Choosing Your Best Deer Cartridge
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- Опубликовано: 25 июл 2024
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Who is Ron Spomer
For 44 years I’ve had the good fortune to photograph and write about my passion - the outdoor life. Wild creatures and wild places have always stirred me - from the first flushing pheasant that frightened me out of my socks in grandpa’s cornfield to the last whitetail that dismissed me with a wag of its tail. In my attempts to connect with this natural wonder, to become an integral part of our ecosystem and capture a bit of its mystery, I’ve photographed, hiked, hunted, birded, and fished across much of this planet. I've seen the beauty that everyone should see, survived adventures that everyone should experience. I may not have climbed the highest mountains, canoed the wildest rivers, caught the largest fish or shot the biggest bucks, but I’ve tried. Perhaps you have, too. And that’s the essential thing. Being out there, an active participant in our outdoor world.
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.
Produced by: @red11media
Disclaimer
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not modify any cartridge or firearm beyond what the manufacturer recommends. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely. 
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My son's favorite deer cartridge is his car.
😂
What's his success rate?
Hahah
The charisma hooked me, the knowledge reeled me in, and the production quality cemented me in. Good stuff
If the charisma hooked you, wouldn't the production quality REEL you in?
Thanks Mark.
@@dingo5208 Ron started playing automatically as part of a queue I had going a la podcast-style, then I started actually watching instead of just listening.
Jesus loves you all very much repent and believe onto Him and be saved from eternal punishment of sin amen, Jesus DIED for you
hes like the lesson before shop and more learning with hicok 45
When hunting, I enjoy being in the woods. Even if i head home empty handed, I consider the day a success just being one with nature clears my mind.
Well done sir.
I live in the woods, off grid, and wouldn't have it any other way . . .
Many hunts turned into a walk in the woods. To sort out my thoughts and enjoy nature. Love it.
@@garybonz yet here you are, commenting on a RUclips video.
A bad in the woods beats a good day in the office!
Thanks James.
I was happy when you gave a nod to the .257 Roberts. I'm 44 years old and have been hunting since I was six years old. I have shot and hunted with many different calibers and gauges. After all these years, I have noticed that the .270 Winchester has been about perfect for me and my style. However, every time I go back and fire the old .257 Roberts, it feels like magic. Every time I hear someone mention the old Roberts cartridge, it gives me butterflies. Even though I think the 270 Win is "perfect" the 257 is always whispering sweet nothings in my ear...
The 270 is certainly one of the best mulie and antelope cartridges. Best of luck on upcoming hunts.
@@nmelkhunter1 Thank you for the well wishes for my upcoming hunts. It's always nice to hear from a fellow hunter. I hope all your hunts are successful as well.
2 perfect rounds
I found a .257 roberts round lying around at my grandmas ranch lol.
I have also successfully hunted deer and antelope with a few different cartridges, 37 different caliber/cartridges to date, and I can relate to your comments on the 270 and 257 Roberts, both of which I own and have hunted with. My Dad used a pre64 model 70 in 257 Roberts, he was very happy with it.
The perfect Cartridge is the one you can hit your target with!! Makes little difference what you
Miss with!!!
LOL!!!
Boy no truer words have ever been spoken/written! 👍
I had a gun once I couldn’t hit anything with . That was a long time ago
@@cabinbills6743 I think everyone has one of those rifles they are drawn to for whatever reason, yet they for some reason just don't shoot it as well as other rifles.
@Bob Wills or wound with !!
The great thing about .308 is that its 1. Common as far as ammunition and reloading supplies goes, and 2. Perfectly serviceable out to several hundred yards.
Cant use it in many countries if you hunt internationally, like mexico. It's a current military cartridge, makes it illegal in many many places.
Use a .30-06, no restrictions and you can find ammo anywhere in the world
@@jordanhicks5131 not very believable, especially since you suggest 30-06 as a “legal” replacement. Who hunts in Mexico? Besides cartels?
@@petersouthernboy6327 lots of deer hunting in northern mexico my dude.
And .30-06 is a perfect cartridge for hunting the western USA, Canada, or northern Mexico
Also perfect for hunting in Scotland or Ireland or pretty much anywhere in Europe, since many countries in Europe dont allow .308 due to it being a current military cartridge, including Italy and France. In France the .300 savage is the most popular hunting cartrige since .308 is off the table
@@jordanhicks5131 just checked with my Western outfitter/guide, he said Mexican guides provide firearms as it is like an act of God to bring your own personal hunting firearm legally into Mexico.
In a lot of places in Canada you can't use any 30 caliber rifle rounds for deer. So the 243 and 270 is very popular
25-06 is by far my favorite caliber for deer hunting. Plenty of power and and great range. Ive taken deer from 5 yards to 700 yards no problem at all.
