Haida Gwaii Deer Rigs and Loads

I'd love that trip in October but the BC ferry from Vancouver island to Prince Rupert shuts down by then and it's a long drive around .I think my swede 65 x55 with 139 gr bullets would be ideal though, bears included.
 
Deer in the QC's aren't much bigger than a coyote, maybe slightly longer legs. I wouldn't get carried away with anything exotic in the way of bullets or larger rounds. 223, 243 or a 257 is plenty for them. 223 maybe use a little better bullet, not a varmint round. No percentage in overthinking it or over spending on those deer.
 
hoytcanon said:
If you are going to "dumb down" the .308, you might as well just shoot a .30/30.
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I already do use the Bullet Barn 165 gr boolits in my Win 94 musket driven at the same speed & they be just the same on impact performance as they would in any 308 bored rifle. Loading down factory stuff with cast has been me main critter getter since the early 70's & I'll never switch out. Target competition though, I've used all sorts of jacketed rounds depending on the events and done rather well.

Best part of dumping edible critters with a good cast load fer me is the minimal meat damage followed by the satisfaction gained from using loads that perform as well as they did in the black powder days, but cleaner. A well made lead boolit of good design & weight for the game & pushed at .22 LR velocities will always do the job with good shot placement at sensible ranges. Hell, before the 30-30 came out, the cartridge that knocked off the most deer and bad guys was the 44-40.
 
SHELL SHUCKER said:
I already do use the Bullet Barn 165 gr boolits in my Win 94 musket driven at the same speed & they be just the same on impact performance as they would in any 308 bored rifle. Loading down factory stuff with cast has been me main critter getter since the early 70's & I'll never switch out. Target competition though, I've used all sorts of jacketed rounds depending on the events and done rather well.

Best part of dumping edible critters with a good cast load fer me is the minimal meat damage followed by the satisfaction gained from using loads that perform as well as they did in the black powder days, but cleaner. A well made lead boolit of good design & weight for the game & pushed at .22 LR velocities will always do the job with good shot placement at sensible ranges. Hell, before the 30-30 came out, the cartridge that knocked off the most deer and bad guys was the 44-40.
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The 9.3 285-290 gr cast bullet can easily be driven at 1800 in the '57, and well past 2000 fps in the '62 with good accuracy. Both are more than enough for moose, caribou, and black bear. Literally "eat right up to the hole" peeeeerformance. :)

Ted
 
JaysonCraig said:
They have no fear up there. Just need an apple and a hammer.
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I did that one some years back with me Stanley roofing hammer. Took about 2 weeks to get the critter comfortable in me presence then, April Fools senior deer.
Also got a decent one when I was 16 by dropping onto it from an apple tree and busting it's neck with a Wilkinson bayonet from 1918. So much fun over the years.
:cool:
 
Why not? said:
The 9.3 285-290 gr cast bullet can easily be driven at 1800 in the '57, and well past 2000 fps in the '62 with good accuracy. Both are more than enough for moose, caribou, and black bear. Literally "eat right up to the hole" peeeeerformance. :)

Ted
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I'm in full agreement on that one Ted. I'm pretty happy though using my Husqvarna 46a with 270 gr BB at around 1500 fps and it goes stem to stern on blackies if ye hit 'em front on in close. :cheers:
 
My friend who used to live there said he had one hanging in the woodshed most weeks of the year.

Used a .22.

Not legal of course, but it worked, he said.

On the other hand, on northern Vancouver Island my father used a 22 Hornet for years, but he only shot for the neck. I used a 243 there and on another coastal island with small deer when I lived there.
 
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I’ve seen islanders use lots of 30-30, 243, 22-250 and 223. From what I’ve seen locals uses what ever they previously owned for mainland hunting. Lots of guns that used to be for gophers or coyotes are now big game deer rifles over there. Disagree all you want but I think any .22 or bigger centerfire cartridge will work humanely. Whether or not I will blow up and destroy the meat a entirely different issue.

I was told my 6.5x55 was overkill. I didn’t see any that trip to find out.

If I was to live other there the only gun I would own would be a 243
 
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SHELL SHUCKER said:
I did that one some years back with me Stanley roofing hammer. Took about 2 weeks to get the critter comfortable in me presence then, April Fools senior deer.
Also got a decent one when I was 16 by dropping onto it from an apple tree and busting it's neck with a Wilkinson bayonet from 1918. So much fun over the years.
:cool:
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Lol savage!
 
Been there lots. Our camp has used as small as .22 Hornet up to 7mm RM. They all work well.
 
I used to spend a bit of time in the Charlotte's I've shot 20 - 25 deer up there.

Used 22-250, 30-06 & 270 Wby there are some 500 yard shots across cuts but if if I were to go back there I'd pack my 14" barreled T/C Contender carbines in

338JDJ #2 loaded with 180gr Accubonds @ 2500fps
375JDJ loaded with Hornady 220gr JFP @ 2250fps
45 Colt loaded with 240gr XTP's can't remember the velocity right now
45-70 loaded with 325gr FTX @ 1800fps

I'd also pack my 19" barreled Contender in 6.8SPC loaded with 95gr TTSX @ 2880fps

If I could only take one gun I'd take the 14" 338JDJ #2 I'd be good out to 350 yards on Charlotte deer with this combo.

I miss the Charlotte's fishing - hunting was awesome and the deer were the best deer meat I have ever eaten.
 
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