Poll: Best caliber for blacktails

[bux-n-dux]

I'm a .243 man myself. But have been known to tote the -06 and even the .35 Remington.

bux-n-dux

[bobcatman04]

Actually the best caliber is in the gun you shot best. I have maybe 12 different guns of different calibers. But I shot the 270 the best/most.

[suavegato]

based just on caliber, NOT weapon, I'd have to say the .243. Fast, flat, accurate and does a fine job putting them down. That being said, I use a .25-06 myself.

[bux-n-dux]

Yes I was basing the poll just on Caliber.....Now a Sako or Weatherby .270 might shoot a heck of a lot better than my old .243. I'm wondering what caliber other blacktail hunters think is best based on the conditions under which one would usually hunt blacktails. I myself use a .243 because that is what I happen to have, as well as the 30-06. Some guys I know are very successful with a .257 Roberts, or a .308. So yes, the idea of the poll was based strictly on caliber. I'm hoping to learn more about hunting blacktails as well.


bux-n-dux

[suavegato]

That's what I figured, just wanted to clarify "caliber only" for my response cuz there are many other factors to consider, a few of which IMHO would be as follows…

Assuming we are taking what you already have, what you “like”, what you shoot best and any preconceived notions out of the equation… I.E. you won a free “pick any rifle within reason” raffle. Then you have to figure out where you hunt… If you are in thick brushy or wooded areas and often kick deer out of beds etc. while you are hunting along, then you will likely want a shorter, fast site picture acquiring riffle; perhaps open sites or a wide low power scope. For areas where you have to be “quick draw” and get off fast shots, for that, the good old model 94 is hard to beat. I have one that I inherited in .25-35 and it has killed more blacktail bucks, panther, coyote & bear than I will ever see in my lifetime. Caliber selection for this type of gun, what I call a “brush gun” is less important, due to the close range nature… any of the above listed calibers and then some will work fine.

If you hunt in more open Blacktail country, where you might have shots out to 300 yards or so, spot and stalk etc. then you will want something with a little more range, longer barrel, higher power optics, maybe even a bi-pod etc,? For that, you will definitely want one of the more modern, faster, flatter shooting calibers… .243 is an excellent choice for this type. I usually use a Rem. 700 BDL DM in .25-06 but have a .270 I have used as well…

For back packing, obviously weight is going to be a factor, that’s when I use my .270 Tikka T-3 lite with a Leupold Ultra lite scope. The riffle weighs 6 1/3 pounds and the scope is 8.8 oz. Nice and light and gets the job done well too. If I had it JUST for blacktail, I would have probably gotten it in .243 but since I use it for all of my Backpack hunting, coyote up through Elk, the .270 was my choice.

Anyway, I guess my conclusion is to try and respond to your post about wanting to learn more about it from other blacktail hunters, if you have the luxury of having more than 1 weapon for the job, use which ever best serves the terrain and conditions that you are in at the time. If you can only have 1 weapon for blacktails, then I’d recommend something “middle of the road”. I’ve killed more blacktail bucks with a model 99 .300 Savage than any other weapon I own. But if I had to pick one weapon and one ONLY for blacktails where I hunt, I’d want something light to carry on long day trips and for backpacking, why weigh yourself down? So I’d probably go with the Tikka T-3 Lite. I’d probably also go with a 20” bbl. 20” is plenty long enough to reach out there accurately and still short enough to handle easily and get off “jump shots” when nec. A 2-7 x 40mm scope and for blacktail only, .243 1st. choice, .25-06 2nd. And .270 3rd. The .243 has plenty of range, plenty of knock down power due to It’s speed and it doesn’t make too much of a mess of these little Columbian Blacktails like some of the higher caliber & bullet weights do.

And then take it out and practice, practice, practice! Dial in some home loads, get CONFIDENT with your shots & yardages… Know what your bullet drop is at any given yardage like you would with a bow. I used to be able to whoop nearly anyone at a game of pool using an actual broom stick cuz I played A LOT, same thing with a riffle. WAY more important than what it is, is if YOU know how to use it! No weapon or caliber is an ample substitute for practice & skill!