Same here I have a savage axis XP 25-06. Love the cartridge
I run either a 25-06 or 257 Wby and the 06 is just the Goldilocks of deer rifles. Just enough power but not too much!
Savage 110 tactical with heavy barrel 25-06
Love my 25-06 savage
I sure do love my traditional bow, my compound bow, .30.30's, the ole light 12, .270's, and on and on. Definitely agree with Ron, the romanticism involved, the spirit. Spice of life. All of it. I try and immerse myself in the old outdoor experience. Thanks Fred Bear, thanks Jack O'Connor, Thanks Ron. 😊
Hell yes brother !
Heck yeah! Same here!
Lobe Vobi, very well said.
.280 Remington and the .35 Whelen are my favorites.
Your history/personage and commentary is an American Treasure.
7mm-08 🇺🇸
You know we love it when your dog participates.
You should do a series about hunting with dogs, training digs for hunting etc.
We'll be doing Covey hunting videos this fall.
When I was younger and back east - I had a 30-30 and it worked really well. I went out west and got a Winchester model 70 in .270, I shot several deer with it a couple with it. I think shot placement is very important.
Most sensible “best rifle/cartridge” video I’ve seen yet. I liked those comments regarding the connection to tradition etc too, very relatable. Nice one
Thanks you, Robert.
Pops bequeathed his dad's Winchester 94 to me and I always have a day in the Maine wood with the old girl. I am carrying their spirits with me, we talk and walk all day. Thanks for your wise insights Ron :)
Thanks for commenting, Steve.
I couldn't agree more Ron with everything you said. There's no right or wrong. Choosing something in the realm of 270, 308. 30/06 and 300 Win Mag (WSM) is hard to go wrong with. Thanks for sharing!
Jesus loves you all very much repent and believe onto Him and be saved from eternal punishment of sin amen, Jesus DIED for you
You forgot the 30-30 has killed more deer than any other cartridge.
@@hkschubert9938 actually the 22 is probably really close 2nd,
@@hkschubert9938 the 22 has killed lots of deer, mostly poachers since it’s quite with sun sonics
@@hkschubert9938 22lr damn, your so dense
There are many good cartridges shown there. You mentioned 2 of my favorites. .257 Roberts and the 6.5 Grendel. Some great qualities in those rounds and just pure joy to shoot. Hope you have a very successful deer season. And thank you for sharing!
I opted for a 270 Winchester myself. I think it's a solid all around hunting rifle that I'd be comfortable using on everything from Coyotes, to black bear, and even moose. My grandfather always spoke very highly of his and took it elk hunting plenty of times. When he passed away I let my sister have his 270 (I took his 300 WM), but I still wanted one. I definitely prefer shooting the 270 over the 300 WM, and it's been a lot easier to find ammo for. I got it really just because he always had one, but it's turned in to my favorite hunting cartridge. Like him, I find myself always recommending it to people looking for another hunting rifle or their first.
Glad you mentioned the Grendel. My boys started with an AR chambered in 6.8 spc. Carried the speed and energy to cleanly take deer to 300 with handloaded 120 SST bullets. Really light rifle and almost zero recoil.
Ron, you make a lot of sense with your videos. Thank you my friend, and God bless.
7-mm-08 has been about the perfect balance between performance, weight, and recoil for me.
Is it easy to find tho ?
What is it comparable to in terms of power ?
@@dimmacommunication 7mm08 is a necked down 308 case to 7mm, lighter recoil and I Little flatter shooting. In west Michigan where I hunt 7mm08 was readily available on the shelves before covid hit
@@wildskullcreations9864 Thank's :)
@@wildskullcreations9864 How about pricing tho?
@@dimmacommunication pricing is good at least in my area, around 30 bucks maybe a little more depending on the gun shop, comparable to your real common calibers like 308, 30-6, 270.
Here in Iowa, my Marlin 1895 in 45/70 has done the job quite well. I also look forward to taking out my 35 Remington this year as well. When hunting out of state, my old trusty ‘06 or 243 BLR join me. Best of luck to all in the woods this fall, countdown to football and big whitetails is upon us👍
For heavy brush short range hunting, I prefer the 45/70 for its quick drop and clean kill.
I love how you engage with your dog Covey.
I take my Arlo into work occasionally. He even sits in on the odd meeting. Not a lot of work gets done, but my colleagues love him and frequently bug me to bring him in.
How a person treats their animals, says alot about their character.
No matter what people pick, they should factor in spending a non-trivial amount of time with it at the range, shooting realistic targets, with kill zones marked, at distances that mimic where they hunt.
Yep! Especially for the "average Joe". all that and do some offhand practice. A rest is often not available.
