Calibre choice for deer ARRRRRR!

[Bosbefok]

I've got some Fallow country coming up and will take my 243 loaded with 85gn Sierra Game Kings HPBT. The US Hunters use that set all the time on Whitetail and even up to Mule Deer, so I don't see any drama with Fallow. Soon find out though.
JD

I believe the minimum is 100gr projectiles on fallow here in NSW. I could be mistaken. I doubt anyone will know the difference...

[Humir]

Hmm, this is from 10 years ago so could easily be out of date but it's something for you....

http://secure.environment.gov.au/biodiv ... l-deer.pdf

Small deer (e.g. hog and fallow deer)
The minimum calibre is .243 with 100 grain projectile. Case length must be at
least 51mm

[tony m]

From Western Canada and new here folks . interested to hear about things like this where you are.I am a .270 man , but I think the bullet choice is far more important than the caliber.My .270 win does keep different bullets/different weight close to the same poi at 100 m. Eg n elk or moose here I might use use a hornady gmx (monolithic) and on deer a 130 sst.The 160 partition prints about 3" below and zeroed at 100m the others zeroed at 275.The 160 's are for d.g issues .Grizzlies etc up close.Bullets these days are quite amazing in either chambering imo.cheers

[Sam45]

talk about over gunned there only fallow get a 243 or a 25-06 both will give you a dead deer at close and medium (500y) range

I shoot fallow with a .223

[southeast varmiter]

For dedicated deer gun. Would go for 270 WSM

[sandgroperbill]

This is one of those subjects that can go on and on and on. Reason is that there are many calibres that will dot he job just as well as the next, and is ultimately a matter of personal preference and bullet selection (as well as shot placement, range, terrain, rifle selection, etc).

Me, I'm pretty simple. I like 30 cals for hunting as that's what I'm familiar with (.303, .308 and .30-06). Having said that, I believe that choosing a rifle that you're comfortable with is more important than the calibre selection.

[bigtone]

If you don't want to eat it then use nothing less than a 50BMG! If you do want to eat it, then still use the 50BMG but make sure you hit it in the head or neck!

[Klem]

This is one of those subjects that can go on and on and on. Reason is that there are many calibres that will dot he job just as well as the next, and is ultimately a matter of personal preference and bullet selection (as well as shot placement, range, terrain, rifle selection, etc).

Yep, tonnes of options that only vary by shooting a little flatter, or hitting a little harder or a little whatever.

At the end of the day all kill a deer dear so there isn't any real winner as far as which one is "best", people just pick whichever one has the bit extra that they think is important.

Anything in a .270 or bigger will do it much the same.

[headspace]

The 270W is a far better round than the 308. I've had both and sold the 308 because the 270 just did everything better, but I also have a 243.

[happyhunter]

I'd be thinking projectile choice rather than calibre. So many cartridges are suitable it really comes down to bullet selection.

[heeple]

So many cartridges are suitable it really comes down to bullet selection.

+1.

Any one of a dozen different calibres with a suitable bullet = dead deer.

[Kai]

Ive owned 270w and 308w, both great calibers, cant go wrong with either, atm I'm using a 308w for most of my hunting, drops sambar just fine.

[Harts]

Any one of a dozen different calibres with a suitable bullet = dead deer.

Yeah but you have to argue that the one you have is "better" than the rest

[WayneO]

.270 TRUMPS .308???

Your 150g bullet takes 55g of powder to get it to 2600 fps while a .308 takes 40g to do the same speed.
Your length of pull is longer as you now need to extract an 82mm bullet as apposed to a 68mm bullet.
Your max bullet weight is 150g while most .308 rifles group very well with 168 or 180g bullets, and they use 38g of powder to drive a 180g bullet at a nice sedate 2300fps. Heavy slow bullet results in less meat damage. And my .308 with 180g bullets will print 30mm groups at 200m all day long.

Not that I have anything against a .270, because it has its place in the field and on the range, but its place is not on the same field as a .308

[Oldbloke]

Regardiing bullets. Im no expert but I would think any modern copper jacketed projectile, even the more basic ones are heaps better performing than the cast projectiles of yester year. Deer dropped back then with a well placed shot.

[southeast varmiter]

Just got my new 338 win mag for Sambar - should be enough

[WayneO]

Just got my new 338 win mag for Sambar - should be enough

I think it will get their attention.

[Sam45]

Just got my new 338 win mag for Sambar - should be enough

I took my first Sambar with a .338 OMFG talk about instant.

[Sender]

Just got my new 338 win mag for Sambar - should be enough

And then some

[Outdoorsguy]

I'm a very new rifleman. I own a 308 purchased for 'deer shooting'. I recently shot my first 2 fallow with this rifle using 150grn sellier & bellot spce soft points. The exiting projectile has been devastating on my venison. I wish I owned a sharp shooting .243, I imagine an 80-90 grain well placed projectile would've been plenty of pill.

Not wanting to buy another rifle for an already rifle... i called my gunstore today asking for a solution, I was advised a solid Barnes like projectile might be just as lethal but less destructive on my meat, when my marksmanship improves further I'll try to take nec shots. Curiously the gunstore also suggested I might actually try heavier 180 grain ammo. Ballistically, they travel more slowly and may also a happy be a better choice on fallow?!

