Favorite hunting rifle/caliber?

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  • 42769vette

    Grandmaster
    Industry Partner
    Rating - 100%
    52   0   0
    Oct 6, 2008
    15,222
    113
    south of richmond in
    For my do all big game caliber, I use a 28 nosler. That said there are hundreds of good options. I highly doubt I ever kill an animal with my 28 nosler that wouldn't be just as dead with a 7mm rem mag, etc.

    For me picking a rifle, I start with bullet diameter. Once I narrow that down by what I want to accomplish (ie elk, deer, coyote, moose), I look at individual clambering's in that bullet diameter.
     

    Indyhd

    Master
    Site Supporter
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    16   0   0
    Jan 12, 2010
    1,915
    113
    Noblesville
    I was always partial to the .308. There is nothing it can't do in the eastern half of the country. If I were going out west it would be a different story and most likely be 300 Winchester.
    I've had several Remington 600 rifles (wish I had kept them) one in .308 that would have been a great combo in Wisc, Pennsylania, WV for deer or bear.
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 5, 2009
    6,463
    113
    Madison county
    I love to use many rifles for hunting and many calibers but I do have a few favorites.

    22 mag for fox and smaller (sure 22 LR does good smaller than fox)

    I like the .222 for ground hogs and coyotes plus garden pests that spook easy and need sniped at a distance up to 250 yards. (Been using the triple d since 1981. )

    Deer hunting I like 44 mag under a hundred yards (most of my hunting is done close up) 35 Remington or 7-30 waters up to 200/300 yards. 7mm mag for everything from 100-1000. (I will use anything legal for deer hunting even my AK has been once)
     

    BigRed

    Banned More Than You
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    7   0   0
    Dec 29, 2017
    18,926
    149
    1,000 yards out
    Bushy tails early...12 or 20
    Bushy tails late...22LR

    Deer...30-30, 30-06, 308

    Hogs..308

    Ferral cats....22 short

    Ferral thugs...9, 45, 556

    Really tough to narrow anything down to a favorite.

    It's kind of like asking, "What is your favorite tool?"...All depends on the work to be done.
     
    Last edited:

    spencer rifle

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    66   0   0
    Apr 15, 2011
    6,544
    149
    Scrounging brass
    Ruger American in .308 for deer using handloads. All victims have been dead in a minute.
    House sparrows in the chicken area and any starlings get a .177 pellet.

    Don't really hunt anything else.
     

    Mark-DuCo

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 1, 2012
    2,265
    113
    Ferdinand
    .22lr out of my Savage B22 with a Dead Air Mask suppressor for squirrel and most pests around my property.

    .223 out of my AR for yotes

    I really liked my 7mm-08 for deer, but I was in the process of building a 6.5 Grendel AR for my son to hunt with, and I fell in love with it. Once my newest suppressor comes in, I'll put it on this one and end up building another one for him.
     

    miles2253

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    32   0   0
    Jan 12, 2009
    181
    28
    North Webster
    .22lr out of my Savage B22 with a Dead Air Mask suppressor for squirrel and most pests around my property.

    .223 out of my AR for yotes

    I really liked my 7mm-08 for deer, but I was in the process of building a 6.5 Grendel AR for my son to hunt with, and I fell in love with it. Once my newest suppressor comes in, I'll put it on this one and end up building another one for him.
    What do you like about the Grendel?
     

    gunrunner0

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Dec 5, 2009
    478
    28
    Goshen
    Does anyone have any experience with 350 Legend?
    I built an AR in .350 Legend to hunt Michigan with this year. I took two doe on opening day with it. One died within 40 yds, the other within 25 yds. My only concern is blood trail. Although not necessary, I "tracked" both deer to see what kind of trail the .350 provided. One bled great, the other hardly at all. Both shots took out vitals.

    I love the gun, but it's hunting efficacy is still to be determined for me. I will also note that hunting ammo is tough to find in this caliber, at least for 150 Grain Winchester Deer Season XP anyway.
     
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