What is your favorite deer hunting cartridge and why?

[snake river marksman]

250 savage hands down. Next would be my 308. Since moving to Wyoming I've sort of "specialized" in antelope hunting and I'm still using my Stevens 200 with the Adams and Bennet 250 savage barrel on it. If I do my part, the cartridge will do it's part.

[Longrange]

My M77 in 30-06 has done more than any other rifle I own. From wood chucks to elk and bear, it seems to do it all.

[nicholst55]

I used to shoot a .308 for Texas whitetails, and it killed everything I ever shot at with it. Well, except for this once... anyway. Now I use my .35 Whelen in the Laurel highlands in PA, and my .257 Roberts in rifle areas in Maryland. I've also got a .257 Wby that I'm dying to take deer hunting in open country.

I gave the .308 to my oldest son, and he's been using it to fill his deer tags the last several years.

[ebg3]

My favorite, hands down, is my 300 RUM. I'm using a 168gr Combined Tech Ballistic Silver Tip with 101grs RL 25 powder for a MV of 3600fps. With a 300yd zero, I'm 7" low at 400, 18" low at 500 and 32" low at 600 yards. With the brake, the gun recoils about like a light .270 it is just loud. I always wear plugs so it is not a problem.
EG

[winelover]

For close shots in heavy cover, i choose my Marlin 1894 SS carbine in 44 Mag with RNFP cast boolits. For long shots in sparse cover I prefer my Ruger M77 in 270W with j-words. Took a deer with both this season.

Winelover

[Slow Elk 45/70]

I have used 243,25/06, 300win,30/06, muzzle loader 50 cal.....that was years ago, for the last 20 or so years I have gravitated to the lever actions in 30/30, 44mag, 45/70.....My favorite....the one in my hands when I see the deer I want....

[gds]

.308 is my preferred. but I am putting together a .300 whisper AR upper. If it works out half as good as I have read. It may become My new favorite.

[Down South]

7MM STW in a Ruger No. 1. Bought the rifle new years ago and had it rechambered right after I bought it. It was originally a 7MM Mag but never shot it in that caliber. I mostly bow hunt these days but the Ruger was what I used for years. A coupe years ago I bought a 45-70 and I used it till this year. This year my deer gun was an S&W 629 44 mag.

[10 ga]

Killed my first deer in 1963 with 12 ga dbl. bbl. shooting 2&3/4" O buck. Done in a WHOLE lot since then. Only killed one with a CF and that was a 30-06 M1 Garand match grade. It belonged to my roommate at VaTech back in "72". My favorite is my Ithaca 10 ga automag, with let out cone and custom Carlson choke. B-Square saddlemount with a 42mm red dot on top, shooting handload HARD OOO buck. She is NASTY killin machine. Here in Eastern VA rifles are pretty much prohibited but the new exception is the muzzleloaders. Shot hammerguns, then got a Firehawk and she was favored until I got my Savage ML II. She too is wicked bad. Under MOA. Load is 42 gr. 4759, CCI 209 ignition, .458 300 gr Barnes in a orange sabot. Shoots "dead on" to 250 yd and -9" at 300. Three years later and the possum polices still think someone is shooting a 7 mag back in the woods. I just chuckle and go on my way while they look for somebody with a "high powered" rifle. My favorite when hunting with hounds season opens is just the ole 870 with a patternmaster and Federal 3" OOO Premiums. Kind of a different take but what the heck. It's all about FREEDOM! Best of luck to all,
10 ga

[bob208]

my first deer rifle was a cut down .303 brit. enfield. but the 2 i like the most is the .30-30 with a 24" barrel. and .30-40 krag. i have used in a 99 carbine and a 95 winchester.

[Gee_Wizz01]

Over the years I have used .222, .243, .257 Roberts, .308, 30-06 and 45-70. My favorite is the 30-06. The 30-06 is my idea of a great all around rifle. Where I grew up and hunt, shots range from 25yds to over 400yds and the game varies from coyotes to very large hogs and the 30-06 is a perfect fit.

G

[snake jenkins]

I have killed deer with the following: .243, .25-06, 6.5x55, .280, .280AI, .30-30, .308, .30-06, .44 mag, and the .45-70
However my all time favorite rifles and calibers to shoot are both custom Ruger number ones one in 6.5x55 and the other in .280 Ackley Improved. Of the two the .280 AI is my go to rifle/round. A 140 grn Barnes triple shock at 3227 fps hits like the hammer of Thor

[joey02g]

.270, my first buck fell to a 45lc from a S&W

[R.C. Hatter]

While I've taken deer with the .280 Rem., 1903-A3 .30/06, Ruger .30/06,
and the Marlin .45/70, my favorite cartridge is the .35 Whelen in an old Model 77 Ruger
with tang safety. I have taken 71 head with my old Ruger and I'm very confident in
the use of it with my load of 53.5 gr #4064 under a 225 gr. Nosler Partition. Shot
placement is important and I will NOT shoot at the traditional spot behind the foreleg,
as I do not wish to do a tracking job. I much prefer a head or neck shot as they drop in their tracks and stay there, with no waste of meat.

[testhop]

i have killed deer with 270. 3 3006s 358 now the 7-08
as i got older i figgerd out you carry a rifle more than you shoot it so i got a light one .
a winchester mod 70 just in time to also to find those mountans are growing higher each year. so i guess it will be retired along with me .
but at lease it killed every thing i pointed at

[BlueNorther]

My go to rifle for years was a Win. mod. 70 in 7mm mag. Killed elk, moose, white tails and mule deer, sheep and bears with it. I retired it two years ago and picked up a Win. mod. 70 Classic in 338. Killed three white tails with it last year. Just picked up a Marlin 1895GS and am really hoping to score with it this year.

[Dale53]

My deer cartridge is the .44 Magnum in a revolver (nice weather I use my S&W model 29 8 3/8" and bad weather I use my Ruger Red Hawk). I am certain to 125 yards from field positions and all of my hunting has taken place in the woods.

The .44 Magnum with a 250 gr Keith bullet (Lyman 429421 or in recent years the H&G #503) ahead of 24.0 grs of H110 will shoot through a large whitetail deer end for end. It also puts a 3/4" hole from stem to stern. If the shooter does his part the cartridge certainly does it's part.

Dale53

[Greenhorn44]

270 in 130 grain, I max load with ballistic tip. It shoots flat fast, and is very accurate. and if you get stuck in the middle of nowhere any wal-mart is gonna have um.

[Lead Fred]

45-70 300gr Barnes HP.

They dont wibble

They dont wabble

They just fall down

[Von Gruff]

I just cant see past the 7x57 for deer sized animals now. I used a 7x61 S&H for years but the 7x57 can do all I will ever need in a deer rifle.
I have aperture sight and softnosed cast bullet for out to 200yds and a scope in day pack with 120gn GS customs at 3237fps for anything out further. I have yet to need the GS bullet as the softnosed cast at 2415fps just plain does the job.
Have used the 303, 30-06, 25-06, 44mag, and seen a few others used but you couldn't convince me away from the 7x57 now or ever.

This is cast softnose at 2415fps. Still doing 1784fps at 250 yds.




Von Gruff.