Best Whitail Caliber??

[benelli]

I am looking for the best whitail caliber. This gun will be used for nothing but hunting whitails. I have a .300 for elk and a great varmant gun already.

Right now I am thinking about a 25-06.

Any thoughts?

[Birddog]

So many good choices!! Over the years I've used many different calibers for whitetail, my choice is the .270. But I also like the .280, 30-06, and 7mm. Good luck with your decision.

BIRDDOG

[Unlogged T-Mac]

Tough question.
The main thing is having a gun that you KNOW you can shoot well. Because we all know...it is where you hit the animal that counts.

My personal choice for deer was the 25-06 and I killed many deer with that Remington BDL in 25-06. I killed several elk (one shot... 120 grain pills) with it too. But, the main thing is.... I shot that gun well, and I had confidence that I would hit where I aimed when using that gun.
I killed a few deer and alot of Antelope with a .22-250, too. But, that was in open country and I have a tack driver .22-250 and I shot it a lot. I would not necessarily recommend a .22-250 for deer, but my point is...shot placement is the deal. You need to know your gun and shoot it alot.

[Mike-WY]

A 25-06 is a great gun for white tail deer. I'd say that or a .270 would be the most popular. Very similar rounds with very close ballistics. I'd stick with a 120 grain bullet with the 25-06.

[reelman1]

If you are looking strickly for a whitail rifle for eastern USA with most shots being in thicker cover and shorter range then I would suggest a .308 or .30/06 in a semi-auto. Bennelli now makes a nice auto in '06 which would fit your handle. Now that I said that I have never shot a deer with a .308 or an '06, or for that matter with a semi auto. I prefer bolt guns (Win.M70's to be exact) and I hate to use calibers that everybody else has. This is why I use such calibers as .300 H&H, .350 Rem Mag, .375 H&H, etc.

In reality your question is a lot like askinig which is better Ford or Chevy? There really isn't a "right" answer. There are so many calibers that will work great I would recomend that you decide on a caliber and then live with it.

[jigman 2003]

Here in southern and central WI a 30-06 is more than adequate for whitetails. My dad uses a .308 and it too is an excellent gun. Either one, as well as a half dozen others will get the job done. Of course, my new baby is an Ithaca Deer Slayer Storm. I bought for hunting in my "backyard" because it is slug only here. That thing throws a slug consistently and accurately out to 125 yards. Shot a 125 class whitetail last December with it at 85 yards. Ran 50 yards and died. My point is, any weapon will kill deer if you are comfortable with it and have good shot placement.

[Sven]

It's true that if you shoot them in the right spot most calibres will work just fine. Up here in Saskatchewan I have shot most of my Whitetails with a 270 and 130 grain bullets, awesome gun, but if you check my photos and find the one of all my big whitetails, the second one from the right (169 7/8 B&C 6 x 6) was a 8 hour tracking job after a night shift because I led him a little to much and whacked him in the shoulder at 8:20 a.m and finally put him down at 4:40 P.M. I then decided to put my pride aside and pick a gun that will allow for a little human error. I bought a Steyr Mannlicher 300 Win. Mag. Fantastic gun, fantastic calibre, if you already have a 300 for Elk that is what you should use for Whitetail. Fast, Flat, Hard Hitting what more could you want.

[Unlogged T-Mac]

See... I went the other way, Sven.
I went from a .30-06 to a 300 Win Mag...and started flinching like a mother. It was the muzzle blast and noise.... you know, ...shooting prone..on paper...UFFDah!
Then, I went back downward in terms of wallop. Went to a .25-06 and .270...no more flinching.
I killed a lot of game with those two guns for those next 20 years.

But...now I just follow my dogs and shoot my shotguns...:)

[Sven]

I hear Ya T-mac, those big calibres can beat you up at the range, but I have never noticed the kick when I'm shooting at an animal. Adrenaline I guess.

[tds2180]

7mm-08 is also a good option

[AllenW]

Might help to know where you are and how much you want to spend?
Here in Minn a 30-30 has probably taken more deer than any other caliber, but if I was going to go buy one now, probably a 30-06 or 308.
These are proven calibers and ammo can be found almost anywhere, not always the case with some of the more exotic calibers, not that any of us would ever forget our ammo... :)

Al

[cspierings]

I already had a 243, 30-06 (two actually) and a 300 win mag. I started thinking I need a mid range caliber for deer. I looked long and hard at the 270, 280/7mm, 25-06 and 7mm08. I went to Chuckhawks and looked at the recoil for the different cartridges, then I went and looked at the different bullet weights available by the different manufacturers.

