What is the Absolute Best All-Around Deer Hunting Caliber

[G8rHunter]

Not sure how much there is left to say about caliber for deer... but I do enjoy talking about it, and wimen, and dogs, just not horses... No cowbells.

bbbass, you hit the nail directly on the head! I love talking about rifles, ammunition, hunting, and many things related to it. Considering that I grew up in a pacifist religion, my 180 is quite amazing!

 

[G8rHunter]

Here's a cool little fella that doesn't have much to say about recoil!

 

[Phantom Man]

Here's a cool little fella that doesn't have much to say about recoil!

View attachment 560245

I suggest an Egyptian Hakim 8mm. You get deer/elk power and .22 recoil like your attachment.

 

[Kruel J]

I fired my brother's AR 15 and it was no problem.

AR's come in many calibers these days, so not exactly a good baseline comparison.

Here's a cool little fella that doesn't have much to say about recoil!

View attachment 560245

It's not legal for taking deer, and that's the subject of this thread yes?

 

[G8rHunter]

AR's come in many calibers these days, so not exactly a good baseline comparison.



It's not legal for taking deer, and that's the subject of this thread yes?

Yes, I jumped off topic. I saw that for the first time about 5 minutes ago and thought it looked cool! Ray Stevens just made The Country Music Hall of Fame! What took so long? Okay, I've returned to the thread topic now!

 

[Phantom Man]

Yes, I jumped off topic. I saw that for the first time about 5 minutes ago and thought it looked cool! Ray Stevens just made The Country Music Hall of Fame! What took so long? Okay, I've returned to the thread topic now!

I'm not a hunter. Are semi auto's not legal or is it just the too small caliber?

 

[Kruel J]

I'm not a hunter. Are semi auto's not legal or is it just the too small caliber?

.22lr isn't legal for deer around these parts.

 

[G8rHunter]

I'm not a hunter. Are semi auto's not legal or is it just the too small caliber?

22's aren't legal for deer.

 

[No_Regerts]

I'm not a hunter. Are semi auto's not legal or is it just the too small caliber?

Too small.

 

[No_Regerts]

Ok @G8rHunter, I'm gonna lead you to water. You just have to drink.

Tikka T3x Stainless or Superlight, chambered in 308 Winchester, Talley Lightweights, a 2-7x33/2.5-8x36/3-9x40/3.5-10x40 scope, a simple sling like a Butler Creek Mountain Sling, Butler Creek Scope caps, and a few different 150gr loads. Find out what groups the best, buy a case of it. Hunt forever for anything in the lower 48.

 

[Phantom Man]

OK.. I'll get into my world a bit. I have a few milsurps, mostly bolt actions and a shoot a fair amount at targets. I was serious about the Hakim. My best shooter is a Swiss K31, not too much recoil and spot on every shot. My Swedish Mauser Model 96 (6.5) is the most pleasurable rifle I own/shoot and accurate. Another wonderfully accurate and soft shooter is the Argentine Mauser 7.65x53. Enough power for deer or elk but shoots like a 6.5 swede, nice and easy.
PS: you can add scopes to all of these.

 

[G8rHunter]

I suggest an Egyptian Hakim 8mm. You get deer/elk power and .22 recoil like your attachment.

Never heard of it. Just read that it was first produced for the Swedish army in 1942. Ten round clip would not work for hunting, but it sounds like it also may use a five round clip which would be legal. The Egyptian army used the Russian 7.62x39 and later 6.5x55 mm. Is this a picture of it?

 

[Phantom Man]

Never heard of it. Just read that it was first produced for the Swedish army in 1942. Ten round clip would not work for hunting, but it sounds like it also may use a five round clip which would be legal. The Egyptian army used the Russian 7.62x39 and later 6.5x55 mm. Is this a picture of it?
View attachment 560263

The Swedish AG42b is 6.5 Swede. The tooling was sold to Egypt in the late 50's and they produced them in 7,92mm, commonly called 8mm Mauser. The Egyptian Hakims are third of the price. Both soft shooters.
Now, they are a bit heavy but they won't rattle your spine.

 

[edzz]

I have noticed people recommending / discussing a 6.5 CM for deer hunting. All I can think is that you have some really big deer over there. Hunting deer with a two and a half inch (65 mm) slug thrower.

I think I'll stay with my 6.5x54mm Breda Mannlicher sporter. Great little cartridge that has been known to be good for everything from fuzzy little bunnies, to african big game, in the proper hands. Mind you not all big game hunters had the same "luck" with it as "Karamojo" Bell.
W. D. M. Bell - Wikipedia

For what it's worth my being a pacifist is one of the reasons I served in the Marines. Si vis pacem, para bellum.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

.357???
Hahahahaha
What an idiot.
There's a couple types of hunting rifles. Short range and long range. You pick the scope. No human alive can argue one very simple fact. Spend at least $700.00 on a scope. Nobody shoots deer at 1pm.
Second. Meat salvage is something to consider. Meaning shot placement.
Caliber is last on the list to even worry about.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Its been down hill after these...
If it worked for Daniel Boone and David Crockett...its good enough for me...
Andy

Or maybe these...

Nah...this is how its done...

 

[Phantom Man]

Its been down hill after these...
If it worked for Daniel Boone and David Crockett...its good enough for me...
Andy
View attachment 560272
Or maybe these...
View attachment 560273
Nah...this is how its done...
View attachment 560274

Bringing the purists out...

 

[No_Regerts]

.357???
Hahahahaha
What an idiot.
There's a couple types of hunting rifles. Short range and long range. You pick the scope. No human alive can argue one very simple fact. Spend at least $700.00 on a scope. Nobody shoots deer at 1pm.
Second. Meat salvage is something to consider. Meaning shot placement.
Caliber is last on the list to even worry about.

$700 will buy a nice scope, but I'm not sure it buys the determining factor of a hunt. I've shot lots of animals with a $299 Leupold 6x and was never left wanting. Even a VX3 3.5-10x40 can be had for less than $400.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

$700 will buy a nice scope, but I'm not sure it buys the determining factor of a hunt. I've shot lots of animals with a $299 Leupold 6x and was never left wanting. Even a VX3 3.5-10x40 can be had for less than $400.

True
And I just picked a price. But a black tail, we need really good optics to bring the light in. Mule deer? Distance. And heat waves.
I'm just convinced caliber talk is way way way overdrawn.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Its been down hill after these...
If it worked for Daniel Boone and David Crockett...its good enough for me...
Andy
View attachment 560272
Or maybe these...
View attachment 560273
Nah...this is how its done...
View attachment 560274

While that post was kinda tongue in cheek...
Folks have been hunting for hundreds of years with a flintlock...
Thousands of years with a simple stick and string bow...
And many thousands of years with a spear of some sort...

My point is learn to hunt...if one can kill deer with the above , there seems to be no real need to way over think which rifle or caliber is "best"...
Andy