What is the largest caliber rifle You will hunt Whitetail deer with?

I often hunt whitetails with a 338 Win Mag. using 250 grain Hornady Spire Points. I have found that by using a slower load I get little if any bloodshot meat. Use what you shoot well, as shot placement and bullet construction matters more than the caliber you choose. There is no "best" caliber for whitetail or any other game.

I once used 500-3" BPE. It was a bit much. The largest I routinely use is 348 Winchester, but I wouldn't feel over-gunned using 45-70 in the levergun department. But those wide, slow bullets aren't what you mean, are they?

Once in a great while I'll take out the 8x68 for that purpose, very similar to your 338 Win.

I'm one who's known to post that 30-06 is really too much gun for whitetail deer, and 243 too little. As a general rule I'll use 7x57, 6.5x55, the quarter Bob, or some such as that.

I like Mike. I've bought 7mm08 for three family members (including a Mike!) and can't get any of them back.

Personally, I wouldn't use anything larger than 30 cal. ( 308 ), non-magnum for whitetail. I would even consider 30-06 to be a bit of overkill, at least in the under 300 yd range. Of course, 2 of the last 3 calibers you mentioned were just variations on the 30-06; case necked down to accept a smaller bullet.

IMO, about the most perfect caliber is a 7mm-08, a 308 case necked down to a 284 caliber bullet, again in <300 yds.

.338 Win Mag?? Thats a lot of bullet... I suppose if you have good luck with it then why not.... .270 has always seemed perfect to me with .308 and 30/06 as a second choice, especialy for distance.... I have always felt that 30/06 was about the largest cartridge anyone should use. Any larger would produce diminishing returns or a lot of damaged meat... But then again shot placement is everything!!!!!

Best Caliber For Deer

The largest that I would hunt with, and happens to be what I hunt with when not bowhunting, is the 30-06. And I actually believe this is overkill for a deer.

.30-06 / .308 are the largest I'd go, but still can be over kill with in 50 yards. So I wouldn't recommend ether for hunting in thick bush areas. For hunting these areas I'd go with a .243, 25-06, 30/30, or shotgun with slugs or buckshot

Here is my nickels worth, my fav is the .25-06 but my .300 mag is the biggest I have used. It didn't kill any deader then anything else but it was what I was carrying at the time. I won't use smaller then a .243 on deer { I have and that's why I won't again } but I see no use going huge either. If someone wants to use a canon, that's their business. Beware the man that only owns one gun, he likely knows how to use it.

I use a Browning A-bolt .270, but most guys in our camp use the good ole .30-06. We have one guy using .300 mag, but it's hard to tell if thats effective, he hasn't seen a deer in 12 years! I like the .270 for its versitility, add a scope and you've got a great mid-distance rifle.

I use a .22-250 for Texas whitetail, but have used up to a .308 without tearing up the meat. Mulies, and northern deer would be a different challenge requiring more cartridge.