what cartridge is best for small and deer sized game?

You better check your local hunting laws, first. There might be restrictions on smaller calibres for deer?

If you use a 243 for deer, it should be the heaviest bullet weight you can buy (used to be 100gr and in a soft point), so it will stay together upon impact and go deep enough inside the vitals. A light grain bullet could break apart at the surface of a deer. Especially if it is a close shot and travelling at high velocity loads.

I would use a gun and calibre just meant for deer, only. Many people have more than one deer gun, based upon the territory they will be hunting and the distance of the average shot.
 
whitetailwoodsarcher said:
hello i just woundering what the best cartridge is to buy for small game and have the capability of taking game all the way up to a deer?
Click to expand...

Depending on what is small game to you and if you plan to eat it, there is nothing that will work for both. You are talking about going from rabbits at less than 10 lbs on the low end up to well over 200lb for a larger mule deer. In this case, I would pick a deer rifle and then a .22LR for the small critters.

If "small game" means varmints to you, then pick whatever cartridge you like for deer and simply use it on the smaller stuff with the certainty it will obliterate whatever you hit.


Mark
 
A 44-40 might be a candidate for Coyotes on up to Whitetail Deer. I've taken one deer with the 44-40 and was very pleased with its effectiveness. The only other thing I've taken with the 44-40 was a medium sized dog that had gone wild. Did the job on that too.
 
6.5 Swedish or .260 Rem. Same ballistics, better factory fodder available for the Swede. Lot more bullet selection in the deer end of the spectrum for the .264 calibre than .243/6mm. Since you posted in another forum that you were looking at a Mini 14 to do this with, you may want to look at the 6.8 SPC. Will do the job, but not as well as the .260
 
mmattockx said:
Depending on what is small game to you and if you plan to eat it
Click to expand...

Exactly. If you mean splattering chucks, yotes, rats, cats, bats and gnats then just pick a deer rifle, do this on the side. I've never been concerned with too much power when trying to mittenize the little fluffy critters.

If on the other hand you're wanting to shoot grouse or rabbits to eat youd best be a pretty good shot and make head shots, bring a .22, or find some sub caliber inserts to whack them with.

As a side note, I was once out moose hunting with my .300 wby. I came upon a grouse, aimed for a headshot and it started flapping around then stopped. I walked up to it, it was dead but there wasn't a hole in it (yes it was still intact). Best guess is the boom gave it a heart attack?

Win 38-55 said:
The only other thing I've taken with the 44-40 was a medium sized dog that had gone wild. Did the job on that too.
Click to expand...

The conservation officer was at our camp a few years back. He and my dad got to talking about what's been showing up on the trail cams. The CO said "the neighbors have been seeing alot of dogs on the cams, seems to be a growing problem." My dad looked at him straight faced and said "no problem to me, one man's dog is another mans wolf."
 
I really like the .250 Savage - but only if you reload as factory options are very limited.

It has very mild recoil, and uses very little powder. You can use light 80gr bullets for good velocity and flat shooting on varmints, or 120gr bullets at 2700fps for heavier game. Although for deer a good 100gr bullet at 3000 is plenty for deer.
 
jsquig said:
As a side note, I was once out moose hunting with my .300 wby. I came upon a grouse, aimed for a headshot and it started flapping around then stopped. I walked up to it, it was dead but there wasn't a hole in it (yes it was still intact). Best guess is the boom gave it a heart attack?
Click to expand...

Now that's funny... I need to try taking my 300 Wby next time I go grouse hunting - would save from having any ruined meat - wonder if I put a muzzle brake on if it would also knock the feathers off also Laugh2
 
1 gun for both

You might find this interesting, I used to do that sort of thing with a 45-70.
I carried a pocket full of 410 shells and a 1/2 dozen 45-70 shells. The 410 fires most effectively from the 45-70 does no harm to the rifle and kills the close up stuff that's furry or feathery and, most effectively kills deer/elk/moose out to 200 yds. You also needn't worry if a bear wanders by, with or without hump.

Worked for me !!!
 
Since i am a young man when i am big game hunting, i carry my small game license and i did over the years have killed 20 or so grouses with my 308, when walking the gravel road ,often you see them in the middle, just shoot 3 or 4 feets in front of it, the littles rocks kill them easy, work great make you add white meat to your deer liver... Cheers. JP.
 
I think it is obvious by now, that there isn't a "best" one. There are several that will work just fine if you are willing to put up with compromises, and the only real question is what compromises are unacceptable to you.

I think you should reduce the compromises by admitting that the best solution for "small and deer sized game" is two different cartridges. Start with the one best for the game you hunt the most, and start saving for the other.

How else would a gun nut think?
 
c-fbmi said:
You might find this interesting, I used to do that sort of thing with a 45-70.
I carried a pocket full of 410 shells and a 1/2 dozen 45-70 shells. The 410 fires most effectively from the 45-70 does no harm to the rifle and kills the close up stuff that's furry or feathery and, most effectively kills deer/elk/moose out to 200 yds. You also needn't worry if a bear wanders by, with or without hump.

Worked for me !!!
Click to expand...



i tried that in my old marlin 45-70 model 1895, but it didnt work.:confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom