Best Deer Hunting Round, LOL!

[Graham Hunter]

25-06 Win 120gr PEP or my handloads 120gr Partition. There is a lot of dead deer to back me up.

 

[Shootist43]

TexHunter_Mizzou, for those that don't reload, Norma offers a number of loads that rival the Creedmoor. Hornady's Superformance loads are pretty good as well. However, I freely admit that Creedmoor ammo is more readily available. For those of you that don't reload, I strongly suggest that you take a good look at it. Once you get past the initial outlay your cost per round is minimal.

 

[Standard Velocity]

Regardless of the cartridge I use, I try to keep impact velocity to 2,700-2,850 for cup-and-core bullets. Bonded and monolithic often perform better with speed but c&c has it’s limits. This sometimes means increasing bullet weight to temper velocity (cause using less powder would just be plain nuts).

Surely there is a minimum ideal impact energy for any game but bullet integrity and ability to do the work of destroying tissue is paramount. Adequate sectional density and the ability to put it in the right place without blowing up are where it’s at.

 

[Graham Hunter]

Actually we have had some very good performance with Hornady's Precision hunter.

 

[CBH Australia]

In Australia the law says you must use .min diameter of .270 on some larger species depending on the state you are hunting in..
I dont think many notice recoil so much with 1 or 2 shots at game. I dont think .308 or .270 class rifles are overgunned for deer. Hunting or pest control i like to put the animal down and preferably dead with the first shot every time.
Not saying the .22-250 cant do it i have headshot fallow with .223. I had an accurate rifle and deer presenting easy shots. It was also opportunistic. I would not set out on a deer hunt with .22-250, mine and many in Australia are heavy barrel often used from a car.
If im going to walk into the woods i will carry enough gun if i have it. I might see a bigger than average pig, a deer or just a fox. A small to average pig being most likely.
If recoil is an issue try reduced loads. Trailboss can produce reduced recoil. ADI AR 2206H can be reduced to 60% of max load. There is a Hogdon equivalent. With the right projectile hey should easily take small deer species.
Limbsaver recoil pads make a notable difference.
I use my 7mm-08 from a car and it is sweet. I truly believe it is a very capable hunting round and suitable for a youth rifle.
I haven't tried a 6.5cm and i dont need one but they seem popular

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Can’t believe the .460 Weatherby didn’t make the list!

 

[Standard Velocity]

Can’t believe the .460 Weatherby didn’t make the list!

I think it was assumed. Like having a .22, a 12 gauge and a Thermacell.

 

[Professor Mawla]

Taking the huge Sambhar deer into consideration ( which is identical in size to an American elk ) , I would have to vote for the .338 Winchester Magnum ( loaded with 250 grain Nosler Partition soft nose ammunition ) .

 

[Dr Ray]

So, saw an old thread on .22-250 as a deer hunting round and all these articles always start the debate over what is the best deer round, and also what rounds are too light and so on.

I am in TX and have been deer hunting my entire life. In TX, I have witnessed people killing deer quickly with .22-250 all the way up to 7MM amd .300 Win Mag. I prefer .270 Win, .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, 25-06 etc for deer.

But am the only one that realizes any bullet, placed in the right location, with over 1,000 ft-lbs of KE will turn their lights out? Not enough people look into or seem to understand Kinetic Energy. Now, barrel length, twist rates, ammo choice, type of bullet all come into play. But my point is that for a 9 yr old, small framed girl, or older person seeking less recoil to allow them to enjoy hunting, a .22-250 in 55-64 grain, a Nosler portion, soft point, or bonded bullet will kill a deer, if shot accurately in the honey hole, within 175 yards. Lights out. Happy hunting.

Agreed

 

[Cam Moon]

Not considering availability of ammo, I have two. I mostly use my .270, but my "favorite" probably has to be my 6mm Rem. VERY underestimated round!

 

[CBH Australia]

I thought Dr Ray was a .270 man.

 

[Dr Ray]

I thought Dr Ray was a .270 man.

I am but agree there are numerous great deer cartridges.
Long live the 270!

 

[Nyati]

On my side of the pond, a .243 will be fine for Roe Deer

For Red or Fallow deer, I would pick a .270

 

[thriller]

I find any rifle I deer hunt with is just perfect at that moment and since I rarely need to shoot over 200 yards in my area doesn’t much matter what I chose to use.