Couldn't agree with you more! Proficiency and comfort-level with the caliber come to mind.
I have always used a 270 win for deer hunting and it has always worked well so I never used much else. When my Son started hunting at around 12, i bought him a 270 but he was a little apprehensive about the recoil so I bought him a 243 win. That 243 win worked so well he just kept with it. He has never taken his 270 in the woods. Obviously the 270 would be better at range but he has confidence in that 243 at the distances he is comfortable shooting. He shoots it well, and he enjoys the memories he has with it. If you ask him, the 243 win is the “best” deer rifle. To each their own. Just let people enjoy what they enjoy. There doesn’t have to be the best deer rifle.
I grew up in CO hunting mulies and elk with the occasional pronghorn tossed into the mix. For that area I pretty much decided the 7mm Rem Mag was about perfect. Now that I live in TX I am using the 308 Win. As the man noted, it depends on where you are hunting and how you are hunting.
Hunting the corn fields and openings within forests in northern Wisconsin as a child with my father, he always hunted with a Winchester Model 70 in .270. When I turned 12 he handed me a Remington 742 also in .270. Together we tore up the woods with those rifles! Some of the best memories I have are walking into the woods with my father in the cold, predawn mornings hearing nothing but the crunching snow beneath our feet as we carried our .270 Winchesters.
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!! it depends on youre specific needs, terrain and ability. I live in west central Indiana. the area i hunt is medium to heavy timber, some small hills and bordered by fields. for several years, i used a 44 mag rifle with great results. once we were approved to use high powered rifle cartridges, i went to the 6.5 CM in order to reach out into the fields a little better. both are great rounds to use in my area and for my conditions.
I did NOT expect you to name drop the 6.5 grendel on here. I’ve gone to that in the last 3-4 years and love it. I’m not recoil shy, but if I can get away with less, I’m going for less. Hunting in south east Alabama, the advantages of higher recoiling rounds isn’t realized until you hit a power line or big bean field/clear cut. With all my kills being anywhere between 40-75 yards, there isn’t much point going away from an intermediate caliber.
Because of major medical issues the biggest for me is the 243.. shoots fantastic and feels good..
I know the struggle. If you ever do want to shoot a larger cartridge try an AR10 or BAR in 6.5 creedmore or something similar. They are a god send for the recoil sensitive.
@@sstrongman1667 was at the range the other day and a guy was shooting an ar10... he let me shoot a rd ... recoil is very close to my 243..
I'm glad you mentioned the 6.5 Grendel. I shot a huge doe last year with one for the first time with it. she jumped and fell over. That was at about 170 yards, but as far as accuracy I've shot 2-inch groups at 400 yards with it.
I’ve got lots of rifles and most are of deer hunting variety. Two of my favorites are the .35 Remington and the .45/70 when hunting at 150 to 180 yard max range conditions. I love my 7mm Remington Magnum for long range situations. I also love my black powder rifles and pistols for closer range woods hunting. As a matter of fact, I’m planning my deer hunting this year around closer ranges and plan to use my black powder guns all season long including my .44 cap and ball pistol at 40 yards or less.
Thanks for the nod to the 6MM Remington....it's the only gun I've ever used for deer growing up out West for mule deer and now in the East for whitetail. Light recoil and fast and accurate round. I know it's not a very popular cartridge and factory ammo is almost non-existent, but I reload my own so no worries there.
6mm Remington is suffering still from the bad press left over from 244 Remingtons bad marketing decisions. It is a good cartridge.
Most important choice is the one you own, and understand how to use. For me I don't have a lot of guns, so I use my combined defense, hunting multi-game capable AR in 350 legend. I'm in east Texas where 75 yards is a long shot. Years ago it was a 30-30 like so many others grew up using. Great video Ron!
It's works for what you need which is great. For me in Idaho a 400 yard shot isn't uncommon. But if taking those kinds of shots number one the individual needs to be on point with every part of their fundamentals in shooting. As well as their rifle needs to be capable of both accuracy and precision. With a bullet that performs terminally as needed.
@@beyondtwominutes Spot on!
Thanks.
fwaynedavis wherebouts in east Texas? I live in Tyler County.
love that your dog comes and makes an entrance..
Very well done. You covered about as many things to consider when selecting a deer cartridge. I guess that whatever a hunter picks, practice and become proficient (and safe) with it and enjoy the hunt.
You hit the nail when you talked about using a rifle from your past owned by a relative. My uncle just gave me his model 99 300 savage that I shot my first deer with 52 years ago. So I have to take one more deer with it.Then it is going on the wall.
I understand your feelings on the rifle, but after you get one more with it, if you are still physically able to hunt, wouldn't one more after that, or two or three more, make good times? 😉😁😁
Hard to pass up the 7mm mag when the task is an effective kill shot, but I'm glad to see the Grendel getting some love too.
