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Favorite deer hunting caliber?

4K views 28 replies 25 participants last post by  PlanoAttorney 
#1 ·
What are all of your favored calibers for hunting deer? And as a bonus question, what calibers would you trust to drop a black bear?
 
#4 ·
This is probably the most written about topic in the history of sporting arms.

I have killed deer with a bunch of cartridges. 30-06, .308, 300 Win Mag, .257 Roberts, 30-30, .243. 7mm Rem mag and .32 Special. All the deer I killed died. I've also killed elk with several of these cartridges.

I've only shot one black bear, that was with a 30-06. I shot it behind the shoulder, it went a$$ over teakettle and got up and ran about a quarter mile (further away from the truck of course) and died.

Favorite? My 14th birthday my Dad gave me a Model 70 30-06. I hunted with it into my late 20's then started playing with those others, always looking for something better. When I turned 50 I bought a Weatherby Accumark in 30-06, and since then hunt with it almost exclusively (I occasionally carry a Kimber 7800 in .308). After playing the field for about 25 years I decided that for me, the old '06 does anything I need when I have a deer tag in my pocket.
 
#8 ·
This is probably the most written about topic in the history of sporting arms.

I have killed deer with a bunch of cartridges. 30-06, .308, 300 Win Mag, .257 Roberts, 30-30, .243. 7mm Rem mag and .32 Special. All the deer I killed died. I've also killed elk with several of these cartridges.

I've only shot one black bear, that was with a 30-06. I shot it behind the shoulder, it went a$$ over teakettle and got up and ran about a quarter mile (further away from the truck of course) and died.

Favorite? My 14th birthday my Dad gave me a Model 70 30-06. I hunted with it into my late 20's then started playing with those others, always looking for something better. When I turned 50 I bought a Weatherby Accumark in 30-06, and since then hunt with it almost exclusively (I occasionally carry a Kimber 7800 in .308). After playing the field for about 25 years I decided that for me, the old '06 does anything I need when I have a deer tag in my pocket.
My story is very similar. My favorites usd to be 3 that I've killed more deer than I can possibly remember.....30-06, 30-30, 6.5 Rem Mag. But I've changed. My favorite today would be my old but proven Rem 788 chambered in .243 using my handloads.It will cleanly kill any GA native sized deer......Now the bear.....I'd have to grab my 30-06. GOOD THREAD!!!!
 
#5 ·
Anything, and everything between 00 Buck, and a 30-06. I don't own a rifle, or a hunting hand gun that won't take bear, as well as deer. Small game get the smaller calibers.
 
#7 ·
We only have the choice of shotgun, handgun and muzzleloader. No rifles for deer here in Iowa :confused::mad:

My CVA Wolf with a 440gr lead conical would take down a bear for sure. Having only one shot, though... :eek: I'd take a 44 mag revolver along
 
#10 ·
My favorite rifle for deer is a 30.06. I've taken mulies & whitetails with just about everything from my .375 H&H to a Browning A-5 with slugs. Since my neck/shoulder surgery I'm afraid the '06 & certainly the .375 are out of the question. I bought a Remington 600 carbine in .243. I'm hoping I can shoot it for Elk hunting without any damage to all the hardware the surgeon installed. I haven't drawn a deer tag in years.
 
#11 ·
Caliber or cartridge? There is a difference. Caliber I like 6.5, .277, 9mm, 9.3mm, .40 and .45.

Cartridges, in 6.5 caliber I like the 6.5 X 54 M/S and 6.5 X 55 Swede. There isn't really but one .277 and that's the 1925 introduced 270 WCF. I know there's others but where are they now?

I have two 9 X 57's, one "R" and one rimless. There is three 9.3's in the toy box; 9.3 X 57, 9.3 X 30US and a 9.3 x 57R/360. Only one 40, a 40-70 Sharps straight in a Shiloh Sharps #1 sporter and the only 45 I have left is a Shiloh Montana Roughrider in 45-90. Oh, there is a Cody Rifle Works 1 1/2 Ballard Hunter in 45-2.6 but it's just too much.

Truth be told the one I like best is the one I'm using at the moment.
 
#12 ·
Don't hunt anymore but if I resume for deer, 257 Bob or 300 Savage. My eyes aren't good enough to be shooting at living things much over 175 yards these days and those two calibers will do fine under a couple hundred on deer, they are enough. Bear is another matter altogether in my book, 12 gauge slug or 8mm Remington Magnum:cool::eek:. I don't think many quite fully appreciate just how quickly a ticked off bear can turn the tables. Even a "little" black one. I have gotten old, much older than most of my contemporaries would have believed possible o_Oknowing me in my younger days. God does indeed look out for drunks and fools .....but there are limits:oops:. One thing I have learned is its better to bring a bit more than just enough in matters than may have dire consequences for failure.
I'll get off my soapbox:D. Supposed to be outside anyway working on "the list" but it's too dang hot:(:(:mad::(
 
#18 ·
Ohio just opened up hunting with rifles the last few years. So the bulk of my deer kills are with a shotgun and pistols. Pistol calibers are .357 magnum, .357 Maximum and .44 magnum. The .44 magnum has taken the most by far. My shotgun hunting has been with a 12 gauge Super X Model 1 and a Super X Model 3 in the deer gun version. Last year was my first year with a rifle. I took a nine point with a Marlin guide gun in 45/70.

I would be comfortable taking a bear with the Super X deer slug, 44 magnum or the 45/70. I would really like to go bear hunting sometime.

Jim
 
#19 ·
Like lots of others, I've used many cartridges over the years. I really like the 6.5X55 and the 8X57. But for decades it was .300 Savage, .308 Win, .270 Winchester and 30/06. Probably more kills with the 06 than any because I've used it more often. I like a 150 gn bullet for everything except the Swede which I use 140 gn.
Never had the opportunity to hunt for bear so I'm not sure. I would think my .300 Weatherby would work though.
 
#20 ·
Oh bear....saw it and promptly forgot it....lol!! I've hunted black bear a few times and have carried a 7 X 57R for the smallest, then a 43 Mauser and my 45-90. I had the utmost confidence in all of them.
 
#21 ·
I've hunted deer with a lot of different cartridge's but a favorite depends on where I'm hunting. More closed in country but now and them a 200+ yd shot show's up, has to be my old 308 w/2 3/4x scope. Get to more open country and I'd go with my 25-06. for a bear, anything 6.5 or better.
 
#26 ·
I like 30-06 as a general gun to carry in a mixed prey/predator woods. Its a bit overkill for small deer and hog, but fine for large deer and large hog, big reptile, and while not the specific gun I'd take to stalk bear, I'm sure it will have a repellent effect if needed. In an emergency, if you had enough reaction time, it will vaporize thin skinned cats too.

Now, bonus question.. Taking bear? What would I feel safest with?

My ruger super mag .458 Lott, backed up with a 12g with slugs, and a 44magnum minimum side arm, if not a SW500 mag revolver.
 
#27 ·
I take deer with my 30-06. Planning to get a .308 at some time. I'm confident that with a well placed shot with either could take a bear around here. But I'd rather not find out in an emergency.
 
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#28 ·
I firmly believe that the 30.06 will take anything on the North American contentment.
 
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