What rifle and load, do you use?

[Nugget]

G'day all,
this is my first post on the website. And seeing as I know more about rifles than I do catfish, I thought this would be a better start of point.
I've got a few questions today, about the rifle and load you use for deer hunting.

--Questions--

1). Rifle?
What type of rifle do you prefer for deer shooting. Some people go the small and fast such as your 5.56x45mm's and some go the bigger mildly slower 7.62x51mm's. What rifle do you use and why?

2). Factory Loads or Your Own?
Now, you either make your own loads to suit your rifle, or you buy factory ammo. If you prefer factory ammo, what is it and what are the statistics or your rifles load? But if you reload them yourself, what's your setup and what are the statistics of your load... if you do know them.

3). Winchesters Supreme Elite XP3's
I've recently bought a packet of these rounds, and I'm dieing to try them out. They're supposed to be top of the Winchester range and out class everything. They're only for a few rifles and only come in 150gr, 160gr and 180gr in the following rifles. 30-06, 300 WSM, 300 Win Mag, 308 Win/ 7.62x51mm, 7mm Rem Mag, 7 mm WSM, 270 Win and 270 WSM.
These expensive little guys have a two stage expansion for maximum damage. Here is the link if you don't know much about the new Winchester load, http://winchester.com/products/newitems/XP3product.aspx.
Have you tried this round? what calibre rifle was it in and what results did you get from it?

Thanks for your time.

[cuttingout69]

1. For me is the .270. It has the best bullet coeffenice of them to me. I like the flat treject of the .130gr bullet. I like the way it takes a deer.

2. I load my own. I use H4831 __grs, I use a 130 searra PTSP, no boat tail, and use Fed cases as they are heavier than any other case I have weighed. I use CCI LR primers. That is just for my deer hunting. I load for all my other rounds.

Now if I read where your from right, you are from the land down under? I did not think you could have weapons there?

[Nugget]

270 is a good rifle, my grandpa swears by it. Yeah, you can have rifles down here, they're are just very strict about it. I don't actually own my 7.62x51, it was given to me by my dad, my grandpa put it in his name for me.

[dafin]

welcome Nugget
I load for a 264 win mag, 140gr nosier partition,It is a good rifle for deer and elk.

[Nugget]

My mums boyfriend has one of them, he uses it for the Australian Camels and Donkeys. I don't know what load he uses for it, its a nice light weight rifle that you can carry through the hills while going for goats. Not much recoil to it, wich is nice. I like it. Its very handy.

[derbycitycatman]

I hunt and reload my 30/06. Will have to dig out all my reloading stuff, its about that time anyway, deer season is close.:big_smile:

[Nugget]

None of my family owns one of them. I'm probbably thinking of another rifle, but. Isn't it the 30/ 06's 100th birthday, I can't think of the word at the moment. So I'll just stick with birthday lol.

[jstall]

I have a lot of different rifles but my most favorite one for deer has become my 6.5 swedish mauser. I purchased one of the old mausers and put it in a Richardson stock. The stock was a blank so I worked it down to fit me. I shoot well with it. Have killed lots of deer with it up to 250 yards. I do not think it is very good over 300 yards with the 140 gr. I like to make clean kills, can't stand to wound an animal. It shoots factory as well as it shoots hand loads. I shoot 95% hand loads but I tried factory ammo in it and it is all very accurate, surprisingly accurate! I am a believer that accuracy kills not how big and fast it is.
Good shooting
Jake

[Nugget]

My 308 is a 93 model Mauser. Don't know the name of the stock it has been put into now. Its a good rifle, but as you said "I do not think it is very good over 300 yards" the 308 is probbably alright up to 425 yards with 150gr projectile. It would loose alot of power and trajectory but it'd do the job.
Yeah, deer make a weird noise if you pull a bad shot. Only making that mistake once. Accuracy is the trick, you can shoot a deer with a 375 H&H Magnum and not kill it but than you could walk up to one and shoot it with a 204 Ruger and it would put it down, accuracy is everything.

