Guest lilcrackshot Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 What do you guys consider the minimum caliber you would shoot a deer with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer i'd say anything under .24 caliber i wouldnt use for deer. all depends what the actual caliber is though. i wouldn't shoot a deer with anything less than a .223 or .22-250. the law up here is that you can use any centerfire rifle, no rimfires. i guess it all depends on how comfortable and skilled you are with the different calibers. if you can make a well placed shot with a .223, go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAhardwoods Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer i would agree with shaun usually nothing under a .24 cal but when i was 12 and 13 i was really small and my gramps was worried about me getting gun shy and jerkin the trigger on bigger guns so i hunted with a .222 lots of time hunting groundhogs and putting the gun on paper with it also learned how important shot placement is. i killed a deer both years i hunted with it. with very good lung shots on both....soo it can be done just like any gun shot placement is the key..... Cody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedicast Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer Here in Connecticut, in the places where a rifle is legal, the minimum caliber is 6mm/.243. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer It depends, if I want to take the shot that is offered, (frontal, front quartering, quartering away, etc) I would start with the .243 Win. If I can wait for a perfect shot the smaller .22 caliber centerfire chamberings with the proper bullet would work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_218 Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer Caliber wise, I'd say use nothing smaller than a .243" bullet with a weight of 100 grains. Cartridge wise, the smallest cartridge, I'd use for Deer-sized game, would be the 7.62 X 39 m/m, and I would limit my shots to under 100 yards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchies Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer .243 no doubt. Another good gun is the 7mm-.08. My mom has one and it has very little kick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bronco_mudder Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer 458 lott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamphunter Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer [ QUOTE ] i would agree with shaun usually nothing under a .24 cal but when i was 12 and 13 i was really small and my gramps was worried about me getting gun shy and jerkin the trigger on bigger guns so i hunted with a .222 lots of time hunting groundhogs and putting the gun on paper with it also learned how important shot placement is. i killed a deer both years i hunted with it. with very good lung shots on both....soo it can be done just like any gun shot placement is the key..... Cody [/ QUOTE ] I ahve some relatives that live in Pennsylvania also and the women in the family were very petite. They also used the .222 and very effectively I might add. I personally wouldn't go any lighter than a .243 cal, but that is just me. Seems that in PA atleast the area that my relatives live, it is a pretty common cartidge for smaller bodied people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cowpoke Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer 243 Winchester pushing 100 grain bullets would be my minimum choice, and it is an effective one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnf Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer Personally the 243 is the bare minimum. But I have a student that has killed deer at 300 yards with a mini 14 in 223. She's an awsome shot, much better than I ever hope to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimT Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer I would say the .243 Win also. If your looking for a rifle I would get a .270 or 30-06 and shoot managed recoil loads, then work up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer I'd opt for .25 caliber or better. I'm sure there's lots of good arguments made for the more muscular .24's (.243 WSSM, .240 Weatherby). But I like authority in a big game round. IMHO, that starts at 1/4 bore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
too_pointer Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer Now I agree about the .243, and even with that you need a decent bullet. I used to have a .22 hornet that killed a whole bunch of deer. A friend of mine has shot a few with a .222 also. I don't think either one is really large enough though. If a deer moves slightly when you pull the trigger the bullet isn't good enough to push through heavy bones, they want to blow up more than penetrate. too_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bronco_mudder Posted May 28, 2005 Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer I agree with the people saying that .243 should be the minimum. But at the same time I know of many deer taken with .222, and .22-250. Heck that same .222 has taken about 12 black bears, and the .22-250 has killed a 3.5 year old bull moose on the spot, head shot. But here is what I was thinking, if one were to use one of these types of .22 centerfires, do you think a neck shot would be better than aiming for the shoulder area? The only bone your going to hit in the neck is going to drop the animal in its tracks. Just something that crossed my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husker Posted June 4, 2005 Report Share Posted June 4, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer first the state you are in probably has a minimum requirement on what can be used to take a deer. now a 22 mag will kill a deer if hit in the right spot, but i would say minimum caliber would be .243 (and most states agree with this minimum caliber) so i would check with your state before you buy anything smaller than .243 for deer. jmo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
too_pointer Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 Re: Minimum Caliber For Deer A neck shot is pretty iffy, and I would not have a gun that would only kill if hit with a decent shot in the neck. As far as head shots, would you really want to take that shot too_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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