# What is your preferred cartridge caliber



## BullyARed

grain size and brand for hunting? .243, 30-30, .270, .308, 30-06, 7mm, etc...


----------



## AguaMala

Deer an hogs .270 130 grain Remington core-lokt 
Nilgai an elk weatherby 30-378 180 grain weatherby stock ammo 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## bubbas kenner

308 168grn


----------



## RB II

130 Gr 270 Hornady. That was my hunting rifle set up for 30 years. Killed lots of stuff including some big Trans Pecos Mulies, never lost one.


----------



## Sgrem

All of those you have listed are essentially extremely similar for hunting in Texas at any ethical hunting distance. All are very easy to get ammo for. Throw a dart there is very little difference. If you are sensitive to recoil go with reduced recoil loads or the smaller calibers or both. Find a beautiful rifle you love and rock on. If you walk a lot in thick brush find a light short one. If you sit and shoot from a solid rest all the time get a heavy long one. Otherwise all of those calibers are a blast to shoot and cheap to feed. And there is no wrong choice in that list for hunting Texas at any ethical distance.


----------



## specktout

Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 swede mauser, 125 gr Nosler partition running at about 2800fps. it's my new favorite, low recoil, extremely accurate, great sectional density, cheap to shoot if you load, and ammo is fairly easy to find


----------



## Chase4556

My .02.

For deer hunting, I love a good shooting .25-06. Couldn't get my uncle to sell me his M77, but one of these days I will buy a nice one for myself. Usually 115-117gr loads, depending on which ones the rifle likes best. 

Pigs, .308 or 223. Opposite ends of the spectrum, but a 308 does well for knocking a single one down, and 223 from an AR does well for putting multiple shots on multiple moving targets. I shoot the Federal Fusion 165gr for factory ammo in the 308, exclusively shoot my 65gr sierra gameking loads through the AR for pigs/deer. I recently bought a Ruger American predator 308, and its my dedicated hunting work horse... can't talk highly enough about that rifle for the $400 I paid for it. 


I also am really liking my 6.5 creedmoor. I have a Ruger Precision Rifle chambered in it, and its a sweet shooting gun/cartridge. Low recoil, excellent ballistics and good performance on game at very long ranges. Fun to shoot targets and critters with this one.


----------



## Yak a Tak

Don't leave the 6.5 creedmoor out of your selection. Loving this caliber and the Ruger predator is a great gun at an even better price.


----------



## kawboy

30-06 150 grain.


----------



## elkhunter49

For bigger game I like my 300WM shooting 180gr.SST's. For deer/hog size I like my 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 143 ELD-X. For smaller game and hogs I like my 22-250 (1-8 twist) shooting 70 grain TSX.


----------



## Bird

If I had to choose 1, it would be one of my 308's, shooting 165gr Federal premium BTHP Gamekings. 

Since I have more than 1 :biggrin: I would say my 300blk with 110gr Barnes TAC-TX is top of my list currently. Just a little pricey to shoot with those Barnes. My 458 Socom is fun to shoot and makes large holes with 325gr Hornady FTX pills. Also very expensive to shoot and has a fair bit of recoil so the fun only lasts about 8-10 rounds...


----------



## jimk

Federal Premium 270 Sierra Gameking BTSP 130 gr


----------



## DR_Smith

ALL THE ABOVE!!
I donâ€™t have many rifles but working on fixing that! I start with one and as soon as it gets a kill (coyote, hog deer...) it goes back in the safe and put comes the next. That way they all get to feel loved during the season! My go to is my 30-06 with 165gr nosler custom hunting rounds. Others may shoot better but my confidence in this gun makes me thing I can shoot anything anywhere and thatâ€™s what matters most to me


----------



## jm423

270-140 gr: 7X57-140 or 160 gr: 30-06 165gr. Now that "Arthir" has taken up residence in my shoulder, my Ruger 77 X 223 regularly provides venison for the table and hog & coyote for the buzzards.


----------



## RockportRobert

7-08 with 139 gr. Hornady, or 25-06 with 117 gr. Hornady.


----------



## Africanut

6.5 STW- 140 [email protected] at turned down a little 3450fps.
Shoots like a laser- with very little "come ups" at practical distances.


----------



## Fishy Eye

257 weatherby with 115 grain berger vld for deer and such. 300 weatherby mag with 180 grain barnes ttsx for nilgai and such.


----------



## jamesgrogers

9.3 x 62 Mauser with a cast 280 grain WFN GC pushed to 1800 to 2000 fps for a DRT finish.


----------



## 348473

30-06 pretty much have you covered for anything with one rifle.


----------



## dwilliams35

hurricane matt said:


> 30-06 pretty much have you covered for anything with one rifle.


