Deer season is approaching.....

[bj66]

I was in my gunsafe the other day and I took out my .270 wsm. I've had it for about 6 years and taken one whitetail with it. Like the gun, hate the caliber. Actually it's not the guns fault, its a Tikka T3 lite. Gun packs a wallup when you shoot. I always wear bib coveralls when its cold and the adjustment buckle for the bib straps happen to be between gun and shoulder. Obviously it doesn't help matters. Anyway, seldom do I shoot over 200 yards, mostly at 100 or so. So in reality the .270 short mag is too much gun for that close.

 

So here is my question, 7mm-08 or .243? I like the .243, gave mine to my son. I am using 25-.06 right now. I already have a .223 for varmints and coyotes. I've never had any problems with .243 on deer, works great at my distances. But from what I read on the net, 7mm-08 is supposed to be better although almost the same as 25-06. I'm leaning towards going back to another .243. I haven't ruled out a .260 rem either. But ammo is tougher to get and more spendy......

 

When I do trade, someone's going to get a real good Tikka. I hope they don't mind recoil. That 6.5 pound gun packs a wallop.....

[eagleeye]

I use a 30-06 myself

The last few years i have noticed that in the spring there are more dead deer on the highway in the spring. Just saying

[ragtop69gs]

My go to rifle for deer is an old Remington 742 30.06 great from 50 out to 200 as sighted now. Ammo is fairly cheap and plentiful, most anywhere that sells ammo will have a good selection. For those times when I want to reach out and touch them the 6.5 swede is called into action, it's a long and fast, flat shooter.

[bj66]

I have my dad's 30-06. Early 60's model I'm guessing. Remington Gamemaster pump with Weaver 4X scope. That ones a keeper......

 

I hunt from a elevated blind. So I get close in natural shots. Don't have to hurry etc. I've shot at least 15 deer with .243, not one has run more than 3 Steps. Can't remember for sure when the last one even took one step. Love the .243 round. Although I let my son have my prized .243 its a Rem 7400 semi auto. Feels like your shooting a pellet gun. If I do get another .243 in a bolt, it won't be the same. Might have to move up to 7mm-08. In all honesty its gonna be hard to outdo the 25-06 I used the last 2 years......But since I'm getting rid of the Tikka, I have to replace it. You NEVER downsize your collection. You just modify and adapt....

[ragtop69gs]

NEVER downsize, just buy another safe Sell one, buy one , buy one , swap one ,,, more ammo another safe,,,,,,,

[Freebird]

I haven't hunted in quite a few years but I used to hunt a lot and owned a LOT of guns. Never was a semi auto fan. Mostly had bolts and lever actions. Most of my hunting was done in the heavy brush of NE Texas or in Northern Alabama for a few years when I lived there. I've owned bolt actions in .243, .270, .308 and 30-06 and levers in 30/30, .44 and .444 and .308 (Browning BLR in the .308). Several others also but they were just buy, sell and trades.

 

My favorite deer rifle that I ever owned or shot was my Ruger M77 International in .308. I had a Leopold 2.5 x 5 compact scope on it. It had an 18 1/2" barrel so was easy to maneuver in the brush and the low power scope was more than I ever needed in the brush where the vast majority of shots were under 75 yds. I would LOVE to have it back but went through a divorce about 25 years ago and the ex wife sold it out from under me to help pay for her lawyer and I just never replaced it.

 

I don't have a picture of my actual gun but this one is just like it except maybe for the scope. If I were to ever start deer hunting again, there is no doubt that I would find another one.

[slowrollwv]

When I did a lot of hunting my favorite gun was a 300 win. mag. If I knew I was going to be in open areas of 2 to 5 hundred yards I used my 30-378 Weatherby Mag for the longer shots.

[Flyinfool]

I have taken a bunch of deer with both the .243 and a 7mm-08.

In the .243 I loaded with a 100g Nosler Partition. The 7mm-08 I loaded with 140g Nosler Ballistic Tip.

They will both take down a deer right now. I do prefer the 7mm-08 for the simple reason that if you do not have the best shot angle along with a longer distance it does carry energy better than the .243 and is still able to break bone.

