Minimum catridge for whitetail deer?
- Thread starter Visionz45
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jimmyraythomason
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.223 Remington. Alabama
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
This gets discussed every once in a while, here. The most common breaking point seems to be .223 Rem. Some states allow it, many do not. Some folks will use it because they trust themselves to only take shots that will produce an instant kill with that cartridge. Some folks will not shoot a .223 at deer under any circumstances as they feel that the wounding potential is too high even with generally good shot placement.
North of .223, few folks will argue agaisnt any cartridge choice. (Though some folks will argue about ANYTHING.)
South of .223, few folks will argue in favor of any cartridge choice. (Though some folks will argue about ANYTHING.)
Some folks will feel they need to tell you that you could kill a deer with a .22 or a .17 Mach 2, if your shot placement is perfect. But these folks will say the same thing in a "which caliber for mastadon?" thread, so don't mind them -- they can't help themselves.
-Sam
North of .223, few folks will argue agaisnt any cartridge choice. (Though some folks will argue about ANYTHING.)
South of .223, few folks will argue in favor of any cartridge choice. (Though some folks will argue about ANYTHING.)
Some folks will feel they need to tell you that you could kill a deer with a .22 or a .17 Mach 2, if your shot placement is perfect. But these folks will say the same thing in a "which caliber for mastadon?" thread, so don't mind them -- they can't help themselves.
-Sam
black_powder_Rob
Member
.223 Rem Texas
ThomasT
Member
I the state of Texas any centerfire is legal for deer. A lot of deer are killed with a 223. There is a magazine called Texas Thophy Hunter and you can send them pics of your kill to be put in the back pages. It is surprising how many kids kill their first deer with an H&R single shot 223 rifle.
I have a freind in east tx that hunts only with a 223 and he handloads the barnes X bullets for it. He said it works every time. I personally like something bigger. I normally hunt with a 7-08 or 7x57 depending on what rifle I feel like shooting.
I have a freind in east tx that hunts only with a 223 and he handloads the barnes X bullets for it. He said it works every time. I personally like something bigger. I normally hunt with a 7-08 or 7x57 depending on what rifle I feel like shooting.
R.W.Dale
Member
223 rem or equivelant, Arkansas
MMCSRET
Member
I've seen many taken with 22 Long rifle, several years ago I read about a man in Idaho taking a white tail doe with a 38 caliber air rifle using a round ball. I don't know the specifics but I did handle a 45 caliber air rifle a couple of years ago.
I shot my first deer when I was 13 with a .222 remington (not .223). If I recall, the .222 remington is a slightly longer, more powerful cartridge compared to the .223, but with the same bullet. The deer practically dropped where it was standing. Today, I shoot a .270 Win. Sure wish I had that .222 but it was my uncle's gun.
browningguy
Member
I use a .223 when we go on cull hunts for does, but my normal deer hunting is with 7x57, .308 or 30-06. Texas of course.
Robert Wilson
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I like to choose a cartridge that will work when things are not perfect. Something in the neighborhood of the 7x57 is my minimum.
Maverick223
Member
No, it is a slightly less powerful (about 20%) cartridge, loaded with the same projectile (or slightly lighter).
planetmobius
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Had a cousin that knocked em dead every time with a Winchester 92 in 32-20.
Marlin 45 carbine
Member
North Carolina is so overrun with them down east in the big farm zones that .22LR is legal.
I've taken several useing that. for doe tags I usually take my X39 Mini30 or for horns my Ruger M77 '06 if longer shots anticipated.
I've taken several useing that. for doe tags I usually take my X39 Mini30 or for horns my Ruger M77 '06 if longer shots anticipated.
dispatch55126
Member
Forget caliber and focus on shot placement. I've had my neighbor put a 12ga slug in a bucks gut (bad shot placement) and it lived for about 12 hours. It was in deep thicket and we couldn't flush it out to finish him off. As previous posts point out, .22LR will drop a deer with a good headshot.
The next most important thing is tailor the caliber to the range you plan in hunting in. A .30-30, 7.62x39 or handgun caliber work within 100 yards. For intermediate ranges, look at a .223 or .270. For long ranges, start looking at a .308.
For me, I like milsurps so that is what I hunt with. I've taken one with a 7.62x54R and will be taking one with a 8x56R shortly.
The next most important thing is tailor the caliber to the range you plan in hunting in. A .30-30, 7.62x39 or handgun caliber work within 100 yards. For intermediate ranges, look at a .223 or .270. For long ranges, start looking at a .308.
For me, I like milsurps so that is what I hunt with. I've taken one with a 7.62x54R and will be taking one with a 8x56R shortly.
Maverick223
Member
dispatch, how is a .308 better at range than a .270? I am not saying that either can't get the job done at a decent distance...but the .270 is flatter and carries greater energy.
dispatch55126
Member
Its quite possible that a .270 is better than a .308. Can't say I mess too much with thar new fangled calibers
This year, I'm using a 50 Cal Hawkens that I built. It shoots better than any of my milsurps with a patched ball inside of 75 yards.
BTW-I'm in Minnesota.
This year, I'm using a 50 Cal Hawkens that I built. It shoots better than any of my milsurps with a patched ball inside of 75 yards.
BTW-I'm in Minnesota.
mokin
Member
6.5 x 55, it's just a sweet carttidge. Anything over 6mm is legal in Colorado for deer. There was a guy in high school, also in Colorado, who got in more trouble than any of us could believe for killing a deer out of season with a .22.
Smith357
Member
.357 Magnum, Ohio, no cartridge rifles for deer.
only killed one white tail in my life, killed plenty of muleys before moving to Oklahoma.
Preciously i used .270 win exclusively then i fell in love with a 7mm rem mag (never buy one the velocity is truly addictive)
for the white tail i used a 7mm rem mag, because if brute force is not getting the job done you are not using enough!
In all seriousness i would say .223 is enough, I would not use less than a 6mm Remington.
Preciously i used .270 win exclusively then i fell in love with a 7mm rem mag (never buy one the velocity is truly addictive)
for the white tail i used a 7mm rem mag, because if brute force is not getting the job done you are not using enough!
In all seriousness i would say .223 is enough, I would not use less than a 6mm Remington.
browningguy
Member
Whitetails are tiny in Texas, an average doe we shoot during the culls will run around 60-80 pounds dressed, a decent buck around 130-140.
You can't go wrong with .338 Lapua Mag, with this caliber you can take on deer 2000 yards away, could be elk or moose, hippo won’t stand the chance either 
At the end it doesn’t matter what you use, as long as you have that venison sausage for breakfast
Personally I don’t have to shoot deer that far, so I use 270 win its good up to 700 yards, and yes it is flatter then .308 where .308 will drop 18” lower at 500 yards and 43” at 700, where 270 will have 1800 fps and .308 1500 fps, that’s +300 fps advantage at long range, but then 7mm rem mag will beat them both
At the end it doesn’t matter what you use, as long as you have that venison sausage for breakfast
Personally I don’t have to shoot deer that far, so I use 270 win its good up to 700 yards, and yes it is flatter then .308 where .308 will drop 18” lower at 500 yards and 43” at 700, where 270 will have 1800 fps and .308 1500 fps, that’s +300 fps advantage at long range, but then 7mm rem mag will beat them both
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