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Best Calliber for Beginner Deer hunter?
I'm going to be getting a Tikka T3 Hunter some time within the next few weeks here and I am curious as to which round would offer me the most forgiveness when shooting at a deer but also would allow me to go to the range and not kill my shoulder after only 15 rounds. I have shot plenty of guns before but will admit that I am still somewhat of a novice. My uncles have mentioned that I should get something that I am comfortable shooting so that I don't develop poor shooting habits from fear of the recoil. The largest recoil gun I have shot was the M1 Garand and once I learned to hold it correctly it was quite managable. Any advice will be much appreciated.
An answer recently asked what kind of terrain I would be hunting in. I live in central Texas and would most likely only shoot deer to hog in either central or eastern Texas.
16 Answers
- M R SLv 41 decade agoFavorite Answer
.243 hands down wins this in my opinion.
The .270 would be a second choice. The 270 will kick slightly less than the 30.06 you have managed yet still carry the heavier hiting power.
Hopefully you will avoid getting piles of people telling you to get a 30.06, because its really overkill for deer and will kick a bit harder in the Tikka.
Nice rifle of choice as-well.
Good Luck & Happy Shooting !
- 5 years ago
The 30-30 is a great choice anytime.* Use the 170 grain bullet for best performance and accuracy.* If you want to Save a lot of $$$ then buy a Good Used one.* A New rifle does not shoot any better than a Good Used one.* Buy Used an Save $$$.*
- John de WittLv 71 decade ago
The two outstanding choices available in the T3 Hunter are 6,5x55 and 7mm08. Both are exceptionally well balanced for deer hunting and will not handicap you in any way.
I strongly object to the idea of recommending 243 for beginners. It requires that you pass on shots that you'd make with confidence using a true deer cartridge. You can use something larger than the two I suggest, but they won't be more effective.
- JeffLv 71 decade ago
.243, 7-08 are staples in Texas and OK ... both are able to take midsized game... can be loaded with good projectiles and are light recoiling flat shooters.
- joda_68Lv 41 decade ago
'would offer me the most forgiveness when shooting at a deer but also would allow me to go to the range and not kill my shoulder after only 15 rounds'
These answers suggesting the .243 are ignoring this part of your question. A .243 uses a 6mm bullet and requires precise shot placement, that doesn't qualify as offering the most forgiveness. What you want is a .308, it uses a .30 caliber bullet, which will smash through bone consistently, and kicks only slightly more than a .243.
- super61Lv 61 decade ago
A .243 is the minimum
A .270 is middle of the road
A .308 is my calibre of choice on deer. 190gr HPBT on Red deer.
- Michael ELv 41 decade ago
The first question is, where do you hunt, and how long a shot do you expect to have to make? If you're not taking 200 yard shots, you don't need a .308 or a .243. The Garand, being a gas-operated auto, will recoil a lot less than any bolt action in .30-06.
If you're a western hunter, I'd agree that a .243 is a good choice. Flat shooting, modest recoil. If you're an eastern hunter, shooting deer at under 50 yards, a .30-30 or even a carbine firing a .44mag would be adequate. Here in lower Michigan, we're limited to shotguns during deer season, and a 12ga slug works just fine.
- 1 decade ago
You should not kill innocent creatures for entertainment. Buy a video game or shoot skeets instead.