[jlingle]

I've got several deer rifles as well, but when I'm ready to go do some serious hunting I always reach for my 7 Mag. It's a remington 700 with a 50mm Leupold scope on it. I shoot 139gr. Hornady btsp bullets through it. I don't handload, no need for it with this rifle, it shoots the hornady 139, the 140gr winchester supreme ballistic silvertips, and the Federal premium 160gr. nosler partitions all well under an inch at 100 yrds. I love the 7 Mag, it's been my favorite gun since I bought it. I have an '06, a .243 and a 6mm as well but the 7 goes hunting with me 10X as much as the other guns.

[cuttingout69]

I am a believer that accuracy kills not how big and fast it is.
Good shooting
Jake
Well stated. I believe the same thing. It dose not matter how big and bad the cal., if you can't hit the side of a barn with it, you might just as well use a sling shot. I want to shoot a 3 shoot group of 1moa or less to hunt with. I have some of my special rifles that will do .750 moa at 100.

[Nugget]

The 243 is a nice very fast and light rifle, takes deer down with ease. Why don't you take that out as often? just personal choice I guess.

[cuttingout69]

My 308 is a 93 model Mauser. Don't know the name of the stock it has been put into now. Its a good rifle, but as you said "I do not think it is very good over 300 yards" the 308 is probbably alright up to 425 yards with 150gr projectile. It would loose alot of power and trajectory but it'd do the job.
Yeah, deer make a weird noise if you pull a bad shot. Only making that mistake once. Accuracy is the trick, you can shoot a deer with a 375 H&H Magnum and not kill it but than you could walk up to one and shoot it with a 204 Ruger and it would put it down, accuracy is everything.
Nugget try a 168gr bullet in your .308. It is good out to 400+. I have used this bullet to shoot targets at 400yards quit a few times.

[Nugget]

I'd love to, but its old. Can't put to much powder in the casings to give the projectile that little extra "Ooomph". Blow the bolt strait out into my shoulder.

[cuttingout69]

I'd love to, but its old. Can't put to much powder in the casings to give the projectile that little extra "Ooomph". Blow the bolt strait out into my shoulder.
Nugget, you do know the bigger the bullet the less powder you use ha? Most people don't know that fact or take time to look at it, but the bigger the bullet the less powder it take to move it as far and fast. It is the law of physics. A object in motion tends to stay in motion. The bigger the object the easier it is to keep in motion. Read your loading data and you will see what I am talking about.
PS, I am not trying to be smarta$$ here either, just trying to be helpful.

[blindfly69]

i got me a savage 30-06 that i love......unfortunately i dont know a thing about reloading so i buy remmington core-lokt 150grain shells....they work for me........welcome to the boc....wow....Austrailia is like.....REALLY far away lol

[cuttingout69]

i got me a savage 30-06 that i love......unfortunately i dont know a thing about reloading so i buy remmington core-lokt 150grain shells....they work for me........welcome to the boc....wow....Austrailia is like.....REALLY far away lol
Na, Austrailia is right down there be low us in Louisiana. LOL. They are just across the eqator from us. :lol:

[Nugget]

Nah mate, you're not being a smart @r$e at all, I'm here to learn.

[Nugget]

Hehe yup, thats why they call Australia "Down Under". :lol:

[blindfly69]

i didnt mean any insult i was just saying i think you're the furthest member from the rest of us.....do you hunt?....what kind of cats do ya'll got?

[cuttingout69]

One of my high school class mate mom was born and rasied in Austrailia. I love that women to death. She has lost her accent and now has a good ole southern draw. She fit right in with us southerns. She loved to duck hunt and what ever her husband and son want to do. She is such a good sprot. She is purdy too. I was told all the women from down there are purdy. Is that true?

[Nugget]

Lol, you didn't insult me, couldn't do it if you tried... but thats not a challenge either :lol: um... feral ones lol? Yeah I shoot, been hunting since the age of four, but I'm making the most of it, wont be able to hunt for five years really soon.

[Nugget]

Umm... first, I'd have to know what "Purdy" ment :smile2:

[cuttingout69]

Lol, you didn't insult me, couldn't do it if you tried... but thats not a challenge either :lol: um... feral ones lol? Yeah I shoot, been hunting since the age of four, but I'm making the most of it, wont be able to hunt for five years really soon.
why will you not be able to hunt?

