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I want to start hunting deer and elk. I want to buy a hunting rifle, but not sure which caliber to choose. For Elk hunting, any opinions about 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .300 Winchester vs. .30-06? Will any of these do for Elk in terms of ballistics and being able to kill with one shot (with proper bullet placement of course)?

For deer hunting, my impression based on what I've read so far is that the three above will also work for deer, but some people use .223. However, my impression is that .223 is best used by a highly skilled marksman at shorter distances to avoid only wounding the deer. I did come across a type of .223 round that is made specifically for deer hunting (Winchester 223 Remington 64 gr Extreme Point Deer Season XP) that is supposed to match the performance of heavier bullets, but not sure if even this kind of round is best used by someone with lots of experience to avoid simply wounding. Curious if anyone has experience with this particular Winchester ammo.

Any guidance is appreciated!
 
Best is subjective. For an all-a-rounder that includes elk for a newer hunter/shooter, I would probably start with anything 7mm or bigger. 6.5 is certainly doable, though. There are going to lots and lots of opinions on "best", but to be real, you're better off asking what is the worst.
 
I want to start hunting deer and elk. I want to buy a hunting rifle, but not sure which caliber to choose. For Elk hunting, any opinions about 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .300 Winchester vs. .30-06? Will any of these do for Elk in terms of ballistics and being able to kill with one shot (with proper bullet placement of course)?

For deer hunting, my impression based on what I've read so far is that the three above will also work for deer, but some people use .223. However, my impression is that .223 is best used by a highly skilled marksman at shorter distances to avoid only wounding the deer. I did come across a type of .223 round that is made specifically for deer hunting (Winchester 223 Remington 64 gr Extreme Point Deer Season XP) that is supposed to match the performance of heavier bullets, but not sure if even this kind of round is best used by someone with lots of experience to avoid simply wounding. Curious if anyone has experience with this particular Winchester ammo.

Any guidance is appreciated!
Some reading for you.......




 
What rifles do you have experience with?

What is your tolerance for recoil?

Do you NEED to have a combo rifle or can you afford one for deer and one for elk?

I don't know anything about 6.5CR performance so I can't talk about it. I just know 6.5Swede has been killing big game forever.

I'd go with a non-Magnum caliber for starters:

1. 30-06
2. .308 Win
3. 7mm-08
Lots of bullet choices and will take both elk and deer at reasonable distances. I never shot my .308 at game over 400yds.

I don't recommend shooting long distance at game as a beginner.

I don't personally shoot .223 at deer but have harvested many Mule Deer with .243 Win (a flat shooter). Friends have taken Mule Deer with .257Roberts and both are pleasant to shoot.

.270 wouldn't be a bad choice either.
 
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It sounds like you're confused.. you want a/singlular rifle for elk and deer but then go on discussing two totally different classes of cartridges.
A .308 is a fine and common deer and occasional elk cartridge.
 
I only hunt with a .338RUM. Don't matter if it's a deer, elk, or jackolope. Anything smaller is just inhumane. It is the BEST!
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What rifles do you have experience with?

What is your tolerance for recoil?

Do you NEED to have a combo rifle or can you afford one for deer and one for elk?

I don't know anything about 6.5CR performance so I can't talk about it. I just know 6.5Swede has been killing big gave forever.

I'd go with a non-Magnum caliber for starters:

1. 30-06
2. .308 Win
3. 7mm-08
Lots of bullet choices and will take both elk and deer at reasonable distances. I never shot my .308 at game over 400yds.

I don't recommend shooting long distance at game as a beginner.

I don't personally shoot .223 at deer but have harvested many Mule Deer with .243 Win (a flat shooter). Friends have taken Mule Deer with .257Roberts and both are pleasant to shoot.

.270 wouldn't be a bad choice either.
Thanks for the info! I do not have experience with a rifle, so i would definitely need a rifle that is good for a complete novice! I've shot a 9mm handgun and carbine and a 12 guage shotgun and did not mind the recoil, but i'm not sure where my tolerance is with a rifle. it would probably be good for me to start with a rifle on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of recoil. i can afford two rifles if that is what's best.
 
It sounds like you're confused.. you want a/singlular rifle for elk and deer but then go on discussing two totally different classes of cartridges.
A .308 is a fine and common deer and occasional elk cartridge.
Haha...i am a little confused. i know Elk are much bigger than deer, so i was not sure if it is ideal to have different rifles if one can afford two separate rifles or if one rifle is just fine. i'm not sure if the grain and ballistics necessary for an Elk would destroy too much of the meat for a deer. But it sounds like a .308 works for both 👍
 
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This gets asked a lot and there is a lot of suitable options the most popular answer is 30.06 for all around. Personally, I don't take chances with elk and I use a .300 win mag for elk but it is a little overkill for deer. If I am hunting Eastern Deer I take a 30.06 if I am hunting western deer a 6.8 SPC.

