Deer Calibres

It wasn't me!

I'm hoping to get into deer shooting for next year's season, so beginning the research now. Ideally I'd like an all-round rifle that will do any and all deer I might come across, and if it handles a suitable range of bullet weights, could double as a varmint rifle should the need ever arise.

From doing a bit of reading and poking around the internet, I've got these to consider so far. I've got a few thoughts on some of them and some opinions from others I've spoken to as well, but I'd be really glad to hear what others think of them, their individual merits and faults:

.25-06 Rem: (Meant to be very good balanced round, but have heard that it's most useful in its heavier weights, doesn't shoot well with it's lighter weights)
.270 Win: (Has a nice selection of bullets and weights, flat shooting and accurate, but significant recoil. Wonder whether, recoil aside, it has any major failings)
6.5x55: (Very accurate, great penetrative power, but drops off sharply beyond a hundred yards or so it would seem)
7mm-08: (Reasonable recoil, reasonably flat shooting and quite accurate, from my reading)

I'd like to hear people's opinions on the above calibres, good bad or indifferent, and any others I should be considering as an all round deer and medium sized game calibre. Cheers in advance lads.

rob308

i would recommend the 25-06. little if any recoil even in a fairly light rifle. i always used 100 grain bullets and occasionaly from time to time when they were hard to come by used 117 and 120 grain rounds. very little difference in accuracy between any of the above and its also a very flat shooting calibre. plenty of gun for anything you will find in this country and not too punishing with 100 grain bullets for foxes or firing plenty of rounds at rabbits,targets etc. in my opinion probably the best all round calibre for the heaviest deer to a fox. you could consider the 243 as well but great care needs to be taken if hunting the heavier deer around. hope this is some help to you

It wasn't me!

I did consider .243 Win, but I eventually decided that this should be an all-round rifle, and if ever I got the chance to take a red, I'd rather not do it with the .243, far better to have utmost confidence in the kit.

Aside from the fairly harsh recoil, the .270 looks like a fantastic all-rounder, and if the recoil could be tamed with a reflex suppressor and my bulk, it would be very tempting.

Sika_Stalker

i would also recommend the 25-06
100gr bullets are a perfect choice
i took mine to africa and it took down the biggest kudu bulls (bigger then a red stag by the way)
also people knock the .270 alot because of recoil ill admit at the start you will feel the difference but you get used to it

It wasn't me!

Sika_Stalker wrote: »

also people knock the .270 alot because of recoil ill admit at the start you will feel the difference but you get used to it

See that's what I thought. Sure it's something you've got to learn to deal with, but equally surely it has to be possible to learn to do so?

Sika_Stalker

dont dismiss the .270 just because of recoil it ideal with 130gr bullets but can go down to 90 for vermin

John Griffin

I use .25-06 and find it great for deer of all sizes. Great on foxes too. The only other calibre i would consider is the .270 as an all-rounder. I guess it depends on whether you'll be shooting more Red Deer or foxes. The lower recoil is going to make you more accurate though, but with a T8 you probably wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

It wasn't me!

To be honest, I'd only be shooting foxes if asked to, or if I were releasing birds in an area. No major interest myself, but if it keeps the landowners happy, that's fine by me.

Aye, thought a good reflex suppressor might level the playing field. Much of a muchness then it seems?

Tackleberry.

It wasn't me! wrote: »

I did consider .243 Win, but I eventually decided that this should be an all-round rifle, and if ever I got the chance to take a red, I'd rather not do it with the .243, far better to have utmost confidence in the kit.

Aside from the fairly harsh recoil, the .270 looks like a fantastic all-rounder, and if the recoil could be tamed with a reflex suppressor and my bulk, it would be very tempting.

i' knocked a nice red this year(my first) reckon it is well able gun,but i've just picked up a 308 from the shop just fancied a change,but a lad i know shoots a 22-250 and he is mad on shooting for heads, and he has some fine bigs reds hanging from his wall.... tis bullet placement me thinks

Vegeta

Get someone you know with your favourites and go and fire them. Price good quality ammo for them too.

I have experience of reds and a .243 and reds and a .270.