[cuttingout69]

Umm... first, I'd have to know what "Purdy" ment :smile2:
Good looking. fine. Preaty.

[Nugget]

Going to the army, 12 weeks basic training, 4 years advanced than if I'm really lucky one year of service.

[Nugget]

If thats what "Purdy" means than yes, I'd say a good 70% of them are. Well, my girl is anyway lol.

[cuttingout69]

Going to the army, 12 weeks basic training, 4 years advanced than if I'm really lucky one year of service.
good for you. I love my country and yours. The two have been buds since WWII and admire a man willing to serve his country no matter the flag.

[Nugget]

Its what I was made for :big_smile: we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for people that went and died for us, we would be speaking Japanese right now. Not that there is anything wrong with the Japanese :embarassed:

[cuttingout69]

Nugget, it has been my privilge talking to you, but it is almost midnight here and I have got work in the morning. I am glad you joined us, keep in touch. You will find me around the Louisiana thread all the time, and if you have any questions, anyone here can help. Good bunch of people here. I sure hope to see you around some more. Oh, and just cause I am from the only French state in the US, don't hold that against me. I am a hillbilly way up in the north end.

[Nugget]

Haha cool :big_smile: 'ave a good one.

[cuttingout69]

Its what I was made for :big_smile: we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for people that went and died for us, we would be speaking Japanese right now. Not that there is anything wrong with the Japanese :embarassed:
I sure hope not, cause I just bought a 100% Japanese out board motor today. They say no American parts on it. LOL. Oh well it has been good. see ya.

[IL Hunter]

I use my IL rifle. A remington 870 with a rifled barrel and 3" winchester silver tips and a scope.

[Nugget]

Sorry IL Hunter, I coudln't PM you earlier, I need somthing like 10 posts before I'm enabled to send a Personal Message.

[IL Hunter]

It's alright. I spent a few years in Australia thats why I was asking.

[Nugget]

Cool, well to answer your question. I live in Adelaide the capital of South Australia. Where did you live for the time that you was in Australia?

[IL Hunter]

I lived in the Hills District of Sydney....I spent two days in Adelaide...at the end of a great ocean road trip about 4 years ago.

[Nugget]

There is some good fishing in Sydney, good pig hunting there aswell. Adelaide is boring lol, nothing to do at all. Got to travel hours to get to the Flinders or go 300 clicks South to go deer shooting. Pretty boring stuff, not to mention the fishing. You've got to use 4lb line for a decent fight lol.

[IL Hunter]

I went out past the mountains to kill a lot of goats rabbits and cats.

[Nugget]

Goats are good fun to shoot. They're a bit stupid though... :crazy: shoot the biggest ones and they run over a hill and stop to eat again, shoot some more and they do the same. You get bored after a while, cats are good fun. I hate cats so much. Alot of rabbits down here have been whiped out by mixie.

[Nugget]

I've got to go, feel free to post your rifle and everything else. I'll get back to you later, have a good one.

[kycatman01]

i use a sks(7.62x39) and a 357 magnum braztech single shot rifle. i use remington shells for the sks and starfire shells for the 357. i have harvested about 10 deer with the sks and 2 with the 357. i am hoping to get a 30-06 before this gun season. i really like that caliber for guns and the shells aren't to expensive.

[catfishkatmando]

Helo Nugget I use several firearms for hunting . In shotguns i use 20ga auto winchester, 16 ga side by Balikal. 12 ga remington supermag. factory amo for all.
Rifles I use several 22 rimfire,7m08 in Steyr bolt action, 30-06 remington semi,and my baby is a Marlin coyboy 1895 levergun in 45/70 I also have a couple of black semis in 308 and 223 the 23 is to make the coyotes mad.
I use two ruger single actions pistols also for hunting on is singlesix 22lr/2mag the other is superblackhowk 4mag factory amo for all.
I am getting ready for squirrel season here in West Virginia and then all the other game follow, then late winter trout fishing kick in.

