What is the lowest caliber rifle to hunt deer?

243 the ideal minimum caliber for deer. That the . 243 is an extremely popular round, and is chambered in just about every modern rifle, makes ammo available and cheap. Sweetens the deal even further.
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What is the smallest caliber to hunt deer with?

It is a widely accepted opinion that the only caliber smaller than . 25 that can be recommended for deer hunting is either the 6mm or . 243, and even then, shot placement is critical.
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What is the smallest legal deer rifle?

The smaller the caliber, the less damage the bullet will do to the animal. However, the smaller the caliber, the more difficult it is to make a clean kill. The . 223 is considered the minimum because it is powerful enough to kill a deer, but not so powerful that it will cause unnecessary suffering.
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What is the best caliber for deer under 200 yards?

30/30 has plenty of power to take on whitetail within 200 yards, making it suitable for 95 percent of shots on deer. It also produces about half the recoil of a . 30/06, so it is a pussycat to shoot.
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What is the best caliber for a beginner deer rifle?

Two old-school cartridges that every man and woman should consider for their first rifle are the relatively light-kicking and smooth-to-shoot . 270 and 7mm-08. If you're a good-sized guy and can handle more recoil, check out the . 308, .
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5 Popular and Proven Deer Hunting Calibers



What caliber do most deer hunters use?

In our opinion, the best rifle calibers for deer hunting are the . 270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, . 30-06 Springfield, . 308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .
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What size gun do I need for deer hunting?

There are hunters that prefer a heavy, slow bullet in a light, agile carbine. If the deer is across some distance such as 200 yards away. Most hunters prefer using a 30-06 or other long-range rifles. This is because the bullet travels at a much higher speed and velocity despite the bullet's diameter and weight.
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Is .22 enough for deer?

22LR cartridge is capable of killing a deer if shot placement is accurate; however, a . 22LR is not a legal cartridge for hunting deer in almost all US states because it does not have enough power to ethically hunt a deer and ensure a quick kill.
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Is 00 buck or slug better for deer?

For the majority of hunters, using a slug is probably the best choice due to the superior range and flexibility of the slug vs buckshot. However, if you hunt thin-skinned game (like deer) in an area where you are likely to only take extremely short range shots and where it is legal to do so, then use buckshot.
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What is the hardest hitting hunting caliber?

That said, the . 300 Win Mag is, hands down, the hardest hitting cartridge on this list. If you hunt where the need to defend yourself against big, dangerous bears might arise, or if you like to fill your freezer with elk and moose meat rather than deer and pronghorn, you should look hard at the . 300.
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What rifle do deer hunters use?

30-'06 Springfield, the . 308 Winchester, the 6.5 Creedmoor, . 243 Winchester and . 270 Winchester all make excellent choices for all-around deer hunting, as they are just as effective at longer ranges as they are up-close and personal.
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What is the longest rifle shot on deer?

A team of long-range shooting experts in Wyoming set what appears to be the new world record for the longest rifle shot ever completed: 7,774 yards or 4.4 miles.
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What is the best caliber for deer under 100 yards?

It is really hard to beat a 30–30 for a 100 yard deer gun. It's been around since 1895 and more deer are killed every year with 30–30s than any other cartridge.
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What is the easiest caliber to shoot?

380 Auto is the minimum viable caliber many would consider using for self-defense. Of the options I'll cover, it has the lightest bullets (most commonly 90 grain or 95 grain) and a velocity usually slower than 9mm. This makes it easy to shoot, having minimal recoil compared to larger calibers.
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What is the best deer to shoot for meat?

Unless you are hunting in an area in need of a serious reduction in deer numbers, shooting and processing multiple yearlings will probably be more work than most hunters want to invest. For my money, that makes the best deer for the table a 1 1/2-year-old doe.
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How many shots are in a 00 buck?

A typical 12-gauge, 2 ¾-inch 00 Buckshot shell holds 8 pellets that are 0.33″ in diameter. A 3-inch shell most often contains 12 of these same sized pellets.
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How far should you shoot a deer with a slug?

The best of today's slugs and slug guns can deliver accuracy as good as many ordinary hunting rifles out to 100 yards, 150 yards, and even beyond.
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What age deer should I shoot?

So what age deer should you shoot? A whitetail buck is considered physiologically mature at 5½, and that's your prime shooter age. However, not all areas have 5-year or older bucks. In that case hunters might consider a 3½-year-old as older or mature.
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Is a .22 lethal?

Because a .22 LR bullet is less powerful than larger cartridges, its danger to humans is often underestimated. In fact, a .22 LR bullet is easily capable of killing or injuring humans. Even after flying 400 yards (370 m), a .22 bullet is still traveling at about 500 ft/s (150 m/s).
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Can you hunt deer with 9mm?

Yes, a pistol or carbide with a 9mm caliber can generate 374 foot-pounds of pressure in the target spot which is good enough to kill a deer. A deer moving with 35-40 miles/hour velocity at around 50 yards distance can be hunted with a 9mm easily.
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What is the best distance to hunt deer?

Field & Stream tells us that the average shot distance for deer hunting is about 100 yards or less. Still, sometimes, you will want to take a shot at a long range, such as 300 or 400 yards.
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Can you use a ar15 to hunt deer?

While the AR-15 is preferable for smaller game, Will Chambers makes the same gun work for animals of all sizes. To hunt deer, Chambers outfits his AR-15 with a larger caliber receiver — the long end of a gun that determines the size of the bullet the gun fires. He changes the bullet diameter from the standard .
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Is 7.62 good for deer hunting?

Indeed, many hunters use the 7.62×39 for hunting deer, feral hogs, and other big game with excellent results. Here are a few great brands of 7.62×39 ammo that will probably serve you very well next time you're afield.
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Which deer is hardest to hunt?

A mature high-country mule deer buck is one of bowhunting's most formidable challenges. Some would say that a mature mule deer buck is the most difficult critter to take with a bow and arrow.
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Is .223 good for deer?

223 - it is a viable deer cartridge when the appropriate bullets are used. It is good enough when shots aren't excessively long and a broadside shot presents itself. It's not a foolproof cartridge, however. If you choose to hunt with it, be prepared to pass on an animal when the angle or distance isn't right.
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