 

My .243 was sold to my hunting buddy for his kid to use, it was a stainless, synthetic Remington Model 7. Since it is still in deer camp every year I can still grab it if I am planning a long hike, its a very light weight gun. I have been looking into selling/trading my 7mm-08 Lone Eagle for a Tikka T3 Lite in either 7mm Rem Mag or 7mm-08. I just love the performance of the 7mm Ballistic Tip on deer no mater what brass is behind it. A lite magnum is problem for me, I am not at all recoil sensitive, the more the merrier. AND no one wants to borrow or try out my guns. Saves on ammo.

 

Your Tikka sounds interesting 270 is darn close to the same bullet as the 7mm, should have similar performance. Hmmmmmm..........

[Condor]

I did most of my deer and antelope hunting with a custom 264 win mag which has lost when the house was broken into 15+ years ago. I've been looking for another bolt in that caliber for a long time without success sense they're fairly rare. So I picked up a Rem 700ADL in 7mm Rem Mag plus a lot of other 'interesting' rifles. One of my favorites is a Zatava Manlicher in 7x57 mauser. It looks a lot like Don's full stocked that he attached. Butter knife bolt handle, double set triggers, iron sights only...not tapped for scope. 7x57 aka 275 Tingley is a great all round caliber and will handle anything we have here in the US and abroad. But I digress.... Here's one I just picked up last Monday. Remingtom 700BDL Classic in 7mmRemMag . It's interesting... :-)

[Freebird]

Have you shot it yet? I once owned a BDL Classic in 30/06. For whatever reason, that rifle kicked like a mule. I've owned several 30/06 rifles but that one particular model was brutal. Never figured out exactly why unless it had something to do with the more straight back stock. Not as much drop as others that I had owned.

[Condor]

Have you shot it yet? I once owned a BDL Classic in 30/06. For whatever reason, that rifle kicked like a mule. I've owned several 30/06 rifles but that one particular model was brutal. Never figured out exactly why unless it had something to do with the more straight back stock. Not as much drop as others that I had owned.

 

Nope, haven't shot it yet... Maybe never??? But I put a ton of rounds thru the 264, and it can't be any worse since they are basically from the 375H&H family. 7mm vs. 6.5mm. I gotta agree tho.. When shooting competitive clays I poured a lot of lead out the end of a bbl, and tried a few different guns. Some kicked the snot out of me and others didn't bother me a bit. All of them were high combed. I personally think it has more to do with the gauge, or caliber, being shot and the weight of the gun. The heavier the gun the longer the recoil impulse and the easier it is on the shooter... This new 700 weighs a ton. I was kinda surprised when I picked it up. Maybe I'm just getting old...and weak??? :-)

[bj66]

I actually thought of taking the 270wsm and changing the stock on it and adding a good recoil pad like a Limbsaver. Thought if I added a Boyds laminated stock and the pad it would only cost about 150 or so dollars. Thought I might be able to get a little more weight that way. But in the end the .270wsm is just too much bullet for my closer shots. If I miss the vitals by a tad, I'm going to have hamburger I can't eat, instead of making sausage that I can. .243 at my distance is plenty. I wouldn't worry about using a 22-250 on most of my shots. I could get away with .223 on about a third of them. Close in shots with no obstructions (trees etc) and flat ground. No elevation changes etc....I've shot at least 3 deer inside of 25 yards, and one of them was less than 60 feet. That one was sneaky and got around behind me before I saw him

[Condor]

I used 120/140 grain Nosler spire points in my 264WinMag, and even tho- I thought of it as a long range gun... shoots like frozen clothesline out to 200 yards... most the deer and Antelope were taken between 20-60 yards. Never lost a bit of meat due to bullet fraging. Can't speak for other bullet manufacturers but that's what I experienced with the Noslers..

[Huggy]

Yes it is and here's one unhappy driver.

 

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/CI8UPHMzZm8?rel=0

[Carbon_One]

My favorite guns are short bolt actions in 7mm-08 (preferred) or 308. Most of my hunting was mostly done under 75yards with long shots out to maybe 150yds due to being in woodlands. Long action guns I have & use have 30-06 stamped on the barrel. All 3 calibers get the job done quite well on deer when using proper bullet weights. I've also have used a number of lever guns in 30-30 & 35Rem.

Larry

[uncledj]

IMHO. Ya can't beat a Winchester Model 94 30 30 for whitetail. It'll do 200 yards without a problem, and .....I don't know why....but it's been my experience that it drops 'em where they stand.

