What rifle Calibers have you used?

Zarn

Member
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73
I got to thinking about rifle cartridges and what I have used to kill deer in the past. Granted I am pretty old and my hunting career goes back a long time. I thought it might be Interesting to see what center fire calibers you all have used to kill deer with. Here is my list. Although not in order.
30-06
243
22-250
30-30
280
308
6.5 CM
270
30-40 Krag
 
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Not too many for me The majority have come from my 300 RUM 1st custom rifle I ever had built and I used it for many many years as my primary rifle. My first dozen were from my dads old 30-06

30-06
300 RUM
270
280ai
25CM
25SST
 
.17 Rem
.223
.22-250
.243
.25-06
.270 win
.284 win
7mm STW
7mm Sherman Max
28 Nosler
30-30
.300 WSM
.300 win mag
30-338 lapua
30-378 wby
.375 h&h
.45 cal muzzy
.50 cal muzzy
.54 cal muzzy
 
To kill deer…….this is going to be a long list. I’m kind of a Gun floosie. The 25-06AI and 7MM Dakota accounted for the majority. Funny, my kids all use cartridges that I have never used for hunting. My oldest uses a 270 for everything and my youngest two both use 7-08s. My wife shares the 25-06 AI with me.——-SS

223
243
6MM
257
257 AI
25-06
25-06AI
280AI
7MM Rem
7MMSTW
7MM Dakota
28 Nosler
30-30
30-06
300 Win
300RUM
338 Win
338 RUM
338-378 Wby
35 Whelen
44 Mag
50 Muzzy
 
1/4 bores are represented way more than I expected! Style points for 257 Roberts.

I’ve got a new/old 300 H&H that should make the list next year. ——-SS
 
22-250
.243
.270
30-06
7mm rem.mag
.300 win mag
45-70
.44 mag
.45 and .50 cal muzzy
9mm and .45 acp (hit with truck, permission granted by biologist to finish them)
 
To kill deer…….this is going to be a long list. I’m kind of a Gun floosie.
Hey SS, based on my list, I sleep around a little too. ???

1 - 3 different cartridges in each of my calibers (diameter) for me too.

For deer, I’m kind of on a .264 and .284 kick right now in a few different cartridges.

Man, it adds up fast over 50 years of deer hunting in several States!

Zeke
 
Holy crap, there are some long list. I started out with a 30-30 and killed my first three bucks. Then bought my first rifle ( 30-06), killed several more deer and elk with it. Then moved onto a 7mm rem. mag. Killed several deer and elk with it. Now I'm working on killing a buck or bull with my new 6.5 prc. I've also killed a few bucks and bulls with my 50 cal. Muzzy.
 
9 calibers.....
Yeah, but it seems like more (22, 6mm, 25, 7mm, 30, 357, 375, 9mm, 45, and 50 if we count the ml)

92EBC631-5AAC-4196-B35B-42520457725A.jpeg
 
270 for the vast majority
First deer was with Grandpa's 243
Killed a couple road hit deer with:
16 gauge and steel 2 duck load
22 mag pistol
22 lr pistol and rifle
30-30
44-40 pistol
 
Man there’s been a lot…..
25-06
270
300 RUM
26 nos
28 nos
30 nos
280 AI
7mm
300prc
300 norma
338xc
6.5 cm
6mm cm
22 cm
300 win
6.5x47 lapua
6x47 lapua
7mm saum
6.5saum
6.5prc
6.5-06
6.5x284 norma
257wby
300wsm
6.5wsm
7-300prc
338 lapua
7mm stw
6 GT
6xc
22-250
224 valk
6.5 Grendel
270wsm
7mm-08
6.5x55
260 AI
6 AI
300 Norma improved
30-28 nos
 
Man there’s been a lot…..
25-06
270
300 RUM
26 nos
28 nos
30 nos
280 AI
7mm
300prc
300 norma
338xc
6.5 cm
6mm cm
22 cm
300 win
6.5x47 lapua
6x47 lapua
7mm saum
6.5saum
6.5prc
6.5-06
6.5x284 norma
257wby
300wsm
6.5wsm
7-300prc
338 lapua
7mm stw
6 GT
6xc
22-250
224 valk
6.5 Grendel
270wsm
7mm-08
6.5x55
260 AI
6 AI
300 Norma improved
30-28 nos
That's a sh*tload of deer you've killed there homey. Good job!
 
Man there’s been a lot…..
25-06
270
300 RUM
26 nos
28 nos
30 nos
280 AI
7mm
300prc
300 norma
338xc
6.5 cm
6mm cm
22 cm
300 win
6.5x47 lapua
6x47 lapua
7mm saum
6.5saum
6.5prc
6.5-06
6.5x284 norma
257wby
300wsm
6.5wsm
7-300prc
338 lapua
7mm stw
6 GT
6xc
22-250
224 valk
6.5 Grendel
270wsm
7mm-08
6.5x55
260 AI
6 AI
300 Norma improved
30-28 nos
Do you build a special rifle for each hunt? If you do, you're my newest hero.-----SS
 
30-30
30-06
.308
.243.
300 win.
6.5 prc this year hopefully.

In that order starting at 13 years old in West Virginia... now almost 40 in Wyoming with a few stops in between.
 
Some might. However the question was what calibers have you all used to kill deer with. I think most read that question and list accordingly. I know I did. I have other calibers in the gun safe and have killed elk and bear with calibers not listed in my response.

Just saying.
Ya I listed the calibers I've killed deer with as well but some of these guys listing 40 different calibers might not have understood the question
 
20 gauge shotgun slug (doe tags on FHL)
765 Argentine Mauser (FHL doe tag)
.243 (first legal buck as a kid)
.280 (bought my first deer rifle at 24. All I've used since. I'm 51)
I have a Weatherby .308 in the gun safe....that'll be my elk rifle.
 
.270
30.06
.7MM
.300WSM
.300Win
I have used the .300WSM for the last 15 plus years. It's my "go to"
rifle.
I have a .338 that I will use when I draw an LE Utah Elk tag in 2023!
 
Man there’s been a lot…..
25-06
270
300 RUM
26 nos
28 nos
30 nos
280 AI
7mm
300prc
300 norma
338xc
6.5 cm
6mm cm
22 cm
300 win
6.5x47 lapua
6x47 lapua
7mm saum
6.5saum
6.5prc
6.5-06
6.5x284 norma
257wby
300wsm
6.5wsm
7-300prc
338 lapua
7mm stw
6 GT
6xc
22-250
224 valk
6.5 Grendel
270wsm
7mm-08
6.5x55
260 AI
6 AI
300 Norma improved
30-28 nos
I haven't even heard of half of those cartridges..you must be some kind of MacGyver guy??
 
25-06
30-06
7mm Rem Mag
7mm Rem Ultra Mag
.280AI
.280 Rem
.338 Win Mag

Wow, looking back this was harder than I thought it would be to remember. My 2 fav's from this list though are the 25-06 and 280AI.
 
243
270
7mm mag
300 win mag
32 special
8mm mauser
44 mag
50 & 54 cal muzzy
12 ga slug
Have killed deer with all of those, pretty much only use
the 300 win mag anymore.
 

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