Love my 7mm mag shot 2 moose with it. Works great. Doesn’t have great penetrating power but I can hit a quarter at 100 yards with it.
If you handload, the 7 Rem Mag can be a very versatile cartridge. I shoot a lot of 120 to 140 grain bullets through my 7mm.
Love your dog Mr. Spomer, just recently got my hunting certification and you answered a lot of questions I had about getting my first hunting rifle.
Thank you!
There's numerous good choices available . I've hunted with a 30-06 and a 6mm remington for decades in the deep south . Recently I began to use a MSR/AR platform in 300 blackout for a short range lightweight swamp gun .
I hunt with my Model 700 in .243 and it's always been perfect for me.
Hey Ron I just picked up my moose rifle, I live in brown bear 🐻 County on the Kenai peninsula so I decided not to use my heavy 308 this year as my wife gifted me a unfired new in box 1989 remington 700 classic in 300 weatherby magnum , all I can say is I'm a happy hunter!
You are spot on in the recoil aspect. I bought a 7x57 before 7-08’s came out commercially. Turned that 73’ Ruger 77 7x57 into a custom.244 for Varmint shooting and had occasionally put the 7x barrel back on for meat hunts. When the 7x57 Came out in the Remington 700 Mountain Rifle early 90’s I picked one up and put it in a Lee Six Glass stock. The 7x57 and 7-08 are hard to beat for small frame folks. Never lost an animal with the 7x57 and Speer 145’s. The Factory Norma 150’s shot almost as well as my reloads. One time I used the 7x Ruger to shoot squirrels when my 222 Rem got knocked over and scope knocked off zero. I was hitting squirrels out to 300 with a 4x Leupold scope. A 4x12 sits on the Mountain rifle now. Cheers
Really Really glad you considered the cultural and heritage value of hunting. Many of those opposed to hunding do not consider this aspect that connects us to our heritage and culture, where dads build relationships with their kids and stories are shared around a fire. Jeremy from South Africa
Ron really nailed it here. I love my .30-30's as much as any but I have been using a semi-custom .270 Winchester as my "go to" rifle for years now. I did the entire project as a way to save a poorly executed 1903A1 Remington sporter. I pulled the entire affair apart and refitted with a 26" Shaw #2 1/2 contour barrel. Matte bluing and a bedded Bell & Carlson classic stock painted gray with black spiderweb finished the rifle proper. I mounted a matte finished Leupold VX2 3x9x40 using a one piece Redfield base and standard rings that were matte blued to match the rifle. Let me not forget the Timney Sportsman trigger fitted for good measure. I suppose the project was more about the journey than the destination; even on a budget I could have purchased a new rifle for less. I have no regrets though, the rifle shoots well and is tough as a rusty nail.
This sounds like a hell of a nice rifle!! Probably more into it than most off the shelf rifles but I totally understand and appreciate great rifle built by ones self and actually used to hunt with!
@@hammerslammer3006 Thanks. ;-)
Sounds like your project turned out just as you envisioned it. I absolutely agree it's more about the journey. When I'm in the process of having a rifle built, I start with an animal specific concept. Then I decide on caliber, then rifle platform last. Four of my animal specific rifles are chambered in Wildcats chamberings I've developed myself. The rifles are as much a proof of concept as they are a tool.
@@stevepuyear2738 Sounds like it was a lot of fun! Well done.
Nice build. Congrats!
Love your stuff Ron, only thing thr 45/70 discussion is more of a location thing that only allows straight wall cartridges like my state (OH) popular cartridges are the 450BM 350Legand and 4570. But that is a whole other story.
Thanks Ron well put.Variety is the spice of life.I was just going through my on hand ammo and couldn't find a cartridge I would want to do away with👍👍
You're last point was the reason I used to love hunting, the experience and going out with my father, uncle & grandfather.
25-06 has an absolutely devastating effect on whitetail. It's also great out to range and recoil is similar to 243.
Jesus loves you all very much repent and believe onto Him and be saved from eternal punishment of sin amen, Jesus DIED for you
@@Fit4C WTF!
Works just as well on Julie's also.
Mulies not Julie's. Damn spell check.
@@patrickgriffitt6551 Only if Julie made you mad or gave you your walkin' papers! Lol! Just kidding!
Having hunted in Wyoming, PA, and VA, I'd go with a bolt action carbine, 20" barrel, chambered to 270Win. or 7mm-08. Use a good 130 or 140gr bullet. A 2-7x duplex reticle scope will do.
But, if you must, get/use a good ol' lever action 30-30. A 1-3x or 1.5 -4x scope, and 170 gr bullets.
