting targets well beyond the 300-yard range.

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I have never had a need to shoot anything past 300 yards. I laugh at the modern day faux-sniper hunters that like to shoot big game critters to extended ranges. Those who don't know how to actually hunt, need to shoot farther I guess. Every big game animal I have ever harvested has been no farther than 280 yards (speed goat), which was my longest engagement. Well within the capability and range of the '06. I would feel comfortable stretching out past 400 if I needed to, but I can usually sneak up and close the distance.

Some other thoughts.......It is much better to know the rifle and understand it's capability and shoot accurately, than it is to have the most expensive gear that money can buy, the fastest shooting round and to not know how to shoot. I am a firm believer in practicing shooting styles that one would encounter while in the field (sitting, standing, supported from tree, using sling support, shooting from backpack, etc.). To take a rifle to a range and shoot exclusively from a bench to practice for a hunt is ignorance.
 
There are so many great calibers out there it's really hard to pick a favorite. However, my very FIRST, "high-powered" centerfire (a Remington Gamemaster) caliber I bought at 16 needed to serve all my future dream-hunts... and the .30-06 fit that nitch. Still an awesome all-around choice for me.
 
The actual difference between cartridges in any given category (.270, .308, 30/06, etc) is very minor. I chose the .250/3000 as my favorite because a 25/06 will do little the .250 can't do. Plus the .250 has recoil about like a Red Ryder BB gun.
 
Unlike most Americans....I don't have "magnumitis". A magnum cartridge is not needed to harvest critters. A bad hit, is a bad hit, no matter the caliber and a projectile put in the right place will kill the animal, no matter how big or fast it's going. Practicality and versatility are what I look for in a rifle. My favorite caliber for all North American big game is the 30-06. Ammunition can be found anywhere and is cheap. Not too potent for eastern whitetails and western speed goats, but still plenty for elk, moose and bear. A 150gr projectile moving at 2900 fps will drop anything on this continent as long as the shooter does their part.
Good round...agreed. And a plain old .30-.30 is a great deer round.....
 
Some other thoughts.......It is much ☕ , .....

Early on I would change bullet weights, powder charges - then found the 165 grain bullet worked for everything we did and found powder charges for that bullet. At that point we worked on types and shapes of bullets that worked best for the rifle. After all these years you get to know that one weapon or caliber.

Back in the 70's started shooting black powder cartridge, using an 1874 Sharps made by Shiloh with Wolfgang Droge touch while still in Farmington NY. When I lived back East I knew Len Mulé (he was the one that was responsible for all the early drawings and mechanical drawings and prototype work).

Len recommend getting a gun that used the less expensive case like using 45/70 cases - cut down and bottled necked - making 40/70 2-1/10 rounds that was unbelievable for long distance shooting, very good knock powder and fun to shoot with against high power guys.

sharps.jpg

Like said "better to know the rifle and understand it's capability and shoot accurately" ... :coffee:

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Good round...agreed. And a plain old .30-.30 is a great deer round.....



I've always been a 30/30 fan and trust it implicitly. My Win M94 Trapper has a 16" barrel and is light, accurate and very handy. It has killed deer as well as rabbits (with cast bullets). For a "bug out" gun (my choice) it is hard to do better.
 
I love the term "bug-out" maybe good for some but not for older guys.

Where is the safest place you have? Go to the mountains and live under a tree or canvas at best? Have friends that watch all these programs and have spent thousands on equipment and special vehicles. They tell me they are ready for whatever .....

We live 20 miles outside Salt Lake City. Every morning during the work week I-15 is a traffic jam for an hour, same at night or longer. I ask these guys what do you think I-15 will be like if there was a national problem? They just look at me. Hell they would run out of gas before they got to where they were headed with all the other vehicles.

Several neighbors and myself would just sit tight, live as we normally do and be comfortable have a years supply of goods. We have enough water stored for 6 weeks and have access to a well if needed, etc. It wouldn't be to bad to defend our area with only one road in or out. Too old to run and sit with a million people like ducks on a pond Hanshi.
 