I've used several different rifles....my Model 88 .308 has been the old standby, but I sure do like the 30 30......kinda nostalgic too.

Having said that, I stopped hunting several years ago, when the PA Game Commission, in all it's wisdom, decided to encourage hunters to decimate the deer herd.....and it worked. Used to be deer running all over the place up there, ...now it's kind of rare to see one.

As for me, I'll never give the PA game commission another dime.....and that's my 2 cents.

[ragtop69gs]

Michigan, with the insurance industry encouragement, did the same thing to the Michigan deer herds. Many areas where I used to see at least 20 deer during a days hunt, now you're lucky to see 3. I too have pretty much given up on deer hunting on public lands.

 

IMHO. Ya can't beat a Winchester Model 94 30 30 for whitetail. It'll do 200 yards without a problem, and .....I don't know why....but it's been my experience that it drops 'em where they stand.

I've used several different rifles....my Model 88 .308 has been the old standby, but I sure do like the 30 30......kinda nostalgic too.

Having said that, I stopped hunting several years ago, when the PA Game Commission, in all it's wisdom, decided to encourage hunters to decimate the deer herd.....and it worked. Used to be deer running all over the place up there, ...now it's kind of rare to see one.

As for me, I'll never give the PA game commission another dime.....and that's my 2 cents.

[dfitzbiz]

Twelve years ago, when my daughter started hunting at 12 years old, I bought her a Remington Youth Model 7 in 7mm-08. I loaded it with 120 gr. Hollow points. She has taken a deer every year since. I’ve had an opportunity to use it early on and really liked the light recoil and the knock down ability.

I liked that little gun so much that I purchased one for myself in the adult model. That has since been passed to my older daughter and a few years ago I purchased a Model 700 SPS in 7mm-08. A new son-in-law began his hunting career with us and he is also outfitted with the Model 700 in 7mm-08. Son-in-law number 2 came along and upgraded his Savage 243 to the same Model 700 in 7mm-08.

That makes 5 7mm-08’s in the family all shooting the same 140 gr. Boat tail load with similar and very good accuracy.

I had been hunting with a Model 700 BDL in 7mm Mag. Since 1970 and Freebird is right about the recoil, straight back with no muzzle jump. The old 7mm Mag. Shoots to kill but kicks to cripple. I won’t let my kids or grandchildren shoot it. When things get down to the wire and I need a deer that old 7mm Mag is my go to gun. She just jumps into my hands, comes to my eye and is on target. A sweet heart even with its flaws.

[bj66]

I have the model 7 youth as well in .243. Lots of nice bucks taken by the kids in our family. They get to fill tags first. My daughter will be the 4th one to use it. Even a few neighbor kids have used it. I ordered another .243 today, was going to get a 7mm-08 and had myself talked into it. But I already shoot a 25-06 which is so close to 7-08 it didn't make sense to have another. Besides I just counted 6 boxes of .243 shells, I'm already stocked up. That gives us 3 .243's, a 7mm-08, a 30-06, and a .223. I'm covered I guess.....

 

Forgot the 25-06 on the list

[Huggy]

I use a 50 cal Muzzle loader. I love the smell of fresh burnt gun powder!

[ragtop69gs]

For good prices on cases of ammo check out this seller. Free shipping on case orders. Sale stock changes weekly. http://www.targetsportsusa.com

[ragtop69gs]

I love my Thompson Center Hawken 50 cal . A fun gun to shoot.

 

I use a 50 cal Muzzle loader. I love the smell of fresh burnt gun powder!

[slowrollwv]

I love my Thompson Center Hawken 50 cal . A fun gun to shoot.

 

It has been nearly 15 years now that I have pulled the trigger on a deer with any of my guns. I have four black powder guns. A 50 cal. Hawkins, 50 cal. Renegade, 50 cal. camo inline and a 45 cal. Kentucky long rifle. I don't shoot them any more as I hate the smell of rotten eggs when you clean them. But I do like the smell of burnt powder.

[Condor]

I have one of the newer Knight 209 black powder rifles in 45cal. I've never shot it, but I have all the things that will make it go BOOM!! Decided to use Pyrodex if I ever get motivated...

[Dano]

I just use my 2nd Gen when I want's to go deer huntin'.....