RE:What Different Calibers Do You Deer Hunt With?

Interested in the different calibers used for deer hunting beside the
usual, 30-30, 30/06, 308, 270, 243, etc?

Also, the ones who shoot lever actions, some good calibers there.

Both boys shoot 7/08.

I carry a Switchback XT when I hunt alone, which is rare.

My favorite caliber is 7mm Rem Mag pushing a 139 grain NP.

257 wby, 22-250

Used to shoot a 7mm-08. Won't hunt with one again. My personal experiences have never been good.

Been shooting a 7 mag the last few years. Before that I my 270 or 243.

7mm08. 308. And last a 30-06. I prefer the 7mm08. But caliber doesn’t really matter that much.

.308 Been fooling around with them probably 30 years.

.308 and 280 ackley for me

Y'all know I have been through tons of rifles in alotta different calibers but one I settled on that just flat out gets the job done is 25-06 shooting 117gr Hornady interloks..One rifle I'll never part with and it has out performed every other caliber I've ever used on deer.

If anyone is interested, ^^^^^ this rifle will be for sale by next week.

300BLK and a 30/30 that was my dads

I have always used 270's now I shoot a .270 wsm and in close quarters I use marlin 30-30 but have 7 mag , 300 wsm also

270 and 12 gauge 00 buck. 7mm 08 for the wife

.308. All I need.

I've come to liking the 6.5 CM this year. Previously I shot 243 and 30-06. I have leaned more towards less recoil due to a torn labrum.

.270 and .300WM

x2

I got a 6.5 creedmor in December. I took it hunting for the first time this morning.

Bolt - .243, 25-06, .270, 30-06, 7x57
Lever - .450 Marlin (1895M), 45-70 (Ruger #1)
All handloads.

Depends on what I feel like that day...

Heck I didn't know there was any other real deer killing caliber other than a 30-06

Bolt .25-06 or .264 win
Lever .45-70, .35 rem, .44 mag

.270 the majority of the time, but this year I have a new stand with close shots so I use a .30-30.

Browning BAR 30/06

25-06 or 7mag have been my go to’s this year.

I’ve got about 20 other rifles set up that I could take.

I’m really fighting an itch for a 338-06, 35 Whelen or 9.6-62

7mm-08, .270, .25-06, .260, 6.5 Creed, .308, .257wby

Favorite deer caliber and what I think is the perfect deer caliber for the Southeast 7mm-08. 2nd favorite is the .257WBY simply because its a laser and hits like lightning

Or trade.

Mostly a .30-06 or a .308. Occasionally I'll take out a .25-06 or a .500 Mag S&W. Haven't hunted with a .30-30 in years and years.

308 for me, 7-08 for 15 yo old son, 243 for daughter. Lately I grab the 243 if they don’t go.

600 nitro with 900grain bullets. nopine tree will stop it

Mainly my use my 45/70, and my 30/06,

Mainly my use my 45/70, and my 30/06,

270 or 30-30

308 or 7mag nowadays.

Mainly 30-06 or 308. Got a 243, 25-06, and a 44 mag I take occasionally. Bought the youngin a 6.5CM for Christmas. Thinking about rebarreling a -06 to 35 Whelen or 338WM and really fighting the urge for a 26 or 28 Nosler.

I've carried .308 the last 2 season... Before that it was a marlin 30-30.

Mostly my 26, 6.5CM or one of my 308’s

Fav 7mm-08, but also occasionally .243 .270, 30.06, have .308 but never shot it
870 12 gauge

now...243, 270Win, 264WM

past...add 6mmR, 25/06, 257Roberts, 270WM, 7mmAI, 7mmRM, 30/30, 30/06, 300WM, 9.3X72R, 375H&H, 454Casull,

338 Federal

I own rifles in .30-30, .35 Rem, .308 Win, .270 Win,
.243 Win, .30-06, and.300 RUM.

I do most of my hunting with my rifles chambered in the .300 RUM and the .308 Win.