Unlike most Americans....I don't have "magnumitis". A magnum cartridge is not needed to harvest critters. A bad hit, is a bad hit, no matter the caliber and a projectile put in the right place will kill the animal, no matter how big or fast it's going. Practicality and versatility are what I look for in a rifle. My favorite caliber for all North American big game is the 30-06. Ammunition can be found anywhere and is cheap. Not too potent for eastern whitetails and western speed goats, but still plenty for elk, moose and bear. A 150gr projectile moving at 2900 fps will drop anything on this continent as long as the shooter does their part.
I totally agree. When I hunted with CF rifles, my choice was and still is a 30-06. As you said, "if the shooter does their part, that cal. will take dow any North American big game. I used a nosler 165gr bt. My farthest shot was 400+ yds., most shots come within 75-150 yds.
 
The 30/06 is probably one of the favorite calibers of a lot of folks, and I as well have taken many animals over the years using one. I have shot a multitude of calibers throughout my lifetime, but since I retired and moved to Texas, I have found that the larger calibers are just not needed here. For game animals here in Texas I have pretty much settled in on the 6.5 calibers, and have become very fond of them. I use the 6.5 Creedmore for deer and such....when I'm not using a muzzleloader...and I'm very pleased with the accuracy and performance of the cartridge. For night hunting on feral hogs, I have pretty much settled into the 6.5 Grendel and it does a very fine job on them. I shoot a lot of hogs and have played with a lot of calibers doing it, but the Grendel has become my favorite.
I reload the same bullets...the Hornady 123 SST in both calibers with great accuracy and performance.
 
I've always been a fan of 7mm. I really didn't shoot rifles (other than .22) until later in life when I started to hunt whitetails at 23 years of age. Started with 35 rem ( Marlin 336) then moved to a Ruger #1 in 7x57. Loved it so much I bought a lefty Savage weather warrior in 7mm08 for the rain and snow. Have recently 7 or 8 years ago picked up a lefty Ruger Hawkeye with laminate stock in .308. I've got a .30 Rem and a 7 rem mag sitting aGround. Never s fan of 30.06 but then again I've never owned one. Tend to gravitate towards lighter recoil. Favorites are the 7x57 with 175 grain round nose and the 7mm08 with 156 grain oryx. I think those bullet weights are correct. I agree with original premise of thread. Bullet placement rules.
 
Hmmm. For CF I prefer an FN Mauser, Douglas air gaugedbarrel in .30-06 stuffed with IMR 4895 and Nosler Partition. More often I pull out a .48 or .54 flintlock. Yes .48.
 
I actually dont own any CF rifles other than my .223 for predators. I sold them all and went to traditional muzzleloaders. If I get another CF rifle, it will be a lever....preferably a winchester 1895 in '06. I also wouldn't mind picking up a thuty thuty again.

For now, I like the challenge of the traditional muzzleloaders and the feeling of the simplicity. My .50 KLR will take anything in NA as long as I do my part.

I really like the sharps configuration rifles too. I do not reload any longer as time does not permit and all of my rifles are for hunting, not target. Factory ammo limits my caliber choices for availability and cost.

I am not a fan of the crazy new ammunition that they are coming out with as a good old nosler partition or core lokt will kill anything deader than dead.

My favorite '06 bullet was the 150gr partition. When I had a thuty thuty, my go to was a 150gr core lokt. Both have knocked down plenty of critters.

Thi has been an awesome discussion. Thanks to the OP.
 
I've always been a fan of 7mm. I really didn't shoot rifles (other than .22) until later in life when I started to hunt whitetails at 23 years of age. Started with 35 rem ( Marlin 336) then moved to a Ruger #1 in 7x57. Loved it so much I bought a lefty Savage weather warrior in 7mm08 for the rain and snow. Have recently 7 or 8 years ago picked up a lefty Ruger Hawkeye with laminate stock in .308. I've got a .30 Rem and a 7 rem mag sitting aGround. Never s fan of 30.06 but then again I've never owned one. Tend to gravitate towards lighter recoil. Favorites are the 7x57 with 175 grain round nose and the 7mm08 with 156 grain oryx. I think those bullet weights are correct. I agree with original premise of thread. Bullet placement rules.
I have a 30-06/nosler 165gr bt/ with a pachmayr recoil pad and a muzzle brake. You can shoot that thing all day. Recoil is just not a problem.
Also have an m1a Socom 16 .308/nosler 168gr/bt/ and that rifle has the recoil of a .223. Recoil can always be dealt with until you hit that .50 BFG and the way to deal with that recoil is to let your kid shoot it!
 
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