What's The Smallest Caliber You're Using

[TREE ‘EM]

My son's 6X45 is the most efficient and effective Whitetail rifle I've seen or used.

I've killed a few hundred with a .223 and it works just fine.

A outfitter I know used to believe that a .300 WM was what was needed for quick 1 shot kills until he witnessed my son shoot a couple with his 6X45. Seeing is believing

 

[cuerro viejo]

Explain Reckless conditions plz

500 yard 10-20mph gusting wind, etc, basically pushing beyond or walking a thin line of or beyond your ability

out of those 200 deer none where shot beyond 150 yards. All shot via high rack or blind, in conjunction with road feeder.

 

[cuerro viejo]

The 80gr TTSX in the the 243 are actually pretty impressive if you can get them to shoot

 

[timekiller13]

Killed several with 22-250 using 55 grain soft point. I have also killed several with 300 win mag using 180 grain accubond. All of them died quickly.

I mostly deer hunt now with my 270 win or 300 blackout. My Dad has a 25 WSSM that is sweet little whitetail gun. My brother has killed a pile of deer with 25-06.

Whitetails are not hard to kill. No need for a big magnum.

 

[williaada]

Myself and the rest of my family have killed a bunch of whitetail and mule deer. With a variety of calibers ranging from the .243 up to a 300 WM. In our experience, shoot placement and a decent bullet is paramount to recovering the animal. We have had some Remington core loc and Hornady bullets fail, but have been lucky to have the deer run in front of another family member and finish the wounded animal off.

 

[Doc Holliday]

For whitetails my smallest is a .260 remington.

 

[Jimss]

I hunt everything from antelope to moose sized game with a 300 WSM. It works great for whitetails. It's an amazing caliber that hardly kicks any harder than my 270. I only put one shell in the chamber because I know they are going to be dead with 1 shot kills!

 

[Tobey]

6mm is my bottom line for big game. Taken a lot of animals with the 243, mostly with 100 grain pill. Started shooting a 240 Weatherby about 10 years ago, changed my life man...

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

We’ve used .243 on whitetail since I can remember. My wife dropped another dandy buck at 200 yards while 6 months pregnant with her .243 again last Fall. She even hit him a little bit back... He ran into the woods about 20 yards and collapsed.

 

[Rich M]

.243 for me

 

[Jim1187]

He is building his rifle, it should make him feel warm and fuzzy. I can't think of any reason why a .30 cal wouldn't be suitable for whitetails other than a few pistol rounds.

I have successfully used a .223 for a few deer and black bears and probably will again. I have a very strong fondness for the 7mm08 and .270 Winchester and if building a whitetail specific rifle it would probably be one of those with my current desire being to build a fast twist .270 Winchester to play with some of the new high BC .277 bullets.

 

[Lelder]

i hunt elk with a .308 150 gr hornady interlocks with good shot placement was all i needed. i use a 257 weatherby mag for deer and yeah it hits them harder than anything ive seen that velocity is amazing ( 110gr bullets going 3600fps). Killed deer with my .243 also and it did just fine.

 

[Elkhntr08]

I just picked up a 257 Weatherby. It’ll be my deer rifle this year and antelope next year. Possibly even use it for elk.
Smallest I’ve used so far has been a 243.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Personally a 260 Rem is as low as I hunt with but I have a recoil sensitive grandson who killed two Whitetails this past season with the 223 Barnes. Both well placed shots. One DRT and the other went about 50 yards.

 

[cuerro viejo]

I just picked up a 257 Weatherby. It’ll be my deer rifle this year and antelope next year. Possibly even use it for elk.
Smallest I’ve used so far has been a 243.

Pronghorn, WT, Mule deer and elk all with 257wby this year. 115vld.
On elk don’t stop shooting

 

[Ndbowhunter]

If a 55gr sp is plenty for mr moose and grumpy grizzly


I think iron sided whitetail will not like them either.

Just a thought.

 

[Tradchef]

.243 is my smallest. I use that, 7 Rem Mag and .308

 

[Rich M]

Your buddy’s opinion is laughable, but he’s entitled to it. If you can put it where it needs to go with enough speed and the right bullet construction, almost any size pill will do the job.

I’ve killed all but one of my whitetails with 6mm/.243” bullets.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've gone from 3006 down to 357 mag rifle and 243. The other two work very well, the 06 just has lots more shock and awe and it is reflected in the receiving animal. I've tracked 1 or 2 deer w 3006 over the past 40 yrs and say 100 deer. Tracked 1 in 12 for 357 mag, and had to hit my mule deer last year a second time w 243 - 06 would have flattened it on first shot.

It is a viable thing, especially for older hunters who grew up with a whole diff set of rules.