what cartridge is best for small and deer sized game?
- Thread starter whitetailwoodsarcher
- Start date
careful. You need to know, not think when you give out info. More than one province or territory allow .223 and several others, inc AB, state not less than .230 (if you decided to wildcat a new round you could legally do it).
Here in N.B you can use any centerfire .22 or over. .222, .223, .22-250, .220swift. and the hornets so on so forth. Not all ideal for deer but as a hand loader you can make them very suitable. Norma I beleve it is makes deer specific rounds but they are $70 dollars for twenty lol. I know a lot of people personally that have taken deer with .223. All handloads though no factory stuff.
When someone says "think" that normally means the person does not know for sure and most people should be able to clue in to what that means.
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- Location
- Eastern Edge of the Foothills
I prefer .25 cal and up for deer.
I prefer 6.5 cal and down for coyotes.
For a rifle to do both deer and 'yotes I'd want a .257 Roberts, .25-06, 6.5x55, .260 or 6.5-06. I suppose the 6.5-.284 or .25-.284 would both be good too, but I have no experience with those.
I prefer 6.5 cal and down for coyotes.
For a rifle to do both deer and 'yotes I'd want a .257 Roberts, .25-06, 6.5x55, .260 or 6.5-06. I suppose the 6.5-.284 or .25-.284 would both be good too, but I have no experience with those.
joeyclimbing
Regular
- Location
- Vancouver Island
Small game = rabbits, hare, and partridge in my books. Therefore, a shotgun in 20 or 12 gauge with no.6 shot and slugs for deer. If you go with a smoothbore barreled pump with iron sights, you can manage doing both.
Or get an over and under combination gun like a Baikal and you can do both at the same time.
http://baikalcanada.com/rifles_combo_94.htm
Or get an over and under combination gun like a Baikal and you can do both at the same time.
http://baikalcanada.com/rifles_combo_94.htm
I couldn't agree more.
The concept of one "Rifle caliber" for rabbits and deer is assinine...
There is only one single weapon that would be reasonable given your parameters... and over/under rifle/shotgun... you can get one with a 30/30 over 20 gauge, or .308 over 12 gauge etc... shotgun your grouse and rabbits and rifle your deer... no rifle is going to be acceptable for both... unless perhaps you are a reloader and you come up with some "puff" loads for a legitimate deer caliber rifle... but that would be awkward and expensive.
There is only one single weapon that would be reasonable given your parameters... and over/under rifle/shotgun... you can get one with a 30/30 over 20 gauge, or .308 over 12 gauge etc... shotgun your grouse and rabbits and rifle your deer... no rifle is going to be acceptable for both... unless perhaps you are a reloader and you come up with some "puff" loads for a legitimate deer caliber rifle... but that would be awkward and expensive.
cdn1canhunt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- southwestern ontario
Check your regs for Caliber limitations etc...... A 12 gauge shotgun is really the only ONE gun that could kill a dove to a grizzly at an acceptable range....... that's my answer!!!!
I second the vote on the 243 for deer and coyotes. However, a 223 and a 7mm rem mag would be ideal.
- Location
- Where the sun shines
.375 H&H
And if you want to be absolute sure the gopher got the message, use a Fuchs double-barreled bolt-action and feed them with both triggers.
And if you want to be absolute sure the gopher got the message, use a Fuchs double-barreled bolt-action and feed them with both triggers.
X 3
Use the money saved to buy a reloader though...I'm thinking Can tire won't be able to supply ammo in this caliber.
I second the vote on the 243 for deer and coyotes. However, a 223 and a 7mm rem mag would be ideal.
Did you guys see where the OP says he was talking rabbit sized small game and deer... not, coyotes and deer... that changes then game significantly.
If it was coyotes and deer, then there are many rifles that would work... the best are in the 6mm/6.5mm categories... namely .243's and 25/06's etc... That is one of the reasons we love our .243's...
A deer appropriate centerfire for rabbits on the other hand presents some problems... unless your goal is to just blow them off the map... but then you would be intentionally wasting game meat and that is against the law.