I’ve carried a bunch and shot deer with several. Shot the most with 30-06,7-08 and a fair amount with 50 cal muzzleloader.
My next gun is going to be AR 300 BLK. I’m also hankering at the moment for a 20-ga. slug gun. Hope that yearning will pass.

I hunt alot with a .300 Win Mag, I have couple spots I carry my model 7 in 7mm08

not much beats a 6.5 these days

Not happening with this one and y'all can bet on that.This gun will be with me till I'm long gone.

Only rifle I've owned is a .270.

7 SAUM

My 7-08 Mtn rifle tends to make things bleed more often than anything else I have.

6mm
257 Bob
257 Roy
26 Nosler
300 Whisper
325 WSM

Overwhelming majority of my deer are with a 20ga slug gun.
Usually kill 1 per year (+,-) with a .50cal muzzleloader.
Occasionally get to kill one with my 30-06.

lol! 6.5x55, 308 (ho hum), 300 Savage, 30-30, 32 WS, 35 Rem, 45-70, 38-55... I like levers and pump guns!

30-30, 30-06, and now my 7mmRm. I like the 7mm better than any rifle I’ve ever owned or shot.

1 and only rifle I own 270

25-06, 270 and 7-08 are our go to calibers. I’ve taken a strong liking to the 25-06 Tikka T3. That rig will shoot!

Killed with a .270, 7mm Rem Mag, 338 Win Mag, and 308. This is my first year with the 308, first short action I’ve owned. It’s not going anywhere. The terminal performance of 180 gr Partitions has been nothing short of mind blowing after years of shooting ballistic tips that grouped just a bit better. Have a new .243 that will get some action, and plan on a 280 AI that will be ready for next season. But when it counts, I’ll have the 308 in my hands.

.223 .243AI, 270STW, 7/08, .308, 300wm, .338 Edge

308, 30-06 and 7mag, they all work!

30-06 Winchester Extreme Weather, 40mm Leupold scope: my woods gun

7mm Mag, Weatherby Vangaurd. 56mm Meopta scope: greenfield gun

For me it's 308, 308mx, 270, 6.8spc2, 223, 30/30 and 6.5 cm. the 308 bolt and the mx lever are my go to rifles and the 6.8 and 6.5cm is slowly moving up to the top.

'Huntress, BamBam, and I all deer hunt with .308's. I'll occasionally carry a .50 ML, and last year when we were down near Orlando, I hog hunted with .357 Magnums, handgun and lever gun.

My go to is 300wsm with 150grain ttsx . Rolls them up from any angle .

223,243,7mag,3006,300WM,444 Marlin

I use a 7mm-08 Remington Stainless Mountain Rifle for woods hunting from my climber. For hunting clear cuts and power lines I use my trusty .270.

260 and a 20 gauge savage slug gun

30 calibers, .308, 30-30, 7.62.

I run a bunch of different guns depending on the situation. My favorite tree stand guns are a contender in 7-08 and a remy model seven in 7-08. If I'm not toting one of them it could be an AR in 5.56 or .300 BO. Close shots in pines I'll carry a 30-30. One of my leases got clear cut during the first part of the season so if I go there it could be 30.06, 308, 25.06 or 300WM.

222, 243, 6.5x55, 270, 308

7mm08 most of the time. it will do everything i need to do. But to switch things up i will tote a 35 remington or 20 ga with slugs.

.308, 7-08, .243, and 12ga slug gun.

My current go to is a 308, but have 30:06 and a Savage 300 that I occasionally pull out of the safe and go with.

.243, .270wsm

338 rum,308,25-06,270,45-70

308 & 6.5 CM

my only odd balls would be 35 whelen and a 357 magnum rifle . all the rest is pretty standard rifle.

i'm really liking the 35 whelen

The rifle I reach for the most this year is my new 338-06 Improved. It was built by John Gallagher in Jasper. I also like to use cartridges that are outside the norm. The list of rifles I've used is:

257 Roberts
7X57
7mm Rem Mag
308 Winchester
30-06
300 H & H Magnum
300 Winchester Magnum
300 Weatherby Magnum
338 Winchester Magnum
35 Whelen Improved
375 H & H Magnum

Bought a 264 Winchester Magnum this year but haven't used it yet.

