Caliber Selection for my Dad

[MasonG]

I'm looking to buy a new deer rifle for my Dad. Picking a caliber has been so difficult since I haven't shot all that many in my life. He's in his late 50's with a shoulder injury so a light recoil would be good but it's not top priority at all. I'm thinking a 7mm-08, a 257 Weatherby, a 30-06, or anything else really.

Edit: put 25-06 in the debate too, that's what he shoots now.

The only musts are it has to be stainless and has to be good with off the shelf ammo.

 

[ShootnMathews]

My dad is almost 72 and I just did this with him. He has trouble holding up his older guns which are heavier. So I shopped around to find the lightest gun I could. I stayed with a short action because they should be a smidge lighter. I bought him a Marlin XS7 in 7mm-08. It and the Ruger American were the two lightest I found. I have a XS7 in 243 that's a 1/2 minute gun so I felt better with the marlin for him. He's shooting the superformance with the GMX bullet at about 3/4 MOA. Which I was pleased with for factory ammo. One day I'll buy some dies and hand load for it to see what it will do. The superformance is the only ammo I've tried in it. It shot great so I stuck with it. Recoil is manageable for him. The Marlin has a great recoil pad. Very soft. And it grips your cloths so it takes less pressure to hold.

 

[povertyknob]

My dads 80 and killed deer last year with a 7mm08. His 257 Weatherby was a little much but its a little on the light side. If you reload, 6.5x47 Lapua or if you dont, a 260 would work as well.

 

[long450]

If you hand load ammo the choices are many, if not you will need something that has ammo readily available. 243 is available in a good selection of bullets, but I do not see much in 7-08 or 260. in the 6.5 area I see 6.5 Creedmoor with a couple of bullet choices and several manufacturers offer it.

 

[RT2506]

I did crop damage control with my buddy for 15 years where we had to take 100 deer off a big farm each year. We shot deer with everything from a 22lr up through the 45-70. Both of us have had more drop them in their tracks kills with 25-06s than anything else. Don't know why but it is a real deer killer with most any 100 through 120 gr bullet. Both of us prefer the 117 Sierra. Very low recoil and shoots pretty flat out to 500 yards.

 

[MasonG]

Well guys, I bought him a tikka t3 in 25-06. I considered so many calibers but just couldn't go away from the 25-06, he likes that caliber and that's what my main deer rifle is so that makes things easier.

I'm thinking about a new gun for myself now and a 7mm mag or a 6.5 creedmor is looking good

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Well guys, I bought him a tikka t3 in 25-06. I considered so many calibers but just couldn't go away from the 25-06, he likes that caliber and that's what my main deer rifle is so that makes things easier.

I'm thinking about a new gun for myself now and a 7mm mag or a 6.5 creedmor is looking good

I own both a 7mm mag and a 6.5 Creedmoor. I love both, but the Creedmoor gets the most use. Just easier on the shoulder and cheaper to shoot. Generally cheaper and i dont always need the power of the big 7. It all depends on what your looking to do with your rifle. Both are great. I just had my Browning X-bolt out lastnight testing a new load and it shot a .351 group. My wife even shot it a couple times.

 

[JungleBoogey]

Well guys, I bought him a tikka t3 in 25-06. I considered so many calibers but just couldn't go away from the 25-06, he likes that caliber and that's what my main deer rifle is so that makes things easier.

I'm thinking about a new gun for myself now and a 7mm mag or a 6.5 creedmor is looking good

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]I mentioned this awhile back in another forum. I bought a Tikka T3 Laminate (.308[/FONT]) stainless [FONT=&quot]almost 7[/FONT] years ago. Here in Germany I can use it for hunting everything between a fox and a 300 lb wild boar. It's light, it's accurate at 300 mtrs and it looks good. What more should I want?

[FONT=&quot]I also hunt with a[/FONT] Weatherby Vanguard (30.06), Remington 700 (.270win)[FONT=&quot], [/FONT]a Mossberg 4x4 (30.06)[FONT=&quot] and a Blaser R93 in .308 but when I get the call I instinctively reach for that Tikka and [FONT=&quot]I haven't been[/FONT] disappointed yet. I'm sure your [FONT=&quot]D[FONT=&quot]ad will enjoy his rifle for many years to come. Waidmannsheil [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]