What is you deer rifle chambered in?

[marksman13]

The thread about the 7mm Rem Mag being obsolete got my wheels turning. I bet many of us will be surprised to see how popular certain cartridges are among segments of the hunting public, so I decided to create a poll. I intentionally set the poll, so we can only select one cartridge. I realize that many people, myself included, own MANY rifles we can and do hunt deer with. Select the chambering of the rifle you would grab if your best friend showed up and said, “hop in the truck, we’re going hunting.”

This is not a poll about what cartridge you think is the most utilitarian or a poll about the next rifle you are dreaming about. If you have to grab your favorite deer rifle and take off to go hunt, what rifle are you taking with you?

For me, it’s a Ruger M77 in 6.5x55 topped with a 2-7X Leupold scope. I think that is going to change as I shoot this Ruger No. 1 in 300 Win Mag, but right now the Ruger gets the nod.

So, what cartridge is your favorite deer rifle chambered in. Should be fun to see. And yes, I know I left off a ton of great cartridges, but I couldn’t have possibly listed all of them. Feel free to comment if you were left out.

 

[Skeptic13]

My main deer rifle is .308. Also used for elk and antelope here in Colorado.

 

[Legionnaire]

My current favorite isn't on your list: .260 Ackley Improved.

 

[rayatphonix]

6.5 Creedmoor. Best part is I’ve got several I can choose from.

 

[AK Hunter]

One that is not on your list it's the 350 Legend. It's my latest AR build & is it accurate, wow!

 

[MCMXI]

I've shot mule deer with a .375 H&H (Kimber 8400 Talkeetna) and .308 Win (Accuracy International AW, POF P308) and have recently added a .300 Win Mag Tikka T3 TAC to the list that I might use this fall on deer and elk.

 

[ZGunner]

.270 Win. And that’s probably even overkill for where I hunt in South Georgia. But I have several rifles I these chambering I could take into the deer woods.

 

[Legionnaire]

 

[Chuck R.]

My primary deer cartridge has been .270W since 1988, been a little overkill out of a stand, but shines for western KS still hunting.

There have been several iterations and all have been set up the basically the same and have usd the Nosler 130 BT in handloads. Latest version is a Nosler M48 with Leupold VX6 2-12X40 with Talley rings. All up it weighs in at 8lbs with it's 24" barrel and I've also switched to 130 Nosler Accubonds.



Depending on the terrain/ distance I'm likely to grab a little REM M7 in .260 with a Leupold 2.5-8X36, but the .270 is still my main go to.



The .260 (added the pic to keep Legionnaire happy)

 

[12Bravo20]

Out of the cartridges listed in the poll, 308 and 30-30 depending on what part of Missouri I am hunting in. Though I am just as likely to grab my AR in 6.8SPC instead.

 

[Walkalong]

Bolt gun .308 & lever gun .35 Remington. I had lever guns in .44 Mag and .30-30, but my sons have those now.

 

[Bartojc]

That’s a tough one. I’ve carried a 30-06 more times or years that any other. I have not carried it once in the past 2 seasons. I got a .243 about 5 years ago that I like toting around the deer woods a lot, and my deer last fall fell to a .243. This year I bought a .450 Bushmaster so that I can hunt the southern portion of my state with it if I choose. Not sure if I’ll carry up north this season. Truth is I have a number of rifles that I can take deer with.

edit: I almost for got the most popular of all a lever action 30-30. I have one of those too if I so choose.

Jeff

 

[troy fairweather]

My ruger m77 ts 7x57 gets out first each season.

 

[Condor]

Savage Axis in 30-06...a few upgrades along the way as finances improved...I bought it for a hunting trip with my dad and brother-in-law and had a fantastic time.

Very accurate with 150g bullets, and I am working on a load for the 130g Barnes TSX.

My son has used it as well (reduced recoil 125g over H4895)...i think he has made a permanent claim on it, so I’m working on a backup for when i am unable to “borrow” it...

 

[Robert]

I have one in 308 a friend loaned me for this coming season. I took my whitetail with my 375 H&H last year. Nice clean hole right through the heart with a almost no meat damage.