Good luck, hope some of that was/is useful info. for someone?

[sidepass]

What ever you shoot best or what suits the conditions during your hunt. Up close and thick, I like my 405 winchester. More open the 30-06, 308 or 270 works just fine. This season i'll use the 405 on the first and Dads gifted 06 on the second. I'm thinking positive, the private ranch helps.

sidepass

[bux-n-dux]

Wow. A 405 Winchester for blacktail.......now that's a great gun.

Suave- I agree with you on all points. The terrain I usually hunt is a mix of thick brush with open areas as well. Since I usually hunt alone I am often glassing alot and letting other hunters push deer out to me, but at times I walk in thick stuff and have jumped deer out of beds at midday. So I have a pretty wide variety of possible shoot situations. As I said, I usually have my .243, an old S&W that was made by Howa way back when. It has a 33mm 2x7 Redfield and a bipod. I shoot well with it so that's what I usually use. But my dad's old Remington 760 pump in 30-06 with a BSA 50mm 3x9 is a damn good blacktail gun. I would love to get one in .270. Then again, my last buck fell to a Winchester Model 12, so you never know!!

[DEERSLAM]

The trusty ol .270 is my choice for Blacktails and in my opinion the best.

[barel74]

This is like asking what your favorite ice cream is. There is no right or wrong answer. So, with that said, I must agree with what some of the others have said, what ever you shoot best. I wouldn't go smaller that a .243, though.

[gsparcher47]

a .243 is fine for blacktails but a 300+ lb hog i see while deer hunting is another story, thats why i tote my 30-06 in the woods

[hank4elk]

Til I got rem 700 30-06 20+ yrs ago it was 30-30 Win, still is with me all the time just in case something happens to scoped gun

[Schoettgen]

QUOTE (gsparcher47 @ Aug 4 2008, 01:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

a .243 is fine for blacktails but a 300+ lb hog i see while deer hunting is another story, thats why i tote my 30-06 in the woods[/b]

Same could be said for hunting a combination of deer and bear. A 243 would seem to be at its limits on hogs and bear, but maybe not. I took a boar hog the other day, around 250 lbs ( give or take 25lbs) at 180 yards with a 100 grain Sierra out of my 243. It went through the scapula, broke a rib, through the lungs, broke a rib on the way out, got through the sheath and streatched the hide on the far side but did not exit. The bullet expanded to more than double its diameter and shed 50 grains going through the hog. The hog went 30 yards after being hit and dropped. A high end bullet like a Nosler partition, or swift A frame, might do even better, but add another 100 yards to the range and I wonder if the 243 would be up to the task? For blacktails and coyotes, its my favorite caliber.

[bpnclark]

It all depends on terrain. If I know it’s going to be a +300 yard shot it’s my 300 Win Mag. If it’s going to be less than or around 200 yards, it’s my 270.

[dlovato]

It's all a matter of preference.

For me, I use a 300wby mag for EVERYTHING. Sure, it's overkill for a Blacktail, but I only need one gun (I actually have 3 identical ones - one for me, and each of my two kids). I only need to deal with re-loading one bullet, have become very familiar with how the caliber shoots, etc. I like to keep it simple. I can use this rifle for anything in north america. A 180 grain barnes TSX bullet will drop anything from a coyote to a grizzly. It's a little "heavy", but I like to think of lugging the extra couple pounds vs a ultra-light around the mountains as "exercise" :-)

- Darryl

[ltdann]

My last 3 blacktails were taken with 12 ga, Remington 11-87. Good for what ails ya out to about 150 yds.

If I'm hunting the high lonesome, its the 30-06.

That said, I've seen guys hunt with .223 up to 45-70. It's whatever you feel comfortable with and maintain accuracy.

