smallest caliber to kill deer

[JW]

Never tried the VLDs so I couldn't speak for them. Any factory loads or is it for hand loaders only? Might give them a go this season.

HSM Loads them. Also go to Berger Bullets web site and watch the vids. It gives a very clear understanding of how it works. But a warning. It will go against every principle you hv in your mind about weight retention on a hunting bullet. I know that's what I thought when I first learned of em. But it's hard to argue with their results. Most of those long range hunting show guys use Bergers.

[npe001]

30-06 is a great gun and what I have in the safe. (Still havent sighted it in from when I got it 3 years ago) Many other good calibers 7mm-08, 280, 270. It is all about shot placement. You can get it done with a sling shot like Ducksmith did if you make the right shot lol

[topher5999]

Never had a problem with killing them with a .223 when I was a kid 60gr soft point did the job every time. Neck and shoulder shots, I have had to track more with my .308 then I did with my .223 killed one @225yrds shot placement was right behind the shoulder nice pass thru and fell in it's tracks. but that was 10-15 yrs ago now the gun Winchester model 70 is in use by my cousin and still killing just as dead. If I recall correctly that gun has never lost a deer it has hit. The .223 round is a devastating round you should listen to my Marine cousin talk about what that round does inside of a body pretty nasty little round.

[CRT]

Normal is boring as hell.

Yep it's overrated!! Lol

[Masmak]

270 savage axis with 3x9 scope on sale at Carter's country in Houston for $349. Can't go wrong .... And you can hunt in every US STATE legally

[TXMark]

You should use that firearm that you feel most comfortable with and are the most accurate with. I think we have shown that you can use anything from a .22 up to a .300 RUM. Heck, I heard that people use these carbon sticks with sharp pieces of metal stuck on the end to kill deer. What's that about???

[muzzlebrake]

If'n I had the money I would have me one each of the Lazzaroni rifles starting with .308cal, .338 and .416 in both short and long magnums. My .338WSM is ballistically the same as the Lazzaroni Galaxy. http://www.lazzeroni.com/
Don't have much use for those little girly boy calibers except for paper, P-dogs and such.

[Texas8point]

.222 will do just fine. I've killed em deader and faster with a .22-250 than I have with a .30-06.

FYI, .22 mag is not legal to hunt game animals with here in TX. For internet purposes, I'm sure you shot yours in Mexico ;-)

My first deer rifle was a Mohawk 600 .222 and it was awesome !

[SwampRabbit]

Interesting thread. I shoot a 30-06 in 150/165. Never have lost an animal that I've hit, and admittedly have made a few less than desireable shots (ie a bit back... or a bit high.) I guess I am not as manly as Texastornado apparently, because I do develop a flinch with that gun. I'm constantly having to fight it, probably because I don't shoot it enough. I did some research and found some writeups from some experts that say it is impossible to not have to battle not developing a flinch with a certain ft-lb of recoil for which the 30-06 is well above. With a .22/.17 I am a good shot, so I know it's recoil management I have a problem with. That being said, I'm thinking about buying a .243 someday (no hurry) and leaving the 30-06 for those times I get invited to a caribou hunt in Alaska.

[Avezorak]

I shoot a .243 with 85 grain CoreLokt's. I shoot them in the neck. They never take a step.

I dont think I personally would use anything smaller on deer.

[Shough]

Why not? Seriously I don't get it. 300 Mag pushin 210 grains I can get.

I will admit, one shot at a deer with my 06 not any problems, but testing loads etc about about a dozen rounds and I am not liking it. I don't think its caliber as much as it is the gun. My '06 has a metal but plate with no recoil pad. Probably makes a difference but its a valuable gun that I don't want to modify. I shot a custom 300 RUM with large muzzle brake and I could shoot that gun all day long.

[Limbwalker]

In a way - aside from the suggestions for illegal rounds - I'm glad to see this discussion because for the longest time folks in Texas have wanted to suggest that anything under a .300 Win Mag was just not enough gun for a 90 lb. whitetail. LOL.

I just ran some Hornaday Leverevolution rounds through my 59 year-old Winchester 30-30 a few days ago, and achieved sub-2" groups at 200 yards with it (scoped with a Weaver 4x scout scope). I never thought of my 30-30 as a legitimate 200 yard gun, but it darn sure is now. And the recoil isn't bad at all.

Not sure why anyone would need more gun inside 200 yards for a whitetail.

John

[cookemerkel]

Let me be the first. What a worthless caliber. Too big for the small stuff and too little for the big stuff.

Possibly the dumbest thing I have ever read on TBH and I know a guy who claims to have proof of Bigfoot

this has me dying laughing

[Chance Love]

The 22-250 and 220 Swift are awesome deer calibers with the right bullets. MOST guys that I know who run ranches use one of these for most if not all of their culling. My 22-250 was always my go-to gun for culling. But now I just can't put down my suppressed 308. I wouldn't hesitate to use that old 22-250 on any deer, anywhere. I've killed a truck load with a 223 and a few with a 221 Fireball. I still prefer the 22-250 and the Swift. And I do NOT take head shots. Too much that can go wrong. Mostly behind the shoulder, in the shoulder, or where the shoulder meets the neck (my favorite spot).

[jak]

I've shot deer with the .220 swift, but I would not call it a practical deer round. .223 does the job also, but I would be real concerned making that my full time deer rifle. If I were to purchase one rifle for deer hunting, it would be the .270.