. Just having a problem with squirrel hunting. I canâ€™t ever find them, lotsa blood and stuff but I canâ€™t ever find them.


----------



## glenbo

Go for head shots.


----------



## jimk

glenbo said:


> Go for head shots.


...or bark'em.


----------



## O&G-HAND

.257 STW 115gr Berger VLD running at 3900fps. I had it hotter @ 4150 and Walt Berger advised to back it off. 

The Sika impersonating Jim Carey was at 200 yards. It was the third animal I took that weekend and when it hit the ground, her eyes still in binoculars, she says, "you shot that one in the head too didn't ya" and I said I told ya I'm meat hunt'n. Lol

There were three pigs lined up in the lower pic at 100+ but there was nothing left of that VLD by the time it exited the 2nd one. 

I built it for my wife.... She has shot a spike elk with it at 100yards, in the neck. Nice rifle, and way better than my 7 STW.


----------



## 223AI

.223ai, if only obviously. 65gr gameking, 62 tsx, or 75 grain SS2 will smoke everything native to Texas.


----------



## Moose2

7.62x51 175fgmm M1A


----------



## texastkikker

Personally I like them all.....if I had to only choose one rifle in my safe it would be my 6.5 Creedmoor.........that would be a really tough one to make because I absolutely love my .270 WBY


----------



## jetbuilt

Tough choice as I have a dozen bolt action rifles in various calibers and they all serve their purpose...but if I had to grab one from the safe to hunt anything in Texas, it would currently be the 6.5creedmoor. Low recoil, shoots flat, and hits hard.


----------



## Wolf6151HPD

I really like my Remington 700 in .243 Win shooting an 85gr. Barnes X bullet, it put down Pronghorn Antelope like hitting em with a lightning bolt. Also my Remington 700 in 7mm-08 shooting a 120 gr. Barnes X bullet.


----------



## specktout

Barnes bullets in any caliber are quickly becoming my favorite bullet


----------



## O&G-HAND

specktout said:


> Barnes bullets in any caliber are quickly becoming my favorite bullet


Barnes are really good bone crushing bullets. If you can get them tuned into your rifle they are hard to beat. However, you need to make sure you are taking shots at vitals. If you are going to be making neck shots then these aren't what you wanna use.

I had a old block head that I shot in Mexico with my 7mm STW, standing straight on, looking dead at me, right in the white on his throat, under his head. Squeezed off and WHAM! he hauled boogie like nothing ever hit him! I went over there where he was standing and there was white fur no blood!!!!

I did the same with a Remington Core-Loc. outta my triple deuce in AL. Shot him in the neck, he laid down, I kept hunting for my doe, I started bleating and the dang critter GOT UP! I looked at him with binoculars and you could see the hole with blood coming out, and then he laid down. I figured, that's it, he's KOed....... He got up again 10 min later and I put one in his ear. Needless to say, he didn't get back up after that.

You can't been Barnes Solids on vital shots but be careful on neck shots. Not a meat hunters bullet IMO.


----------



## cva34

sgrem said:


> All of those you have listed are essentially extremely similar for hunting in Texas at any ethical hunting distance. All are very easy to get ammo for. Throw a dart there is very little difference. If you are sensitive to recoil go with reduced recoil loads or the smaller calibers or both. Find a beautiful rifle you love and rock on. If you walk a lot in thick brush find a light short one. If you sit and shoot from a solid rest all the time get a heavy long one. Otherwise all of those calibers are a blast to shoot and cheap to feed. And there is no wrong choice in that list for hunting Texas at any ethical distance.


!00% agree All I can add is it aint the size of the bullet that Kills its WHERE Ya Hit THEM..

Don't use a bullet designed for Varmits on deer/and dont use one designed for big 3 either..


----------



## pg542

sgrem said:


> All of those you have listed are essentially extremely similar for hunting in Texas at any ethical hunting distance. All are very easy to get ammo for. Throw a dart there is very little difference. If you are sensitive to recoil go with reduced recoil loads or the smaller calibers or both. Find a beautiful rifle you love and rock on. If you walk a lot in thick brush find a light short one. If you sit and shoot from a solid rest all the time get a heavy long one. Otherwise all of those calibers are a blast to shoot and cheap to feed. And there is no wrong choice in that list for hunting Texas at any ethical distance.


 Very well said.


----------



## Tunnel-Runner

25-06 - 117gr Hornady SST
308- 168gr Barnes TTSX
6.5- 143gr Hornady eldx
7mm - 162gr Hornady eldx


----------



## Landry345

7-08/25-06 Deer
30-06 Bigger exotics and plains game
9.3x62 Nilgai and hopefully elk one day


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## O&G-HAND

cva34 said:


> !00% agree All I can add is it aint the size of the bullet that Kills its WHERE Ya Hit THEM..
> 
> Don't use a bullet designed for Varmits on deer/and dont use one designed for big 3 either..