Here is how I rationlized it. The 7mm bullet weight gave me the most flexibility in terms of weight and game. So that narrowed it down to the 280 and the 7mm08. Then I started looking at what rifles were made in those calibers. Ultimately I decided the 7mm08 was the way for me to go because I thought it would serve as a nice rifle to graduate one of the kids into when they get bumped out of the 243. Btw I don't think the 708 is a good fit for the heavier bullets in the available but for deer more than adequate. THe 08 is my "saddle" gun. Course I have never been on a horse and if I was I would probably be chasing elk and that would mean the 300 win mag.

I bought a Rem Model 7 CDL and put a Leupold on it. So far one shot one deer.

I am still thinking about that 280 though;)

I think a full size rifle in 7mm08 would be awesome because you wouldn't feel much recoil at all. The model 7 is a bit snappy in terms of noise and recoil. Having said that I was suprised at what factory rounds cost. I bought 200 but after they are empty they will serve as the brass for reloading it.

[Suzuki]

There is no one answer to your question.

[6.5]

either the 6.5x47 laupau or .264 win mag or the 6.5 credmore

[caffeineforall]

I'm more radical. I've used everything from a 20 gauge slug gun, up to a 30/06. I was in love with the 30/30 lever action for quite a while. Then I moved up and loved on my 7mm Rem Mag. However...

Now I just use an AK-47. The 7.62x49mm cartridge is just right for my hunting grounds where there is a lot of thick cover with random open spots of 150 yards. Now in Michigan, its perfectly legal to hunt with an AK-47 so long as you aren't running around with a banana clip. They make 5 round clips and thats what I used. I love that its semi-auto for quick follow ups, relatively low recoil, and just impossible to break on ya. It isn't orthodox, but a full metal jacket slug with do a once over in the cavity of any size deer and not leave you worrying about lead.

Last year I downed a small buck and a big doe within 15 minutes of each other. Made believers out of my friends who called me whacky for using an assault rifle for deer.

One other thing to note if anyone is looking into an AK-47 for sport or hunting is to not get suckered by the cheap stamped AK-47's out there. Take your time, and find a milled AK and your shot group will be astounding.

Just my thoughts.

[guidedfishing]

Although there are many calibers that can take whitetails here are a couple that are exceptional.

.280 remington which also takes elk nicely
.35 whelen which really puts a nice thump on a big northwoods buck, and takes moose nicely.

In the end it only really matters that you can put a proper weight bullet in the boiler room.

So the answer to the question is easy, but it is always nice to pick up another rifle if you need to fill a specific niche. Once such rifle is the .257 roberts, especially if you hand load.

good luck
GF

[Sportdog]

Well it's 0430 and I can't go back to sleep so I may as well chime in on this one. I've used 20 gauge foster slugs, 12 gauge foster and sabot slugs, a .243 Winchester, a .270 Winchester, a 30-06 Springfield, and most recently, a 7mmWSM. That said, my vote would be for the 7mm-08 Remington in a good bolt action rifle. I like the short action, the mild recoil, and the high ballistic coeffecient of the .284 caliber bullets. There are really a lot of good and great whitetail cartridges out there. Just pick one and use the proper bullet weight and construction for the job.

[Chad]

I hear Ya T-mac, those big calibres can beat you up at the range, but I have never noticed the kick when I'm shooting at an animal. Adrenaline I guess.

One word "Lead Sled", okay so it was two.
No more flinching!

[Chad]

I am looking for the best whitail caliber. This gun will be used for nothing but hunting whitails. I have a .300 for elk and a great varmant gun already.

Right now I am thinking about a 25-06.

Any thoughts?

Tikka .270WSM is what I ended up with after asking the same questions.

My conclusion is a 30/06 if you are considering other species such as elk or moose since they have so many options..

[archer66]

.300 Win mag is a fine caliber for Whitetailed Deer. Save your money and use what you already have.