Do you still hunt in VA? How do you go about it?
you nailed it !
Beautiful dog! I grew up hunting quail in NC with my daddy. No birds left anymore. Setters were our favorite.
I've owned my 03-A3 for just about 50 years now. And for me it does everything I've ever asked it to do. From the Colorado Rockies to the plains of Missouri.
I really hope the 6.5 Grendel catches on. I fired a rifle chambered for it and was surprised how pleasant it was to shoot and was thinking that it would be great for deer hunting. Good video Sir 👍
I'm hooked. I have a few guns in 6.5 Grendel with barrels ranging from 12"-20". They all work well, including with my 12 year old.
Magnificent video and analysis. Your hard work in this field of experience and knowledge is appreciated!
Much appreciated!
So here in Washington I have a west side gun and an east side gun. Basically rain forest or dry, more open country.
For beating the brush on the west side, nothing like using my Winchester Model 94 , iron sights, in the hole making 30-30! I use it on costal blacktails.
The east side gun is my Christiansen Traverse chambered in .270 Winchester. Topped off with a VX-5 HD 3-15 x 44. It’s my mule deer rifle.
Both rifles I know like the back of my hand, probably more so with my 30-30 since I’ve shot it since I was 10… at 48 now, every time I shoulder it , it feels like home, damn near don’t need a sight because it’s so Instinctive.
My dad is a 30-06 fan, come to thing of it so was my grandfather, although both had marlin 30-30’s
Great discussion 👍. For brush and stalking up to 150 I like 35 Remington for longer range out to 300 I like the 25-06. Both of these have served many hunters Thanks 👍
Thanks 👍
Well, Ron, you framed the question superbly but your recommendations were hard to pin down. I suppose there is no one perfect deer cartridge for all situations. However, I think the 30-06 comes close if a person can only own one rifle. The rifles and ammo are widely available and affordable. The recoil is manageable for most people. It will take deer, elk, and moose cleanly with a well-placed shot. What's not to like about it? I am enjoying your RUclips videos.
I agree, if you can only own one rifle for whatever reason, the best all around cartridge is the .30-06 hands down
Glad you're enjoying, Savvy. I didn't try to pin down one best cartridge which is why I explained why and how folks choose such variety. It's up to each of us to nail ours down.
I went with the .30-06 for much the same reasons. I wasn't concerned about recoil since my introduction to centerfire rifles was a .300 Weatherby Mag. The older buddy who was taking me out deer hunting for the first time wanted to make sure I was going to be able to hit my target. Dad's '06 wasn't there so he had me use his gun to slay a coke bottle out in the pasture.
See I am a Win 270 is the only Caliber you would ever need in North America. 30-06 is heavy duty but skilled hunters drop Grizzly and Moose often in Alaska with 270 Winchester.
If you only have 1 rifle then I'd go with the 30.06 as well. With a wide range of factory loads and it's readily available.
There is a difference between wanting to reach out there and having the skills to actually do it.
Most hunters have trouble hitting a deer at 100 yards, let alone in the right place.
@chris mclaughlin I've seen the hunting and target shooting jinks go both ways. Paper targets are a real humbler against people who think they're a good shot! Target shooters freak out that they're shooting window is 6 seconds, including getting your rifle up. I was lucky enough to have lots of varmint shooting at longer distances, and adopting that into use on bean field whitetails. Woodland whitetails are another story, as we know.
Dropped my first deer at 155 yards. All the others were inside of 50 yards.
You are so right Mr. There are tens of thousands of so called " hunters ha ha" that can't hit a dinner plate at 100 yards. For the reasons! These are the too busy in life morons that may shoot two or three bullets a year. The same moron that said " well it had zero last year!" Those people disgust me. Not only that but idiots like that are usually dangerous handling a firearm.
@@timbow50 Why do you sound so angry when talking about this? Did some guy who never shoots his rifle during the off season get a bigger buck than you , and then run off with your girlfriend..? I think so.😂
Guapo Returns I get disgusted with lazy people. Too lazy to get honestly prepared to kill an animal. Some time go to a deer processor and watch how many deer are brought in shot all to hell. Gut shot, leg shot and then gut shot, two or three bullet holes all over them. It's pathetic and it's due mostly to not getting ready. Just pisses me off.
Thanks Ron! Once again, you made a great video about the never ending debate....which is the best deer cartridge! I love deer hunting and deer cartridges, I hope this debate never ends! lol I agree 100%, there are a lot of variables, choose a cartridge/rifle combination that kills effectively and quickly. I love the .30-06, in my book, its extremely versatile. However, I now hunt in thicker cover and absolutely love my Marlin .30-30. It is compact, effective at moderate distances and I believe in its ability. Be safe everyone, happy hunting!!!
