Indiana is considering allowing rifles for deer hunting. I've lived here my entire life, and have only used a shotgun for deer, so I don't own any rifle larger that a .22. If this goes through, I now have a good excuse to buy a rifle.
My question is, what caliber rifle would you recommend? I'd like something that would be multi-use that I could use if I ever go hunting for some other species of big game or het the chance to hunt somewhere that is a lot more open country that Indiana is.
"Never try to fight an Old Dude. If you win, there's no glory; if you lose, your reputation is shot."
Here we go. Let it begin! ha.
I started life with a .30-30. Does fine to 100 yards. Next was .30-06. Probably the most versatile rifle made, because of the extreme variation in available OTC cartridges.
Then to a .270, and the .30-06 has been a Safe Queen ever since.
Last year, I got a .257 Wby Mag and the .270 is now relegated to my backup gun.
But it depends on:
A) Where you are going to use it, and how
B) The optics you put on it, which is WAY more important than caliber discussion
C) The cartridges you are going to shoot, because there IS a difference
D) What gun you can afford
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
My personal favorite is 270 and the one I own is a Remmy. there's a gozilliion of them out there at whatever price you want to pay. but you can kill just about anything in North America with a 270.
Most all rifles are right around the 30 caliber range though and you might find a buddy that you can visit a range with and try 'em out.
BKB
D-dog, I'm an old foggie, when it comes to deer rifles....oh sure, I own some other calibers, but the old Rem. 700 .30-.06 is my favorite(I've busted three rifle stocks on that gun, hunting out west)....you can always find ammo for it, and in about 1,000 different bullet-types.
I went elk hunting in Colo. several years ago, with ten other buddies, from all over MS, TN, and AR....the night before opening day, one of the guys came running outta his tent, screaming, "I forgot and left my ammo, sitting on my work bench at home. Has anybody got a few .30-.06 shells I can borrow???!!!!!....about eight guy's hands shot into the air, offering him ammo....my point being, if you're a dumbazz and leave your ammo at home, it might not be easy to find ammo for an exotic caliber gun....especially, when you're on a 9,000 foot Colo. mountaintop, 45 miles from the nearest town....jmho.
Southern Gentleman
I've had all kinds of calibers and killed deer or deer sized game with everything from a .223 to a 375 H+H Magnum. I've owned a number of magnum rifles, but when all the dust clears, and I bring my head back out of the clouds, I reach for my 30.06. It just gets the job done, day in and day out. It's not a sexy exciting caliber, but it is reliable and gets the job done. I've killed countless mule deer, whitetail deer, antelope, several black bears, and a nice bull elk with it. It's also accounted for a few jackrabbits, coyotes, and badgers. In fact I just smoked this coyote with in two days ago. I buy and sell/trade a lot of rifles, but this rifle is NOT for sale and never will be while I'm alive!
My bid for the most versatile rifle ever made would have to go to the .30-06 ... hands down. You can take deer to moose to bear as you have a bazillion choices when it comes to ammo.
Another thing to keep in mind is the AVAILABILITY of ammo. I once went to Canada for a bear hunting trip and the airlines lost my luggage. I found a .30-06 to borrow but had no ammo. We were way up in Northern Ontario (above the Arctic Circle) and elebenty-bazillion miles from civilization. We were in a primitive camp at the end of a lake that was 27 miles long and would never see another soul the whole two weeks there. I managed to find a small fish camp at the end of the lake that had the basic supplies ... including .22 and .30-06 ammo! Those were the only calibers they carried. Availability AND variety should be a major factor when choosing a one-does-it-all rifle. There's is no big game in North America that couldn't be taken with an '06.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Well, I type too slowly I guess and missed the other answers ... but it looks like a common theme going here.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Onme thing to take into consideration is what your average shot will be like. If you're like most places in the midwest, probably 90% of the shots you take will be in the 75-100 yard range or closer. That means you don't need much and like Bucky originally said, a 30-30 would suffice for whitetails just about anywhere. Most folks like the break-down power of a 30 caliber though. I can't disagree with the sentiments expressed for the 06 and probably 75% of the deer I've ever killed were with one. for closer ranges, the 06 is probably a little better and for a little longer ranges the 270 is probably a little better. The recoil is only a little bit less with a 270. If I remember the ranges, the 06 drops about 5 inches at 200 and the 270 about 3 inches. There really ain't a nickel's worth of difference. My 270 is a Remmy 700 like Eddies and my 06 is a Remmy 742 Woodmaster so there might be some difference just because of that. I'd be proud to hunt with either. I'm like Bucky though. Once I got my 270, my 06 hasn't been shot in anger a single time. I've killed two caribou and prolly a dozen deer with my 270 and they were all DRT one shot drops.that's not a big database to compare but it was enough to convince me.
Good luck with whatever you get. Captain has a 7mm08 I'd give my eye teeth for. that and the 25.06 are two calibers I'd be owning if I was still actively hunting. both are also awesome calibers to look at.
BKB
I also love my little 7mm08 however ammunition and bullets weight options for it are not nearly as good as it is for the 30.06.
Well, since Sky showed ya his, I'll show ya mine:
If this gun could only talk !!!!!
image.jpg
Last edited by Big Muddy; 11-03-2014 at 11:47 AM.
Southern Gentleman
I'm looking for something that will be a good versatile rifle, that I can take anywhere that I'd have the chance to hunt and be able to use it on just about anything that I'd be hunting. I'm most likely never going to hunt Africa, so I don't need a rifle that will take down a cape buffalo or an elephant, but something adequate for most of the big game in North America.