[charliep]

Hi Nugget and welcome to the BOC. My favoritest rifle for deer is my older model Ruger M77 in Winchester 270. I've had her for years and I just feel comfortable and confident with it. I counted 26 deer that I took with it then quit counting and that was a few years back so not sure how many more up till now. I shoot factory ammo. Usually Winchester 130gr. Hunters here in Texas use a wide variety of rifles and ammo for whitetails but I think the main thing is to find one that you are comfortable shooting and stick with it regardless of caliber and ammo. Being confident in your abilities with whatever rifle you choose is more important than the type of rifle you choose. Shucks, over the years there's probably been more deer killed here with 30-30's and 12 guage shotguns than anything else.
charliep

[777]

Welcome to the BOC Nugget. I have several rifles but my favorite is the Remington 7mm mag I shoot 140 grain remington factory loads. And the reason I like this gun is I was tired of tracking and now they dont run out of site:lol: .

[wylie catter]

I also have several guns. The one I carry deer hunting the most is a Savage 270. It's suprisingly accurate with 140 grain hornadys. At a 150 yards using a gun vise it will put round after round in a .75" bullseye. Like everybody has allready said shot placement kills, not caliber. You can kill anything in North America with a 22 if you hit the right spot. Some people don't believe that but its true. I also love my muzzle loader but I guess thats a different catagory. And welcome to the BOC Nugget.

[catfishn72]

i shoot a remington 3006 with 180 grain federals and i have not tracked one yet the farthest they have ever ran was about 20yards. but normally they fall where they stand.

[fishhook]

Hi Nugget and welcome to the BOC. I like to see younger people like yourself taking as much interest in hunting and fishing let alone being so well versed on the subject. My favorite rifle is my custom made 30-06 with a golden state arms barrel, monte carlo stock, a mauser 98 action and timmne adjustable trigger. I think the 30-06 in about the most versital rifle you can have with bullet weights from 100grs to 220 grs. You can hunt anything from a mouse to moose and its even used on elephants an water buffalo. Here in Ohio its shotguns and handguns only. I deer hunt with a contender fitted with a 45/70 gov. barrell do to a new law change where it states that any streight wall cartrage can be used in a handgun. We are allowed to varmint hunt with a rifle so I do have a few smaller caliber's that I use for that.

[hunter]

hi nugget i shoot a ruger all weather 7mag with hand loaded 150 grain nosler ballistic tips . Fatherest shot at 530 yds.

[Nugget]

G'day Kycatman01, Catfishkatmando, Charliep, 777, Wylie Catter, Fishhook and Hunter... I think thats everyone :lol: .

Wow, alot of people posted while I was gone.

Wylie Catter:
"The one I carry deer hunting the most is a Savage 270."

My grandpa uses 270 about 95% of the time... even on rabbits. Its a neat little round, fast, flat and packs alot of punch. Grandpa has used it for big Reds, Camels, Donkeys and cats, but everyone hates cats.
And the good thing about 270's is that they barley have any recoil.

Fishhook:
"I think the 30-06 in about the most versital rifle you can have with bullet weights from 100grs to 220 grs. You can hunt anything from a mouse to moose and its even used on elephants an water buffalo."

I thought that the 375 H&H Magnum was the lowest calibre rifle you could shoot elephants with? It might just be a rule in Australia...

Alot of people that posted while I was away shoot a 7mm Remington Magnum. I'm a bit curious about them now, so I'll read a little bit about it and have a look at the ballistics of the rifle.

[IL Hunter]

The 7mm magnum is a pretty sweet round.

[Nugget]

Yeah, it looks alright.
Here is a ballistics sheet from the official Remington website. http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=R7MM4*RL7 MM4*PRC7MMRA*PRA7MMRA*PRA7MMRB*PRSC7MMB*R7MM2*PRC7 MMRC*RS7MMA*R7MM3Its just a statistics sheet of the Remington factory loads for the 7mm Remington Magnum. I'd still prefer a 220 Swift or somthing closer to that, but it throws a pretty heavy projectile at a fair pace.
Sorry about the link being so big :angry:

[onlyone]

I was using the classic lever action 30-30. Its a good gun, but I switched to a 25-06 this past year, and killed two deer with it. Its got a bit more range than the old 30-30 so I like that about it.

[GaryF]

Welcome to the BOC, Nugget!

