Used to use 6.5x55 and now am using 308 for Whitetails. I see little room for improvement for what I've expected of them. Perhaps on bigger game. I'd love to hunt elk or moose some day. Jim Zumbo suggests the need for something harder hitting for elk.
What do you use for a "Non-Magnum?"
- Thread starter ErikT
- Start date
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
For some reason I stick to .308 and I just got a 30-30 iron sight for this years whitetail bush escapades. I'm pretty sure it's because for what I hunt anything over .308 is unnecessary. Plus ammo is relatively cheap compared to most magnums.
My first deer taken with a rifle was taken with a 22-250. The .308 I was supposed to use broke the scope the night before hunting season. That 4x4 buck never knew what hit him. Yes I know 22-250 is a little light for white tail. But in a pinch it gets the job done.
My first deer taken with a rifle was taken with a 22-250. The .308 I was supposed to use broke the scope the night before hunting season. That 4x4 buck never knew what hit him. Yes I know 22-250 is a little light for white tail. But in a pinch it gets the job done.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
A classic and a caliber showing taste. I have a Winchester 71 deluxe, my favorite lever gun/caliber combo
.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I have two hunting rifles. A .243 and a 45/70. I think I've got it covered.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
I use a 25-06 for deer, not a magnum but its close and I've used 308, 30-30 and 303Brit for moose and deer as well, nothing wrong with those.
also in my magnum line up are my general purpose 7mm RM, used mostly as a backup rifle, and my moose gun 300WM
and I've used 308, 30-30 and 303Brit for moose and deer as well, nothing wrong with those.also in my magnum line up are my general purpose 7mm RM, used mostly as a backup rifle, and my moose gun 300WM
When does a cartridge become a magnum, really? Just because its called a magnum, really means nothing. If the .30-06 had been called the .300 Springfield Mag, would nobody want to use it either?
If you consider bullet weight to case capacity, then the .22-250, .25-06, 6.5-06 and the .270 are more of a "magnum" than my .338WM is. A lot of guys get hung up on cartridge names...
If you consider bullet weight to case capacity, then the .22-250, .25-06, 6.5-06 and the .270 are more of a "magnum" than my .338WM is. A lot of guys get hung up on cartridge names...
Good point, the 50 BMG isn't a magnum either!!
x2
After all,what was a "normal" .30 caliber cartridge at the time of the 30-06?
.303 British
.30-30 Win
30-40 Krag
the 30-06 was a "magnum" compared to all those. Only one it really compared to was the short lived 30-03
Heck, a .223 is a "magnum" compared to a .22 Hornet
Non-magnum....use what you got, but you can't go wrong with a .308Win, .303 Brit or .30-06 SPRG. I've taken more moose and caribou with the first two calibers than all my magnums combined. My brother and father too and living in Newfoundland, that equates to a helluva lot of moose and caribou!
Where we hunted it was a tight bush, not really such a thing as a "long" shot available. We used to carry 2 lever action rifles, 1 was a .308 the other was a .30-30, Dad carried an 8mm Mauser with a sporter stock.
(Dad's first dear was shot with a 12ga.)
The camp owners brother(trapper) had the property south of us and he wandered in one day to visit with a deer over his shoulders and dropped in on the hood of the truck.
3 of us (12 yr olds) couldn't find an un-natural hole in it, finally he showed us a big of blood dripping from the eye socket. He'd stood still till the deer walked up to him and he put a 22 lr bullet in the corner of it's eye and it dropped. (not recommended, laff)
M.
(Dad's first dear was shot with a 12ga.)
The camp owners brother(trapper) had the property south of us and he wandered in one day to visit with a deer over his shoulders and dropped in on the hood of the truck.
3 of us (12 yr olds) couldn't find an un-natural hole in it, finally he showed us a big of blood dripping from the eye socket. He'd stood still till the deer walked up to him and he put a 22 lr bullet in the corner of it's eye and it dropped. (not recommended, laff)
M.
- Location
- Sudbury, On
I'm sure my .308 would be fine for deer - even moose - but it's too darn heavy to lug around in the woods. Hence why I have an 870 Express on the way, and I'm currently eye'ing an 111FLNS in .270.
I have to agree. What is it that makes a given load a "Magnum" other than the name? In some ways any round that delivers a healthy wallop to the shoulder would qualify. More accurately I'd say it's going to have something to do with the round velocity and muzzle energy. And given what I've heard about something like the 22-250 it would seem to qualify for the Magnum label.
