Whitetail Hunting With a Big Bore?

ninjatoth · 11-09-2009, 09:17 AM

Does anyone else out there hunt whitetail with a bigbore rifle?I use a .444 marlin,and I feel alone,since most people talk about .270s and .30-06's,and similar calibers that they use for whitetail.In my case I didn't choose the caliber,the gun was a gift,and it's the only rifle I have that can be used for deer,so i'm gonna use it rather than buy a new gun.

G. Green · 11-09-2009, 09:29 AM

.45/70 Win 1886 ultralight. Love that little rifle, and if the ground I'm hunting is suitable for iron sights I grab it everytime. Don't know if Hornady makes the LeverEvolution in .444, but if they do and you haven't tried it yet I'd suggest giving it a try.

TeeRex · 11-09-2009, 09:58 AM

I hunt in shotgun only states, but the areas I hunt are hilly, so even if I could use a rifle I'd prefer a heavy slower bullet from a big bore than something flat and fast.

ArkansasHunter · 11-09-2009, 10:01 AM

I do or did. For the past 7 or 8 years I hunted with my Marlin in .375 Big Bore Lever action. I have semi-retired it yet I intend to take it out this year again one or two times.
Every Deer I shot with it, went down where it was standing. Before this rifle I hunted with a Remington 742 in 30-06 for about 41 years. It is permently retired.

I bought a Ruger Hawkeye in 308 about 2 years ago that I have not shot a Deer with yet to replace the .375 Big Bore.

It's very very possible that I might... LOL !!! Retire the 308 Ruger and go back to the .375 if the 308 does not measure up or meet my expectations.

The big bullets of a Big Bore rifle impact like be'in hit with 3 square feet of hard concrete verse's 7mm and 30 caliber bullets. So you get 2 benefits from useing bigger, heavier slower Big Bore bullets.

That benefit equates into a very dead animal that was hammered hard !!! In his tracks...A.H

ninjatoth · 11-09-2009, 10:05 AM

Hornady does make a leverevoluton .444,and that's what i'm using.They were less expensive than the remington soft point.One of these days i'd love to get a .450 marlin,which if you aren't familiar with,is basically a 45-70+p.Blows the water out of a .45-70 and .444.

SwedeSteve · 11-09-2009, 12:15 PM

Love the 375 Win as well !! Hey AH- There's a Rem 742 in 30-06 at the Gun Shop that's a little rough on the outside. $295 otd.

thrillbilly · 11-09-2009, 01:15 PM

I hunt with a 12G slug gun on occasion...so I reckon I'd have to answer yes. That's a perty big hole at the end of that Mav88! LOL
I've always hunted areas with 300-400 yard shot possibilities so I like my "little" .270win for those shots LOL I've killed deer with it 5 steps from my treestand, so it works "up close" too.

G. Green · 11-09-2009, 02:27 PM

Lordy! I don't think I need a .450 then. I've taken two elk and two deer with the .45/70 LeverEvolutions and have yet to have it not shoot through, and one of the elk was quartering. (could be a fluke deal on placement it's a pretty small sample)

Pyro01 · 11-09-2009, 02:30 PM

Depending on the situation, I'll either shoot a deer with my scoped Remington 7400 in 30-06, or my 460 S&W Magnum. Got my 460 reloading dies for 25 bucks off of EBay, they're Lee Carbide dies too. All I need now in order to start reloading is a scale of some sort, case trimmer, and maybe a powder measure.

jerry · 11-09-2009, 02:39 PM

Big enough? LOL

ninjatoth · 11-09-2009, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Big enough? LOL

what did you shoot it with?I have a feeling it didn't run one step after that shot.

Whootsinator · 11-09-2009, 03:49 PM

.50 muzzleloader, jerry?

Sav .250 · 11-09-2009, 03:49 PM

If that`s all you`ve got,then load that puppy up and hang on.

ArkansasHunter · 11-09-2009, 04:04 PM

Jerry that's a nice hole you made LOL !!!!! I guess you liked it to, cause you took a picture of it.
May be we ought to have a permenant Thread of holes LOL

Whootsinator · 11-09-2009, 04:10 PM

No way, Ark....

We'll get far more than we bargained for in a 'holes' thread.

jerry · 11-09-2009, 04:13 PM

12 guage 1 oz foster slug. Kinda like cheating in the big bore realm. This is what it did to the spine. Folded like a wet towle.

99dragon · 11-11-2009, 06:11 AM

I have a Ruger .44 mag Carbine. It's a nice back woods rifle, short enough to use in brush and the 240 gr bullet is slow enough and packs enough punch to go through twigs, branches and small trees and still fly straight.

It's a short range rifle but effective out to about 100 yds. I usually can't see more than 50.

moosemike · 11-11-2009, 09:25 AM

I've taken bucks with a .45-70 NEF single and a 44 mag. Winchester 94.

ArkansasHunter · 11-11-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwedeSteve

Love the 375 Win as well !! Hey AH- There's a Rem 742 in 30-06 at the Gun Shop that's a little rough on the outside. $295 otd.

Steve I still have mine and it's in very good condition. The rail on the inside of the reciever is a little galled due to shooting 220 grain bullets through it but it's still very much shootable.
I learned from Seabee Scotty heavier bullets are the cause of the rail damage the bolt slids back and forth on.
He said 180gr or less bullets should be shot in a 742 to prevent this damage.

Thanks for thinking about me...A.H

SwedeSteve · 11-11-2009, 11:25 AM

No problem !!