"Adelaide is boring lol"

How can you say that, with cool places like Rundle Mall, the Botanical Gardens, and the Torrens River, lol. I was there for 3-4 days in 2002 after ridding my bicycle (push bike, lol) down from Alice Springs. I still have some blue jeans I bought there at a place called "Slims". Adelaide seemed like a nice place, about the same size as my home town of Kansas City.

[Nugget]

Hmm, I just don't like the city lol. I'd rather be in Broken Hill or somewhere like that.

Rundle Mall: Full of over priced "Fashion" clothing shops, todays "Fashion" has completley gone to hell and beyong, blokes are wearing pink and the worst shoes on the plannet and the sheilas are dressing up like blokes with all their shoking makeup! hehe, went a bit of the subject there.

Botanical Gardens: If I want to go see some flowers, I'll go out the front. Its full of "Happy" newly weds, having a "Romantic" time, and snotty nosed little kids ripping up the place. I can see this at a school.

Torrens River: Its alright I guess, I'd rather the Murray River personally, freshwater fishing is heaps better.

Lol, sorry if my two first comments seemed a tad harsh.. I know slims, I buy all my jeans from there lol, they're a good place. But their also too expensive.

[turtle]

Hello Nugget. My gun of choice is a 300 win mag and i reload my shells it shoots alot flatter with reloads i use magnum primers ,IMR 4350 powder with 150 grain ballistic tip bullet never lost a deer with this setup.hope this helps:smile2:

[Edisto Catman]

My hunting rifle is a savage 270 and my load is the winchester ballistic tip. This combination has harvested over thirty deer.

[Nugget]

Ok, but how many grains is your Winchester Ballistic Tip, how many grains of powder, what powder, types of primers, burn rate of your cartridge, muzzle velocity, velocity at say 100 feet all that type of stuff. The barrel length of your 270 Savage, barrel length plays a big role in your projectiles ballistics, target barrel or hunting barrel?

Scope, I'm guessing you'd use a scope seeing as you're shooting deer, what type is it? is it variable or set on a certain powder, what distance have you set it on, 50M?

I'm not being rude or anything, but people have just been saying this and this... :crazy:

[Backwater]

My rifle is chambered in 7mm-08.
I hand load Winchester brass, CCI primers and Varget powder.
Bullet is a 120grn Nosler Ballistic Tip BT pushed to 2950.

[Nugget]

BONZA! :big_smile: :big_smile: :big_smile:

There we go lol.

[Paraguayguy]

I bought a Thompscon Center Arms Encore with a 50 caliber barrel a few years ago. I had their custom shop make me a 300 Whisper Barrel. The 300 Whisper is a 221 fireball necked up to 308 caliber. No recoil and very little noise. In fact this caliber was developed for our military to use shooting subsonic loads pushing 220 grain bullets with a silencer. I put a silencer on this barrel and it is literally silent. The only thing you hear is a gush of air. Not much for long range but at 100 yards and a rest, you can decide which eye you want to shoot him in. I hunt in the woods near crop fields. All my shots the last 40 years of deer hunting have been less than 50 yards and most under 20 yards. Good luck and safe hunting.

[FishMan]

Hello Nugget. My gun of choice is a 300 win mag and i reload my shells it shoots alot flatter with reloads i use magnum primers ,IMR 4350 powder with 150 grain ballistic tip bullet never lost a deer with this setup.hope this helps:smile2:

never lost a deer.............LOL.................I guess not

[peewee williams]

Hello Nugget. My gun of choice is a 300 win mag and i reload my shells it shoots alot flatter with reloads i use magnum primers ,IMR 4350 powder with 150 grain ballistic tip bullet never lost a deer with this setup.hope this helps:smile2:
Do you find the remains dripping out of the trees and off of the brush or do you fire a very mild load of IMR 4350?I found that my 300 Wtby.loads with this bullet would gut,skin and tenderize a deer.That would not be so bad but it left very little of the deer and the guts and hair impregnated what little of the meat was left.How are you getting around this?peewee-williams

[ChickenFoot]

.22-250 In in the neck, they drop like a rock. I haven't had one run off yet.

[Chris]

I have a .30-06 but I buy my ammo but I usually by a 150 grain bullet.