What is the Absolute Best All-Around Deer Hunting Caliber

[zofoman]

I've used 30-06 in a 150gr. (on occassion used 180gr) and have taken dozens of deer over the years. It's a caliber that has been tried and true for decades....and used for all sorts of things. Ammunition is available everywhere.

I love my May 1944 M1 Garand....if only it could talk.

Do you use a scope with it?

No scope on the M1, iron sights only just as John Garand designed it. Its more for target/match shooting as I only use the older ball ammunition in it...which is 30-06. For my Remington 700/30-06 deer rifle, I use a 3x9 Redfield with raised mounts so I have the option of using iron sights on it for close-in shots....which I've done. When a buck is only 20ft away and you look thru a scope, all you see is a mass of fur.

 

[Nosler]

This will vary on your favorite caliber. Recently, I had a sales clerk at Sportsmans Warehouse suggest that I seriously consider a .357 rifle and practice cheaply with. 38 specials. His suggestion sounded practical but I haven't read any reviews yet about accuracy to what distance. I have heard no more than 100 yards. I don't think a hunter can go wrong with either 7mm-08 or 6.5 Creedmoor, and accuracy and distance is no issue. I recently read an article by someone who boasted shooting ten shots at 1800 yards and hitting the target 3 times.

For whitetail, blackmail and mule deer, I really like the 25-06 and 257 Roberts. Modern bullet construction combined with a little faster rate of twist, have generated a renewed optimism of both of these 25's. The 25-06 can be loaded with the light or heavier bullet weights producing flat shooting, hard hitting, Controlled expansion, hunting rounds.
The 257 Roberts is a terrific choice especially for women and young hunters who want to step up from the 243 win. Or 6mm Remington cartridge. I have shot several different rifles by various manufacturers and I believe the 257 Roberts has less felt recoil than even the 243. A wide variety of ammunition is readily available if you plan ahead.
Regardless of the cartridge you choose knowing how your rifle performs and your ability to to stay in bounds of your own shooting capability, you can ethically harvest any of the deer species with a 243 Winchester or a 375 H&H. The shooter and the rifle have to perform well together. There is no substitute for practice.

 

[Nosler]

For whitetail, blackmail and mule deer, I really like the 25-06 and 257 Roberts. Modern bullet construction combined with a little faster rate of twist, have generated a renewed optimism of both of these 25's. The 25-06 can be loaded with the light or heavier bullet weights producing flat shooting, hard hitting, Controlled expansion, hunting rounds.
The 257 Roberts is a terrific choice especially for women and young hunters who want to step up from the 243 win. Or 6mm Remington cartridge. I have shot several different rifles by various manufacturers and I believe the 257 Roberts has less felt recoil than even the 243. A wide variety of ammunition is readily available if you plan ahead.
Regardless of the cartridge you choose knowing how your rifle performs and your ability to to stay in bounds of your own shooting capability, you can ethically harvest any of the deer species with a 243 Winchester or a 375 H&H. The shooter and the rifle have to perform well together. There is no substitute for practice.

Black tail

 

[G8rHunter]

Black tail

bbbass, another vote for the 25-06 and 257 Roberts!

 

[bbbass]

Gun owner, shooter and hunter for 63 years and took my first game animal, a Chinese Pheasant, 63 years ago with a Montgomery-Wards single shot .410. Began hunting deer with an 8x57 Mauser carbine, moved to an '06, last deer was dropped with a .30-30AI. Somewhere in there a '98 Krag has gone hunting along with a '94 Swede Mauser and my favorite, a Savage 99 .250-3000. Last fall a Rossi .357 carbine because I have shredded rotator cuffs; took a huge feral hog with that carbine. Now I'm awaiting the arrival of a 5.5lb (advertised weight) special order Savage Model 11 in, guess what?, .250-3000. Actually I've killed more blacktail with a .222 Remington Sako than any other rifle but that was shooting game control on a gummint reservation.
So go buy yerseff that .308 and have done with it!
Bob

I love the idea of .250-3000 for deer hunting!!! Seems as good a choice as the .257Bob, which I think is pretty purrrrrfect!!!

How is it trying to find factory ammo for .250-3000? Available in LGS or does it need to be ordered online?

 

[G8rHunter]

There were enough complaints about this thread that I figured it for dead, Bill! I guess we'll see how long it survives!