.223 for deer is silly. Works great in states where the deer are the size of dogs but shot placement is so critical here nothing worse than having to unload a mag into a deer that is squirming in pain and watching it die slowly it may discourage you from hunting ever again this happened to a friend. In my opinion and many may argue it there is too much chance of hitting a deer and having it run off and not having a blood trail to follow and dismissing it as a miss. Hunting with the ar15 platform is super fun but look into a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8spc or larger frame .308 or 6.5 creedmore to do the job right.

The thing about the 30.06 is you are throwing the same size bullet as the .300WM just not as far and without as much power behind it. It's a great round for Oregon Washington hunting for deer and elk you just can't shoot as far as would with a .300WM and a bolt action .300WM kicks harder which is a problem to some.
 
Last Edited:
This gets asked a lot and there is a lot of suitable options the most popular answer is 30.06 for all around. Personally, I don't take chances with elk and I use a .300 win mag for elk but it is a little overkill for deer. If I am hunting Eastern Deer I take a 30.06 if I am hunting western deer a 6.8 SPC.

.223 for deer is silly. Works great in states where the deer are the size of dogs but shot placement is so critical here nothing worse than having to unload a mag into a deer that is squirming in pain and watching it die slowly it may discourage you from hunting ever again. In my opinion and many may argue it there is too much chance of hitting a deer and having it run off and not having a blood trail to follow and dismissing it as a miss. Hunting with the ar15 platform is super fun but look into a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8spc or larger frame .308 or 6.5 creedmore to do the job right.

The thing about the 30.06 is you are throwing the same size bullet as the .300WM just not as far and without as much power behind it. It's a great round for Oregon Washington hunting for deer and elk you just can't shoot as far as would with a .300WM and a bolt action .300WM kicks harder which is a problem to some.
Thanks; lots of good info!
 
What rifles do you have experience with?

What is your tolerance for recoil?

Do you NEED to have a combo rifle or can you afford one for deer and one for elk?

I don't know anything about 6.5CR performance so I can't talk about it. I just know 6.5Swede has been killing big gave forever.

I'd go with a non-Magnum caliber for starters:

1. 30-06
2. .308 Win
3. 7mm-08
Lots of bullet choices and will take both elk and deer at reasonable distances. I never shot my .308 at game over 400yds.

I don't recommend shooting long distance at game as a beginner.

I don't personally shoot .223 at deer but have harvested many Mule Deer with .243 Win (a flat shooter). Friends have taken Mule Deer with .257Roberts and both are pleasant to shoot.

.270 wouldn't be a bad choice either.
Thanks; lots of good info!
 
Some reading for you.......




Thanks; lots of good info!
 
This gets asked a lot and there is a lot of suitable options the most popular answer is 30.06 for all around. Personally, I don't take chances with elk and I use a .300 win mag for elk but it is a little overkill for deer. If I am hunting Eastern Deer I take a 30.06 if I am hunting western deer a 6.8 SPC.

.223 for deer is silly. Works great in states where the deer are the size of dogs but shot placement is so critical here nothing worse than having to unload a mag into a deer that is squirming in pain and watching it die slowly it may discourage you from hunting ever again this happened to a friend. In my opinion and many may argue it there is too much chance of hitting a deer and having it run off and not having a blood trail to follow and dismissing it as a miss. Hunting with the ar15 platform is super fun but look into a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8spc or larger frame .308 or 6.5 creedmore to do the job right.

The thing about the 30.06 is you are throwing the same size bullet as the .300WM just not as far and without as much power behind it. It's a great round for Oregon Washington hunting for deer and elk you just can't shoot as far as would with a .300WM and a bolt action .300WM kicks harder which is a problem to some.
One clarifying question - when you say eastern vs. western deer, is that a reference to the size of the deer, the terrain and typical distance from the deer, or both?
 
Hope you don't mind another opinion :) I have hunted both sides for decades and there is a lot to say about how you hunt as to which rifle and caliber you pick. Some guys hunt from a stand waiting for a deer to come along while others search for them. Standing it doesn't matter as much if the rifle is heavy but walking that rifle gets heavy.:s0093:
 
Hope you don't mind another opinion :) I have hunted both sides for decades and there is a lot to say about how you hunt as to which rifle and caliber you pick. Some guys hunt from a stand waiting for a deer to come along while others search for them. Standing it doesn't matter as much if the rifle is heavy but walking that rifle gets heavy.:s0093:
Makes sense!
 
Makes sense!
Its the way you hunt that will determine the tradeoffs in your choice of rifle and caliber. If you are good and track well to get close for an easy shot then you can get by with a lesser gun and caliber. Yet there is something to be said for a gun and caliber that extends your range to take game. :s0093:

Recoil and how much it bothers a shooter also will decide for him what he will hunt with.
 
I think if I was just starting to hunt then I would buy a good inexpensive rifle in a common deer caliber that I didn't care to lose when game management takes it from me. :D Sure as heck a man's luck will put a deer in his sights that the game department put up as a decoy. Shooting from the rig let's them steal it too so be careful. :eek:

Follow the rules or lose your hunting tools.:s0093:
 

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