[Devils Garden]

I started hunting blacktail bucks when I was 12 years old with my old 1894 Win. model - lever action 25-35. It has the open buck horn site on it and the long barrel with half the barrel being octagon. I have taken 10 bucks with it in Sonoma and Mendocino Co. the 1st 10 years before moving to the wide open beautiful country of Modoc County in 1968. This is still a great rifle as far as I am concern. It was very good in Redwood and Douglas-fir brushy grounds. After I moved to this country I purchased a Savage lever action .308. I have taken many mule deer with this rifle here in Calif. and 4 bull elk in Colorado. 5 and 6 years ago I finally went back to blacktail hunting in Humboldt Co. near Bridgeville on a ranch. I have taken each year one beautiful 3 point buck with the .308. The owner of that ranch is still using his old 94 carbine lever action 25-35 which really surprised me. When I was in college at Santa Rosa J.C. where I met some very nice friends there. They were also blacktail deer hunter too. Those friends of mind all had .243 rifles with scopes on them and they did very well with them. They all tried to get me to buy a .243.

Now my analysis between the two rifles I owned for blacktail deer hunting. I love both the 25-35 and the .308 - I have no regret for each one.

I was really surprised that some of you have mentioned the 25-35 caliber and it would be very interesting to see how many of you might have voted for the 25-35 caliber if it was listed with the other calibers on the ballot. I would have voted for 3 diff. calibers if I could and they are the .243, 25-35 and the .308. This is my two bits.

[snoopdogg]

Devils Garden, do you have any old hunting pictures you can post up? Love to see them.

[hamradiofan]

Whatever you can shoot accurately!

With that said, I shoot a .300 WinMag. 165 grain Nosler Partitions. May seem heavy, but I have not had any deer go more than about 25 yds after being hit.

I am looking into a 7-08 ultralite pack rifle for future hunts though!

[suavegato]

QUOTE (hamradiofan @ Aug 8 2008, 02:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whatever you can shoot accurately!

With that said, I shoot a .300 WinMag. 165 grain Nosler Partitions. May seem heavy, but I have not had any deer go more than about 25 yds after being hit.

I am looking into a 7-08 ultralite pack rifle for future hunts though![/b]

I went back and forth for a LONG TIME between the 7mm-08 and the .270 when i was researching my ultra lite pack riffle. The decision for me came down to reloading... I already have a .25-06 & .30-06, so since they share the cartridge, base etc., easier for me to reload the .270... either is a good choice however, good luck! Check out the Tikka T-3 lite, I love mine and can hit a dime in a goats ass at 100 Yrds with factory loads!

[hamradiofan]

QUOTE (suavegato @ Aug 8 2008, 09:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (hamradiofan @ Aug 8 2008, 02:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whatever you can shoot accurately!

With that said, I shoot a .300 WinMag. 165 grain Nosler Partitions. May seem heavy, but I have not had any deer go more than about 25 yds after being hit.

I am looking into a 7-08 ultralite pack rifle for future hunts though![/b]

I went back and forth for a LONG TIME between the 7mm-08 and the .270 when i was researching my ultra lite pack riffle. The decision for me came down to reloading... I already have a .25-06 & .30-06, so since they share the cartridge, base etc., easier for me to reload the .270... either is a good choice however, good luck! Check out the Tikka T-3 lite, I love mine and can hit a dime in a goats ass at 100 Yrds with factory loads!
[/b][/quote]

I have heard good things about the Tikka T-3 Lite. Like the minute of angle guarantee too! I reload .308 .300 WinMag and 7mag, so I have both sets of bases. No problem there, just like the short action feel. Thought about the .300 WSM, but don't need to throw that much density at the deer or another .300 riffle!

The Browning Medalian .300 WinMag can shoot the hair off a gnats you know what at 100, just want something a little lighter as I grow older!

[Railguner]

For me it a custom .257WBY shooting 120gr Nosler Patitions @3300fps into a 1/4in group. Gun is a tad over 6lbs and just hammers these blacktails. This year its going to be a Thompson Prohunter in 300 Win with Federal 130gr Barnes Triple Shocks at 3500fps. Should be a fun year. RG

[troutndeer]

I have killed many deer with a 30-30. It is my favorite cal, not the "best" but it is what I like to use. I use a 30-06 for long shots on elk pronghorn and deer, but 90% of deer hunting is with a 30-30, if I lived in the city and could only hunt on weekends then I would use a scoped bolt gun for the majority of my hunting. I also shoot a long bow so I guess I am just stuck in the past when it comes to my hunting gear. I have been known to also use a M1 carbine, a .35 remington, 12 ga, crossbow and even a glock 23 for deer in the past but I think I will stick with my good ol 94.