What kind of rifle are you going to go for? Sporter, varmint, tactical etc etc

The recoil from the .270 is no joke and I'd advise you to experience a prone shot in a sporter style, light weight rifle before making a decision.

No bullsh1t but the brother has a .300 win mag tactical style rifle and it definitely is more comfortable to shoot than his previous .270 sako 75 hunter.

To be honest I think anyone of the rifle calibres you have listed will do the job if you do your bit.

alan123

I hear ya..... I may have a slot in a sindicate available to me and I know a guy who has a 6.5 x 55 to sell me but its all new to me. Nothing ventured, nothing gained I guess. Its just like shooting a big rabbit right????

dwighet

I shoot a 6.5x55... You wont be dissapointed if you choose that caliber..I use 140 grain federal power shocks and it knocks em flat and its easy on the shoulder..I have it zeroed at 2inches high at 100 yds which gets me out to 200yds.At 300 yds it has around a 8-9 inch drop. But shots at that range are rarely taken..Actually my longest shot on a deer was 250yds only once... In my short deer stalking experiance most shots are taken from 80-200 yds...

Good luck in your decision
Rgds
Dwight

Magnusd

Whats the recoil like from .308Win ?

Does the style (sporter/ Tac / Varmint) of rifle make much difference to felt recoil ?


Would a Varmint / Tactical style rifle be too heavy for deer stalking ?

It wasn't me!

Being a lefty, my options are somewhat limited, but currently, my thinking is for a Tikka T3 Hunter, which conveniently allows for any of the calibres I have in mind. I'll be coupling it with a good reflex suppressor for ease of use one way or the other I imagine.

I'll try and get my mitts on a .270 and a .25-06 to try. (any help much appreciated ) I found the 6.5x55 quite comfortable, solid but I could shoot it all day if I had to and not be uncomfortable. I also shot .303 British the same day, which was a little more brisk, but could still do it all day long if it came to it.

I'm interested in the 6.5x55. People seem to either love it or hate it. It's extremely accurate, and with the high ballistic coefficient and sectional density, it should buck wind and knock big deer flat, but its trajectory is fairly ropey. Is that people's main gripe with it?

.270 looks ideal if I can handle the recoil properly, fast, flat-shooting round with loads of energy, in a variety of useful bullet weights. Really must try one out.

alan123

Whats the difference in price of ammo or is it all pretty much the same? My mate has a 270 and its like shooting a cannon. I dare say it could drop a bullock like a sack of spuds!!!?

Sikamick

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Being a lefty, my options are somewhat limited, but currently, my thinking is for a Tikka T3 Hunter, which conveniently allows for any of the calibres I have in mind. I'll be coupling it with a good reflex suppressor for ease of use one way or the other I imagine.

I'll try and get my mitts on a .270 and a .25-06 to try. (any help much appreciated ) I found the 6.5x55 quite comfortable, solid but I could shoot it all day if I had to and not be uncomfortable. I also shot .303 British the same day, which was a little more brisk, but could still do it all day long if it came to it.

I'm interested in the 6.5x55. People seem to either love it or hate it. It's extremely accurate, and with the high ballistic coefficient and sectional density, it should buck wind and knock big deer flat, but its trajectory is fairly ropey. Is that people's main gripe with it?

.270 looks ideal if I can handle the recoil properly, fast, flat-shooting round with loads of energy, in a variety of useful bullet weights. Really must try one out.

_________________________________________________________________


In my opinion a good option would be the Lee Enfield enforcer or envoy in 7.62, reasonable to buy, is excellent on deer with hunting grade ammo,you can shoot it in the Vintage Classic and the F class - F/tr competitions. Also a piece of history.

Or the Swedish Mauser m63 6.5x55 for F-Class, deer/fox ect.


https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/58175/64288.jpg


Sikamick

It wasn't me!

I am looking for a lefty though Mick. Cheers though.

tiny-nioclas

That lee enfield is a lovely looking rifle, is it yours mick? is it .308?

