best caliber rifle for white tails???
08-05-2003, 10:53 AM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Logan Ia USA
Posts: 678
RE: best caliber rifle for white tails???
The .270 would be the better choice if you are only ever hunting deer or something smaller. If you think that maybe someday you will go after elk, bear, moose or something like that then I would want the extra knockdown power of 30.06. I don' t think you can go wrong with either
08-05-2003, 01:08 PM
#12
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wardensville West Virginia USA
Posts: 640
RE: best caliber rifle for white tails???
All the guns mentioned are great, the 30-30, .270 and 30-06' s are some of the most popular ever.
Like everyone said the terrain that you are hunting does make a diffrence in the caliber you choose. Some other things to take in to consideration are price, how much recoil you can handle, availability of shells. I have hunted with 30-30' s 30-06' s , 308' s and currently shoot a 7mm rem mag. I have taked deer with all of them, and shells are every where for them. I love my 30-30 and wouldnt give it up for the world, but was very impressed with the magnum. You should shoot several diffrent calibers and see which fits you best, plus check around and diffrent shops and look for what rounds are available. But there is now way to go wrong with any of the guns mentioned in the previous posts, they have all been around for years and taken every big game animal in north america. The .270 and 30-06 are vertually identical, same casing diffrent caliber bullets, the .270 shoots a little faster and flatter due to the lighter smaller bullet, but i have seen hundreds of deer taken with both and cant tell a diffrence when they are on the ground the both do excellent jobs the main diffrence is on paper and ballistic charts. Its just like the ford, chevy debate its all in what you prefer they do the same thing.
Like everyone said the terrain that you are hunting does make a diffrence in the caliber you choose. Some other things to take in to consideration are price, how much recoil you can handle, availability of shells. I have hunted with 30-30' s 30-06' s , 308' s and currently shoot a 7mm rem mag. I have taked deer with all of them, and shells are every where for them. I love my 30-30 and wouldnt give it up for the world, but was very impressed with the magnum. You should shoot several diffrent calibers and see which fits you best, plus check around and diffrent shops and look for what rounds are available. But there is now way to go wrong with any of the guns mentioned in the previous posts, they have all been around for years and taken every big game animal in north america. The .270 and 30-06 are vertually identical, same casing diffrent caliber bullets, the .270 shoots a little faster and flatter due to the lighter smaller bullet, but i have seen hundreds of deer taken with both and cant tell a diffrence when they are on the ground the both do excellent jobs the main diffrence is on paper and ballistic charts. Its just like the ford, chevy debate its all in what you prefer they do the same thing.
08-05-2003, 04:48 PM
#13
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: best caliber rifle for white tails???
So many to choose from and really not to many make a bad choice for whitetails only. Personlly if I hunted only whitetails it would be a 25.06, 7mm 08 or 270. I have used a 25.06 and it performed well only beef is if you buy factory loads it is a bit limiting in some areas for choice and styles. The 7mm 08 is really gaining favor because of its short throw, low recoil and very decent ballistic performance, one to not over look in my opinion for a smaller game only rifle. The 270 is the opposite of the 25.06, it has all the choice and will allow you the ability to go up in grain depending on the terrain/hunting you do. It would also suffice on the bare minimium for bigger game (with proper bullet style, grain weight and limiting your shots accordingly). BTW, I still own a 270 and have used it for everything I can hunt here (Antelope, wt/Mule Deer, Moose & Elk) and as long as i matched the bullet to the game I was chasing it did a fine job-It does however require the shooter to know the limitations he is faced with on the bigger game.smaller gun scenario) The 3006 is long standing favorite as an all arounder and just in case choice for hunters who what the ability to/if they ever need to. However while the 3006 has the ability to load up and load down dependant on the game it really only does things OK...never does it do anything spectacular. If you plan to hunt whitetails in tight corners it would be fine with 165 gr bullet, however you plan to stretch it out a bit than I would choose one of the others mentioned like a 270, 7-08, etc. If you want an all arounder/just in case cartridge, than I would suggest a 7mm RM, it will do anything the 3006 will do only better, faster & flatter...but it does come with a small incremental increase in recoil and cost to shoot.
08-05-2003, 05:46 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Irwin PA USA
Posts: 1,247
RE: best caliber rifle for white tails???
Well u picked a good topic. Unfortuneatly everyone uses something different with sucess, so its hard to give u more then my opinion. I shoot a .270 win. i have only had one deer run and it went about 15 yards, and it was because i shot it back a lil but it was quardering away so it was jsut a perfect lung shot. All my other kills didnt move another step after i squeezed off
08-05-2003, 07:21 PM
#15
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Auburn New Hampshire USA
Posts: 74
RE: best caliber rifle for white tails???
If you' re hunting just whitetail, It really comes down to what you get excited about. You' ll hear folks talk about the " flat shooting" .270. However, the if you compare the .30-06 and .270 ballistics for a 150gr bullet, you' ll find there is only a .5 inch difference at 300 yards with very similar ft-lbs.
If you plan to hunt larger game with the same rifle, I would recommend the .30-06. I think someone above said it does an " OK" job. I have several rifles and always find myself going back to the reliable 06. A few of my friends swear by the .270 and 7mm mag. At the range, we can' t tell the difference, except my hole is a little larger.
If you plan to hunt larger game with the same rifle, I would recommend the .30-06. I think someone above said it does an " OK" job. I have several rifles and always find myself going back to the reliable 06. A few of my friends swear by the .270 and 7mm mag. At the range, we can' t tell the difference, except my hole is a little larger.
08-05-2003, 08:10 PM
#16
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bar Harbor ME USA
Posts: 443
RE: best caliber rifle for white tails???
If I were going to buy a new gun just for whitetails it would be 7mm-08, but either of the two you mentioned will work (probably just as well). With the 30-06 you could hunt larger game too.
