CA blacktail deer -- best caliber

J

jmicheals32

New member
I'm gonna be picking up my first deer rifle this week (Savage 11/111), but I just can't seem to decide on what caliber. Recoil is a bit of a consideration, but primarily I'm thinking ammo availability/options is more important.

.308 has the most ammo options available, but .270 shoots flatter. 7mm-08 is nice too, but limited ammo options. And the new CA lead-free regulations bring additional consideration.

Any thoughts on what to choose and why?

So what do you think?
 
You said it yourself.......you are going to have to settle for what ever you can get non lead ammo for. Sure glad I do not have to worry about that stupidity.
 
If you're doing only deer, I'd go either .260 or .270 caliber all else being equal. But looking at ammo availability, I'd go .308. Way more copper loads actually available as opposed to theoretically available but out of stock.

Of course, if we have another ammo scare that'll reverse because the military calibers go first.
 
Anything from 243 on up will be more than adequate. If you never plan on anything bigger than deer the 243 is about as good as it gets. A 308 would be fine too, especially if the option for bigger game is a possibility.

With recoil a concern I'd look at 243. It has about 11-12 ft lbs of recoil vs 15-16 for a 308. I don't know a lot about copper availability in either of those. But 243 is pretty common in most places, I'd think if copper is required by law then copper 243 loads should be pretty easy to find there.
 
Best caliber to stop those monsters is a 458 Win Mag.;)

Just kidding. Pretty much anything you use will be overkill, so pick whatever you want. 243, 260, 308, 30-30, you name it and it will be adequate for those 80 lbs brutes.
 
jmicheals32, Doesn't statewide ban take effect 2019?

I think cal depend on where your going to hunt. I hunted Yolly Bolly all the way to up Marble Mtn Wilderness and couple time when over to Modoc for the mulies and I used 7mag. Coastal I use 270.

After I move to Co I'd go back and hunt most around Markleeville.

I quit hunting Calif before first ban took effect and I have nephews that reloads.


I think once the ban is in place or close to it for entire state you may see more lead free ammo. Me I do 270 or 7-08.
 
The CA lead ban is worded at this time to say that if you're hunting on state property you can't use lead right now. If you are on fed or private property you can use lead but by 2019 that is going to change.

As for your concern on which cartridge, as stated above just about anything from 243 Win and up is going to do just fine, as long as you do your job and put the bullet in the right place. I hunt blacktail/muley mix area, and I don't feel at all under-gunned with my 243. It has very little recoil making it a pleasure to shoot, and Barnes makes ammo for them using CA approved bullets.
 
Average buck weighs from 105 to 200 lbs. If .223 is legal, use it. Otherwise, think .243. Or any .24, .25 or .26 calibre with those daft copper bullets.
 
Anything from a .223 on up will do the job just fine if you do yours.

If you like one better, pick that one. If you think one name sounds cooler than the rest, pick that one. (Not joking).

All cartridges from .223 up are more than sufficient for the task.

Personally, I think the 7mm-08 is the best all-around big game cartridge for American-sized critters ever invented.

I hunt deer with a .243AI. Why? Because I think it's a cool cartridge. It doesn't kill them any deader than a .243Win, or a .223Rem for that matter nor any less dead than a .30-06 or .308. I also shoot them with a 15" Encore Pro Hunter in 7mm-08. Also because I think it's cool.

I use only and exclusively Barnes TTSX bullets in all calibers for deer. There's also the Hornady GMX that is said to perform well. The TTSX is an excellent bullet. Yeah, it's a little pricey but compared to all the other costs of hunting it's like a fart in a hurricane.
 
Go 308 and be done with it.

I hunt D-19 most shots where and how I hunt are close up. I have used a GP 100 6" w/ 158 SP to take 2 bucks.. 3X3 & 5X4. Both shots under 30 yards. D-19 is a 3% zone...yes 3% success rate.

If you are interested in shooting forkies a 223 will do on anything resembling a broadside with a good all copper bullet. Expect some meat damage with that number though. If you are looking for something a bit bigger use something bigger.

As far as flatter shooting goes.. can you hit an 8" circle EVERY time standing up free hand @ 200 yards? If not I wouldn't worry about it. The trajectory of a 308 is plenty flat for 200 yard shots.
 
The black tail deer we have up here in Oregon are all small and it don't take much to take one down. A .308 is more than enough. I'd say go with a .30-30 but lead free ammo is probably hard to find for a .30-30.

It's pretty hard to go wrong with a .308 for 90% of the big game you will find in North America.

Best advice, more north or east out of Kalifornia...

Tony
 
If you intend to hunt Black-tail only. 223 would be sufficient. 243 would be my choice for the biggest cartridge to use on such small animals.

Since your deer are small in stature when compared to those in the Midwest. I believe 308- 06-270-7mm-anything bullet would likely pass through both sides of a Black Tail showing little in bullet expansion. Or there loading with light weight higher speed bullets would leave little meat for your freezer and more likely a feast for the birds and coyote's. Just my opinion is all.
 
reply

Hello all,

My first post on this forum:>
I think you should shoot what you have and are comfortable with, I love my 243 and 260 but my go to gun is my 270WSM for deer and elk. I did find it funny that the father of the .270 Jack O'Connor said a 44 mag, Jack just rolled over in his grave...:)
 
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I would go .243 as well. Get an 85 grain Barnes TSX and you'll have no problems meeting the Cali copper requirements.
 
Although I've read of monster black tail, you'll be really lucky to find anything over 100 pounds.
Click to expand...

I know its been 25 years or so since I've been in an area with blacktails, and was wondering if they had evolved to something much larger over the years. I think the average was about 85 lbs or so in Central California. A lot different than dragging an Ohio whitetail!
 
I'm thinking 7-07 Remington. I haven't hunted in California since 1967. I escaped in 1968. Personally, I shoot a 7x57 loaded up to 7-08 specs. I'd probably look at the Barnes TSX is the 120 gr. weight for those deer but I imagine the 140 gr. will work just fine. on them and up to elk.
Paul B.
 
Timsr: I've hunted blacktail in Oregon back in the 70's when I was a kid and in Washington.
The biggest I've ever seen was about 140#. That was the claimed weight.

I've read of blacktail over 200#

Most of the ones I've seen are well under 100#. Some of the ones in the San Juans are dog sized, little bigger than a greyhound.
 
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