What is you deer rifle chambered in?

[Fishbed77]

.243 Winchester.

Have been using it for almost 30 years (since I was a teenager) and still use it today. Always does the job on SC whitetail.

 

[Armored farmer]

I voted .243, but in reality I am limited to these:

The .54 Hawken has spilled the most blood.
I am wanting to take the flintlock this fall, but the h&r 12ga is so easy.

 

[Vkt]

Ruger M77ST in .270 Win. bought new in 85.

 

[Varminterror]

If a buddy showed up at my house during rifle deer season to say, “hop in, we’re going hunting,” I wouldn’t be home to hear it, because I’d already be out hunting. We get 10 days here each season, I don’t waste them sitting on the couch like I don’t have something better to do.

If that scenario WERE possible, then I’d either grab whichever rifle I have been shooting recently, or grab whichever rifle or pistol tickled my fancy at the time. Today, my .243LBC AR comes to mind, but I could as easily grab my 357/44B&D Redhawk, especially going on whatever ill-conceived two-man hunt my poor-planning buddy concocted on a whim (because the rest of my buddies would already also be out in the deer stand/blind as I would be). So today, it would be one of those two. Ask me again next week, it probably won’t be.

But then again, it’s probably likely this poor-planning buddy has a walk-in or new spot he found, such the shots could be long (considering the reality of our state), so I might grab my 300wm, if I thought we might actually see anything at all. I’ve rarely found success tromping around new territory midday (I’m assuming in this scenario, he’s NOT pulling into my drive at 3:30am to wake me up to go walk blindly out into new territory and hope we have a good view when the sun does rise), so I might just grab my binos and not even take the weight of a rifle along.

 

[codytrucker]

First go to is 6.5x55 m70 win. sometimes take a 25-06 m700 ,
Doe tags usually get filled with 22 savage high power or 250-3000, maybe 30-30 . might try a 22-250 this year.

 

[Offfhand]

This 1903 Mannlicher Schoenauer 6.5X54 was killing deer and other big game before I was born, which is only one of the reasons it will always be a favorite. And the vintage Lyman Alaskan scope with post reticle has never failed..

 

[.308 Norma]

I honestly did not foresee the 6.5x55 surpassing the 6.5 CM.

That kind of surprised me too until I though about it. The 6.5X55 has what - about a hundred year head start on the 6.5 Creed?
At the risk of raising the ire of the 6.5 Creed fans, I'll say this - I don't have either one, but if I already had a 6.5x55, and I handloaded (which I do), I don't think I'd buy a 6.5 Creed unless I just wanted a new rifle.

 

[Fyrstyk]

My Jonathan Browning Mountain Rifle .58 caliber cap lock muzzleloader. Second choice is a T/C Renegade .58 cal flintlock, and my go to suppository gun is a Ruger #1-S in 45-70.

 

[Gary W. Strange]

When I was younger, l hunted with and shot the magnums, in both rifles and revolvers. I thought heavy bullets, high velocity and heavy firearms, that kicked like a mule, were it. I reloaded and I loaded hot, but not to the point of over pressure. When I got older, I figured out, hunting with and shooting something that would wear you out carrying and beat you up shooting was not the smart thing. I have rifles chambered in a lot of calibers, but I hunt with rifles like the 257 Roberts, 250-3000, 7mm08 and 308. For deer at the range I have to shoot, these calibers are plenty. If I were hunting bigger game, I would use larger calibers. Having a light, easy shooting rifle, that is easy to carry, just makes sense. Shooting a deer with a heavy magnum, that tears up a lot of the meat and kills on the back end too, doesn’t make sense. For most deer, a magnum rifle is overkill. I have shot and hunted with everything from 22 rimfires to the 375 H&H. A rifle should fit the game and the range. There are places where a magnum, bean field rifle makes sense. If I could just have one rifle, I think it would be the 30-06, for the fact it will handle most animals in the USA. I love all calibers, big and small and would hate to just be able to have one rifle. They all have their place and use.

 

[IdaD]

30-06 is my default for deer and elk.

 

[someguy2800]

I have about 10 that I've used in the past few years or are waiting their turn.

The current favorites are my 358 yeti, 25-06, and 444 marlin. Pictured below along with a 7.62x39. I have also used that but its been replaced with the yeti for deer hunting duty.

