# Whats your caliber for large north american game? game



## warhammer

I live in missouri and where i hunt it is thick, so maybe a 200 yard shot if i am lucky. Here is my 3 favorites. Savage model 10 bolt action in .308. Remington 740 woodmaster semi-auto in 30-06 Enfield no1 mk3 in British .303


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## cowboyhermit

I wouldn't have expected to see .303's still being used in the states, I am really fond of them. All the calibers mentioned should serve great despite those that would say you need a .300 Weatherby to take down a whitetail  I have been lectured on how "I really should be using a magnum caliber" by a guy who has about as much experience as I did when I was 12 
We get some longer shots out here, my favorite all purpose is the old .270, I find it to do fine on moose with proper shot placement and for everything else there is not too much waste.


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## Magus

308,8mm,30-06,and 7.62X39 and 300WM.

The most used however is 308 and 30-30.


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## Dakine

I've used a mix of calibers on deer and elk. .270, 7x57, .30-06 and .308

I have a .338 LM but that's overkill for deer and stuff, plus the rifle is a beast, so carrying that around all day for deer would get very old, very soon lol. It's meant for varmint shooting!


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

old Turk Mauser......8mm.........knocks small trees down to finalize the target......


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## cowboyhermit

Dakine, are you one of those guys I was talking about?
.338 lapua overkill for deer, you think .50 bmg might be good for moose right
Seriously though magnums are great, the new shorts are sweet, but when you look at the stats for bullet drop it is not a lot of difference and the shells are so bloody expensive. For two legged varmints the cost is worth it or just for the fun and practice but for coyotes and that I like a little bullet, then I can skin it if I want.


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## Sentry18

When it come to hunting I shoot the .243 and the .308, depending the on the size of game I am after.


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## Dakine

cowboyhermit said:


> Dakine, are you one of those guys I was talking about?
> .338 lapua overkill for deer, you think .50 bmg might be good for moose right
> Seriously though magnums are great, the new shorts are sweet, but when you look at the stats for bullet drop it is not a lot of difference and the shells are so bloody expensive. For two legged varmints the cost is worth it or just for the fun and practice but for coyotes and that I like a little bullet, then I can skin it if I want.


ha! no, if we had Moose around here, I'm sure I'd just use my .30-06 and be fine with that.

.338 Lapua is for reaching out at long distances. 1800+ meters is absolutely possible. And you're right about the expense too, match grade bullets are $6.50 a pop... but like the slogan goes... "when you care enough to send the very best!"

We're not allowed to have .50 BMG here in kommiefornia, but there's a different rifle I'm looking at next. That gun weighs about 35 lbs and it uses a custom bullet which isn't banned here.  yet again though, way too much gun to be using on animals. I mean I guess if you wanted to skip the entire part about skinning and gutting a deer you could use this... 

ETA: additionally I'd never "tell" someone what they should be using, when I'm asked by folks I just make comments and recommendations on what my experiences have been with various platforms I've used or have. In my opinion, it's all about the shooters choice and preference, the most important thing is they get out there shooting and enjoying the sport that I love!

I think the only caveat I'd make to the above is that I tend to feel .223 55grains are a bit light for big game animals, and I know, they are accurate enough and people can punch both windbags even in an elk with one, but if you hit a rib it's likely to just break the rib and now an injured animal is running high speed away from you instead of a dead animal you are walking to collect. I think most states have limits on how light you can go for various game, I dont remember for sure, but I think here in CA they arent allowed for anything bigger than 100 lb pigs. Maybe that was recommended though not a regulation... I'd have to look it up.


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## Dakine

Sentry18 said:


> When it come to hunting I shoot the .243 and the .308, depending the on the size of game I am after.


I've read that .243 is a flat trajectory much like .270 and that it's starting to become very popular in the police and military sniper community. I was thinking about getting one but ended up choosing a 5R in .308 instead... maybe one day I'll get a chance to pick one up!


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## PipLogan

Ruger 10/22 or a scoped mosin


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## cnsper

30.06 for open land... 30-30 for brush hunting and .22 for out of season.... Joke..

30-30 I believe is very under rated. It may not have the punch of an .06 but that is where shot placement comes in. I can take a bear or moose with a .22 but there again it will come down to shot placement (and a tree to climb).


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## seanallen

30.06 for longer shots, 12-16 guage for brush. Here in South Alabama there isnt much for natural open range, besides farm fields and the natural cover is mostly dense forest, thus the shot guns. In a pinch i can use a slug in the shotgun.


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## cowboyhermit

I know some smaller guys who swear by the .243, it is probably one of the best all around calibers. The lack of mass is a factor to consider in the bush and with moose and elk but not a deal breaker if used properly.


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## OldCootHillbilly

I be old school, best all round (ifin yall be limitin yerself, ya know, not a full cabinet a everthin out there) would be the 30-o6. Good all purpose round.


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## cnsper

Yeah I hit my first deer with a 30.06 and it went in behind the ribs on the right side and came out between the ribs on the left side. 180 grain Remington at 200 yards and there was no heart or lungs left bigger than 1 inch square.

The bad thing was we had to cross the ravine and climb back up the other side to get the buggar... LOL

If I had to pick one, it would be the 30.06 also.


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## BillM

I like a 6.5x55 Swedish Mouser.

I am just hunting Deer but I read an artical the other day and soime Canadians were talking about killing Moose with them so I would not discount the ballistics for a heaver purpose.