 

[macvs2]

bbbass-
factory ammo is available, probably won't find it at your local WallyWorld tho! Several on line sources show loads from the usual companies; since I used to hunt with a .250-3000 I have several hundred reloads I hope will work in the new rifle, plus a couple hundred W-W cases and a variety of slugs, my only question is are any of the newer powders any better than the IMR-4064 and 3031 I used in the past. I nicknamed my Model 99 'DRT', Dead Right There.
Bob

 

[G8rHunter]

bbbass-
factory ammo is available, probably won't find it at your local WallyWorld tho! Several on line sources show loads from the usual companies; since I used to hunt with a .250-3000 I have several hundred reloads I hope will work in the new rifle, plus a couple hundred W-W cases and a variety of slugs, my only question is are any of the newer powders any better than the IMR-4064 and 3031 I used in the past. I nicknamed my Model 99 'DRT', Dead Right There.
Bob

Roundball58 may know the answer to your question. He makes his own ammo.

 

[JRuby]

I love the idea of .250-3000 for deer hunting!!! Seems as good a choice as the .257Bob, which I think is pretty purrrrrfect!!!

How is it trying to find factory ammo for .250-3000? Available in LGS or does it need to be ordered online?

I use to take 22-250 and neck it up seemed to have worked fine in my savage 99.

 

[Rem725]

All but one of the many deer I ever have taken was with a 270 in a Remington 721 or 725. The one other deer was with a 3006 721.

I never had any luck carrying Model 54s or 70s. Pre 64 of course.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Those Remington rifles of the 721 , 722 and 725 series are excellent rifles for sure.
Andy

 

[bsa1917hunter]

All but one of the many deer I ever have taken was with a 270 in a Remington 721 or 725. The one other deer was with a 3006 721.

I never had any luck carrying Model 54s or 70s. Pre 64 of course.

If only they made a rifle with the safety lever of a 725 and a controlled round feed like a pre 64 winchester model 70...... Oh wait, they do. It's called an m1917



Like I said, no point in naming just one cartridge as the "absolute best", because they all work... Now, if only the same could be said about rifles...

 

[tac]

As Mr bsa1917hunter notes, there is no 'absolute best' to any of this. If there was, then there be only one calibre to shoot in one rifle with one scope. It's like asking 'what's the best fishing rod?' or 'what's the best book?'

IMO, ANY thread title containing the word 'absolute' is going to be contentious for somebody.

 

[bbbass]

As Mr bsa1917hunter notes, there is no 'absolute best' to any of this. If there was, then there be only one calibre to shoot in one rifle with one scope. It's like asking 'what's the best fishing rod?' or 'what's the best book?'

IMO, ANY thread title containing the word 'absolute' is going to be contentious for somebody.

Unless it says "Absolut" eh? Even then....

 

[No_Regerts]

Unless it says "Absolut" eh? Even then....

If its spelled like that, 7.62x54R


Commie rat bastid

 

[bbbass]

If its spelled like that, 7.62x54R


Commie rat bastid

Put this in your day pack and stuff it! Or something like that, err, ummm. lol

 

[macvs2]

Big jug of bore cleaner there!
bob

 

[Blowgunner]

Maybe not the best, but there's nothing wrong with .357 for deer. Especially out of a rifle!
I anchored a black bear with a .357 Blackhawk with 4-5/8 barrel, run about 30 yards before piling up.
I like using heavy hardcast flat nose bullets. Serious penetration. Not necessary for deer, but good on bears. A heavy self defense bullet in the boiler room of a deer makes a mess of internal organs.
Buffalo bore makes a 180 grain flat nose that comes out of a 5" barrel at about 1400fps, and out of a carbine barrel at almost 1900fps.
That's over 1400fpe. I'd have no issues shooting that out to 150 yards, if you know your trajectory.
Anecdotal I know, but Douglas wesson double lunged an elk at 130 yards with an 8" .357 revolver.
Deer are no problem.

 

[Kruel J]

As Mr bsa1917hunter notes, there is no 'absolute best' to any of this. If there was, then there be only one calibre to shoot in one rifle with one scope. It's like asking 'what's the best fishing rod?' or 'what's the best book?'

IMO, ANY thread title containing the word 'absolute' is going to be contentious for somebody.

Bingo!

 

[G8rHunter]

As Mr bsa1917hunter notes, there is no 'absolute best' to any of this. If there was, then there be only one calibre to shoot in one rifle with one scope. It's like asking 'what's the best fishing rod?' or 'what's the best book?'

IMO, ANY thread title containing the word 'absolute' is going to be contentious for somebody.

The people who take comments on here literally amazes me! Many people answering on this particular thread realize, no matter what is being discussed, there are variables to everything and simply speak from their experience. Geez, don't overthink your answers!