 

[Cam Moon]

On my side of the pond, a .243 will be fine for Roe Deer

For Red or Fallow deer, I would pick a .270

My two favorite calibers! (Well, 6mm, not 243)

 

[318AE]

Well, we’re three pages in and nobody has highlighted the ideal deer cartridge - the 242 Manton (aka 242 Vickers and 242 Rimless Nitro Express). The cartridge so nice, they had to name it thrice. When 6mm is too light, and 25 cal is too much gun, and 6.5mm is simply overkill, it fills the void! How can gun makers expect us to “jump” from .243 to 257 (fourteen thousandths of an inch!), when the next common caliber, 264, is only a 7 thousandth difference? There are a few 242 Manton nay sayers on this forum, but I doubt they’ve ever even fired one.

 

[Standard Velocity]

Well, we’re three pages in and nobody has highlighted the ideal deer cartridge - the 242 Manton (aka 242 Vickers and 242 Rimless Nitro Express). The cartridge so nice, they had to name it thrice. When 6mm is too light, and 25 cal is too much gun, and 6.5mm is simply overkill, it fills the void! How can gun makers expect us to “jump” from .243 to 257 (fourteen thousandths of an inch!), when the next common caliber, 264, is only a 7 thousandth difference? There are a few 242 Manton nay sayers on this forum, but I doubt they’ve ever even fired one.

What weight bullets are available for the 242 and how fast does it shoot em? Never heard of it.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Long range shooting at game is not, in my opinion, ethical nor does it make any sense. I practice at 300 yards to ensure the ability to easily make 200 yard and less. There have been instances where sub 100 yard shots were successful but the animal was recovered primarily because I could hear the unexpected direction it took after the shot. At 1,000 yards I find it difficult to hear the difference between an animal thrashing or plowing through the woods for the next county.

Long range shooting is fun but the marketing of so many new rifles would have a guy believe that for less than $1,000 he could be a sniper-in-a-box. It’s getting more difficult to find a rifle that doesn’t have a removable magazine, adjustable cheek rest, adjustable LOP, picatinny rails everywhere and muzzle devices.

Notice the 3 words in parentheses, (Putiing it nicely), starting the last paragraph of my thread.

Having been chastised many times for stating, In My Opinion, I don't consider shooting animals over timed feeders hunting, UNLESS: the person hunting has health or mobility problems, or has limiting physical condition, or a youngster not quite up to the stringents of going afield on their first hunt. I have learned to just allow others to define to themselves as to what is hunting and what is shooting, and what they consider is or isn't ethical.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Well, we’re three pages in and nobody has highlighted the ideal deer cartridge - the 242 Manton (aka 242 Vickers and 242 Rimless Nitro Express). The cartridge so nice, they had to name it thrice. When 6mm is too light, and 25 cal is too much gun, and 6.5mm is simply overkill, it fills the void! How can gun makers expect us to “jump” from .243 to 257 (fourteen thousandths of an inch!), when the next common caliber, 264, is only a 7 thousandth difference? There are a few 242 Manton nay sayers on this forum, but I doubt they’ve ever even fired one.

First I have ever heard of a 242. But then there are a lot of calibers I have never heard of, or very little bit about.

 

[mdwest]

if I were to buy a deer rifle for a kid it would be a ruger American 300 Balckout. They have almost no recoil, when loaded with 150s or 165s they give 30-30 performance out of a 16 barrel bolt gun.

I really like 300BLK.. but, Im not so sure about 30-30 performance out of a 16" barreled bolt gun..

your typical 150gr 30-30 load is going to be doing about 2400 fps at the muzzle out of a typical 24" barreled lever action.. and is going to produce about 1900 ft lbs of energy..

150gr 300 BLK is usually loaded to about 2000 fps at the muzzle out of a 16" AR type rifle.. and is going to generate about 1350 ft lbs of energy..

There's a pretty significant difference between the two..

All of that said.. I think 300 BLK is an excellent choice for a kid for deer.. I 100% agree with you on low recoil.. its a reasonably accurate round out to a couple of hundred yards.. and it marries well with short-barreled, compact rifles that will fit smaller framed people (kids, ladies, etc).. The 300BLK was originally designed for short barrel AR's intended to be used in close quarters engagements, deployed from vehicles, etc, where you really want/need a compact system... most 300 BLK loads will burn 100% of the powder in the first 9" of barrel.. anything longer than that is just gravy, and isnt really necessary (other than its required by law if you dont have a SBR stamp, or are shooting a "pistol" AR)..