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## FatTire

For me it comes down to fire power vs mobility, I error on the side of mobility, so I like my 30-30, the 06 though is very nice also


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## pawpaw

You'll get as many answers as there are hunters on this forum. Ballisticly, there's not a flatter shooting round than the .270 Winchester. I routinely use it for dove hunting because I'm a great shot....:rofl:


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## Sentry18

> I've read that .243 is a flat trajectory much like .270 and that it's starting to become very popular in the police and military sniper community. I was thinking about getting one but ended up choosing a 5R in .308 instead... maybe one day I'll get a chance to pick one up!


My first rifle was a Ruger M77 in .243 Winchester (and I still have it). I have a lot of rifles that are more tacticool and manly, but that .243 is flat shooting and VERY easy to shoot well. Recoil is low and performance is high, of course as with all calibers shot placement is everything. I am not currently stock piling .243, but that may change.


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## swjohnsey

My daddy told me if you shoot 'em in the ass with a cannon they will likely run off. Col Bell killed more than 1,000 elephants with a 7x57. I like the .243 because it is a necked down .308 and you can always find brass. My favorite is 7 Rem Mag. I would only consider going more big bore like 300 Win Mag if I was after dangerous game like Grizzly Bear which is very unlikely.

An afterthought, the .308 is very versitile when reloaded. You can shoot a light bullet for small game and a heavy bullet for bigger game. You may still be able to get Accelerator, which is a sabotted high speed .22. In the same vein, any of the .308 based rounds are good to include the .243 and 7mm/08 8/08 and have the advantage of using brass that is available from the government.

'Nother afterthough, no such thing as a brush bustin' round. Any bullet that hits so much as a blade of grass will miss it mark.


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## Magus

I've heard the 270 was based off the 7X57.


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## swjohnsey

.270 is necked down 30.06 of course 25.06 is another 30.06 based cartridge.


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## ZoomZoom

swjohnsey said:


> .270 is necked down 30.06


That's the way I understand it as well.

Around here, it's normally .270 or 30-06 for deer. A 30-30 if you're driving and expect something up close or in the brush. Some go bigger (7mm'ish) or smaller (.243) but those aren't nearly as common.

.270, .243, .223 is common for smaller game. Personally, I like the .17 Rem (a necked down .223) as well.


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## swjohnsey

Fast calibers like .220 Swift and .17 Rem are devistating on deer but don't have the range. Most folks don't need the range as you probably shouldn't be trying to take a shoot more than 200 yards.


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## cowboyhermit

swjohnsey are you serious;
"'Nother afterthough, no such thing as a brush bustin' round. Any bullet that hits so much as a blade of grass will miss it mark." 
 That is just completely wrong. The ability to avoid deflection is a function of mass this often leads to people overestimating the ability of heavier calibers to go through brush but your statement is false and misleading.
The .220 swift and .17 Rem can certainly kill a deer, so can a .22, but devastating would be a big stretch. In most places in the world they would not be considered legal. Maybe for a little blacktail but for a 350lb whitetail or mule deer shot placement would have to be very nearly as good as with a .22


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## swjohnsey

BS. Any centerfire cartride is legal for deer in Texas and in many other places. I have probably killed a hundred or so deer with .222, .223, .221, 22.250 and .220 Swift. You don't know what you are talkin' about. Maybe I'm just a better shot but I haven't lost a single one. When you shoot a deer in the neck with .220 Swift or .17 Remington they drop like they were poleaxed. There ain't an exit wound and you only find tiny fragments of bullet.


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## jsriley5

Well I've been a handgun fan for a long long time and as such I like the 454 Casull for an all encompassing North american round. But around here (MO) The 44 in it's lighter more totable package is hard to beat. As for rifle rounds personally I am largely in favor of the 308 since I tend towards nato calibers. If I was headed north west or to alaska my 300 WinMag would push forward as a favorite rifle. I have lots of other well liked calibers such as 243, 6.5 Swede, 30-30, 762x39 or 54R, all I feel would give good ar in some cases just adequate service in North AM as a large game round. And yes as mentioned most anything *CAN* be pressed to serve in the right conditions but I"d be hard pressed to list them as a FAVORITE or GREATEST for a Large game round in NOrth America. I mean sure you can kill a deer with a 22 or even a 17 (heck if you gotta you can kill em with a snare or a stick and a string) but even with legalities laid aside I"d never set out to kill my deer with one, if, I had any other of my listed calibers available. If I took a 22 out to forage, and it is highly likely I would do so. I WOULD be totin my 44 or 454 just in case a large chunk of meat on the hoof presented itself. What I really want is a veirling made with modern materials barrels set in a polymer block to allow really thin barrels yet retain rigidity reciever made of polymer alla glock and then have twin 12 ga and a 22 mag over a 300 mag perfect foraging weapon right there in my opinion. efficiently take anything that walks crawls or flys. OH well I"ll keep dreaming and if it comes true then I suppose I"ll have to start saving


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## swjohnsey

.222 Remington has about the same muzzle energy as the .44 Magnum. I've shot a few deer with .45 ACP. They don't seem to mind.


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## cowboyhermit

I said most places in the world, Texas is a great place  but I don't think it quite qualifies as most of the world.

They don't seem to mind


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## swjohnsey

Never complained.


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## JustCliff

I use a 30-30 but if I got a shy critter that wont come in close enough I go to the .308. I do have some 7.62X39 soft points just in case.


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## cowboyhermit

That makes sense, for a second it seemed maybe we had a different idea of hunting.


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## swjohnsey

Prolly. Ain't many long shots round here. All my distance shooting is at varmit you ain't likely to eat unless you are real hungry.


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