11-09-2009, 09:17 AM	#1
ninjatoth Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 152	Whitetail Hunting With a Big Bore? Does anyone else out there hunt whitetail with a bigbore rifle?I use a .444 marlin,and I feel alone,since most people talk about .270s and .30-06's,and similar calibers that they use for whitetail.In my case I didn't choose the caliber,the gun was a gift,and it's the only rifle I have that can be used for deer,so i'm gonna use it rather than buy a new gun.

11-09-2009, 10:01 AM	#4
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas. Posts: 18,224	I do or did. For the past 7 or 8 years I hunted with my Marlin in .375 Big Bore Lever action. I have semi-retired it yet I intend to take it out this year again one or two times. Every Deer I shot with it, went down where it was standing. Before this rifle I hunted with a Remington 742 in 30-06 for about 41 years. It is permently retired. I bought a Ruger Hawkeye in 308 about 2 years ago that I have not shot a Deer with yet to replace the .375 Big Bore. It's very very possible that I might... LOL !!! Retire the 308 Ruger and go back to the .375 if the 308 does not measure up or meet my expectations. The big bullets of a Big Bore rifle impact like be'in hit with 3 square feet of hard concrete verse's 7mm and 30 caliber bullets. So you get 2 benefits from useing bigger, heavier slower Big Bore bullets. That benefit equates into a very dead animal that was hammered hard !!! In his tracks...A.H __________________ IN GOD WE TRUST NRA MEMBER Last edited by ArkansasHunter; 11-09-2009 at 10:06 AM.

11-09-2009, 12:15 PM	#6
SwedeSteve Suspected Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Anchortown, Alaska Posts: 25,529	Love the 375 Win as well !! Hey AH- There's a Rem 742 in 30-06 at the Gun Shop that's a little rough on the outside. $295 otd. __________________ In the absence of orders, ATTACK !!

11-09-2009, 01:15 PM	#7
thrillbilly Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ozark Hill Country Posts: 3,182	I hunt with a 12G slug gun on occasion...so I reckon I'd have to answer yes. That's a perty big hole at the end of that Mav88! LOL I've always hunted areas with 300-400 yard shot possibilities so I like my "little" .270win for those shots LOL I've killed deer with it 5 steps from my treestand, so it works "up close" too. __________________ *" I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on."* John Wayne

11-09-2009, 02:30 PM	#9
Pyro01 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Midwestern WI Posts: 209	Depending on the situation, I'll either shoot a deer with my scoped Remington 7400 in 30-06, or my 460 S&W Magnum. Got my 460 reloading dies for 25 bucks off of EBay, they're Lee Carbide dies too. All I need now in order to start reloading is a scale of some sort, case trimmer, and maybe a powder measure. __________________ Hahaha, suck railgun wabbit!

11-09-2009, 09:29 AM	#2
G. Green Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: NE OK Posts: 1,023	.45/70 Win 1886 ultralight. Love that little rifle, and if the ground I'm hunting is suitable for iron sights I grab it everytime. Don't know if Hornady makes the LeverEvolution in .444, but if they do and you haven't tried it yet I'd suggest giving it a try.

11-09-2009, 09:58 AM	#3
TeeRex Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Central, OH Posts: 375	I hunt in shotgun only states, but the areas I hunt are hilly, so even if I could use a rifle I'd prefer a heavy slower bullet from a big bore than something flat and fast.

11-09-2009, 10:05 AM	#5
ninjatoth Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 152	Hornady does make a leverevoluton .444,and that's what i'm using.They were less expensive than the remington soft point.One of these days i'd love to get a .450 marlin,which if you aren't familiar with,is basically a 45-70+p.Blows the water out of a .45-70 and .444.

11-09-2009, 02:27 PM	#8
G. Green Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: NE OK Posts: 1,023	Lordy! I don't think I need a .450 then. I've taken two elk and two deer with the .45/70 LeverEvolutions and have yet to have it not shoot through, and one of the elk was quartering. (could be a fluke deal on placement it's a pretty small sample)

11-09-2009, 02:39 PM	#10
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 13,639 Blog Entries: 1	Big enough? LOL

11-09-2009, 03:49 PM	#12
Whootsinator Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,040	.50 muzzleloader, jerry?

11-09-2009, 03:49 PM	#13
Sav .250 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central Fla. Posts: 677	If that`s all you`ve got,then load that puppy up and hang on.

11-09-2009, 04:04 PM	#14
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas. Posts: 18,224	Jerry that's a nice hole you made LOL !!!!! I guess you liked it to, cause you took a picture of it. May be we ought to have a permenant Thread of holes LOL __________________ IN GOD WE TRUST NRA MEMBER

11-09-2009, 04:10 PM	#15
Whootsinator Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,040	No way, Ark.... We'll get far more than we bargained for in a 'holes' thread.

11-09-2009, 04:13 PM	#16
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 13,639 Blog Entries: 1	12 guage 1 oz foster slug. Kinda like cheating in the big bore realm. This is what it did to the spine. Folded like a wet towle.

11-11-2009, 06:11 AM	#17
99dragon Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 28	I have a Ruger .44 mag Carbine. It's a nice back woods rifle, short enough to use in brush and the 240 gr bullet is slow enough and packs enough punch to go through twigs, branches and small trees and still fly straight. It's a short range rifle but effective out to about 100 yds. I usually can't see more than 50. __________________ love the smell of burning powder in the morning

11-11-2009, 09:25 AM	#18
moosemike Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Lebanon PA Posts: 339	I've taken bucks with a .45-70 NEF single and a 44 mag. Winchester 94.

11-11-2009, 11:25 AM	#20
SwedeSteve Suspected Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Anchortown, Alaska Posts: 25,529	No problem !! __________________ In the absence of orders, ATTACK !!