Last Sat I shot a deer [whitetail doe] at about 50 yards with my 450 No2 double rifle. The load was a 350gr Hornady RN with 81gr of IMR3031, filler of course.
The deer was at an angle, and in an attempt not to hit the shoulder, the heart, or the liver, all which I like to eat I hit her a little farther back and a little higher than I like, breaking the spine, knocking her right down. The bullet hit the bottom of the spine damaging very little meat.
Once again the big bore has proven itself. A quick kill with no blood shot meat.
An "Elephant Gun" just might be the best under 100 yard "deer rifle" there is.

Congrats! Sort of addictive, isn't it?

Ken, yes it is. With the exception of 3 deer all the game I have taken in the last 5 years have been taken with double rifles. [I was testing my Blasers].
I have never felt that I was at a disadvantage.
In fact I have found the quick handling and 2 quick shots of a double rifle far out weigh the larger magazine capacity of other rifles.

Does the .45-70 with Buffalo Bore Ammo qualify?

Hi Tony,

I agree with you! I use my .416 for just about everything these days.

Best,

JohnTheGreek

Since Africa became of primary interest, I use the big guns at every opportunity. Nothing like familiarity with ones' firearm. Took 4 deer and some monster chucks with the .505 last year. The "X" 570's worked fine.

I, on the other hand, have obtained a special licence, from Robert Mugabe himself, to hunt elephant in the Chewore with the .219 Donaldson Wasp, using specially made Woodleigh 32 grain solids, loaded under an equivalent number of grains of IMR 4064, to produce a prodigious velocity of slightly more than 3,600 fps.

I shall apprise you of the results, if ever I should be so fortunate as to live long enough so to do.

Mrlexma, Why beat yourself up? The .17's are plenty. But go with a centerfire for more positive ignition, just in case.

Shot 4 deer with a 458 Win mag, if that qualifies as an "elephant gun". Used 405 Rem bullets at 2300 fps. A most excellent deer rifle! So, take that, the 458 Win mag is good for something afterall!

The 22 caliber, 32 grain solid, fired @ 3600 fps, has a momentum density of 153.36. While a .510 caliber, 600 grain solid, fired at 2470 fps has a momentum density of 386.76. So the 50 caliber will out penetrate your little super fast 22. What you need is a 80 grain solid going 3600 fps in your 22! Then your little 22 cal. will be the equal of the big 50.

Scott

[ 12-05-2003, 07:28: Message edited by: ScottS ]

Its hard to convience some people that the big bores don't blow them into pieces when in fact they bruise less meat by a long shot than a .243 or 270 for instance or even a 22-250 which is a meat bruiser deluxe...

I like the big bores...

No, a 45-70 with Garretts is not a deer rifle, only fit for rockchucks at close range and old curmudgeons with a since of humor!!

Obviously you've never seen the devastating effect of a .17 SOLID at 1500 fps on dangerous game. Why complete penetration from all angles is of course ASSURED as penetration is well known to be inversely proportional to velocity. Of couse if one was to be so foolish as to increase the velocity a tad well then penetration would suffer!-Rob

The 405grain Remington at 1800fps makes a splendid PA deer load. The bullet doesn't seem to expand at all most times just punches a nice sized hole all the way through a deer. It is also a blast to use for groundhogs.

I use my 416 Taylor when hunting the thick Cedar swamps of Michigans Upper Pennisula. I shot a doe length wise using a 300gr X bullet from about 50yds. The impact lifted her off the ground! The bullet exited her left hindquarter with no real meat damage. Ive seen much worse with std deer calibers.

Here's the double for the truly intrepid small bore dangerous game hunter. Could be too powerful in .22 Hornet.

NitroX
That would be a perfect Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit rifle.
All it takes is Money.

NitroX,

What a pretty piece. Perfect for charging groundhogs!

I can't give too much experience with Big Bores on deer, but I did shoot an 80lb button buck with my .416 Rigby (2000fps with XMP5744, 350gr Speer) and was very pleased with the lack of bruised meat. My theory is that most Big Bore bullets are designed for bigger/heavier game. Thus when they hit a light skinned animal they dont fully 'perform' in the 10-12" of penetration like they were designed for in the 3-10' of penetration in an armored animal in Africa. Having said that, I think they work great and the hunt is enjoyed much more when a special/distinct/unique firearm is used.

BMG

Part of my tune up for Namibia in 2004 in using the 375 as much as I can. My last few deer, in addition to a couple of Texas elands, have been taken cleanly with the Whitworth 375. I've used Hornady 270's on the eland with instant 1 shot kills. I've recently loaded up some Hornady 220's at about 2100 and just took a spike. Good but not extreme expension and a clean pass through, as you'd expect on a 75 pound hill county spike. No recoil to speak of and lots of fun. Bob

wow, that's a small deer... the spike I shot last month pulled an easy 145 dressed out.

Nitro that is a SWEET little rifle!

I remember seeing a double in .22mag a bloke had built at the gunshow. It was unfinished at the time, still needed blueing, but it would be somethign I'd love for strolling around kicking rabbits out of the grass...

The bigger the better.

Of course I have been lieing to my girlfriends for years about that.

Hill country deer multiply like rabbits and run small. The bigger ones are in the brush country of South Texas. Nothing like the corn and soybean fed whitetails up north. I use to hunt in northeast Missouri for a few years with my brother in law. He tells me every few years somebody would take a 200 lb doe, stuffed fulla soy beans.