Which Caliber for deer? .224 - .264

[Ernie]

My son has a 250 Savage AI and my daughter started with a 260 Rem. These are both specialty handguns and the 260 has a brake on it.
Use 100 NBT's and 120 NBT's.
I would go with the 243 or the 260 Rem.
I wouldn't pass up the 250 Savage or 257 Roberts as good possibilities.

[screech]

I personally really like the 243 for deer. It also makes a great varmit cartridge

[Wild_Bill]

Have a good muzzle break fitted aswell and buy your daughter a set of electronic ear mufs the Peltor Tac 6 are very good i use them all the time now. This way shee will keep her hearing longer even without a break you should have ear protection or you wil loose your hearing like most of us that have been shooting our whole life.
With a break a 260 would be awsome and 120gr projectiles

Cheers Bill
Australia

[davewilson]

i bought my son an H & R handi-rifle in 7-08. gonna add a 22lr and a 20 ga barrels to it. anything he will hunt for a few years will be done with "one gun". and yes it's a single shot. in my book,that's a must for beginners. squirrels,rabbits, pheasants,turkeys,groundhogs, or deer he will use the same gun.they're short,easy to handle and work well with our brushy and treestand style of hunting back east.when he starts making money and wants something else, he can get whatever he wants.as far as 22's for deer they're deadly in the hands of an experienced shooter but i don't think a beginner should start out with one.a 6mm with heavy bullets is minimum for a beginner.

[Spino]

Wow! What great feedback! I would like to thank all of you: TAC, JD Jones, wild bill, Sniper2, Supermag, Mike/TX, xphunter & Screech. I really do like reading your comments & support in other discussions. You all carry alot of experience & are willing to share and help out, thanks. Notes are taken and what I have also found in the Texas Trophy Hunter magazine in the youth section where you can see photos of young hunters there seems to be allot of young hunter shooting the .243 -Again JDJones, Wild Bill, Sniper2 mentions the 6mm, Supermag, Mike/TX, xphunter & screech you all mention the .243 Hmmmmm. With the same information coming From 2 sources I think it's obvious.

One more question is that I have some hunting buddies that seem to have a bad taste in their mouth about the little ol .243 - you know how stories get started - they are saying things like I have heard of alot of deer running off from being shot from the .243 .. Do you think this is something they are making up and just jumped on the same band~wagon? My common sense tells me that a well placed shot within 300yds from this gun and it's lights out!

Hey, Mike/TX - thanks for the picture! Tell your daughter I said ~ Awsome Deer! Did you guys get that one mounted? Nice long tines. That one score about 135-140?

Thanks Again!

[James Jones]

I think that its from poor bullet performance and poor shot placement. I've seen deer shot through the lungs with a 160gr FS from a 7mm-300Wby and run several hundered yards , the bullets just diden't have time to do its job on these little deer down here , yet I've dropped many deer with 243's and 308's with the right bullets.
the few deer I've seen shot with the 95gr Nosler Ballistic tip diden't go far at all maybe 30-40yds and the bullet exited each time , it seems that it just hard enough to pass through but soft enough to open easly.

it like some guys hate 280's but swear by 270 and 30-06's?

[Wild_Bill]

The 243 is adequate for medium deer and have no trouble on small deer with a 87go Projectile on small deer i have had a lot of luck with the 87gr Sierra HPBT with H4831Sc for just over 3200fps and have used the 105gr Hornady Round Nose with a healthy dose of H4831 behind it to give just over 3000fps It is a good load that holds together. Dont get a solid type projectile use a conventional projectile made of copper jacket and lead core and you will have no troubles. The main thing is to allow plenty of time for your daughter to get used to the rifle. I would still put a break on it for her and use hearing protection and have her practice from improvised rests. Just concentrate with one load and she will likely do yourself and her proud. I dont know what rifle you are thinking of but i would definately look at a Remington Model7 Synthetic in 243 as it seems to be the calibre you are leaning for. Good Shooting

The benifite of going with a Remington Shee can fit a custom stock later in life and a diferent trigger if shee wants and then change calibre to a 260 or 7mm08 is shee felt the 243 just was not enough in time when the 243 barrel is shot out.

Cheers Bill
Australia