I appreciate the fact that you say "hunt honestly". Too many people don't give enough respect to other hunters, the environment and the animals. Hunters are a very unique community and we should always encourage good ethics in our passions.
My uncle took mule deer and elk (coyotes also) with a 44 mag rifle. He did it for decades and kept a large family fed well. It is more about the hunter,.
I just turned 30 but I'm a basic boomer, I love my 30-06 and 45/70, those are as American as it gets. You're right when you mention tradition, I know those aren't the greatest calibers in the 21st century but I love shooting what my grandfather and great-grandfather did. While it's true they aren't the best anymore they still hold their own against anything else.
We all turn boomers near 30
my two favourites are 270 and 6.5 x 55. They are both a very good middle weight and I have taken a ton of deer, moose and elk with both.
Gotta love the good ole Marlin 30-30
I’ve been dabbling with the 6.5 Grendel for whitetails over the last few years and I find it is just about perfect for me in the woods of central Arkansas. My shots will be inside 350 yards and more likely inside 100 yards. The Grendel will easily handle whitetails over these ranges and do it with low recoil and in a light, handy rifle. I can even shoot it in an AR15 platform rifle.
I love the 6.5 grendel, very little recoil, and only 1 out or 4 deer haven't fallen dead immediately.
I used a 223 in a bolt gun and in a mini 14 . Shot placement is key for me. I go out to 800m with my 223 bolt gun. I practice regularly long range shooting with my 223 bolt gun. My son took a huge 8 point last year with the bolt gun 223 at 200m . My main battle rifle now is a 243 Remington 26"heavy barrel I'm out to 1000m with it . It just takes practice, train regularly. long range shooting is a perishable skill.
I soot a 30-6 and I really like is and it was great grandpa’s that passed away hunting with it 3 years ago on thanksgiving.
Just finished building my .257 Roberts on Mauser action. Can't wait to get out in the woods this year.
I enjoy the hunt and experience. My goto is a 25-06 with a Leupold 1-5 x 25 scope. I use Nosler Partition or will sometimes use a Barnes. Both have been plenty effective from 50yards to 300.
Interesting choice of scope for such a flat shooting cartridge
Not nearly enough scope IMO
Where I hunt (northern Michigan) mostly swamp with the longest shot being about 50 yards my Ruger 77/44mag is my go to deer rifle
Great rifle!
Im in northern MI as well in thick woods and choose the .450 bushmaster. Branch/leaf deflection is a factor and short range. If I end up in with a more open area your average 7.62 is my go to (.308, 30-06, 7.62x54).
Everyone should do a walking hunt with a 30-30 (or any other lever action). You understand why its still a staple after a century and always will be.
Yes Ron! Pick and choose what works best in your situation. Great advice!
Right on
No rifles for deer here in Illinois, but love the video. When me and my brothers grab our slug guns and head out for deer it's something special. We could upgrade to something else but nothing like having an old steel and walnut slug gun year after year does the job. There is a nostalgic feeling to hunting that way.
No rifles??
Good stuff, personally this passed season I got into 450 bushmaster. Seems to work very good in my area. I'd love to see a top 40 through 45 caliber line up.
If I had to buy 1 rifle to hunt with the rest of my life, I think I’d buy a BLR chambered in 30-06. The 06 comes in as many bullet weight and types as any caliber in history. From rodents to predators to deer all the way up to dangerous big game can be taken with an 06. I love the old Remington 742s in 30-06 for east coast deer hunting. We have 5 or 6 of them, plus a couple 7400 in 270. I hope to let my son take a deer this fall with a special gun. A Remington 760 chambered in 270 that was made in 1952. It belonged to my great grandfather. It never had a scope on it until 2012. When he downs a buck with it that will be 5 generations of my family to have taken a deer with that rifle.
I agree 30-06 for the same reasons .
Sentimental value is something liberals don't understand about gun ownership. Just can't put a price on it. Something else they don't understand is the serenity and peace we get while we're hunting.
Ron, for me, this was 10 minutes of thoroughly enjoyable truth-about-shooting. Calibers & firearms has been a delightful, sometimes challenging, and constant discussion in during my years of hunting. Your honest, concise and enlightened thoughts are spot on. I lived in Texas for a good number of years. During the time that we managed (a mere 5 of us) a 3600 acre deer lease, I was also a licensed FFL with access to any rifle and cartridge I chose. And each hunting season I used a different combination of rifle and caliber in hopes of narrowing down the age old question you raise here - the best deer cartridge. I cleanly and ethically harvested deer with everything from a .243 Winchester through to the venerable .264 Win Mag and even a .300 Weatherby Mag on one large mule deer. Yes, shot placement, a steady rest, and keeping ranges to where you are most comfortable, is a large part of success and an owed respect to the quarry we hunt. At nearly 75 I don't hunt any longer, but I sure enjoyed your comments and those of the terrific folks here as well. An excellent episode sir!
