New to rifle hunting for deer

Derik Green

New Member
I have been hunting with slug guns and muzzleloaders for awhile and now that we can use .243, .308 etc. Trying to decide what caliber to try. Was looking at .243win and 350 legend. The 6.5 creedmoor sounds like a good choice but so does the .308. I own a .30-06 but am concerned about how far that load will carry past the target. Any thoughts, advise will be greatly appreciated
 
I don't worry about how far a load will carry past a target, because I'm never going to pull the trigger unless I can see that there is a suitable backstop. Unless you just want another gun, your 30-06 is fine.

You are probably going to get a lot of different opinions on this subject, and maybe even a good fight or two will get started.

Good luck, and best wishes.
 
You have a gun that shoots the best hunting cartridge ever created. And 100% what Native said. Know your target and what's behind it.
 
Tell your wife, sig other, child, whatever, that you need to buy a 243 and a 308 because you are concerned of accidentally shooting another person while hunting. Then use any of the 3 to hunt with assuring a good backstop as said and now you have 3 of the best calibers out there and will get no grief from someone accusing you of wasting money. :) Enjoy your hunts. Besides, I hunt only with a 270SM and every one knows its the best caliber.
 
I would stay away from the 350 legend cartridge and the 6.5 creed simply because of what cartridge availability could look like down the road. The 6.5 creed is a very popular cartridge right now....but I would guess the 30-06, 308 and 30-30 probably have killed more deer than all the other calibers combined! The 243 is a nice round if you are interested in busting some yotes and plenty for deer as well. Your 30-06 will be fine unless you want something with a little less kick. When my state opened up to rifles - I went with a 308. Great cartridge selection and plenty of pop with getting beat up. One of the things that happened here when we went to rifles is that the rules are different on what can be use don private land vs public land. So if that is a concern you need to keep that in mind as well. After hunting with slugs and the like I like a gun that puts a big hole in deer....so I was certainly staying with a 30 cal. You will see there is a significant difference in blood trail between 30 cal and one from that big 20 or 12 gauge slug.....or the 45 or 50 cal round from a smokepole!
 
30-06 is one of the best all around deer rifles that you can buy, and you already have one. But, now that you started rifle hunting you have been exposed to a strange new disease whose number one symptom is getting the urge to go to the gunshop. And you should never leave a gun shop without a new gun. You will need a spare deer rifle, a .sidearm to finish off wounded deer, a backup to the spare rifle, a special long-range gun for beanfield shots, a carbine brush gun, and a magnum for bigger bucks. Also, an ugly spare to loan to your buddy who never has his own rifle, a cowboy lever gun in .32 special to hang in the back window of your pickup, and a rifle that you don't remember what's for but the gun shop owner talked you into it. And luckily there's no end and no cure for this craziness.
 
30-06 is one of the best all around deer rifles that you can buy, and you already have one. But, now that you started rifle hunting you have been exposed to a strange new disease whose number one symptom is getting the urge to go to the gunshop. And you should never leave a gun shop without a new gun. You will need a spare deer rifle, a .sidearm to finish off wounded deer, a backup to the spare rifle, a special long-range gun for beanfield shots, a carbine brush gun, and a magnum for bigger bucks. Also, an ugly spare to loan to your buddy who never has his own rifle, a cowboy lever gun in .32 special to hang in the back window of your pickup, and a rifle that you don't remember what's for but the gun shop owner talked you into it. And luckily there's no end and no cure for this craziness.

And a two shot derringer for tight situations:

Na1mPzy.jpg
 
Any of the calibers you mention will get the job done, and all of those are capable of sending a bullet several miles, so know what's behind what you're shooting at is the best advice you can receive. Shooting from a stand keeps the bullets heading toward the dirt. I have used a Winchester 94 these last few years, dropped 3 deer and none went more than 50 yards. Nice light brush gun. I've never had to take a shot longer than 50 yards, as I'm mostly in the woods or along the edge of a field. If you're hunting in Colorado where 300 yard shots are the norm, go with a 30-06. Here in Indiana the Winchester 94 is still a quality choice and there are tons of used ones available. Probably killed more deer than any gun ever made. Ammo is relatively cheap and normally easy to find in 30-30. That said, no ammo is easy to find right now.
And yes, Indiana adding HPRs for landowners 2-3 years ago did send me to the gun shop for a "new" old '94, haha.
 
As none of us know how long this ammo situation will last, I'd recommend either finding and stocking up on all the 30-06 ammo you can get your hands on. Or secondly, find 10 boxes somewhere of 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 243, 308, 270, 30-06, etc and buy it first. I am seeing rifles all over the place, emphasis at this time should be on laying in a decent supply of ammo first.
 
When contemplating a new rifle there are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself before coming to a decision. What type of hunting do you enjoy most. Sitting on stand? Hunting from a tree stand? Spot and stalk? Still hunting? At what ranges do most of your harvests occur? Is your rifle to serve double duty for varmint hunting? Will you be reloading? If your deer runs more than a couple of hundred yards is he likely to end up with another hunters tag on him? Once you answer all these questions determine the rifle action required lever, bolt pump or semi auto? Then and only then do you decide upon caliber. Myself hunting the hard hunted southern tier of NY I prefer 35 calibers to anchor my game quickly. For levers I have Marlin 336 in 35 remington and 358 winchester in Browning BLR. For bolts I have a Mannlicher Schoenauer model 1905 in 9x56mm. For semi auto a Remington model 750 in 35 Whelen. When feeling the need for a classic I have a Remington model 14 in 30 remington, a Savage 99 in 308 and a Mauser 98 sporter in 7x57mm. Variety is the spice of life. On the lighter side I have a Ruger 77 RSI in 250-3000. For larger beasts a CZ 550 in 9.3x62mm. This just goes to show the rifle and caliber are not nearly as important as the hunter holding it. Good luck with your choice and good hunting.
 
Whatever you buy, don't skimp on the ammo. Most bullets are good these days, but there are some better for certain situations. Ex: long range, copper only/lead free, varmint, big game, etc.
 
When contemplating a new rifle there are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself before coming to a decision. What type of hunting do you enjoy most. Sitting on stand? Hunting from a tree stand? Spot and stalk? Still hunting? At what ranges do most of your harvests occur? Is your rifle to serve double duty for varmint hunting? Will you be reloading? If your deer runs more than a couple of hundred yards is he likely to end up with another hunters tag on him? Once you answer all these questions determine the rifle action required lever, bolt pump or semi auto? Then and only then do you decide upon caliber. Myself hunting the hard hunted southern tier of NY I prefer 35 calibers to anchor my game quickly. For levers I have Marlin 336 in 35 remington and 358 winchester in Browning BLR. For bolts I have a Mannlicher Schoenauer model 1905 in 9x56mm. For semi auto a Remington model 750 in 35 Whelen. When feeling the need for a classic I have a Remington model 14 in 30 remington, a Savage 99 in 308 and a Mauser 98 sporter in 7x57mm. Variety is the spice of life. On the lighter side I have a Ruger 77 RSI in 250-3000. For larger beasts a CZ 550 in 9.3x62mm. This just goes to show the rifle and caliber are not nearly as important as the hunter holding it. Good luck with your choice and good hunting.
.358 Winchester in BLR? 336 Marlin in .35 Rem? .35 Whelen... I like how you think. You, sir, are a gentleman of good taste.
 
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