What is the best caliber for deer hunting?

Question

I want to buy my husband a new rifle but I don't know what caliber is good and I don't want to ask him. Please help!

Answer 1

30-06...

Add/Edit: I must agree with joe t as this is the very rifle I use as a mainstay rifle for deer and wild hog. The 700BDL is a beautiful, reliable, accurate firearm and chambered in 30-06 it is most formidable and versatile.

Answer 2

Where is going to use the rifle? I assume you live in the United States, but which part? Some calibers are better suited for longer ranges. Some for the bigger bodied deer found in some areas.
Really, as a rule of thumb, the 30-06 is almost impossible to beat for a "one gun kind-a-guy".
If you really want to buy an impressive rifle, try to find a Voere. It's expensive, but very high quality. If money is more on your mind, look at a Remington or a Ruger. If money is an issue, buy a Savage or a Stevens. A Stevens rifle will go for less than $300 and is a reasonable quality, very accurate rifle.
Look at the guns he already owns and find the manufactures. Some guys only like one brand of gun.

Feel free to contact me to bounce ideas off me.

Answer 3

There are a number of good deer rifles out there. The shooting ability of your husband should have an effect on your caliber choice. I have used several different calibers from the 22-250 to a 375 H&H. My personal favorites are the 7MM and 300 Win mag, because of their diversity you can use them for everything form Antolope to Moose. If he is going to strictly hunt deer and animals of that size a 243 or a 270 are excellent choices ammo is easy to find and so are rifles in those calibers

Answer 4

I would suggest 2 calibers, 30/30 for short range shooting and the 30-06 for longer shots. Any of the suggestion from about would do the job.

Answer 5

The .25-06 Remington with 115 to 120 grain bullets is a stellar deer caliber, but anything .243 Winchester or bigger will do.

Best.

H

Answer 6

My favorite is .45-70. It's a large round, not bad on recoil, and can knock a deer over. It's rare to see anything run after getting hit with one of those. Unfortunately, I'm kinda alone on my school of thought. More common deer cartridges would be the faster .270, 7mm-06, and the venerable .30-06. Some people like the .243, but I don't know if I'd want to use something that small for a deer, it's just seems inhumane to poke pinholes in something.

I'd say, though, a .30-06 is a common caliber, and very good for deer, so I'd go for that, but (as with any caliber you buy) keep the receipt handy just in case.

johnandsuemcd, she's not buying a rifle so that he can blow their brains out, she's buying him a deer rifle so that he can feed his family. Huge difference. Get out of your fantasy world where guns are evil and realize that very few people will ever use guns in an evil way, and when they do, it's not an inherent evilness in the guns, but the fact that that person is a sociopath. Also, posting ignorant anti-hunting answers in the hunting section will not get you any love, but is against the community guidelines. You've been reported.

Answer 7

If he has several guns get a friend that knows guns and get him to tell you what your husband has and find out if your husband has mentioned any thing .if you are wanting to buy a new rifle to upgrade your husbands deer rifle that he uses now .depending on how much you want to spend ,I would suggest a Remington model 700 BDL in 30-06 .it is a good all around caliber good for anything in north America and has probably accounted for more deer that any thing else except the 30-30.the 700 bdl is a beautiful rifle and any man would be proud to own

Answer 8

It can vary according to where you live. Back east you usually do not need something to shoot that flat or far. The brush and terrain usually makes long shots very rare. A nice lever gun would work. 30-30 or 35 Whelen.

If it's a bolt action you like to pick for him, then a good all around caliber is the 30-06. Can take any game on this continent with the right bullet and good shot placement. If it's something smaller and lighter he is looking for then a 7mm-08 or 308 Winchester.

Another interesting choice would be something from Thompson Center. They make guns that can easily switch to another caliber by buying a second, third or tenth barrel.

Answer 9

Anything between a .243 and a .308, depends on the hunting conditions. My favourite is a 30/30 ( I hunt in a lot of forests)

I've said it before people that give thumbs down have no idea

Answer 10

30-06