Thanks for sharing your insights, Sir.
I recently moved out west from the midwest, but I'm in a mountain town so I feel my 30-30 and 350 Rem Mag are still valid choices. As hard as it is to find 350 Rem Mag ammo, I stopped into a small mom and pop gun shop a few weeks ago and found three boxes of factory ammo! Unbelievable. I'm considering either a 270 or a 280 Ackley Imp. for my next rifle, just for those hard to reach places. Otherwise, I prefer to stalk my game. Great video! Thanks for sharing.
The 6,5×55 for me.
Love to see Ron going with the .303 in this.
I fully agree with your last comment about nostalgia, etc. I enjoy hunting with my dads rifle, my uncles rifle, or maybe there is a particular rifle that you feel adds to the experience, like hunting with my model 64 in 25-35, or with my teddy roosevelt commemorative 1895 in 405, or an original krag in 30-40 krag. There is so much to enjoy of the experience besides just harvesting an animal.
My mother's father gave me a Savage 110 in .30-06 when i was about 15...48 now and that rifle is in my son's hands still killing deer. My father's father gave him a Savage 99 in .300 savage back in the 50s. its still in the field killing deer. I use either a 7x57, .270, or a 7mm Remington. Its all about shot placement and luck. Have seen "good" shots go wrong and "bad" shots drop them in the dirt.
another great video!!!
Dear Ron love your channel been reading your work for about 20 odd years. I'm a Cop now but used to guide quail hunts in the Albany Ga area. I would like to see more content that focuses on the terminal ballistics of calibers and bullet weights at specific ranges. How a bullet flies through the air gets so much focus these days that the work it does on final impact gets ignored. Certain caliber and bullet combinations are really only good at certain ranges. I know you are writing the eulogy for the .308 but I still think it's probably the best all around offering with 150 gr. from 400 and in. Looking for more on terminal ballistics and less on flight ballistics. Thanks for your time Ron and thanks for the memories.
Al-beeny lol. Love the smell of peanuts :)
Will try, Amanda, but terminal ballistics are hard to quantify. Nonetheless, check out some of my many blogs on bullet performance, knockdown power, how bullet terminate game, etc. on ronspomeroutdoors.com plus this video: www.bing.com/videos/search?q=copper+vs+lead+core+bullets+you+tube&view=detail&mid=73A3A1BD98C720B46CF973A3A1BD98C720B46CF9&FORM=VIRE
Amanda,
You might remember that the ammunition manufacturers used to give little free books to their suppliers to give to customers with questions about load performance. They used to include knockdown power in ft/lbs at various yardages. I spent hours as a teenager studying those little books (not sayin' how many years ago!). I guess a search for Ballistic charts on the web might prove helpful. Enjoy and keep safe out there please.
@@tombeyer375 I love the term "knock down power". Does a bullet actually knock an animal down? LOL
@garyh14 Pretty close, depending on bullet style and what the bullet hits upon impact. In some videos I've watched, you can see the impact waves on the fur of the animals. To answer your question, no, the bullet has some impact, but usually exits the animal. One time, had a buck standing uphill at about 175 yards broadside. 7mm Remington Magnum, 150 grain Ballistic Tip broke right front leg, went through boiler room and broke left front leg. Upon skinning the deer, found the bullet just inside the skin of the left front leg. Very rare occurrence, but all of the energy was expended on that deer. Yes, it knocked it down that time! I cleaned up the bullet and saved it for a conversation piece!
For my needs the 350 Legend works great.
Ron I liked your comment on it being a spiritual experience for some, my son shot his first deer with a 450 bushmaster and said the same thing. It will be a Memory he will have forever. Thanks for the great video.
My pleasure, Jay.
I think a good sweet spot round for whitetail where the recoil is rather mild, but it's still a caliber that can reach out to intermediate ranges and deliver plenty of energy, and has rather good ballistics is the 7mm-08. Most of the whitetail hunting I do these days is with a .308 however, mainly due to ammo availability and reloading components(though they too are becoming much harder to get). I don't shoot much past 200 yards and the .308 is plenty for that, shooting either 150 or 165 grain bullets.
I've got my 742 30-06 my dad got when I turned 13. It took several deer over the years including my sisters first deer. It's a good deer rifle, but it's not the best overall. I still love that rifle and hope my kids will take at least a deer with it someday. There's no ideal deer rifle to me, just maybe a personal ideal rifle or an ideal rifle for a given situation/area.
Remington 742 is the original mini 14. It's a good gun.
