Whats everybody's favorite caliber to hunt deer with?

480 ruger, my favorite handgun hunting caliber period.

Gotta be the 454 for me. dvnv

For me 50 yards is max range 99% of the time and the .44 Remington Magnum is my choice.

I'd hate to have to choose between the 44 magnum and 45 Colt, but I guess wider is better...

Either a scoped 15" barrel Encore or XP-100 as long as it's chambered in 7mm-08.

Ike

Well it has been the 45 Colt but I recently got quite a deal on a 5 shot Ruger Bisely in 475 Linebaugh that I am really enjoying. I am shooting loads in the 480 Ruger class which seem about ideal. Accurate and reasonable recoil. The full tilt Linebaugh loads are too brutal for me to enjoy.

I have to go with the 44 mag. It has worked for me 3 times in the past and since I don't hunt Armored deer I guess it will continue to work for me.

S&W 460 Mag. Awesome round.

That is an impossible question to answer. I have .44mag, .45 Colt, .475 BFR, 45-70 BFR and a Ruger Old Army C&B. They all do the same job on deer. I have killed a pile of deer with each and really can't tell a difference.

revolver: .44 Magnum

Contender: 6.5mm JDJ

XP-100: 7mm BR

I'd have to go with the .480 Ruger.......

.41 Mag in a S & W Mod 57
and a 14" Contender in .375 JDJ.
Excellent combination that I was able to use very successfully on a "handguns only" hunt in Africa. The Smith on my left hip, the Contender under my right arm in a shoulder rig....sort of "balances me out"...

I will go with the 475 caliber.
Reeder 475 Linebaugh Maximum-8" bll
Ruger SRH-480 Ruger- 7.5" bll

Sean

44 mag fits me the best.I have 4 handguns in 44 mag and have taken deer with all of them with no problems.

Without a doubt it's the .41Magnum. I've taken everything from "picket pins" to elk and elk-sized+ African game with the caliber. The only thing I won't shoot with one in the lower 48 is a grizz. Then, I'll switch to another .41 caliber firearm for that, too. Second would be the .475Linebaugh followed by the .307Winchester in an Encore.

Although not good for revolvers and autos, something in 6.5, depending on which type of action you are ahooting. As Bobby said, the 6.5 JDJ comes to mind for the Contender. The Encore can handle anything from the 260 Rem to the 6.5 x 270 JDJ or even the 264 Win Mag. Bolt guns can start with the 6.5 BR, go to the 260 Rem, and usually finish up with the 6.5 x 284, which is about as good as it gets accuracy and velocity wise in 15 to 16 inch barrels.

The 6.5 bullets have unique qualities: The ability to fly straight and true over a large velocity range; they maintaining their velocity better than larger or smaller calibers because of their superior ballistic coeficients, and they expand wonderfully at handgun velocities, which is a pretty hard combination to beat...Rusty.

I have been through the gamet .41,.44mag,.45 but the current and probably the last is the .480 Ruger in a super redhawk>

.41 Mag for sure.

..another .41 Magnum fan.....

Bob

.41 Magnum, or, .45 Colt... both with my handloads.

L.W.

quote:

..another .41 Magnum fan.....

What he said...

357 Maximum, 10" TC Contender.

]

I prefer Levers, but for the short ranges we have, a good .44 Special M24-3 with 240 SWC's should do fine this year. And even if I don't get a deer, it is still beautiful out there. Well, OK, bringing something home is better..

A team of Specials:

I really like .357 Magnum and have 3 revolvers and 2 contender barrels in it. I burn up a lot of ammo in it and within it's limitations it will take whitetail just fine. But if I really want to bring home the vension, the .35 Remington is the tool of choice. 200 grains at 1900fps is powerful medicine. I've also been known to take to the field with a 6.5 tcu, .30-30, 10mm, .44 magnum or a .45 Colt too.

Keep um coming!!!!!!

.44 mag. But only because this particular Flattop isn't a .45 Colt....(yet!)

Dennis

35 remington with 225gr Ballistic tip. What a blood trail!

Out to 75 yards I'll take a 6" barreled 44 mag with 240 gr bullets. Beyond that, I use a Contender in 6.5mm Bullberry Improved. Most Accurate pistol I have fired. It gets 1/2" groups at 100 yards with several loads. Results on deer is exceptional. Longest shot was 275 yards. I use 120 gr Nosler ballistic tips with 4064 powder.

.44 Mag. in either my Classsic DX or my Super Blackhawk.

480 Ruger SRH

10mm in semi-auto's and 454 Casull in revolvers.

I personally reject the DIRTY HARRY SYNDROME and elect to use the venerable 45Colt, makes a big hole and does what it is supposed to do.

Deer Revolver: 41 Mag

Black Bear & Boar Revolver: 480 Ruger

All-Around Revolver: 45 Colt (modern pressures, of course)

Deer XP-100: 250-3000

Black Bear & Boar XP-100: 35 Rem.

All-around XP-100: 7mm BR

Not a TC fan myself...

Wow.
Lots of big, compensating calibers listed here!!

.38 Special loaded to the old 38/44 levels in pre-war S&W Outdoorsmans and Heavy Dutys. Usually a 173gr. Keith.

If I feel the need for something larger; .44 Special with a 250gr Keith.

I have larger handguns, but you asked for favorites.

Mostly depends where I'm hunting and what terrain is and what sort of opportunity that I expect. Mostly it will be with Ruger BH in 41M with Burris 2x for short to medium range, for longer ranges and from stand over greenfields it will be Encore in 308 Win with Leupold 2x7 EER. I have actually shot more deer with a S&W586, but have also used CZ in 40S&W and Ruger 44, but the 41 will do more often than not.

I am going with the 45 colt in modern guns just love shooting the 300gr cast out of my redhawk at 1300fps

44 Magnum in Super Blackhawk

357 Maximum in a T/C Contender pistol with 10" barrel and 3x T/C "Recoil-proof" scope

44 Mag.

I have to go along with BFRshooter. With one exception all calibers and others have been used
from 10 feet to a very long ways away. Depends on the distances you will be hunting at. That is why I switched from the .444 Marlin to the
35 Whelan Ackley Improved. Not one rimrock deer taken out of 4 was shot at less than 200 yards.