.243

It wasn't me! wrote: »

I am looking for a lefty though Mick. Cheers though.

i know where there is a remy 700 in .308 available in a lefty,it might be a bit too much gun for a first time deer shooter (unless you have previous expierence with this sort of recoil)
im a lefty too (mines a .243 never changed,never needed to including a cpl of reds) but always used right sided actions,its not going to make much difference to your shooting as 99.9% of your deer shots will be just that one shot
plus if you can shoot off tri sticks a right hand action suits a lefty as your right hand is free to work the bolt while the gun is still supported by the sticks

It wasn't me!

.243 wrote: »

i know where there is a remy 700 in .308 available in a lefty,it might be a bit too much gun for a first time deer shooter (unless you have previous expierence with this sort of recoil)
im a lefty too (mines a .243 never changed,never needed to including a cpl of reds) but always used right sided actions,its not going to make much difference to your shooting as 99.9% of your deer shots will be just that one shot
plus if you can shoot off tri sticks a right hand action suits a lefty as your right hand is free to work the bolt while the gun is still supported by the sticks

Any idea of price? Or what model it is?

I do distinctly prefer a left-handed bolt. I find right-handed bolts make me sloppy, and I figure if I'm doing this, I should do it properly.

fathersymes

Just something else to consider, if you ever plan to go after Boar or a trip to Africa, the 30-06 would be a very good alrounder. Bullet weights from 110gr to 250gr.

It wasn't me!

fathersymes wrote: »

Just something else to consider, if you ever plan to go after Boar or a trip to Africa, the 30-06 would be a very good alrounder. Bullet weights from 110gr to 250gr.

6.5x55 or .270 would be similarly versatile, no? .270 more than 6.5.

fathersymes

It wasn't me! wrote: »

6.5x55 or .270 would be similarly versatile, no? .270 more than 6.5.

There would be a greater range of bullets available for the 6.5 than the 270, and most of the sub .30 calibres are necked down 30-06's.

In Africa .270 is seen as a small calibre even for plains game, in Europe for boar .30 calibres are seen as entry level. Some outfitters won't allow a 6.5 for boar.

I'm just saying that with a 30-06 you have something to bring away for bigger game without having to acquire a big magnum which would be overkill for our deer.

.243

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Any idea of price? Or what model it is?

I do distinctly prefer a left-handed bolt. I find right-handed bolts make me sloppy, and I figure if I'm doing this, I should do it properly.

ill get a price as soon as i can, its a custom remy 700 action,mc millan stock,fluted barrel and bolt conversion

Downwind

dwighet wrote: »

I shoot a 6.5x55... You wont be dissapointed if you choose that caliber..I use 140 grain federal power shocks and it knocks em flat and its easy on the shoulder..I have it zeroed at 2inches high at 100 yds which gets me out to 200yds.At 300 yds it has around a 8-9 inch drop. But shots at that range are rarely taken..Actually my longest shot on a deer was 250yds only once... In my short deer stalking experiance most shots are taken from 80-200 yds...

Good luck in your decision
Rgds
Dwight

6.5X55 Used state side as a sniper round in many law enforcement departments. Developed turn of the century by the Swedish Army , became the round of choice in Northern Hemisphere.
VERY high BC ballistic coefficient of .526 compared to .496 for the .308 175gr HPBT Match King. 145 gr round is capable of 800 yards + . In terms of Deer Hunting this round fits a good spec for the application.

JTN

alan123

Downwind wrote: »

VERY high BC ballistic coefficient of .526 compared to .496 for the .308 175gr HPBT Match King. 145 gr round is capable of 800 yards + .

JTN

Woooh there einstein!!! Break that down into moron english (for this moron!). Are you saying its very powerful? Does this relate to the distance the bullet travels, power of impact, both or something completely different??

Vegeta

.243 wrote: »

ill get a price as soon as i can, its a custom remy 700 action,mc millan stock,fluted barrel and bolt conversion

Hubba Hubba :eek:

Is that some of John Greenes work there .243

Lovely bit of kit you got, fair play

.243

Vegeta wrote: »

Hubba Hubba :eek:

Is that some of John Greenes work there .243

Lovely bit of kit you got, fair play

yep its john's work alright its the one for sale
my kit is a little different

Downwind

alan123 wrote: »

Woooh there einstein!!! Break that down into moron english (for this moron!). Are you saying its very powerful? Does this relate to the distance the bullet travels, power of impact, both or something completely different??

