Tx_Sniper

I could not agree with more TEXAS 10PT....I have a few buds that have had a 7mm mag and they used it one season or sighted it in and looked at selling it....Too much gun for here..

I'm not knocking the mags.....I just don't see the need to use one here...IMO

etw

Like you said TEXAS is a big state. Lots of different hunting conditions between the senderos of south Texas and the piney woods vs the open west vs the hill country of central Texas. I've used a 6mm since 68' in the hill country but didn't get an exit on a big hog I killed in east Texas last year. But, it went about 5 yards, so I guess I can't beef to much

JagMagMan

Even though I use a 7MM RM, I agree that the magnum crase has gone way overboard! With good 100 grain bullets, the .243/6MM will take any deer from Texas to Canada! Deer are not hard to kill! I bought my 7MM RM for future big game hunts, and am just breaking it in on Whitetails!
That said, I also don't think that you can be over-gunned, and I think that the .260 or the 7MM-08 would be two calibers that are just about "perfect" whitetail calibers, flat shooters, plenty of power on the business end, easy on the shoulder!

FOsteology

I just got back from an Axis and Fallow doe hunt with my 9 year old son. I used a 25-06 with 120 grain Core-Lokt. A smaller caliber would have worked just as well. IMHO, no need for anything larger than a 25-06 for Texas deer.

TXhighrack

I've used all types of calibers on s. Texas deer, big hogs, and nailgi. One of my favorite deer rifles that I've got is my ruger rifle in 220 swift, thats the gun I carry in my ranch truck and have used it to take alot of deer and hogs. One of my friends works on the kennedy ranch, he uses a 223 rifle when culling nailgi cows. Its all about shot placement and confidence. But I would say the most popular caliber down here is the 270, 30-06, and 7 mag. My personal favorite caliber is the 243, I love that gun. You can use just about any caliber and if you put it in the right spot, like at the base of the deers neck, the animal is going to almost always drop and be dead before they hit the ground.

zrexpilot

Yep , every caliber mentiones are good on texas deer. Heres my pick on the best calibers, in no particular order. 22-250 .243/6mm 25-06, 30-06, 260, 270, 7 mag, 300 mag, 7-08, 308, hmmm did I leave any one out. I'm partial to the .243, I love this caliber, I've owned other calibers but none has been as accurate out of the box as the .243 and I've owned several .243's and they were all very very accurate out of the box. I use 100 gr. Hornadys and have had complete pass throughs on big hogs out to 200 yds. Never lost one animal with a .243, its not as small as some claim , after all it's just a case necked down .308

jlmcnatt

.25-.06

I SssEEEE DEAD DEER!!

Mike from Texas

I bought a .260 Rem a couple of years ago. I had bad experiences using the 120 grain Ballistic Tips but after switching to 125 Nosler Partitions, I think this is just about the perfect deer gun for most of Texas.

If you need something for those longer shots, Winchester will be introducing a .25 WSSM later in the year, the ballistics look very impressive.

jasonthehunted

The list is almost endless on this one Moose. My uncle and cousin both shoot 22-250's for deer, and they ve taken alot of deer with them. and havent lost one. Ive shot 22-250 30-06 270 25-06 7mag 30-30 and 243. and been succesful with all of them My favorite was the 25-06 although Im switching to .243 this year because thats what Im building. Its all shot placement. If you can hit em in the vitals all these guns will do the job, make a bad hit and an elephant caliber wont kill em. I dont like the magnums as much they are a little much. Type of terrain your hunting comes into play too. Hunt the piney woods and a 30-30 with a scope cant be topped but take it out west and and you ll be wishing you had a flat shooting bolt action. 270 30-06 are probably the most popular calibers anywhere. confused yet?

Moose_Maximus

I guess my only option is to get one of each. Plus a spare--make that two of each.

Wait till I tell the wife!