"Perfect" deer caliber/rifle...lol......

[Gatorbum]

MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm new here and was reading back through some of your posts. I love you guys!!

Heh, heh, heh..........Closeknit, able to argue, agree to disagree...My kind of folks.

Just so you'll know, I'm mostly a bowhunter though my rifle shooting experience is extreme. My confidence gun is a semi-custom built Whitworth Mauser in 25/06. When it fires, something dies. Period. It had 2000+ rounds fired through it before firing a factory load. I was a bigtime handloader but stopped many years ago. No time anymore and not nearly as convenient as it was. I had a 400 yard range in my yard so I could litterally step to the door and fire a round to check pressures.

As do you all, I have my opinions as well. I hate discussing energy figures of cartridges simply because bullet construction decides how much of that energy is actually used "Within the intended target"!!! That is the crucial factor.

Anyways, take care and I look forward to meeting you all here.

Tony

[Rocky Raab]

Howdy, Tony. Oddly enough you sound like our kind of guy, too!

(Well, except for that non-reloader thing.)

Welcome aboard.

[Gatorbum]

Thanks for the welcome Rocky.

I do miss my handloading some but just do not have the time anymore. I'm not at all disappointed in the performance of a lot of the new factory ammo so I am ok with off the shelf now.

By the way, I am also a deer processor in the winter so I get the chance to see a whole lot of bullet performance. Very interesting to talk with my clients and see their perspective of things. I can generally find out real quick who is experienced and who isn't....heh, heh, heh

Tony

[Jack]

Welcome to Huntchat, Gatorbum.
Funny you should mention the 25-06. Had one of those, a Ruger 77 Mk2. Loaned it to a friend. He proceeded to kill 4 deer with 4 shots, and then made me an offer for it I couldn't turn down.

[Evan03]

havent taken deer with my 2506 yet, but in my opion it is the best of the best when it comes to deer only calibers. its fast flat acurate and does it all with factory ammo,

im kinda in your shoes. i reload for both my 270wsm and 2506. latly ive been loadinf for the wsm just for the simple fact that i havent found the acuracy i want outa facotry ammo. i tested about 8 difrent powder charges in the wsm and finaly found one i liked that pushed the 140gr nolser bt just hair faster than 3000fps. i found this process a true pain in the ass. grrrr


my 2506 shoots about every thing i feed it plenty acurate enough to keep me happy, my load of choice is some kinda powder pushn some kinda charge, undere the 100gr nolser balistic tip. cant remember the load or powder off hand but i do know it keeps me happy.

it also like 100gr factory rem core lokts. this facotry ammo shooots so well ive almost quit reloading for it. the facotry rem core lockt load is fairly slow and the bullet bc leavs something to be desired but it just flat out works doesnt matter if im shootn at 100yds or 400. more often then not the varmit is sent tumbling and peices are flying.

so i gree the 2506 along with all the other 257 calibers make great deer only rifles and when deers on the menu youl never be left wanting more.

Evan

[Gatorbum]

Thanks Evan and I agree. I've never actually found a bad load for my 25. The absolutely easiest rifle I've ever developed a load for. It just shoots everything great. I've never seen a factory load open up more than a one inch group. Very impressive cartridge. Niedner did good.....

I had a 308 Ruger Ultra light that I wondered if I would ever get it to shoot anything. Finally found 2 loads, one light load for my wife and a heavy load for me. Mine was simply a Nosler solid base, 150gr., and 3031 powder. Pretty well maxed out charge I had to compress powder with the bullet seating. This was only after doing everything imaginable to the gun and 3 full pages of a legal pad of loads tested. Actually her load is kind of interesting. I took a Sierra boat tail soft point in varmint weight, 125gr., and loaded it down to just above 30/30 velocities. Very mild recoil even in that super lightweight rifle and the first deer she killed was a 218 pound 10 point at 150 yards. Perfect mushroom just under the skin on the off side. Wrecked him really good and he ran about 75 yards. At full velocities that bullet explodes but keeping it slow makes it perform perfectly.

I cannot imagine a "Better" all around deer cartridge than my 25/06. JMHO and hundreds of dead whitetails and hogs could tell you as well.....heh, heh, heh

Take care

Tony

[Dom]

Welcome to HC Gatorbum, tho I ain't got nothing against the quarter bores and even have a Vanguard in 25-06, it's a mighty fine caliber, just not my first choice. I guess it's because I got so many other great calibers at my disposal!! By the way, can you hunt gators with a bow? That might be interesting, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[earschplitinloudenboomer]

Gatorbum;
It's nice to have a favorite caliber, it's even nicer to discuss favorite calibers with some one who recognizes that a number of calibers will get the job done!
best to you and yours...
ears-

[Hi Ball]

Greetings Hunters! I just wanted to say hello and howdy howdy.

I reckon I have hunted whitetail deer with more types of rifles than I can remember (brain arthritis says the doc!) including my first 300 Win mag but once I got the hang of a model 70 1/4 bore (25-06) the wife bought me some years back, I just knew after it's first hunt, nothing was going to replace it in my hands as my go to gun......Amen.

[model 70]

Best deer round? Simple

.270win
130gr. ammo
end of story.

[Andy L]

Welcome Gatorbum!!

Cant blame you for the 25-06. Awesome deer cartridge. I like mine ALOT.

I was waiting for the O'Connor fan to pipe up.

Here we go again......

Andy

[Evan03]

looks like the 257 cals are takin the ranks.

6 vots for 257
1 for 277

and one wildcat .25/308


im bound and determined to get deer with my 270wsm, i branded the rifle as mine this last deer season in one pack in hunt. rifle looks more like its 10 years old than 2. its very acurate and awesome handling rifle. recoil is very managable, and thats saying alot comeing from me. i run from recoil.

everything in a standerd cartridge from 6mm-300win will make a very good deer gun, difrent tastes and styles of hunting will decide what caliber is best out the bunch.

[model 70]

What advantage to they have over the .277 other than sentimental value?

[Andy L]

Reverse the question??

[Rocky Raab]

The same advantage that the 277 has over the 284!


(Meaning damn little, except for what we like best, and THAT is how this thread started!)


Oh, and I guess that wildcat 25-308 is my little baby. But I do like it a lot!