# Third Opinion Thread: Best Caliber/Bullet Grain Combo for S Texas Whitetails



## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

Ok guys most of us, if not all of us, grew up hunting the South Texas brush country whitetailed deer and still do with zeal.

My first buck was shot with a Winchester bolt action .308 an uncle lent me when I was 12 years old, dropped the buck like a rock!

I began using my Father's Remington .270 mod. 700 ADL shortly thereafter and really love the performance and versatility of the .270. I still use it today as it is my favorite caliber for the S. Tx brush, it was manufactured in the early 1960's and it is a mean shooter, I treasure it with my life as my Dad has passed on, and I will gift it to my youngest son.

I shoot 130 grain Remington core-lokt pointed soft points and have done so for 25 years and they have been great, not the hottest bullet on the market, but tried and true for me over the years in all my rifle calibers.

So let's hear you all's opinions on your favorite whitetail caliber/bullet-grain combo.....


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

.270 with 130 grain Interlock
6.5 Grendel with 123 grain SST
44 mag with 230 grain leverevolution
30-30 with 160 grain leverevolution

My Hoyt with 550 grain arrows (100 grain slick tricks).


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

sgrem said:


> .270 with 130 grain Interlock
> 6.5 Grendel with 123 grain SST
> 44 mag with 230 grain leverevolution
> 30-30 with 160 grain leverevolution


Xcellent choices sgrem, my second favorite is my Savage mod. 110 bolt action 7mm 08 matched w/140 grain Remmy core-lokt psp. It is an awesome gun also!

Keep em' coming......


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## T. Rep (May 24, 2009)

Hard to beat the ol' .270. I hear the 270wsm is great as well but I havent used one personally


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## prarie dog (Feb 28, 2011)

If you were buying something new I'd recommend one of the 6.5's. Having said that, if I had a 270 that shot well it would be hard to justify buying a 6.5 medium rifle to replace it with. You certainly don't need to go buy anything bigger.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

270 or 7mm 130-140 grain.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Oooh me What a great question.. Let me think LOL. Back in the olden days when I finally had an opportunity to deer hunt my first gun was a 06 in the 742 Remington auto. I thought you had to have an 06 to get the job done. First deer I shot with that thing was about a 40 # doe looking straight at me. Missed a little and cut all the ribs off of one side and blew the rear hip off the poor thing. Wasnt much left. As I grew older I used that gun in Colorado on mulies. Finally bought a 03-A3 from NRA and had it "sporterized". Didnt shoot very well so then went to a Model 700 06 carbine (short barrel). Hunted for many years with that gun. Then a few years back went to a model 7 youth 223 and worked up a good load for whitetail (barnes bullet) and it worked well. But began to realize out a few hundred yards it wasnt good. Finally a few years ago after much thought and listening to the Jammer I go to the Youth model 7-08. I love small light guns even though
I am 6-04 and 250. LOL. I settled on a lighter bullet than most folks use in the 284. I use 120 gr Barnes. less kick, accurate, and faster . So after all that as of now I go with the 7mm-08 for North American deer and some other things.


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Like some of you, my 700 ss in .270 win is what I grab first. Rem core-lokt 130 are tough to beat, they're cheap, my gun loves'm and devastating on game. Countless whitetails and hogs, a few axis, scimitar horned oryx, and most recently a blackbuck. Lotta confidence in that gun/caliber. Next on the list is a 7mm-08 though. I want a short action light rifle......any ideas??


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## artys_only (Mar 29, 2005)

*Caliber*

Like has been said 270 and 7mm-08 will get every thing you need done In Texas 
Any bullets from 120 grain to 140 will do a great job , placement is every thing . Really no matter what you shoot .

I put together a 7mm/08 2 years ago and started with 140 accubond bullets recoil is way manageable . Right around 2780 FPS .

Every animal that has been shot with this gun goes bang flop ,
My step son started hunting this yeAr and shot a nice 9 point and three pigs , he was getting very confident in has shooting all 3 pigs head shots from 125-190
Yards .

Now it's hard to get my gun or I mean his gun for me to use .

I got into long range shootn 3 years ago and shoot a 300 ultra and a 308 
They are both over kill for Texas unless you are taking game out past 500 yards the 30 bullet I shoot just buck the wind better at those ranges .

Good topic - also I have some 120 grain 7mm ballistic tip bullets if someone looking for some , I just don't care for them .