[dclelandfishing]

buy a 25,06 you cant go wrong for deer, dont kick hard and will kill one as far as you want to shoot,a good coyote gun to,doesnt leave big holes i got a 300 win mag, and a 3006 and a 7mm ,and iam buying a 2506 or a 243 both good acuarte guns and dont kick and dont make big holes in varmits,and will kill a deer

[Phil T]

Many years ago, a gun writer who also had a Texas ranch where he hosted whitetail hunters, wrote an article titled "Deer Cartridges to Start With and Stay With." To summarize his article, anything from the 257 Roberts with heavy bullets to (but not including) the 308 Winchester would work without causing recoil-related shooting problems. He had seen too many deer lost to the 243, and seen too many shooters flinching with anything that recoiled more than the 308.
I've used a 257 Roberts on over 30 whitetails, but don't recommend the cartridge to non-handloaders. The 260 Remington got a mediocre reception because they used a rifling twist too slow for 140 grain bullets (supposed to be changed since). A 6.5X55 Swedish Mauser Tikka T3 is one of my favorites. My latest deer rifle was a Savage 99 in 300 Savage. I don't own a 7mm-08, or a 25-06.
For those who actually like a powerful rifle, I've also used a 338 Win Mag, and a 45-70.
Availability of factory cartridges is also a concern for non-handloaders. Just try to buy 6.5 Mauser, 45-70, 257Roberts, or 300 Savage ammunition at a rural hardware store. One year, I went into Devils Lake and looked at four stores for any factory ammunition for any of those four rifles I happened to have with me during the deer season. None was in stock.

[T Mac]

Wow ... this is an old post!
LOL!

[guest]

Wow ... this is an old post!
LOL!

Some topics are timeless. LOL!

[MnWalleyeGuy]

For an exclusive whitetail deer rifle only, I'd have to say the .260 is about the best I've used. I've taken more than my fair share with 30-30's and .243's as well. The .257Roberts and 6mm are in the ball park too.

I recommend the .260. It's a long range gun with hardly a recoil and you can hit bullseyes all day without flinching, but also place your bullets within 75 yards too.

Oh, almost forgot, the .308 is another fine choice as well.


MnWalleyeGuy

[Drummer Boy]

All you have to do is find a LUCKY rifle and stick to it.I found mine 20 years ago it just happened to be a 7mm remington I tried to make my lucky rifle a 280 but it was not to be.Now this can get expensive I went through 15 before I found the one.Good luck

[orchard frank]

When we retired and moved to the UP, my wife decided she might like to try her hand at deer hunting. Never hunted before, never even shot a high powered rifle. We shopped, she liked the feel of bolt-actions, so we bought a Browning A-Bolt in .260, had the stock cut down and fitted to her. She practiced shooting and got the hang of it. In the last 8 seasons, she has taken 18 deer with 18 shots, no misses, no lost deer. All with the 120 grain Ballistic Tip Remington Premiers. Never had to follow one more than a couple hundred feet, most just layed down right there. I am just guessing, but I think the fact that the bullets very, very rarely pass through has a lot to do with the good results. All energy is absorbed by the animal. Shot placement, of course, but I have had deer shot with my .270 that had good placement, pass through, and a longer tracking job. Having an apple orchard backed up to a river bottom, that winds through miles of farm country has it's advantages. But, the .260 is a lightning strike. She usually gets the biggest bucks too.

[Dacotah Eye]

I use a 270 with 130 grain bullets and a 220 Swift with 50 grain spitzers. They both work very well for white tails. I use the 270 in areas with lots of trees and the 220 in open country.

[ALLEYES_]

30-06.....you can buy bullets anywhere.

[shortmag]

You might consider the 257 Roberts. Potent on the killing end but real gentle on the other. Certainly capable of killing deer sized game with authority. Kimber and Ruger offer the caliber. Ammo is available from a number of manufacturers.

[Bowhuntnsteve]

majority of the time I get it done with my bow, then I use my 20 ga single shot due to NY being slug only and I hunt the stateline so no use swapping everytime I cross over. WHen I go on trips, I use my 7mm-08 Winchester. Dam thing shoots tacks!!

[mcbreth]

7mmx08.... 7mm Mauser (7x57)... .260 .. 0270 ... .280.... .25-06... .308. .30-06.... The magnums just hit too hard and generally are in a large frame/action rifle with a long barrel. Take a nice Model 70 featherweight/ Model 700 Mountain Rifle in a short action bullet over 120 grains and put on good optics....

