re: Best deer rifle, caliber, setup for whitetail?

to settle a debate about how difficult and ethical a 300 yard shot is, 12 members of our club each took a shot with their own rifles at a deer target set up at 300 yards (with a pie plate over the kill zone), the only shooter to hit the pie plate was a FBI sniper using his sniper rifle, he missed the deer target with his regular deer rifle, point is a 300 yard shot is possible but not likely without the right equipment, ammo and shooter...

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What distance is your rifle sighted in at now. How is your grouping at that distance?

If you can't group less than 2" at 100yds you don't need to be shooting any further.

Answer that question first. You're caliber is fine and your gun is likely fine.

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^^^These are the type of questions you need to be answering, NOT "What kind of new gun do I need." As many have already said, the 270 Win is more than adequate for killing deer at 300 yards. The real question is, "Are YOU adequate for killing deer at 300 yards?" How does your gun shoot presently at 100 yards?

Go to your stand w/ you gun, ammo and scope. Using the same rest you use when hunting, shoot at targets at 100, 200 and 300 yards. Then tell us how big the groups are. I'll bet your missed shots were due to inaccuracy, improperly sighted in scope or missed range estimation.

You could add a 7mm-08 right around the .270 and .308, but the chart is useful to illustrate your most likely choices.

However, at 200-300 yds, there is going to be a negligible difference in the deer calibers.
At 600 yds, you would see a difference, but this is an unrealistic hunting situation.

The big 4 are the 270, 308, 30-06, and 7mag. And you already have one of them. The only suggestion I could give would to maybe get a flatter shooting, less kick, 7mm-08. May give you less flinch and shoot more accurately.

I personally use and prefer the 30-30, 30-06, and 7mag. But, I choose each one for different yet specific hunting setups. Close/brush/leaning stands (30-30), short to medium distance because of the scope I have mounted (30-06), and medium to long shots also because of the scope that's mounted (7mag).

My dad shoots a 270, and wife shoots a 308 and 243 wssm. There's little to no difference from mine, and I wouldn't be compelled to change calibers if I had one versus another.
I agree with what most have said. Spend money on a good scope, spend some time shooting more, and move your feeder closer.

For those who say it's easy, going to a range and shooting at 300 yds is one thing. You have a good rest, you take your sweet time sand bagging your gun, you know the exact distance and the target isn't going anywhere. I've done it too. But it's a whole different thing when the target is a deer.

You might not have time to range the deer, if you even have the equipment to do that. Your rest is usually less than ideal. The stand may be moving with the wind. Your firing your first shot of the day with a cold barrel. And that's just some of the differences between range and field shooting.

When you shoot at 300 at the range, is your first cold shot always where you want it, or do you adjust after the first shot and then start stacking them? I use to shoot at a range that had a steel pig at 300 yds. I could light that pig up shot after shot, but I would often have a miss or near miss on my first shot. Once I saw where I was hitting, it was easy.

Having said that, the longest shot I have ever made on a deer was at 350 yds. I was shooting a .25-06 with a Redfield 1x5 scope. Missed the deer 4 times before I figured out I was aiming over the deer. I thought the deer was 500 yds away, but I was young and foolish and decided to try to kill it anyway. Fortunately for me, the buck was younger and more foolish than I was and wouldn't run out of the canyon. I finally saw my shot hit over his back and I realized he wasn't nearly as far away as I thought. The fifth shot found it's mark. Not exactly bragging material...lol.

My point is a 300 yd shot from a deer stand is no easy feat. Very doable with the right equipment by a practiced, calm, steady shooter. But to act like it's the same as doing it at the range is foolish.

I love these threads.Your .270 is all you need for 300 yard shots good glass and a good trigger are a must.I have killed 2 deer at this range both with a 300 win mag. . The problem is lots of bench time to get good at it . The 300 win mag (with out brake) beat me up..had head aches after range time. I have a new rifle ( and I’ve had many) and it’s a truly fun to shoot and shoot. Flat shooting and low recoil ....6.5 Creedmoor. I’ve yet to see a shooter at 300 yds but I can hug my eye up to scope with out getting hammered and squeeze off a good round.... many calibers will kill at 300yds ..practice is the key
For making that shot when it counts. Good luck.