6.5 x 55 slips thought the air quite well. Its a very stable round in terms of the grain weight . However it dosent deliver the same power or force when it impacts the intended target ie a Deer . I will stress that Deer Stalking is not about long distance shooting, its about good shooting practice, understanding your rounds preformance is in my case the first stage in Hunting .

It wasn't me!

.243, you've definitely caught my attention with that now.

I'm looking forward to hearing a price.

It wasn't me!

Been doing a bit more thinking on this.

It seems a lot of people suggest a stainless synthetic rifle for stalking. I'm not disputing it, just wondering why it is?

Taking that as an ideal beginning, what do people think of a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless or Varmint Stainless in .270, with a decent reflex mod and some decent glass? Would that be a quality setup or what would you all do differently and why?

tiny-nioclas

It seems a lot of people suggest a stainless synthetic rifle for stalking. I'm not disputing it, just wondering why it is?

Id say its because a stainless synthetic rifle will take a better "hiding" than most others on a stalk, easy to maintain,weatherproof etc, thats why i got one anyway!

It wasn't me!

tiny-nioclas wrote: »

Id say its because a stainless synthetic rifle will take a better "hiding" than most others on a stalk, easy to maintain,weatherproof etc, thats why i got one anyway!

Good to hear tiny. It ain't the prettiest, but if it works, that's what I'm really looking for. If that's a good package, it may be a good idea to start a new piggy bank and start putting money in it.

ejg

Which calibre for deer shooting? One could fight over that one for a while.
In my opinion one should choose enough gun, for me that would be 270, 7-08, 308, 30-06. (Although I’ve seen the 25-06 work very well too)
Many people will say bullet placement is more important, wow. Not going to help me after I’ve misplaced the shot by a few inches. Rather do as much prevention as possible before going deer stalking. Right calibre, right bullet, right rifle / scope, and lots of practice. Good shot placement with a stronger calibre is just going to kill even quicker, nothing wrong with that either.
My opinion,
243 too light, only for experienced shots. Some rifles won’t shoot the 100gr bullets.

6.5x55 bullet choice very critical because of slow speed. Drops a lot. Long action.

7-08 perfect for our deer. Seems just right, but ammo choice might be limited.

270 knocks everything off it’s feet, not bad even if it damages a bit of meat. Long action. Might become out of fashion and hard to sell.

308 very accurate, also because one has a good ammo choice. Cheap practice ammo available. Kills as well as the 270 but possibly less meat damage. Short action.
30-06 equal to 308 up to 165gr bullets. Stronger than 308 with 180gr upwards, good for boar. Long action.

If one wants a deer rifle and has the choice between 243 and 308 at the same price I don’t think there is a reason to take the 243. Christ if you complain about the recoil, how are you gonna get a deer off a mountain?
If one is recoil sensitive get a light rifle and a light weight moderator. That will end up not too heavy with a light recoil.
I practice and check zero often at 100yds and every now and then at around 250yds.

edi

lazolovac

I would definetaly get a 30.06. It will put them down on the spot wit plenty knock-down power.

jwshooter

lazolovac wrote: »

I would definetaly get a 30.06. It will put them down on the spot wit plenty knock-down power.

if you think your going to drop all the deer you shoot on the spot your in for a shock .i have had danish lads this year shooting 300 win mags some shooting B tips we recovered 3 heads from just under the skin from the off side .well shot stags still ran the same as been shot with a 270 ,some up to a 100 yards .for sika stags in the rut you cant have enough gun .for hind culling taking mostly neck shots the 25,06 with a 100 gr federal B tip is out on its own .i shoot a 243 with 75gr federal B tips on the hinds n calfs for close work they open up very fast on necks .norma s 110 gr v max in the .270 is savage .there the reason i rebarreled my 25.06 ..sako 75 to .270 ..if you touch skin at all they will blow up ,