[coldshot03/04]

For deer mine has to be the 30-30 Winchester.
Everything else 22lr.

[Art Eatman]

"Not many things a man can't fix,
With a few hundred dollars and a thutty-ought-six."

:), Art

[cma g21]

.308 Win

[MarineTech]

I'm hard pressed to decide between .308 and 30-06, but in the end, I'd have to say 30-06.

You just have to figure that a cartridge that's been around for almost 100 years now has to be doing SOMETHING right.

[Keith]

I can't say I've ever had a favorite caliber, but there are some rifles that I've loved.
An old custom Mauser in .243. Heavy for caliber, but the most accurate rifle I've ever owned.
A Ruger #1 in 7mm Mauser. Not very accurate, but accurate enough... so light and handy to carry that it was like walking around with a .22.
A Browning BLR in .308. A rifle that split the difference between the other two - light and accurate.

As far as the cartridges go, all of them worked equally well on deer.

Keith

[Neal Bloom]

Art said it better than I could.

[Schuey2002]

For me, it's a tie between 30-.06 and .30-30.. :o

[dakotasin]

30-06: :barf:

its gotta either say 'magnum', or be understood to be overbore (25-06, etc) for me to even considere it. :D

[MeekandMild]

.243

I think a 4-6 inch exit wound is big enough for any deer.

[Kingcreek]

.270
mild enough to enjoy before breakfast, stout enough for large servings of protein late in the day.
and I always thought it hit the shoot-er with a little less smack than it hit the shoot-ee (regardless of the laws of physics).

[Gordon]

Well .375H&H: It was comforting on Kodiak Island, It was nice not to have to track elk after they were hit in Oregon. If I ever get back to Africa it will replace the .300 Weatherby and the .458. 250 grain x bullets don't destroy meat that bad on deer or elk at ANY range and don't kick bad at 2700fps in my 7.5 lb Remington SS custom. I even loaded some cast 285 grain bullets at about 1800fps to replicate the old .38-55 , I am trying them on Blacktails next month.:D

[V-fib]

30.06

:cool:

[priv8ter]

I have to say that I have always enjoyed lighting off my 7mm Rem Mag a little more than an .30-06...I actually kind of enjoy a little thump...just a little though mind you.

[rick_reno]

30-06

[Ol' Badger]

6.5x55 swedish

[Soap]

Depends on the terrain: .308 or .30-30

[Joe Demko]

.300 Savage

[Mike Irwin]

.300 Savage for deer-sized game.

[JShirley]

.22 Magnum.

For deer-sized, non-exigency, usage, I'll say .35 Whelen. Ask me tomorrow. ;)

[nygunguy]

.44 MAG. I really, really, really want one of those new Marlin lever guns.

[Brian Williams]

Either 7mm-08 or 357

[submin]

Kinda hard to beat the versatility of the .30-06. You can load ‘em up for elk and bear, or down for varmints and such. The .308 does great until you go to the heavier bullets, then the ‘06 shines.

Probably been more game taken with the ‘lil 22lr than anything else, though. I think I’ll take it as my favorite.

Doug
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/165680/sniper.gif

[H&Hhunter]

.375H&H....... I really like the .308/30-06 too.....

[repsychler]

.308Win has never let me down.

[BigG]

375 Holland & Holland

[Tommy Gunn]

.300 Savage :)

[saddlebum]

264 win mag AKA the death ray.

[HankB]

With the possible exceptions of eland and giraffe, the .30/06 is adequate for all thin-skinned, non-dangerous game, worldwide, so it's my favorite all-time hunting caliber.

[MagKnightX]

Given as the only actual cartridge that I have used that would be suitable for hunting is this, I have to put in a lone vote for 7.62x54R.

[JOE MACK]

Why, that would be the .41Magnum of course. I've taken everything from 'dillers to wildebeeste with one. The 250grWFNGC has put down black bear, elk, and kudu. Two-tens are great for all deer, antelope, javelina, and more. Well..... never said it had to be a rifle cartridge!:p

[mtnbkr]

Well, I haven't taken it hunting yet (got it this past winter after the season closed), but if my 6.5x55 performs as well on deer as people claim, I'm going to be in love. It's already my best shooter and fun to shoot. All it needs now is hunting credentials. And to think I was considering larger calibers for that purchase...

Thanks to everyone on THR for pointing me in the 6.5x55 direction. :D

Chris

[Smoke]

I thought I'd jump in and be original with my nomination of .300 Savage.
But I see I've been beaten THREE TIMES:eek:

[Dr.Rob]

30-06. Pretty much anything in the Lower 48 can be handled by the old cartridge, in wieghts from sub caliber varmint loads to 220gr moose thumpers.

