uvausmc
Member
.223 (with appropriate bullets) - .45-70
Deer Calibers
- Thread starter Duckingit88
- Start date
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I want to respond to the "horse whipped comment"
Then I guess every assian that has used a .22 LR to down a target should be "horse whipped as well." If you are proficient and well trained you should have no problem outing a deer with a .22 LR or .22 Mag.
In fact, many Wild Life Officers carry .22 Magnums to do heard thinning. If it were legal to hunt with a .22 LR for deer I would take one. I could kill many squirrels while sitting on my stand, and I could also shoot an ear hole or temple shot on the deer. I have seen deer in my lifetime (not shot by me) killed with a behind the should (heart/lung shot) with 40 grain .22 LR. The response of the deer was the same as if it was hit with a .243. The deer ran 30 yards and fell over dead.
Sometimes I feel stupid sitting in a wooded area with a large caliber or high powered rifle when the longest shot I could possibly take is 30 yards. I have been finding that I take the .25-06 with me, but it stays leaning up against the blind while I have my .44 magnum SBH in hand ready to take that 15 yard shot.
Smallest if legal for me would be a .224
Largest for me would be a 12 gauge Slug or .50.
That is if you are talking caliber, and not the cartridge itself.
Then I guess every assian that has used a .22 LR to down a target should be "horse whipped as well." If you are proficient and well trained you should have no problem outing a deer with a .22 LR or .22 Mag.
In fact, many Wild Life Officers carry .22 Magnums to do heard thinning. If it were legal to hunt with a .22 LR for deer I would take one. I could kill many squirrels while sitting on my stand, and I could also shoot an ear hole or temple shot on the deer. I have seen deer in my lifetime (not shot by me) killed with a behind the should (heart/lung shot) with 40 grain .22 LR. The response of the deer was the same as if it was hit with a .243. The deer ran 30 yards and fell over dead.
Sometimes I feel stupid sitting in a wooded area with a large caliber or high powered rifle when the longest shot I could possibly take is 30 yards. I have been finding that I take the .25-06 with me, but it stays leaning up against the blind while I have my .44 magnum SBH in hand ready to take that 15 yard shot.
Smallest if legal for me would be a .224
Largest for me would be a 12 gauge Slug or .50.
That is if you are talking caliber, and not the cartridge itself.
RevGeo
Member
Personally the smallest round I use on whitetails is .22 Savage High Power Ackley Imp. Shoots a .228 diam. 70gr bullet and I have no problem killing deer with it.
The largest caliber I have ever used on deer was 45-70 with 420gr bullet backed by 70gr of FFF.
I hunt deer now with a wildcat that is for all intents and purposes the ballistic equivalent of a 30-06.
George
The largest caliber I have ever used on deer was 45-70 with 420gr bullet backed by 70gr of FFF.
I hunt deer now with a wildcat that is for all intents and purposes the ballistic equivalent of a 30-06.
George
BridgeTooFar
Member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2010
- Messages
- 209
Smallest: .223
Largest: 300 Win. Mag.
I usually prefer a 30-06.
Largest: 300 Win. Mag.
I usually prefer a 30-06.
TenDriver
Member
I lost one when I was around 8 yrs old with a .410 slug. Never carried it again, and it turned me off of hunting for a while quite honestly.
Smallest gun would be a .243 even though other have been successful with smaller.
Smallest gun would be a .243 even though other have been successful with smaller.
In Colorado you have to use a MINIMUM of .24 cal centerfire that generates 1000 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards with 70 grain expanding bullet (minimum of 85 grains for moose and elk).
There is no 'maximum' except that semi-autos can't hold more than six and full auto is forbidden.
So .243, .257 Roberts, 6mm etc would all be fine. I prefer a .30 cal rifle.
I don't doubt you can kill a deer with a .223, just not legal here.
There is no 'maximum' except that semi-autos can't hold more than six and full auto is forbidden.
So .243, .257 Roberts, 6mm etc would all be fine. I prefer a .30 cal rifle.
I don't doubt you can kill a deer with a .223, just not legal here.
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My Dad killed many Texas Hill Country size deer with a .222rem. He handed the rifle down to me when he bought a New .222rem for himself. I have killed many deer with this cartridge but have since moved up to a 6mm Rem.
As for Largest caliber it depends on how much meat you want left....
As for Largest caliber it depends on how much meat you want left....
Hizzie
Member
.375 H&H - minimum
.600 NE - maximum
.600 NE - maximum
sixgunner455
Member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2006
- Messages
- 3,052
.22 Magnum would do fine up close, if it were legal.
Legally, .223 or .222 for a bit further than the .22 Magnum.
.50 Hawken is the largest caliber I have used.
Legally, .223 or .222 for a bit further than the .22 Magnum.
.50 Hawken is the largest caliber I have used.
every week we get the same hypothetical question. Anyone who has ever lost a deer knows the answer to this question. Most any center fires will blow right through a deer, you want to focus on shot placement and bullet construction/expansion. A big hole with a good blood trail is your friend.
Moose458
Member
Please tell me you don't condone hunting deer with a .22LR. Shot placement has a lot to do with a clean kill, also using a good bullet of the proper weight. Personally, I wouldn't use anything less than a .243, in my case its a 6.5x55. I also wouldn't hesitate turning someone in to the Game and Fish that I caught using a .22LR.