Got my dad's 742 as well.love it.its dropped alot of deer
Depending on which farm I’m hunting will determine which rifle/ caliber I take. The wide open Ag fields here in MO I’ll be taking my bolt action 6.5PRC. The river bottom woods I’ll be taking my 450 bushmaster AR.
In the past I’ve killed them with .243, 30-06, and 280Rem.
I bought a 450 BM in the Rugar American bolt action. Great brush gun. I took a deer last year with it..
Ron, you hit a home run with this video. It is not about what fancy cartridge or rifle you have. It is about being out in nature enjoying the beauty that surrounds us. The bonus is being able to enjoy some 100% organic meat, if we tag out.
This is one of the best short clips I've watched in a long time. Thank you
Thank you, Tony.
I started with 3030, needed more reach, tried 7mm , too much recoil, went to 3006, perfect.
Tried 2506 ,loved that .
Tried 22/250 not on deer, but just loved the fast flat shooting
The 22-250 can be used on deer just need to take head shots.
I still say .308 is the best in the Northeast. When you have short ranges and a greater need to make quicker offhand shots, suddenly the cheaper military-style ammo for that type of practice is a real advantage.
And really where is the 308 lacking in the hands of most people? 125’s loaded down on up to 180’s at 2600. Anything that walks or crawls in NA will fall to the 308 inside 350 yards. I definitely get more powerful cartridges for longer ranges but for 90% of hunters it’s all they’ll ever need and change
@@K-bob_45 I’m shooting a 125gr accubond at 3200FPS in .308, great load in a lightweight bolt gun
I am a fan boy off the 5.56 with reloads. I have some 75gr. Gold dot bullets that work good in my AR. Sure there are better rounds, but to be able to use the same gun for several tasks is a plus for me.
I have a Remington 700 in 30.06 given to me by some friends. When I take it hunting, I take them hunting. I'm making and reliving memories at the same time.
Rifles are like a wrench. Use the one that fits. Vice grips will get the job done but its not the best for everything.
I picked up a (sporterized) 30-40 Krag last year, I would love to hunt with it! I think those rifles are really neat.
I'm 61 and I have inherited a sporterized 30-40 Krag. Shoots great with the old Williams peep sight. Going to have to chase some Blacktail deer here in Oregon.
@@davidderr2662 I have the same site on my Kraig!
@@behindenemylines3361 I grew up shooting it. It was my grandmother's. Grampa bought one for both of them. Wish I knew what happened to his. I was told he spent hours by the fire rubbing with linseed oil into them. I presume he did the sporterizing. I can't be sure, they passed along time ago. He was a hardcore logger out of Kelso Washington. He was competitive in logging competition way back when. More info than you wanted, sorry. Nostalgic. Let's harvest something with them!
Hi Ron, Like your video. ‘Long time ago’ I wrote a white paper on bullet dynamics in search of the best all-around white tail caliber. As watching your videos I’m so surprised not to see that caliber even listed in your line-up. Yes my info may or may not be outdated but the best all-around caliber for deer is the 264 Win Mag. After I studied ballistics as an Engineering student and wrote the paper. I decided to put my research to the test and purchased a 264 Win Mag and used it to kill over 30 deer. I never missed or lost a deer while using it. I also tried several other calibers with mostly good and some bad results, but ultimately returned to the 264 Win Mag. Although it’s the most accurate in terms of grouping straight out of the box, I still used match ammo loaded to 3800 FPS for literally pin point accuracy.
Got a Winchester 30-30 in 1986. Still use it. Live in northeast Texas. It's hard now to even find ammo. But still use it every year.
Best deer cartridge for over 200 yards is a fully loaded 6.5 swede (apparently the american factory loads suck but the eurotrash loads are great). Best deer cartridge for under 200 yards is 32-20. Both cause minimal tissue damage. They won't flip your deer like a 300 RUM will but there is more satisfaction in creeping closer and making a good shot.
You ain't kidding man, I've literally (and honestly) watched a nice whitetail buck turn a complete back flip when my boy connected at 200yds. Simply an incredible sight to see !!
Personally the 7mm Remington Magnum is my go I’ve shot everything from rabbits to Buffalo with it and still hasn’t let me down
After a long frustrating day in the mountains where the wapiti eluded me, I took a headshot on a chunky blue grouse with my 7mmRemMag. Best lunch I had on that trip!
Ron thanks for all the great content!
Ron I was hunting West River this year I was using a Savage model 11 chambered in 30 WSM. I purchased this rifle several years ago used it did a number on a Whitetail for at 200 yards.The next day I was using my Mossberg Patriot chambered in 308 Win. It did a number on a small Whitetail buck at 60 yards. I been fortunate to have several calibers available to me.Its hard to choose one..