[aerod1]

30-06 because of the versatility.

Jim Hall

[Fuzzy]

Well, this may be off subject a little but I really like taking my 12 guage out and bringing home some quail.

A qreat quote I heard in a gun store a while ago. (paraphrasing, of course)

"I'm sellin' this damn rifle, at least when I go bird hunting I get to shoot something!"

[stevelyn]

.30-06 hands down. Takes care of everything in North America and most things in Africa. Has the most variety of commercial loads available. Ammo can be bought everywhere.

[ReadyontheRight]

30-06 -- .22 lr a close second.

I pulled out the old Rem 740 w/ open sights I shot my first deer with today. I might just have to tote that around on opening day this year. :D

[CTI1USNRET]

45-70 Govt or .22 LR (both are Marlin lever-actions).

[retiredsgt]

My favorite calibre has to be the 7 x 61 Sharpe and Hart.
Very efficient and accurate.:cool:

[MHB]

243 Win.

[litman252]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
.243, I love this caliber.
30-30 if scope is not needed.
30-06 if I'm out of Wis.
Tony

[Pumpkinheaver]

I have 2 favorites and they are nothing alike...

My favorite is the .308win, my other favorite is the 45-70govt.

[lycanthrope]

7 STW.

Flat is good. Fast is my friend.

[Fire1]

First place in my book goes to the .25-06 for game from 'yote to deer. This year I'm working with .308, .44mag, and 10mm to see which will take second place. If it's bigger than a deer, then I go with my 300 win mag.

[mod12]

the old 06. but am intrigued by the new win. 300 wsm. sure would like to try one,

[J Scott]

As the whitetail season closely approaches, I will grab my 257 Weatherby first.

J Scott

[aerod1]

I said .30-06 before but I also like the 6.5 Swede for whitetails.

Jim Hall

[Futo Inu]

So far in life: 12 guage, .177 pellet, .22lr, and .410 bore, in that order. Hope to have much hunting success with 6.5x55 swede.

[Vman]

280 Remington...all my deer, all but one elk, 30-06 on that one, 6.5x55 on all my Prong Horn antelope.

223 Remington for varmints.

22LR for all the rest.

[Malone LaVeigh]

I'm very new to hunting with a center-fire rifle, but so far this year, five shots with the .270 have penetrated pig flesh four times, all at about 100 yards. With a cheap scope. Two kills, and wounded one that my son finished off.

That's probably more than I could hope for, so for now, I'll have to go with that one.

[BIGR]

30.06 does just fine.

[ojibweindian]

I like the 8x57 and .30-06. Had both calibers and was waffling on which was my favorite. Finally decided on the 8x57, mostly because of the launch platform, Mauser!

Also really like .50 from my front-stuffer and my .22 Mag.

[Gunner45]

My .308 bagged me a sweet Utah Muley about two weeks ago. I have never felt the need for any other center fire. Witch kind of sucks because I can't justify another rifle to the Mrs.

I have the same problem with my Winchester 12 gauge pump gun. I haven't been able to find anything that it doesn't do well enough to justify another shotgun. Maybe if I get into skeet or something.

Two of my brothers shoot 30-06s, I just prefer the short action.

I was kind of ticked off to find that winchester doesn't make my favorite load anymore. I bought three boxes of 150 grn. sivertips back in 92 or so. Many years and many deer latter I am down to half a box. Now they just load the sivertip in 180 grainers. :( I will get over it some how.

Gunner45

[jdkelly]

35 Whelen

[JohnDog]

Well, if I'm outside carrying a gun around, hunting with it, then that's my favorite caliber at the time!

About 8 days this year with a .22lr for cottontails and squirrels. One week long trip for elk with my .30-06. Turkey in the spring with a 12ga. Some song dogs with my .223. Elk again next weekend with my new .270.

Favorite hunting caliber :p

JohnDog

[smokemaker]

.280 rem... no magnum action, and just a little slower than 7mm rem mag
---or---
.35 whelen... Elmer Keith new a good thing when he shot it.
---but---
If winchester came out with a .35 WSM, I might just change my mind.

Of course I shoot BP mostly anymore, so what do I know.

[Smoke Rizen]

I'll go with the .270 any day. I own 3 30-06s but like the versatility of the .270 a little more. I've used it on everything from Varmints to Bear and have never been dissapointed. I do all My hunting with an old Mod. 70 that's had about 9-10 thousand rounds through it and still holds 1 1/2" to 2" groups at 200 yds. (I know it's not the guns fault!!) Smoke

[kentucky bucky]

45-70............loaded right it's very forgiving.....it's killed a couple of my deer from just the wind knocking them down.:D