Sav .250
Member
What ever they (DNR) desides, you`ll have to go with that or bigger.
A lot of states have a minimum requirement.
Personally?
smallest = 25
largest = 50
What I use = .358 WSSM wildcat (to comply with Indiana reg's) - it matches .358 Winchester ballistics. Next year the max length goes to 1.8" I won't be changing, but I'm sure there will be a few new wildcats/
smallest = 25
largest = 50
What I use = .358 WSSM wildcat (to comply with Indiana reg's) - it matches .358 Winchester ballistics. Next year the max length goes to 1.8" I won't be changing, but I'm sure there will be a few new wildcats/
DM~
Member
Smallest "caliber" i will use is .243".... I will NOT use anything .224" and yes i know a 22LR will kill a deer.
Biggest i will use is, what ever i have that will shoot completely through a deer with an expanding bullet at a decent hunting distance. (within it's accuracy/drop limitations)
DM
Biggest i will use is, what ever i have that will shoot completely through a deer with an expanding bullet at a decent hunting distance. (within it's accuracy/drop limitations)
DM
jaysouth
Member
In the woods and swamps of TN and AR where I hunt, I have always used a Remington pump in .35 Rem. For the past couple of years I have been using a soft cast 250 gr. lead bullet with a gas check.
If you were to buy a new gun, any cartidge based on the .308 nato case like the .243, .260, or .358 would be just fine.
The best deer hunter I know, started hunting when he was around 50. He started with a single shot .30-30 and learned how to get close. He has killed 10 -20 deer a year since then. His current gun is a custom Ruger #1 in .30-30 with iron sights. He is now a very prosperous owner of a vietnamese restaurant and has a large family to share his harvest with. They don't waste any part of the deer he kills.
If you were to buy a new gun, any cartidge based on the .308 nato case like the .243, .260, or .358 would be just fine.
The best deer hunter I know, started hunting when he was around 50. He started with a single shot .30-30 and learned how to get close. He has killed 10 -20 deer a year since then. His current gun is a custom Ruger #1 in .30-30 with iron sights. He is now a very prosperous owner of a vietnamese restaurant and has a large family to share his harvest with. They don't waste any part of the deer he kills.
coolluke01
Member
I shot a deer at 175 yards this year with my AR15 in 223. I got him in the spine as he was facing me. He dropped where he stood and never moved. Cleanest kill I have ever had. However, After shooting at two more deer for a 2nd tag and missing them I switched back to the 270. I must have had some brush in the way and deflected the bullet. I tracked them for hours and never saw any blood. Too much risk of wounded animals IMO. My 270 will go clean through and leave a good blood trail to follow. A 223 will not (for the most part) go though and blood typically only exits the exit wound as it is larger jagged hole.
I carried my 357 for a few years when I was hunting in brush and trees up close. Now I hunt more open spaces with up to 400 yard shots. Which I would be very, very hesitant to take I might add. Nothing worse than 2nd guessing your caliber or shot choice while trying to find a wounded animal.
I carried my 357 for a few years when I was hunting in brush and trees up close. Now I hunt more open spaces with up to 400 yard shots. Which I would be very, very hesitant to take I might add. Nothing worse than 2nd guessing your caliber or shot choice while trying to find a wounded animal.
jaysouth
Member
He buys out of state licenses in WVA, NC, Md and gets permits for federal hunts on Dulles airport. In Virginia, you can kill as many deer as you can buy tags for, and with the blessing of the game and fish folks. They want everybody to kill 10-15 deer a year to thin down the herds.
Off-topic, and I am sorry, but buying Out of State Licenses has to be expensive. Here in AR it is $100 and that is for one deer. In State will allow you to kill up to six deer. That could get expensive if you had to buy four to fourteen tags @ $100 a piece.
@coolluke01
"Nothing worse than 2nd guessing your caliber"
That is one of the most true statements ever. I lost trust in my deer rifle for a long time, and that is why I hunt with a .25-06. It was a 30-30 that I had gotten for Christmas from my 3 year old daughter and wife. I had made many good shoots on deer, but they would not go down. So I bought tried another path (light and fast), and it has worked out, but I had also resolved the confidence issue by loading a 125 grain FN HP in my 30-30 at 2500 fps. That stopped them dog gone deer from taking off, and if they did it wasn't very far.
@coolluke01
"Nothing worse than 2nd guessing your caliber"
That is one of the most true statements ever. I lost trust in my deer rifle for a long time, and that is why I hunt with a .25-06. It was a 30-30 that I had gotten for Christmas from my 3 year old daughter and wife. I had made many good shoots on deer, but they would not go down. So I bought tried another path (light and fast), and it has worked out, but I had also resolved the confidence issue by loading a 125 grain FN HP in my 30-30 at 2500 fps. That stopped them dog gone deer from taking off, and if they did it wasn't very far.
El Mariachi
Member
I have never hunted in my life....but....I'm moving about 2000 miles due east of Hell-A next month and just might give it a try (with a few very experienced hunting/sailing friends of mine). At the moment I've got that Husqy #640 in 8x57, an older Marlin 336C in 30-30 and coming soon, that sporterized Type 38 Arisaka in 300 Savage. Oh yeah, and a bunch of brand new Swift scopes out the wahoo.
These oughta get me started, si como no?......
These oughta get me started, si como no?......
El Mariachi
Member
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