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## barbless (Jul 27, 2004)

When I was a kid I had a subscription to Outdoor Life and the first thing I read every month was Jack O'Connor's piece. Jack loved the 270. I've been married 30 years and before we were married my wife asked a hunting friend (we still hunt together) what gun/caliber to get me for Christmas. He told her Model 70 in 270. That's been my favorite gun ever since and it's called Dr Death because of it's lethality. I've shot moose, elk, pronghorn, mule deer and of course piles of hogs and whitetail with it. It's going in the hole with me when I pass on.


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## uncle dave (Jul 27, 2008)

Got 2 of the model 7's in the short barrel, both are light and accurate and handle easily ina stand.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

It makes no difference. Shot placement is key. End of story.


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## B-Money (May 2, 2005)

If you posed that question in 1984, 30-06 would have been on the menu.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Not much argument about the venerable .270 Winchester with the 130 grain bullet.

For Texas no more is really needed but a lot of us shoot more than we need lol.

TH


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

THE JAMMER said:


> 270 or 7mm 130-140 grain.


all you could ever ask for , all the way up to elk


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## John R (Mar 27, 2005)

Sorry to crash the .270 love fest. 
If I only had one, it would probably be my choice as well. Thankfully, have more than one. So MY favorite is .257 WTBY SS Mark V. Sub MOA out to 400 yds - then I become the limiting factor. Old rifle with lot of "character". Yea, I know all the rebuttals - but it is what I choose to shoot - and I LOVE IT! 
Always enjoy hearing people talk about their guns - almost as good as talking fishing.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> .257 WTBY


It's one of my favorite too.

TH


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Bottomsup said:


> It makes no difference. Shot placement is key. End of story.


So fire up that Ruger single six .22. LOL


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

When I hear people talk about S. Tx brush country deer, my mind goes to Ol' Muy standing in a sendero. The very last thing that I would want to do is to hit him just a touch off of the button and he runs off leaving no blood trail and thus no way to track him without a good dog. That being said, I think a .270 is plenty of rifle (and has been my caliber in hunting rifle for almost 40 years) but I would offer that the bullet is just as important. An old 130 grain Core-Lokt style bullet would be my choice because they expand well and retain weight to pass through every time. Unlike the ballistic tip bullets. You find the deer that you shoot and they aren't very far either. Not the highest ballistic coefficient, but tried and true on the end results as far as lethality.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Under 100 yards I will take any bet that I can kill it with one shot. My air rifle is capable of killing hogs 50 yards and under. Some on youtube have taken whitetails with it.



THE JAMMER said:


> So fire up that Ruger single six .22. LOL


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## Fordzilla06 (Oct 14, 2010)

30-06 or .308


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Bottomsup said:


> Under 100 yards I will take any bet that I can kill it with one shot. My air rifle is capable of killing hogs 50 yards and under. Some on youtube have taken whitetails with it.


Any bet????


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

With a legal rifle and game under normal situations. Yes



THE JAMMER said:


> Any bet????


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

I want the popcorn concession. I gotta see this.. But a question, who is gonna provide the deer ?


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

Bottomsup said:


> It makes no difference. Shot placement is key. End of story.


 We all know that bullet placement is the key, but the question is what is ur favorite caliber/bullet grain combo for bucks here in S. Tx?


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## artys_only (Mar 29, 2005)

Bottomsup said:


> Under 100 yards I will take any bet that I can kill it with one shot. My air rifle is capable of killing hogs 50 yards and under. Some on youtube have taken whitetails with it.


 holy BB gun  batman !


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

That BB gun is not legal for the harvesting of game animals in Texas. So put it away and get a freaking legal rifle.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

I hate the off season. 

We go from favorite caliber/bullet grain combo for bucks in S. Tx to pellet guns. 

It's okay though I'm easily entertained.

TH


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Well its not a BB gun. Its a .25 cal air rifle. Capable of killing you. We all know in Texas there not legal for game animals but there are plenty of none game animals to hunt. With a depredation permit it is legal for game animals. I happen to be on first name basis with our two county game wardens. One lived down the street from me.



HydraSports said:


> That BB gun is not legal for the harvesting of game animals in Texas. So put it away and get a freaking legal rifle.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Like I said it makes no difference. Any center fire rifle can and will kill as well as the next with proper shot placement. P.O Ackley prefers the .220 swift as the best one shot killer of whitetail over a 30-06.



DCAVA said:


> We all know that bullet placement is the key, but the question is what is ur favorite caliber/bullet grain combo for bucks here in S. Tx?