[aidenbomb]

This will be my 19th season hunting blacktail. I started when I was 15 with the 30-30 marlin (4x Redfield) that my grandfather gave me from his gun cabinet. It is the only rifle I have used to hunt/kill blacktail. Although my 300 win mag goes with me on other hunts, I dont think I will ever hunt blacktail with another rifle. It has the original kill notches on the leather strap along with the dozen or so that I have added. I hope my 3 kids might add some to it some day. Thanks G-PA.

[hogassasen]

Blacktails = 270

Blacktail & Boar = 300 WSM

But either one would work just fine i'm sure.

[outdoorsman35]

Are Blacktail deer? I thought they were baby Mule Deer. Now that is a deer.

[DanV]

QUOTE (outdoorsman35 @ Aug 28 2008, 10:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are Blacktail deer? I thought they were baby Mule Deer. Now that is a deer. [/b]

Nothing like hunting mule deer , blacktails have to be hunted , stealth deer ! Unlike Muleys that feed out on a hillside quite often with theit big white rumps marking their location .

Best cartridge ? I shoot a 7 mag although that is not necessary , anything .24 or bigger that you can shoot well is good . I perfer a muzzle velocity of near 3000 fps and a mid weight bullet for a given caliber , sometimes those shots can be 300-400 yds .

[cheta]

I have to say it is what is most comfortable for you.
I have watched my dad and uncle hunt with a broad range of guns- 243-30-30-270-30-06 you name it 300

When i bought my first rifle it was a 243-
then i purchased a 223-30-30-45-70 338 fed - 45henry

i love to carry my 338 in the woods- It is comfortable from every position and i know i can knock down a bear if i have too. Paired with Barnes TSX a match made in heaven

[cheta]

I have to say it is what is most comfortable for you.
I have watched my dad and uncle hunt with a broad range of guns- 243-30-30-270-30-06 you name it 300

When i bought my first rifle it was a 243-
then i purchased a 223-30-30-45-70 338 fed - 45henry


I love to carry my 338 in the woods- It is comfortable from every position and i know i can knock down a bear if i have too. Paired with Barnes TSX a match made in heaven. its an all around gun for me.

[wmidbrook]

I think all of the above would have been the best choice! I think a good frangible bullet like a Sierra boattail spitzer to the boiler room anchors them pretty good.....but, if most blacktail areas convert to the unleaded movement (not that dissimilar from a bowel movement imo), I'd opt for the largest caliber with a decent trajectory (larger wound channel) like the .308, .30-06, 338-06, 35 Whelen, 35 Rem. Flip-side, if you are a good shot, the unleadeds offer great penetration so the smaller cal pills work fine but you're more likely to have a tracking job than with the more frangible bullets.

[gozarca2]

hey you forgot .280! :) its a rare round these days, aka 7mm...(not mag). its basically a 30-06 cartridge but with a 7mm bullet. Pretty dman flat, very accurate, good punch, and pretty lightweight gun. My brother used to use a 243. It worked pretty good, but where we hunt a 300-350 shot can easily happen and a 243 just won't cut it out that far, IMHO past about 250. a 280 looks very similare to 270, except longer casing, not as stubby. 270 is a good round too. To someone 'new' picking a cartridge, i'd say have them shoot all of the above and see what they like best. Some guns may be heavy and a pain to pack around (eg 20lb 7mm mag) and provide too much power (baseball hole) or kick, or too little.

I love that gun, browning BAR 280. 7 blacktails, all made it less <30yds. Some just dropped (spine/close range). So it really depends how the shooter shoots with it. You could hand me a 30-06, 243, 270, 7mm mag, 25-06, 270 and i would still probably shoot best with my 280.

As long as you can shoot consistently, IMHO < 2" groups @100 your good. I like having the comfort of knowing i can reach out and knock one down. (again, my opinion; you could maybe get away with 3" groups if your hunting in country where you would never even see anything over 150 yds, like timber).