what would be your minimum choice?

[georgia hammer]

Let's look at this scenario:

A person buys you any brand, make, or model deer rifle that you choose.It can have any scope and or mounts and bases that you like.Remember you have been told price is no option.You can use this rifle and only this rifle to hunt whitetails with the rest of your life so make a good choice in gear.The only drawback is picking your caliber.

Must be under .277 caliber :

The caliber you pick must be the minimum that you would hunt deer with and have confidence in.Would be the minimum that you would use in all deer hunting situations or you felt could get the job done no matter the task.Remember the "minimum" caliber - you would pick - what would it be?

[newshooter05]

i would buy a cooper in 25-06 and put a leupold scope on it and be happy.
david

[Bray]

I would think that the minimum would be a .243. I don't think that anyone on here would argue that a .243 is more than enough stopping power for any deer that we have in Kentucky. But If you get the chance to hunt outside of the States and hunt Canada where they have some absoulte monsters I wouldn't want anything smaller than a .270. I personally think that the best all around calibler is the .270 WSSM. It is "ballistically" the most versitle caliber made. But to each his own. Oh, yeah the .25-06 is an excellent caliber. Very flat and pretty powerful.

With that said, why are you asking the question? Are you wanting a new rifle?

[schuyler olt]

25-06, perhaps the .243 WSSM or the .257 WSSM.

Question--why are you excluding the .270?

[daking]

.257 Roberts....kickin' it old school!

[raktrakr]

Remington model 788 in .243 with Swarovski scope.Hey, your the one that said money was no object

[big bubba t]

.257 Roberts....kickin' it old school!

Thats what I would pick too.

[Rob]

I'd get a new Encore Pro Hunter in the .260 caliber with a good Leupold scope.

[naturalelite]

Remington model 788 in .243 with Swarovski scope.Hey, your the one that said money was no object
Hard to argue with mans choice....

[Harold]

I would go with the 25-06 and a Simmons 3x9x40 scope and be a happy hunter.

[kyhunter270]

A Browning Safari 270 with a great 3x9x40 simmons scope. Wait,,,,,That is what I already have and will hunt with it until the cows come home....:cool:

[30WCF]

If I'm allowed to do a little trigger work and other things to the gun I'm going for a Browning A-Bolt stainless stalker in 270 WSM with a Leupold VX-III 4.5X14X40 with a Boone and Crocket reticle.

If the gun has to be left factory stock then I'll take a Kimber M8400 in the same caliber.

Edit: If it has to be actually under the 270 then I'll take it in 25-06

[mwezell]

Give me a custom action rifle with a nice exhibition grade walnut stock,chamber it in 6.5-284 and top it with a loopy or nikon and I'll let you know how it works out for me>lol

[timberpatch]

Gun would be a Winchester 1885 High Wall in 270 WSM. Scope would be a Pentax Lightseeker 30mm 6-24x50 - Mil Dot Reticle - Side parallax adjustment.

[C.L.Button]

Browning A-Bolt .270 OR .243 Stainless Stalker topped with a Leupold Vari X III 3.5-10x50 Scope on Leupold rings and bases. :D

[aceoky]

I'm just glad we don't have to make such a decision based upon that criteria! For hunting more choices is a 'good thing' imho..... :D

[Born to Hunt]

when you limit the caliber to less than .277, you leave out in my opinion, the most versatile calibers in the gun world: the 30's.

You made the rules so: Stolle Action, Lilja barrel, Jewel Trigger, and a custom piece of fine walnut beneath a Leupold 3.5-10 scope all being feed reloads for the good ole 25-06

[GSP]

If someone else is buying, I'll take a James Purdey bolt action, built with a Mauser 98 action, top it of with a Leupold scope, built in a .257 Weatherby Magnum.

[daking]

Somebody else is paying? Well, then, I'll take a pre-69 Browning Medallion Grade bolt rifle (FN Mauser action, please). Top it with a Schmidt and Bender 2.5x10 scope (#7 reticle, please) set in a Redfield SR mount. While you're shopping, I'd like the circassian walnut Browing sometimes used (you know, the nice reddish one with the stump figure running through it). Wrap it all in a Zero Halliburton case and I'll drive right over and pick it up.

Nice touch with the Purdy, Rick. That shows great taste in rifles. Maybe we could get our benefactor to throw in a Rigby in one of the 25 calibers. Not as uptown as the Purdy and certainly not as common as the Browning, but it would be a nice mid point between the two.

[glshubert]

Kimber 7mm-08

[tex]

Lazzeroni .257 scramjet with Leupold's best fixed 6.