 

[WestKentucky]

.270 win if I HAVE to take a rifle, maybe 30-30 if I know the area and will not be taking long shots or beating the gun up (it was my grandpas so I treat it with respect as opposed to the Tupperware Remington 700) but honestly if somebody says we are going hunting and I grab and go, it’s most likely going to be my 7-30 waters contender pistol.

 

[Boattale]

.308, .30-06 and .270 have 49.4% of votes cast. Not surprising. Proven faves that have been around for a good while so there are naturally a lot of rifles and hunters that use them.

That said, there's not one chambering on that list that I would hesitate to use with the right bullet, right velocity load and right setting.

 

[.308 Norma]

That said, there's not one chambering on that list that I would hesitate to use with the right bullet, right velocity load and right setting.

Yeah, I agree - that list is long enough to pretty well cover all deer hunting if the hunter is using "the right bullet" at the "right velocity," and in "the right setting."
It's a good list. Too bad the 308 Norma Magnum isn't on it.

 

[mcb]

.308, .30-06 and .270 have 49.4% of votes cast. Not surprising. Proven faves that have been around for a good while so there are naturally a lot of rifles and hunters that use them.

That said, there's not one chambering on that list that I would hesitate to use with the right bullet, right velocity load and right setting.

But how many of us did not vote because our cartridge was not on that list? Of all the deer I have shot only one of my deer was shot with a cartridge on that list.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Im sure shotguns are still used by many folks by choice or by legislation.

 

[DDDWho]

Only vote for one. I’ve killed most of my deer with a 30-30, however a Ruger 77 in .280 Rem with Leopold 3-9x40 is what I pack to the woods these days. Although the .280 outperforms the .270 and the 06 it wouldn’t make much difference which one you brought out. I’d be comfortable taking the.280 hunting anywhere.

 

[daniel craig]

None of the above. 7.62x54r

 

[lightman]

I've killed deer with 8 of the calibers listed and a few others but my go-to is a 308. It started life as a Remington 700 BDL but the action is the only thing left of the original rifle.

 

[Hookeye]

Ive killed deer w TC .50 cal Hawken Silver Elite, fingergroove Ruger .44 mag auto, Ruger #1 RSI and Contender Carbine.

Not the ordinary boomers for around here LOL.

Now I have a 700 ADL synth in
243, a Steyr Prohunter in 30-06 and a beater 760 in .35 rem.

Yeah i like rifles.....but dont target shoot anymore. No reloading bench at this house ( yet ) and......local.club honked me off so now its 45 min drive one way to shoot.

So begrudgingly, i figure I dont need much.
Am not rich but can buy extras is I want now and then.

And even so....if I aint using it often, it just seems to be a waste of money/ space.

Grew up around a fair number of guns, pops a collector, his buds and my old buds....also.

I figure a .22 rf for pop cans and pineys, semi .223 for yotes, 243 for chucks/ deer ( and loaner to fam ), the 35 for the woods, and the 3006 for up to elk

Boring but covers most things

 

[Hookeye]

Id like more stuff but have a family that utilizes most of my homes space.

Being the realist I am, think I chose poorly.

 

[Hookeye]

Ive had bunches of other rifles over the years, but only recently was allowed to use them in my home state.

Dont target shoot anymore so rifles while a.love of mine, are dropping from hobby status. Just makes me more cranky

Id like a gun room, racks of rifles.....just to have. But practicality just says i dont need em.

Hell, i could just run a ..243 and
35 rem and cover all varmint to deer.
May never go after elk or muley.
.3006 may just collect dust.

However, it has a synth stock and that anti corrosion finish so if the weather sucks or my 35 has a scope issue..
..it will get the nod.

 

[curtste]

If you made me pick one it'd be my .270. I do love my old Marlin though.

 

[ms6852]

Depends where I'm hunting but mostly 30-06 and the venerable Winchester 30-30.

 

[ms6852]

That kind of surprised me too until I though about it. The 6.5X55 has what - about a hundred year head start on the 6.5 Creed?
At the risk of raising the ire of the 6.5 Creed fans, I'll say this - I don't have either one, but if I already had a 6.5x55, and I handloaded (which I do), I don't think I'd buy a 6.5 Creed unless I just wanted a new rifle.

That is the only caliber my father used when I was a boy he used it for elk and I always wondered if I had made a mistake with the 06. But the 6.5 swede has been around for a loooong time.