I will agree with the 1st statement but I will have to disagree with the second concerning bullet selection. When I hunt in my Ole Man climber, my gun of choice is normally my triple deuce and itâ€™s neck or head shots. For neck or head shots I prefer the varmint type bullets over a round that holds together. I kind of ties in with answer 1, and depends on bullet placement.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Stumpgrinder1

If I only had one it would be my .280 Remington with 140 grain bullet


----------



## Wolf6151HPD

stumpgrinder3 said:


> If I only had one it would be my .280 Remington with 140 grain bullet


If a person could only have one rifle to hunt everything from moose on down, that .280 Rem. with 140 gr. Barnes bullets would be an excellent choice. Hard to beat that combo.


----------



## BullyARed

I am very green at hunting and haven't made a kill yet but still practicing. It looks like I am doing good with Fusion 30-06 150gr and comfortable with it with my Howa 1500 and WBY Vanguard. I consistently got almost dead center (with a few) at 100 yards at Texas City Municipal gun range. Still looking for a day to nail one. Thanks for all good info above.


----------



## mas360

No one hunt with a 30-30 no more....!!


----------



## BullyARed

mas360 said:


> No one hunt with a 30-30 no more....!!


I like cowboy gun!  It would be a challenge to hunt with it!


----------



## Trouthunter

Been shooting my 6.5 CM for a couple of years now and right now it's my favorite rifle.

I have a pretty good selection to choose from but I have to say, I like everything about that caliber and the rifle I have that is chambered for it.

TH


----------



## Trouthunter

mas360 said:


> No one hunt with a 30-30 no more....!!


No. But I hunted with a Winchester 30.30, 25-20 and a 44.40 until I could afford a modern deer rifle.

I do miss hunting with them though to be honest.

TH


----------



## CHARLIE

T H

With that 25-20 you can see the bullet after leaving the gun LOL.Almost like throwing a rock, Ha


----------



## bwguardian

mas360 said:


> No one hunt with a 30-30 no more....!!


I have an ole model 94 my grandfather gave me back in the early 80's I need to get out and dust off. Was thinking several years back to carry it and shoot a deer or hog but my daughters were taking all the game. Maybe next year I will get it out and git-er-dun. Probably need some range time with it, as it is still just iron sights. That little boom stick has more recoil than any other long gun I have.


----------



## mas360

Trouthunter said:


> Been shooting my 6.5 CM for a couple of years now and right now it's my favorite rifle.
> 
> I have a pretty good selection to choose from but I have to say, I like everything about that caliber and the rifle I have that is chambered for it.
> 
> TH


Do you have a .260 Rem? it is like twin brother to the 6.5 CM and its brass can be easily reformed from .308 cases.


----------



## Trouthunter

mas360 said:


> Do you have a .260 Rem? it is like twin brother to the 6.5 CM and its brass can be easily reformed from .308 cases.


No, but I shot a .264 Win Mag for a number of years and liked it a lot, very accurate, powerful enough for west Texas mule deer at a distance.

TH


----------



## Trouthunter

> With that 25-20 you can see the bullet after leaving the gun LOL.Almost like throwing a rock, Ha


Just about Charlie lol. Friend of mine reloaded the .25-.20 with hand cast bullets and I was surprised in how accurate they were out of my 92. Shot a doe behind the ear with it and dropped it in its tracks.

Shot a **** with it and never did find that ****. 

TH


----------



## tx.fishead

My Ruger #1 in 6.5Ã—55 with a 125gr Nosler Partition @2975fps.


----------



## capt mullet

Stalking gun is an AR in 6.8 SPC shooting 120 gr SST

Blind gun is a bolt action 30-06 168 gr Hog Hammer (Barnes TSX)

Both of these bullets seem to put animals down quickly


----------



## spotsndots

I am a Browning fan...I have ABolt 30.06 that I handload 165 Nosler BT and is amazingly accurate.

I just picked up a Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Long range in a 6.5 Creedmoor. I have shot it last weekend and this weekend with Hornady factory ammo in the ELD-X 143 gr and the 147 gr. Mine likes the 143 gr. I am still going to get the trigger adjusted to my liking and debating whether I am going to handload for this gun or not. I probably will but as you can see from the factory ammo and the gun right out of the box it is extremely acccurate.


----------



## Flounder Grey

7mm-08 with Nosler partition


----------



## troutslayer

1. Winchester .270 featherweight with federal premium 130 gr Nosler
2. Winchester .264 magnum sporter with 140 gr Remington core lock 

Both are great guns


----------



## Modelace

Ruger #1B .257 Roberts. Nosler 110 Gr. Accubond +P


----------