When I eventually come across some Sambar I know a well placed 308 projectile will do the job.

Hope this helps you try learn as I am that there can be different ways of finding hunting solutions.

[WayneO]

A 150g bullet from a .308 will probably be doing somewhere around 2600 to 2700 fps so yes its going to damage a lot of meat. A 180g bullet will be traveling at around 2250 to 2300 fps so the meat damage will be significantly less.
Think of it like this.
Open a heavy strongroom door, then clench your fist and slowly make contact with the door while pushing it closed.
Then
Open the door, clench your fist wind back and strike the door as hard and as fast as you can.
going slowly leaves your hand in perfect condition, going fast..................
Its the same as bullet performance on tissue and bone.
One of my favorite bush-veld rifle is a .458 Win Mag with synthetic stock, 20" barrel and a 4-12 x 40 Lynx scope. The reason I like this caliber is because it launches a 500g bullet at a nice slow 1950fps, and on small animals like Bushbuck and Impala, (Fallow and Chital deer) you can take a shoulder shot and end up throwing away next to no meat. You can also take big animals like Eland and Sambar and the bullet will give you more than 1.5m penetration on a frontal chest shot. However its a short range rifle with max distance of around 150m.

To sum it up, light for caliber bullets are great for long range hunting but make mince at close range, heavy for caliber bullets are great for close range work, but drop off considerably at longer ranges.

[chacka]

Curiously the gunstore also suggested I might actually try heavier 180 grain ammo. Ballistically, they travel more slowly and may also a happy be a better choice on fallow?!

I don't have figures on hand for this but short response to that is speed isn't everything.

A heavier bullet moves slower, but typically retains more energy as well so it's six one, half dozen the other.

Lighter projectile and lower velocity are the way to really reduce damage from any given cartridge.

If you start reloading you should look at something like a 130gr projectile and starting powder load. Factory ammo is typically towards the top end for velocity. 20gr less bullet and a 300-400 less fps velocity in a hand load will reduce damage a lot.

Otherwise look at some reduced recoil factory ammo, that might offer something in the way of an improvement from factory options.

[WayneO]

the problem with going that route chacka is that a lot of the lighter bullets battle to stabilize at the lower velocities. They were not designed to work like that, they were designed for speed. You also find that most of them break apart on impact, and that's not something you want to happen.

Also, the retained energy of a heavy for caliber bullet at low velocity is not going to cause the damage.
Speed is what damages meat and tissue.

[Oldbloke]

I'm a very new rifleman. I own a 308 purchased for 'deer shooting'. I recently shot my first 2 fallow with this rifle using 150grn sellier & bellot spce soft points. The exiting projectile has been devastating on my venison. I wish I owned a sharp shooting .243, I imagine an 80-90 grain well placed projectile would've been plenty of pill.

Not wanting to buy another rifle for an already rifle... i called my gunstore today asking for a solution, I was advised a solid Barnes like projectile might be just as lethal but less destructive on my meat, when my marksmanship improves further I'll try to take nec shots. Curiously the gunstore also suggested I might actually try heavier 180 grain ammo. Ballistically, they travel more slowly and may also a happy be a better choice on fallow?!

When I eventually come across some Sambar I know a well placed 308 projectile will do the job.

Hope this helps you try learn as I am that there can be different ways of finding hunting solutions.

Outdoorsguy,
If you reload just buy some quality 150gn projectiles. Its a good all round size for the 308. Then work up loads that are slow for fallow, say about 2300fps and faster for everything else, say about 2600fps. That should cover all your needs provided the groups are reasonable. Only catch is the change of zero.

[bigfellascott]

The 204's good enough for my needs.

[Vati]

Then work up loads that are slow for fallow, say about 2300fps and faster for everything else, say about 2600fps. That should cover all your needs provided the groups are reasonable. Only catch is the change of zero.

Easy enough to work around with a few clicks up/down once you figure it out though.

[Sleepy_Hunter]

I just recently purchased a Sauer 101 in 9.3x62 so hopefully i can get out soon and test it on sambar, I have heard many good things about the calibre.

[bladeracer]

The 204's good enough for my needs.

Which states allow deer shooting with .204?

Possibly with a monolithic bullet it'd be fairly reliable but why wouldn't you buy a more effective caliber to do the job?

[stockliman]

I just recently purchased a Sauer 101 in 9.3x62 so hopefully i can get out soon and test it on sambar, I have heard many good things about the calibre.

I'd be interested in how you fine it. I'm looking at a sauer 202 or 404 in .270 . I onlu have smaller deer here. I'll probably only ever own 4 guns (famous last words ) and three are already accounted for. The first two are family heirlooms,the 3rd a beretta o/u and I want to make the 4th count. As it is the last I don't mind a 6-7k price tag. It can be the kids inheritance. I'm spending the rest.

[Gun-nut]

There are a lot of options out there in terms of loads etc. For the .308 so that would be my choice.