308 for longer shots and 6.8 spc for my woods gun

7mm-08, 257WBY, 270WBY, 300H&H

primary gun - 243, hunted with a 308 for years but realy like the compact 243 now.

30-06 and 45-70

just my 308

25-06 and 338 Lapua mainly.

30/06 and 45 cal. muzzleloader

I prefer a .308

.270win in the open.
30-30win in the thick or short range.
Always carry my .357mag Ruger Blackhawk.

6.5 SE and 44 mag

243
250 Savage
257 Bob
270
300

.308

I been using my little 30-30 and nothin else. I just love my little gun. Its light and small after using the others for so long. I left my scope off. Nice not having to be so careful with it. Its in nice shape but it feels good to carry a gun that i dont mind if i scratch it

know what you mean . nothing fits in your hands quite like a 30-30

My go-tos are a trifecta of 7mm's: .280 Rem, 7mm-08, 7mm Mag.
Occasionally a 25-06 or .308 for giggles.

I've got two oddballs; Marlin .308MX built around the LeveRevolution round. Great all around shooter. The second is an AR15 in 6.5 Grendel. I love carrying the AR, it's light, adjustable, and it's semi auto. I bought the Grendel upper after reading up on a good deer round for the AR15. This is my first AR, and if the caliber holds up to the hype, this will probably be my go-to. I've killed 2 with it; so far so good.

Of course there is a downside to both...don't run short on ammo, can't pick it up just anywhere.

6.5 creed main and 30/06 #2

30-30, .308, .243, and 5.56 have all been in the woods with me at one point in time or another this season.

anything over a 270 is overkill for a deer in Alabama. 270 is one of the best, if not the best, overall caliber in the lower 48.

uh nooooooo !!!!!

Dead is dead. None of the deer I've shot with 284, 308, 338, 358 or 375 caliber rifles have complained I was too rough on them.

I always grab my 30/30 first. I have a 270 and a .357 that I like to shoot too.

I don't think my .308 would agree
But 270 is one hecl of a caliber.

25.06

6.8 SPC

maybe, but i got a .308 b/c i *might* venture beyond AL/48 states one day & i wanted a caliber that could travel

25-06 is a deer killing machine

Cool thread here!

I'm kinda new at this whole deer hunting thing but in my short "career" I've killed a deer with a few different calibers and weapons.

Before this year I only owned a 12 gauge with a rifled slug barrel and a bow. At the beginning of the season I traded for a .270 on here as my first rifle.

I've now killed with:

.270
12 gauge
Bow
Friend's .308
Friend's 7mm-08
And girlfriend's .243

Interestingly the only deer I've ever shot that didn't even flinch was with the .243.

My most used:
.50 muzzleloader
30/30 Marlin 336
.308 Savage 99A
.270 Win Mod 70
.357 Ruger GP100

Also daughter's 25/06

FIFY

25/06 and .270

270 & 280AI mostly

.280 Ackley, .257 Roberts, 7mm-08, .308, .25-06

I like them all, and for deer at ranges less than 300 yards, all kill like a hammer.

6.5 grendel and 450 bushmaster

7MM mag...243 for the youngins.

Browning Abolt gold 7mm rem mag for most stands, but if I am hunting a climber in thick woods I take my Ruger Super Redhawk. It is accurate to as far as I can see in the woods and it is a lot easier to tote in and carry with a stand.

I did fool with my wife, she practiced with the 243 that looks enough like the 7MM that she refused to shoot. I gave it to her to take her biggest buck....she was very proud of it and did not even notice until I told her and it did knock her back pretty damn good.

30-06 mostly cause i have a better scope on it. 35 remington when feeling like it.

30-06,270,44mag 7mm 300win 338win 25-06 .243 .223, 20 and 12 ga slug guns 303 British .308 .280 7 mm-08 I think that's all of them

.270 shooting 130 gr hornady sst.