[hunt/fish365]

I've read the topic statement many many times. Why is that? Will say a 243, 7mm-08, 257, etc not kill deer for adault men as well as they will if shot by a child or women? Is that why I see so many guys out there with a 300 RUM, 338WM, 30-06 and the like. Seems some guys like to think anything less than a 30-06 just won't do.

 

[OHaraTree]

I agree. I hunt with a 7 mag because that particular gun was a gift to me from my wife years ago and I cherish it. I have no issue with carrying something much much smaller though. I dont use that gun for its horepower, more for sentimental reasons. To me, a .260 or 7-08 is more than enough medicine for any whitetail on the planet.

 

[Guest]

There is no need for "magnums" for deer. I used a 30-06 for many years and while it would dump a deer in a heartbeat, its just not needed.

When I was 13 and bought my 30-06, I fully intended to hunt out west at some point in life. Never got there, no desire anymore, so, if all I was gonna hunt was PA deer, something less would be in order.

Now, if I was going to hunt bear, that '06 would be my choice over the .260 now.

 

[buckhunter]

I have owned a 7mm before loved it but when I bought it I dreamed of going up north some day to hunt brown bear, (still do and may own one again some day), however as I get older I'm more about a precise shot and less recoil. It doesn't take alot of power to kill a whitetail, my matthews does it quite easily with a well placed shot.

 

[6.5 Bandit]

IMO all is a magnum does it makes you feel like a big man!!!That can say i shoot a magnum and deer dont move when there hit yadda yadda yadda... I have dropped more deer with a straight 243 than any other caliber out there.. never had one run more then 100yds and never had one get away.. I have even shot them in neck behind the shoulder through the shoulder even a few misplaced gut shots uggg... To this day i still carry it when i carry a rifle wich isnt to often.. Allthough this year i did kill one with a 7 rem mag only because it was my paps and promised myself I would kill a deer with it every now and then in his honor since he is no longer here to do it himself..

 

[great white hunter]

Hey, i used to drop them with a .222!

Have used many since never going above the .06, but have settled in on a .270 for my remaining years.

 

[rflktrman]

Perhaps I am one of the magnum nuts, love my .300 Win. but this year will be using a .270 like my gf uses. We both have Savage 110's so will be a matched pair of seniors. May also take out a .308 in a Savage 99 to honnor my late father-in-law.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Man up. You can shoot a proper deer cartridge or not. A 30-06 is a proper deer cartridge. Then you have the little cartridges. So you can make an excuse so you can hunt with a diminutive cartridge, or you can man up and shoot a proper cartridge.

You always hear guys try to compare their 243's and 223'2 to a 30-06. But you never hear the opposite. Why is that?? It is because they know the 30-06 is the "Gold Standard". So they want to compare to the "Gold Standard". Women and children have an excuse for not shooting the higher recoiling cartridges. as well as people who can not tolerate the recoil. But to say their diminutive cartridges are just as good is plain wrong. Sorry, Tom.

I am not saying the smaller cartridges are not capable of doing the job. In certain situations. But no matter what you do to them, they do not stack up to a 30-06. Even if you feel the need to shoot bullets that cost $1 a piece.

I know I am going to get flamed for saying what I just said. But I have been shooting deer for 40+ years. And have tried all the cartridges. And I really do believe in what I said. So let the flames begin!!

 

[*Moose]

I'm usually found carrying a .30-06 but even I've been known to deer hunt with a .22-250 and bear hunt with a .243 occasionally.

 

[limbhnger10]

Well, first off, the deer in Pa are smaller than the deer in WV....so those wimpy guys can use sub '06 cartridges....le'me guess, your truck has a 6" lift, and is a diesel.

 

[bergerjohn]

Maybe it's not the caliber but, the gun it's self. Just food for thought. I completely agree with hoghead. And what is wrong with having a gun that makes you feel manly? I have a compond but have shoot a recurve and would take that anyday because, its simpler and its just feels good. "My" deer rifle is a .30-30; that said this fall for most of my hunts I will end up using a neibhors gun-a .243 or .270 or .308- because thats what I'll have.

 

[OHaraTree]

To be honest, use whatever caliber you like, be it a .222 or a .300 RUM. Dead is dead, there are no varying degrees of death. Use the gun that suits your tastes. .300 Rum isnt overkill, and .222 isnt underkill. Dead is dead.

It doesnt take much to kill a whitetail. Some folks drive a 700 some horse Shelby GT 500 Super snake, and some folks drive a 3 cylinder Geo. Either way, we all get down the highway. Same for deer rifles. I dont take issue with the rifles other folks choose to hunt with. But I do feel a great deal of folks could stand to become a better shooter before tossing bullets at living creatures, that fo sho.

 

[bowhunter0131]

a 243 will kill deer they are great for young and recoil shy people. but me i prefer to have more gun than needed i shoot a 7mm wsm with 160 nosler pt. or accubonds. It dont ruin meat and they dont go far with a proper shot. you can say what you want about mangnums but i will shoot them until im to old to handle the recoil.