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Dang it Charlie. You know I love to stir the pot and now you have ruined my plan to get a free deer hunt.



CHARLIE said:


> I want the popcorn concession. I gotta see this.. But a question, who is gonna provide the deer ?


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Bottomsup said:


> Well its not a BB gun. Its a .25 cal air rifle. Capable of killing you. We all know in Texas there not legal for game animals but there are plenty of none game animals to hunt. With a depredation permit it is legal for game animals. I happen to be on first name basis with our two county game wardens. One lived down the street from me.


All I can say is if you shoot at me, you better not miss.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

LOL I never miss. Want to bet?



HydraSports said:


> All I can say is if you shoot at me, you better not miss.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Sure. We can start anywhere over 700 yds. One shot each. Want to bet?


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Bottomsup said:


> Under 100 yards I will take any bet that I can kill it with one shot. My air rifle is capable of killing hogs 50 yards and under. Some on youtube have taken whitetails with it.


There you go bottomsup changing the deal. You referenced my post about "firing up the ruger single six" and said any bet, 100 yards. Then you change it to legal rifle and game under normal conditions. Not the same. My gosh I hope you can hit a deer at 100 yards with a rifle LOL.

My bet was going to be- remember you originally said ANY bet, the single six .22 at 100 yards, with a 40 mph 90 degree crosswind, with no practice shots.

I'm just funning' You're absolutely correct that shot placement is everything, however for those of us who screw up occasionally, it's nice to have a bit more power to convert those marginal shots into a kill.

By the way that is one bad arse pellet gun.


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

Where's Ernest's comments on this thread?


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Sure. I have shot the thousand yard range before. Killed a nice whitetail at 650 yards. Hit two of three shots with him running and me standing in the back of a truck.



HydraSports said:


> Sure. We can start anywhere over 700 yds. One shot each. Want to bet?


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

I am not going to call BS on the offhand running shot at 650 yds but.......this is the internet. ANYTHING can happen. Sorry I am out for the night. Gotta go tuck in Angelina Jolie. She is crying for me to come to bed. Jus sayin!!!


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Hey Jammer, this is all for fun. It just cracks me up how people get all wound up with guns, calibers and bullets. If you cant kill a deer at 100 yards you need your license taken away. Anyone should be able to shoot the eyeball at that distance yet so many wound animals with poor shots then blame the equipment. As for the airgun they are not kid toys. Did you know the Lewis and Clark expedition carried airguns because they were more reliable than the black powder guns of the day. Also they were multi shot.



THE JAMMER said:


> There you go bottomsup changing the deal. You referenced my post about "firing up the ruger single six" and said any bet, 100 yards. Then you change it to legal rifle and game under normal conditions. Not the same. My gosh I hope you can hit a deer at 100 yards with a rifle LOL.
> 
> My bet was going to be- remember you originally said ANY bet, the single six .22 at 100 yards, with a 40 mph 90 degree crosswind, with no practice shots.
> 
> ...


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

I have two witnesses. Do you have proof of the boobless, big lip, hepatitis girlfriend?



HydraSports said:


> I am not going to call BS on the offhand running shot at 650 yds but.......this is the internet. ANYTHING can happen. Sorry I am out for the night. Gotta go tuck in Angelina Jolie. She is crying for me to come to bed. Jus sayin!!!


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Yeah I was with Lewis and Clark on that trip and saw the gun but it didnt impress me as much as sachkachaeewa I think that was how she spelled it She had big lips too !!


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Back to the original topic. When I bought my first center fire rifle I was looking and asking questions about calibers. I grew up shooting a 22-250 and never lost a deer but I wanted a larger gun for a West Texas lease where I was told shots averaged 300 yards. I was leaning towards the .257 Weatherby when my girlsfriends dad said look. You only need one gun to hunt anything in North America. The 7mm mag has the best bullet coefficient and will kill anything in this country.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

*Where's Ernest's comments on this thread?*

Thin skinned game. Can be effectively killed with most any modern rifle caliber of 6mm or more out to the limits of most shooter's range. Thus, the issue is not whats the best caliber for the the animal, but what caliber is the shooter most effective with at the expected range.

In that regard, I would suggest most shooters use far too much gun. Far far too much gun. As a result, many have not done the homework of firing 100's upon 100's of rounds thru that rifle before the hunt. Sure, they have fired it off a lead shed at 100 yards a few times. They even have one of those neat little targets they carry in their wallet illustrating 3 shots touching, so they can claim the weapon is a "one hole shooter all day long."