I've always been partial to Leupold scopes and that's the only kind I have on any of my guns, so I'd be putting a Leupold on it.
The primary use will be for deer here in Indiana, but I'd like to have it versatile enough to be able to use it if I went somewhere else where I'd be taking longer shots than are possible here where I'd be hunting,
"Never try to fight an Old Dude. If you win, there's no glory; if you lose, your reputation is shot."
Bingo Bango.
.30-06
NOW, do you want to get into the Remington vs. Winchester vs. Weatherby vs. the new cheapo versions of everything vs. custom vs. etc??
P.S.
Dunno about your eyes, I suspect you do NOT have my eye issues. But if so, in any way, please take a look at the Leupold VX-R's. Amazing.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
When my eyesight started catching up to my age, I scoped almost everything I owned. Leupold is the only scopes I've ever owned. I'm sure there are better (AND more expensive) ... but they always did everything I ever asked of them.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Awwww crap! If I didn't know better ... I'd say I just agreed with Bucky on TWO things on the same day! What's going on here?
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
I was typing my last post and got distracted and didn't get it up before all the replies.
I'd seen a lot of mentions of the 270 here and I was interested to see what e everyone's opinion was since a lot of you have a LOT more experience with the rifles then I do. I've got my 870 slug gun with a rifled barrel and a 2.5 - 5X Leupold shotgun scope on it and it's sighted in at 75 yards. Most of the deer I've killed have been in the 40-75 yard range but due to the area I hunt, shots longer than 150 yards probably aren't practical.
"Never try to fight an Old Dude. If you win, there's no glory; if you lose, your reputation is shot."
Sorry it upsets you so, Jimbo.
.270 put my .30-06 into the safe. But, as everyone has said, the .30-06 is more versatile and does what you say you want to do better.......
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
Nuttin' at all wrong with the .270 ... but your initial post ended with:
THAT (IMHO) would be the .30-06 ... hands down. I believe it is the most versatile, all-around best caliber in the country.My question is, what caliber rifle would you recommend? I'd like something that would be multi-use that I could use if I ever go hunting for some other species of big game or the chance to hunt somewhere that is a lot more open country that Indiana is.
Oh, and if you want to put another feather in the .30-06 hat ... other than general availability, selection of bullet weights/powder combos ... it would be the most economical as far as ammo costs go. I haven't bought ammo in a bazillion years, but I assume that's still the case. Heck, you can even buy military surplus ammo if that floats your boat.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Why would you think a 06 would be a better choice for longer ranges than a 270? That makes no sense. the 270 shoots flatter at 200+. Of course the difference isn't that marked with some loads, but if I were shooting at 200+ my choice would be a 270 every time. Hell, if I consistently shot at those ranges it'd be a 300 Win Mag though.
Its only an opinion but that's why I think 270 is a better all around choie than an 06.
BKB
One of the main reason's I keep going back to my 30.06 is that I don't like tracking critters after I shoot them. I get more DRT's (Dead Right There) with my 30.06 than any other caliber I've ever owned.
The ONLY thing the .30-06 has on a .270 is the availability of bullets from 55g to 220g. No other cartridge can say that.
But if I'm deer hunting, the .270 wins hands down over the .06.
And since Jack O'Conner, this is the Argument Of The Ages.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
If you were elk hunting I doubt you could quantify that statement...especially the "ONLY" part:"The ONLY thing the .30-06 has on a .270 is the availability of bullets from 55g to 220g."
In fact, you'll likely wish you had something even more powerful than a 30.06, but the 30.06 will get it done no problem.
I'm here with my 30.06 before I hot rodded it up with a new stock, scope, trigger, and rings. Cornholio took this photo when were taking a break about half way back to the pick up. I can honestly say I was about as exhausted as I've ever been when he took this photograph. I was thrilled to have the elk, but I really wanted to just die and have them throw snow over me. ELK ARE WORK!
Last edited by Big Skyz; 11-03-2014 at 01:21 PM.
That's one thing on my bucket list that I've GOT to get done and soon and that's elk hunting.
BKB
My good friend just retired as Regional Director of the RMEF. He always hunted elk with his .257 wby mag. His wall is impressive.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
One of the two things the heart doc said I could never do.Originally Posted by BarryBobPosthole
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
Nobody mentioned the .308 Win. I remember the day when every gun mag, every month had an article comparing the 30-06 to the .308. Used to get pretty hot as I recollect.
Buckrub, I agree with your doc. Well unless you can find a guided hunt on private land where 90% of the hunting is done from a pick up truck. Those hunts do exist and I have a friend in New Mexico that guides such hunts. Not likely I will ever go with him though as elk just don't light my fire like some other animals do. I will say this though, I'm glad I got this bull when I did as I could not physically make that same hunt right now. I'm 30 lbs heavier, much older, and just don't have the stamina.
I know man.
Truth is, I have never been mad at no Elk or no Mooses.
I am seriously mad at Mule Deer. Big time.
I found the perfect place, up there in Plentywood........I just didn't get the big one that the other two guys got. It was done to suit my way!! And there were muleys everywhere.
I just don't have another $6K to do it again. I ain't sure I've paid Visa for all of the last one!
P.S.
I shot mine with a .270, SPF Interbond..........DRT.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
Dep, no one has mentioned it, but a 7Mag would do also. I bring that up not in case you are looking for a new one, but in case you run across an amazing deal on a used one.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
One word Buckly. SHERPAS.
And 7mm's kick like a dad gum mule.
BKB
Um.....
what???
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
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