 

[Guest]

Man up. You can shoot a proper deer cartridge or not. A 30-06 is a proper deer cartridge. Then you have the little cartridges. So you can make an excuse so you can hunt with a diminutive cartridge, or you can man up and shoot a proper cartridge.

If find it somewhat hilarious that you tell people to "man up", yet on another thread, you use muzzle breaks in order to shoot the "manly" magnums.

Personally I like muzzle brakes and magna-porting because I feel it give me a shooting advantage. They allow me to have more control of the rifle. And less movement while shooting. So that is important to me. And they will definitely do away with "scope eye".

 

[John Henry]

I've read the topic statement many many times. Why is that? Will say a 243, 7mm-08, 257, etc not kill deer for adault men as well as they will if shot by a child or women?

No, the point is the lighter rounds offer less recoil, and perhaps less flinching, than do the heavier rounds. Also, more smaller guns are available in the lighter calibers.

No one ever said anything about a caliber only working for women or kids.

I see kids on TV using a 223 all the time for deer. You'll never see me hunting for deer with one, and not because I need to feel macho. My 270 is plenty.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Man up. You can shoot a proper deer cartridge or not. A 30-06 is a proper deer cartridge. Then you have the little cartridges. So you can make an excuse so you can hunt with a diminutive cartridge, or you can man up and shoot a proper cartridge.

If find it somewhat hilarious that you tell people to "man up", yet on another thread, you use muzzle breaks in order to shoot the "manly" magnums.

Personally I like muzzle brakes and magna-porting because I feel it give me a shooting advantage. They allow me to have more control of the rifle. And less movement while shooting. So that is important to me. And they will definitely do away with "scope eye".

You make a very good point. And on the outside it may look like I am contradicting myself. However why not take advantage of a muzzle brake?? Personally, as I wrote, I think the best feature of the MB is that it gives you greater control of the firearm. So a 30-06 recoils like a 243, has the muzzle flip of a 223, and has the "killing ability" of the 30-06. Man I do not think I could sum it up any better than that. Thanks for making my point!!

I even like a MB on my varmint rifles. Like my 22-250. I really enjoy the ability of seeing my impacts in the scope. And a MB allows that to happen. But a MB has nothing to do with the effective "killing ability" of a particular round. It just makes particular rounds easier to shoot with. Whether they are hard recoiling rifles or not. Tom.

 

[limbhnger10]

Man up. You can shoot a proper deer cartridge or not. A 30-06 is a proper deer cartridge. Then you have the little cartridges. So you can make an excuse so you can hunt with a diminutive cartridge, or you can man up and shoot a proper cartridge.

If find it somewhat hilarious that you tell people to "man up", yet on another thread, you use muzzle breaks in order to shoot the "manly" magnums.

Personally I like muzzle brakes and magna-porting because I feel it give me a shooting advantage. They allow me to have more control of the rifle. And less movement while shooting. So that is important to me. And they will definitely do away with "scope eye".

You make a very good point. And on the outside it may look like I am contradicting myself. However why not take advantage of a muzzle brake?? Personally, as I wrote, I think the best feature of the MB is that it gives you greater control of the firearm. So a 30-06 recoils like a 243, has the muzzle flip of a 223, and has the "killing ability" of the 30-06. Man I do not think I could sum it up any better than that. Thanks for making my point!! Tom.

...so, you're de-manning a manly gun to shoot like a girly recoil of a .243, and the childish muzzle flip of a .223.....gotch ya

 

[Guest]

Thats incredibly funny.

If you have to have a muzzle brake, then, IMO, you can't handle the cartridge and it's wrong to tell people to "man up" when they shoot a 260, 7-08, 243, etc.

Yeah, I watched the guys back in the 70's getting scope eye and flinching like crazy when shooting the 7's and 300's. It was the macho thing to do back in the day. Been there, done it and enjoy the lighter rifles now with no feeling of having prove myself. I'm sure others feel the same way.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

I never said I had to have a MB. Only about 1/2 of the rifles that I regularly hunt with have MB's. However a MB is just another tool. So why not take advantage of a tool??

The MB does not make the 30-06 any less effective on game because the recoil is reduced. Does it?? But it definitely makes a 30-06 a superior rifle to a 243, especially if you can lower the recoil and muzzle flip and still have the drastically more effective 30-06 round to shoot. Sounds like a win-win to me.

Guys I do not mind if you flame me. If you have to do that, then that is OK with me. Definitely no hard feelings on my part.

But I would appreciate it if you look closely at what I am saying. And not what you think I mean. I said it exactly the way I meant it. Without any hidden meaning or agenda.

Or in other words. Please dispute the facts. Not the manner in which I deliver my opinions. And here are the facts.

The 30-06 is a better "killing cartridge"

Nothing wrong with less recoil from a MB that also lowers the muzzle flip.

Muzzle brake allows me to see impacts, or if I miss, where the miss hit.

Please dispute those facts?? Or can you?? Tom.

 

[bergerjohn]

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