I shot a deer with my 300 ultra and the meat was completely ruined.

[Rapscallion]

My ol' Winchester Ranger 12 gage smoothbore ain't missed yet.... and my Horton crossbow has downed some fine Ohio bucks too. Caliber and ballistics are nowhere near as important in whitetail hunting as understanding your quarry and playing the wind correctly. I hunt southcentral Ohio and have few opportunities for long shots so I am a bit biased....

[musky1011]

I have 3 guns for different times.... My grandfather's old Remington 700 adl 30.06... my newer remington 700 bdl.dm 7mm-08..and my favorite winchester 1300 20 gauge fully rifle barrel

[RANGER]

I live in Pennsylvania - very mixed terrain - and I prefer the .30-06 in a 180 gr bullet with a rounded softpoint and not the typical PSP (Pointed SoftPoint) with a 3X9 scope atop it. Many Whitetails have fallen to this combination. The rounded softpoint has one heck of a knock-down punch as compared to the PSP IMHO !

As others have said - confidence in the gun is the most important aspect!

[GlowJig]

I used to shoot a 243 and went to a 270. As for kills, like said before its shot placement. But with my luck and shots so far, the deer shot with the 243 have not went nearly as far as the deer shot with a 270. I was using a 100gr. federal premium BTSP with the 243 and shoot a 130 BTSP with the 270.

[MrStarnes1]

50 cal T/C is my gun of choice
when it comes to high powered you will find me with a .243 in my hands.
can't hardly beat the speed and the drop is VERY minimal in the 300 yard and under shot.
however, once you start shooting black powder, you will find it tough to pick up a high power over one of those smoke sticks

[octanehi5]

I the open country the 243 hands down, 100yds or less in brush something in the 30 cal range all depends on were you hunt

[Bubbles]

.308 is my favorite. 165grain or 180. good short gun for stalking and also has punch out to 250yds....I've shot 3 moose with it as well. Lever action is my favourite...Browning or Savage....with 1.5-5 scope

[wallymn99]

It really depends on where you hunt. For example, if you do alot of deer drives, hunt in the thick etc.... a 30-30 lever gun is fantastic. It's short, easy to move around and perfectly lethal to a deer, black bear. I love hunting with mine in this kind of cover. You can also scope it and use leverlution ammo for shots out to 200 yards.

If you are sitting, overlooking a field or need to take a longer shot 150 yards plus, then there are a few too look at...

the list goes like this -- 270, 7mm-08,308, 30,.06, 25.06, 243... in a bolt gun with a good 3x9 scope.

I have a 7mm-08 which is what i call the "perfect deer rifle" but also have a few 30.06's. My main goal is to be able to get reasonable ammo. Even gas stations up north carry 30.06, 270 so i always have my 30.06 when hunting. The 30.06 can also double a gun for bigger game if you chose and really all you need is a 30.06 to hunt anything in the lower 48. Its not too big for deer, and not too small for other game. Anything bigger than the 06 is just a WASTE in my opinion for deer. There are also WSM's etc.. but honestly, WHY? to pay for more for ammo when it's not needed is silly. To each there own, but if you are looking for one gun, the 30.06 bolt action is the ticket.

[CSH Kucinski]

Can't beat a 30-06, it is a good all around caliber to use for deer and other species with the right load.

[walleyewall]

tikka t3 150 grain sp drops um down for me

[dw 185]

270 WSM

7MM STW

7MM ULTRA

is what i have to choose from

[walleyewall]

what is the stw 7mm like to know

[Nick Kanauz]

Okay...here's a wildcat for you. A lot of us cannot afford more than one rifle, so while I was young, I had the benefit of being allowed to hunt a large tract of land with usually 30 hunters in camp. The calibers were all over the map. 30-30, 30-06, 300 win mag, 308, 300 Wby, 250 Roberts, all of them. Fell in love with the 300 Savage round and the lever action Model 99R Savage. It is an all around great weapon for brush, or open country. Have taken deer at 300 yards, as well as 15 feet from my blind (woke up & there he was). Last year I took two does less than 10 seconds apart, neither went more than 40 yards. Love the caliber and know what the rifle will do...1/2" groups at 100 yards too! Whatever round you decide on has to be what's best for you, so good luck and hope you settle on a rifle that fits you well...caliber is second after that. Good Hunting!