Rifle Caliber for deer?

N

NY Yote hunter

Member
I have been hunting deer since I have been 16 (I am 23 now) and I have always used a shotgun with a rifle barrel. Most of my shots are 50 to 100 yards and the shotgun does fine with that. But this year I picked up 2 new farms to hunt at that have huge fields which the shots would be alot further. I am thinking about buying a rifle just to hunt those two farms, which caliber would you recommend? There are still houses around these farms so I wouldnt want something too crazy. I was thinking a 30 30?
 
A 30-30 has no more effective killing range than a shotgun with a quality rifled slug. That said, I have killed deer with handguns, MANY rifles/cartridges, bows, muzzleloaders. I refuse to hunt deer with a shotgun. Shotguns are for shooting shot.

I would either go with a bolt action rifle chambered for something based on the 308 Win case (308, 7-08, 260, or 243) or a levergun gun chambered for something that has a little more range than a 30-30. Maybe one of the new Marlin chamberings........
 
I don't know if I would go with a 30-30. Don't get me wrong they are an great deer gun but really a 30-30 is not much more than the slug gun you've been shooting. I would opt for something more along the lines of .243,.25-06,.270. JMO
 
the .270 will knock a deer flat. i currly hunt with a .308 useing 165 grain sst works great . i watch two does get shot with a 30-06 at about 200yrds both was drt
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunA 30-30 has no more effective killing range than a shotgun with a quality rifled slug.chamberings........

Really..?

Last I checked a 30-30 would kill out to 200yds pretty regularity

I doubt a 12ga slug will kill at that distance

back to the Org post

280 Remington if you reload

270 if not
 
Originally Posted By: odawgpOriginally Posted By: 2muchgunA 30-30 has no more effective killing range than a shotgun with a quality rifled slug.chamberings........

Really..?

Last I checked a 30-30 would kill out to 200yds pretty regularity

I doubt a 12ga slug will kill at that distance

Check out any of the new Winchester and/or Hornady slug offerings and you will see that they have about the same drop @ 175yds as the 30-30 has @ 200yds. You will then find that most of the slug offerings have both more muzzle energy and retained energy. You can now add frontal diameter and weight into the equation as well.
After you educate yourself on the subject, let me know if you still doubt it........
 
Originally Posted By: NY Yote hunterI have been hunting deer since I have been 16 (I am 23 now) and I have always used a shotgun with a rifle barrel. Most of my shots are 50 to 100 yards and the shotgun does fine with that. But this year I picked up 2 new farms to hunt at that have huge fields which the shots would be alot further. I am thinking about buying a rifle just to hunt those two farms, which caliber would you recommend? There are still houses around these farms so I wouldnt want something too crazy. I was thinking a 30 30?

NY Yote hunter, What kind of distances are "huge fields that would be alot further"?
 
243, 270, 308, 30-06 are the most popular and thus have way more ammo availability and more budget ammo options. There are many, many other great deer calibers but ammo availability and cost can be a factor if you do not reload. The 243 kicks the least if you are recoil sensitive.

The 30-30 is the cheapest to shoot but has less range.
 
Originally Posted By: brdeanoI wonder if we could get any volunteers to catch a slug at 200yards?????

Could be a fun test........grins
 
I was just thinkin', the last deer I shot out in Ann Arbor was taken with a 260gr Win Platinum Tip out of my muzzleloader. 100gr powder. 22" barrel. Slug gun velocity. I paced it off @ 196 yards. Winchester loads this same bullet in 3 of their slug offerings.

All 4 feet were pointin' @ the sky when the smoke cleared.......
 
Brdeano, one of the fields that I would be hunting in you can see about half of the dairy farm soo 130 acres. Which is a huge for where I am from. The other fields that are available to me are on average 30 acre fields.
 
7mm-08 is by far my personal favorite. I'm leaning towards 2muchgun's direction though. I took a nice Illinois corn fed doe this year with my T/C Endeavor at 178 yards. 250gr Hornady FTX being shoved by 100gr of BH209. Don't have to wait for the smoke to clear with the BH209. But same result as 2muchguns's "bang-flop"
It's a whole lot easier to "adjust" your rifles long range performance depending on the residential areas with a ML'r than a rifle. Personally I wouldn't hesitate on a 250 yd shot with mine if the conditions were right.
 
I would go with any of these 243, 270, 308, or 30-06 way before a 30-30. I know it has killed a lot of deer, but it sure is a slow turd very similar to a slug. I would use it as a close range brush gun, but would personally prefer more power for a deer. Comparing the 30-30 and shotgun slugs is fairly close, but both are still slow and underpowered compared to the other rounds mentioned. Kind of like the winner in a sack race at a nursing home. It will go the distance, but there are others that will do it much better.
 
I have taken more deer with the 7-08 than any other cartridge. It is my personal favorite whitetail cartridge also........
 
.243... .257R... .260... all the way up to a .308 to a deer won't make any sort of difference inside 300 yards.

I would look at the rifle you like... Rem Mdl 7 in 7mm-08 would be my starting point. I could live with a .243, .260 7mm-08 or .308 in that rifle. (same case different caliber) but always prefer .25 to .28 caliber for deer in a carry around rifle.
 
If you want a 30-30 go ahead and get one, it is a great round, plenty of oomph. If you are going to shoot beyond the 250yd mark Id say look for something else, the trajectory on it is not flat, and itll run out of steam.
the leverevolution stuff I hear is plenty good.

get what you want, a 270 wont kill one any better, Just farther away. though I do have a .270 and like it very much, but ill take the 30-30 before that anyday, just what I like to shoot. some guys are into sports cars, I like jeeps.

Dave
 
I'd get whatever felt good. .30-.30 will work fine out to at least 150 yrds. On the other hand, if you plan on any other hunting, do a bunch of reading before deciding. Good luck on selecting your perfect rifle caliber.
 
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