But, when they see the animal at 260 yards in a 12 mph wind from 7:30, they really don't know the drop and the drift. They don't know that their hunting shooting position changes the point of impact relative to the lead sled. They don't know how changing from the bench/blind to another position effects the point of impact or accuracy.

Yet, they do know, know for sure, that if they ever encounter Big Foot at 1000 yards, their super duper, belted mag., mall ninja 6000 caliber rifle is the weapon of choice. In fact, they spend more time arguing about the merits of the super duper, belted mag., mall ninja 6000 caliber than they do with their finger on the trigger of the weapon.

So, my opinion, people need to shut the f up about whats the better caliber, get their sad back sides to the range, and cycle 100's of rounds thru whatever weapon they have. Myself included. That's what makes better shooters and more effective hunters. Good technique developed thru a bunch of practice. Not talking. Not debating. And, not arguing about the merits of rounds that perform virtually identically on thin skinned game at relatively short ranges.


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## Farpiece (Apr 27, 2013)

*Deer Rifle*

.50 cal Hawkens


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

Ernest said:


> *Where's Ernest's comments on this thread?*
> 
> Thin skinned game. Can be effectively killed with most any modern rifle caliber of 6mm or more out to the limits of most shooter's range. Thus, the issue is not whats the best caliber for the the animal, but what caliber is the shooter most effective with at the expected range.
> 
> ...


 Dang ur smart Ernest!! lol!!

Just a rib....

True that we must continue to hone our skills no matter what caliber we tote around in the brush. I must say that at least 4 of my rifle scopes have not needed realignment after years of being zeroed. With that said, I always test them before the season starts to make sure they are dead on.


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## cogswell (Mar 23, 2012)

.25-06 with 115gr Wsbt 

Flat shooting, accurate, and no need for anything bigger in TX for whitetails.


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## BretE (Jan 24, 2008)

Bottomsup said:


> Sure. I have shot the thousand yard range before. Killed a nice whitetail at 650 yards. Hit two of three shots with him running and me standing in the back of a truck.


You're awesome!!!........but if you take a 650 yard, running shot offhand out of a pickup bed at a nice whitetail on the ranches I hunt you'll be looking for another place to hunt.....immediately.....


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Good thing I dont hunt with you. The shot wasnt totally offhand and I had to yell at the guys in the cab to sit still. The deer was trotting behind his doe. I for one have fired hundreds of rounds out my rifles up to 1000 yards and know what my capabilities are. I support Ernest's comment to this thread fully. Practice, practice, practice. Know your ****.



Brete said:


> You're awesome!!!........but if you take a 650 yard, running shot offhand out of a pickup bed at a nice whitetail on the ranches I hunt you'll be looking for another place to hunt.....immediately.....


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

^^^Running/trotting shots are tough, I have made them also but only out to maybe 200yds. Kill shots like that is where instinct/marksmanship takes over........


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Did yall notice that Ernest somehow made complete sense in his last post. Im giving him an atta boy.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

Well hell yes!



CHARLIE said:


> Did yall notice that Ernest somehow made complete sense in his last post. Im giving him an atta boy.


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## July Johnson (Mar 23, 2014)

6.5 Creedmoore and my favorite is a 22-250 never had any problems.




BTW i shot a deer from 4 miles away with a Ruger single six .22 in 45 mph winds,raining while running backwards,on the phone,chewing gum and farting at the same time......it's all about shot placement.


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

^^^ That reminds me of a funny story a deceased uncle of mine told me one time; well here goes, there was a lease member whose son could never hit/kill any deer for years, the boy would simply miss everytime season after season. One day upon filling feeders, the hunters found a 6 pt buck tangled in a barbed wire fence, they tied a rope to him before they freed him from the fence and decided to call their fellow hunter and his son to the lease so the boy could finally kill his 1st buck. They tied the deer to a big mesquite tree and waited for them to arrive. Once the boy and his father arrived, the dad told his son "take careful aim and shoot him in the shoulder", the boy aimed and fired; the buck ran off as the kids bullet hit the rope that the deer was tied to...........lol!!!

I thought it was a funny 'fable' story and wanted to share.

OK, nuff stories, back to the original topic.....


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## Rancher86 (Nov 15, 2012)

For some reason I've never caught on to liking the .270

My 5 favorite calibers for whitetail are:

.257 Roberts
.243
7mm-08
7 Mag (longer ranges)
300 AAC


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