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
I use a synthetic stocked 7mm Mag from Savage topped with a Leupold 3x9 scope.
Same rifle I use for black bear hunting.
I have lots of other rifles but always grab that one. Essentially weatherproof and very accurate and I have supreme confidence in my ability to make any reasonable shot with it.

 

[.308 Norma]

None of the above, but I clicked on 300 Win Mag because, you guessed it, my 308 Norma Mag is very similar.
My wife uses a 7mm Rem Mag, and our oldest daughter and oldest grandson use 7mm-08s.
They all work, just like the 30-06s, the 308 Winchesters, the 30-30s, the 270s, the 25-06s, and the 243s my family and I have used for mule deer in the past. If you put the bullet in the right place the deer falls down, or at least it doesn't go very far before it falls down.

 

[NMachine]

Whitetail hunting in WIsconsin .35 Rem in a Marlin 336 or Remington model 81.
Mule deer hunting in New Mexico 30-06

 

[spazzy]

I usually take my tikka in 30-06 but I have put together an ar in 7.62x39 that I am looking forward to taking this year. Its shorter, handier and lighter than my nicer rifle and I dont care if it gets wet or beat up when out hunting

 

[Obturation]

Well at 36 years old this will be my first season hunting deer, pitiful - I know.
My parents weren't hunters or gun folks at all and I never learned basics at a young age but I got into guns at about age 22. After my first daughter was born 3 years ago I thought about what I wished my parents had done with me but never did and the main thing that stood out was hunting. So I started learning all I could about it and began searching for suitable hunting land and getting what I think I needed to give it a try. I don't expect to be successful this year but I need to start somewhere and so that's what I'm doing, I figure if I try each year by the time my oldest is ready I'll at least be able to take her out there with some knowledge & skill and I'll be able to do with her what no one ever did with me.
My best 2 options are 30-30 or 45-70, I live in Illinois so there is no rifle hunting allowed and I'll travel up to Wisconsin to hunt. I'm planning to bring my 45-70 loaded with Barnes tsx bullets as that the hunting load I've worked up and I don't expect a shot over 100 yards in the heavily wooded area I've selected. I'm well aware of the shortcomings of the cartridge and the fact that others (including the 30-30) can do just as well if not better but my thought is to have the least amount of tracking and try to avoid a wounded deer running off onto another property so I'm going to try my best to really thump the critter. Some will likely see fault in my logic and plans, I'm not offended if you'd like to correct me. I have hunted a fair amount of small game - squirrel, raccoon, opossum, skunk, woodchuck,ect. And have tried turkey hunting but never got to shoot. But I'm confident in my skill (at shooting) and my equipment, now I just need to get a deer in my sights.

 

[.308 Norma]

Well at 36 years old this will be my first season hunting deer, pitiful - I know.

Not really all that pitiful. Our oldest (45) daughter took her 52 year-old husband (then fiancé) deer hunting for the first time in his life last year. I was sure hoping they'd get a deer, but it didn't work out. Maybe this year.

 

[.308 Norma]

I have put together an ar in 7.62x39 that I am looking forward to taking this year.

Yep, the 7.62X39 was one I forgot to add to the list in my post. When he was 14, my wife and I watched our oldest grandson kill his first deer with a Ruger 7.62X39. He shot her high in the lungs, she stumbled forward a few steps, and fell down dead.

 

[jmr40]

My go-to rifle cartridge for the last 10-12 years has been 308. But I've owned/own 12 of the ones you've listed along with 3-4 you didn't list. I'd not feel handicapped with any of them on deer. In fact I'd hunt elk or black bear with all of them but 223 although I'd much prefer something 26 caliber and up for bigger stuff.

Sure, some would only be useful at more limited ranges. Some kick more than I'm crazy about. Some are effective at longer range than I have the skills to shoot. But they will work.

 

[LoonWulf]

My favorite hunting rifles are in .280ai and .375, but I'm just as likely to grab a 6.5, .300, .223, or any other cartridge/rifle I own.

 

[mcb]

This coming year is the year of the ugly scrap-bin rifle, chambered in 30 Remington AR, obsolete before its time.