Favorite Rifle Cartridge

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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby Ruger » Mon Aug 01, 2016 2:13 pm

J35 whelen in TC Encore with 200 grain hornady bullets. When shot behind the shoulder, it doesn't waste meat, they don't go far (if any) and leaves a blood trail anyone can follow. Short, light (but not whimpy), always goes bang and will take any animal in North America.

Shot a 30-06 with 180 grain partitions for a long time. Never lost a deer with that combo either.

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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby PK_ » Mon Aug 01, 2016 2:30 pm

32 win spcl would have to go down as my favorite(Gun was my grandfather's). Short gun easy to handle in the brush. Great for the thick areas I generally hunt.

Just picked up a Ruger American 30-06 and will put a 4x12 on it. Figure between the 32 spcl and the -06, not much terrain/big game I can't go after…

Where rifles aren't allowed, my 12ga 870 with rifled barrel and 3x9 is doing the trick. Longest kill so far was 180 yards.
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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby P&YBuck1 » Mon Aug 01, 2016 3:10 pm

270 Winchester hand-loads shot thru my Browning A-bolt
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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby stash59 » Tue Aug 02, 2016 12:26 am

.270 Winchester. Cause that's what Jack O'Conner preferred to shoot. I read alot of his stuff when I was young. Been shooting 150 grain Nosler partitions out of it, because that's what I used on elk. Either handloads or Federal Premiums. They worked fine on the deer I killed with it also. Shot out of my Ruger model 77.
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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby Nocturnal » Tue Aug 02, 2016 4:24 am

.300 wsm 150 grain bullet. The exit hole is about the same as the entrance.

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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby kurt » Tue Aug 02, 2016 11:45 am

.270 win has been my go to for deer but really is it the cartridge or the gun? A accurate rifle in any popular cartridge works for me. .270win, .308, .30-06, 7mm-08
I could go on. But it's all good. Not a huge fan of magnums because I like my shoulder. If I did pick one it would probably be a .300 win mag

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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby Rich M » Tue Aug 02, 2016 1:00 pm

My dad made me start with a 30-06 when I was about 8. It is a love hate relationship. Can't deny that the deer die quickly to a 150 or 165 gr soft point or Nosler Partition. The muzzle-blast bothers me more than the recoil.

My favorite is a 357 Magnum Ruger M77-357. It has taken 6 +/- deer to about 180-185 pounds, a hog, and a crow. Very effective medicine out to 100 yards with very little trailing necessary as most critters go about 20 inches - straight down. I worked up some loads and shoot hot 158 gr XTP flat points at what I'm certain is over 2,000 fps. They expand to about .58 from .357 and are usually under the skin on the opposite side when they don't go all the way thru. The 1 that ran (double lung rib shot) left chunks of meat the size of your pinky finger nail and a heavy blood trail out the entrance hole...

Def not for everyone but I really like that little gun. Wife and step-son have taken their first deer with it. I choose it over the 30-06 when hunting with 100 yard or less shots. The 30-06 gets the nod for longer distances and larger critters (northern deer vs southern ones)....
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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby 9pt » Tue Aug 02, 2016 2:54 pm

Only rifle I own is a 30-30 lever action. I use 170 grain. Seems to be good for Michigan deer hunting. Plus it's fun to hip shoot at targets.

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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby vermonthunter16 » Tue Aug 02, 2016 11:15 pm

I have favorites depending on the habitat. Can not beat a 30-30 in brush gun open sights. And I love my .243 for flat shooting. But in the middle and what I use most common is my 30-06. But they are all fun to shoot.
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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby STIKnSTRING » Thu Aug 04, 2016 6:03 am

Love the .308 with a 150 grain Accu-Bond. Used a .243 with 100 grain super-x's for 10 years, but that will soon be my little huntin buddy's

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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby ncstatehunter » Thu Aug 04, 2016 12:52 pm

So hard for me to pick, most likely the .270 as I loved reading old Jack O'Connor articles. Finally got a rifle in it and it's a pleasure to shoot. My .243 is a tack driver and my first centerfire so that caliber will always be dear to me. Then I have my high school graduation present that's a .30-06 as well as nothing beating the sight of smoke from a .50 cal. Right now I'm infatuated with taking a deer with my Savage 220 slug gun and adding a 6.5 creedmoor and 7 mm-08 to the safe. There I go adding to the favorites list, too many dang calibers out there!
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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby SEMObowhunter » Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:07 am

My all time favorite is a Remington 760 .308. But I hate to scratch it up. I have killed more deer with a .22-250 than any other caliber. I currently shoot a Tikka T3. Under gunned? Most will say yes, but I have never lost a deer with it and I have killed a bunch with that caliber. Along with my brother and my dad.

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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Mon Aug 08, 2016 3:02 am

Shot many deer with the 7mm mag with 160 nosler partions. They just go down, not 20 inches or 20 steps, right there.

Drives my neighbor who shoots a 300 win mag nuts. He has never dropped one in their tracks.

There is a method of putting deer down right there, which I often try. But sometimes things happen fast and I dont get that perfect shot, but they still go right down with this round. I believe it has something to do with sectional density of the 160 grain 7mm bullet. Whatever it is, it sure is effective.

Been playing around with a 7mm-08 the last couple years. I like that round also and have been shooting some 140s on deer and may try 120s
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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby BigCedarJack » Mon Aug 08, 2016 5:15 am

.270

My parents bought it for me when I was younger and it has never given me a reason to stray.

I'd like to try some of you guys' special loads...
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Re: Favorite Rifle Cartridge

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Mon Aug 08, 2016 7:53 am

Uncle Lou wrote:Shot many deer with the 7mm mag with 160 nosler partions. They just go down, not 20 inches or 20 steps, right there.

Drives my neighbor who shoots a 300 win mag nuts. He has never dropped one in their tracks.

There is a method of putting deer down right there, which I often try. But sometimes things happen fast and I dont get that perfect shot, but they still go right down with this round. I believe it has something to do with sectional density of the 160 grain 7mm bullet. Whatever it is, it sure is effective.

Been playing around with a 7mm-08 the last couple years. I like that round also and have been shooting some 140s on deer and may try 120s


Uncle Lou's bucks go down... [glow=red]"Like a Freight Train on a Volkswagen"!![/glow]
That 160 grain Nosler Partition out of a 7 Mag has knocked the crap out of big game for many decades.


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