.223 enough to go hunting for a deer?

[rarebreed]

I learnt about hunting from my Dad, my teenage friends, Sports Afield, Jack O'Connor, and my Dad's buddies. I guess I was lucky.
I suggest you join a Fish and Game Club. Go to all the meetings, volunteer on work bees, give the guys a chance to get to know you. Let them see how you handle firearms. Maybe after a while you might get invited on a day trip fishing or even hunting.

[rarebreed]

Mourning doves illegal in Texas?

[outdoors forever]

Originally Posted by dyingbreed

I learnt about hunting from my Dad, my teenage friends, Sports Afield, Jack O'Connor, and my Dad's buddies. I guess I was lucky.
I suggest you join a Fish and Game Club. Go to all the meetings, volunteer on work bees, give the guys a chance to get to know you. Let them see how you handle firearms. Maybe after a while you might get invited on a day trip fishing or even hunting.

Jack O'Conner? My dad had an old hunting book featuring him and his big game hunting expoits - I POURED over that book many times as a kid!

As for the OP - get a .243 if you want a smaller, lighter deer gun. My wife has one and its 5 for 5 on whitetails so far!

[rarebreed]

Hey O.F. : What do you think of Jack's opinion of the .220 Swift?

[outdoors forever]

Originally Posted by dyingbreed

Hey O.F. : What do you think of Jack's opinion of the .220 Swift?

Sorry, not familiar with anything about the guy, except when you mentioned his name it brought back a GREAT memory of reading his stories and looking at the pictures!

[Big Daddy Badger]

Originally Posted by Arn?Narn.

not even close,.. the .303 by a mile.

Yup...at least in Canada.

[Big Daddy Badger]

Originally Posted by huntin

maybe out east Arn. but in the west it was 30-30 and 30-06

Nope.

Times have changed but the most seen rifle out west 30-40 years ago was everybodys friend Lee Enfield. Every vet had one. Now their kids and grandkids do.
In the far north they are still commonly used.

Even now when I look at all the rifles guys I know own. The one thing that almost ALL of us have is a 303 (or several). A lot of guys still use em for bush guns when they prefer iron sights in heavy bush... myself included.

30-30 is common to and there are a lot of P-17's out there in 30-06 but...the SMLE in 303 is still King of the Commonwealth.

Apparently 30-30 is the best selling cartridge of all time though...that would include the states.
My understanding is that now 308 is the best selling...

[horsetrader]

Grew up in Ont I know in our family and the group that hunted with dad 30 06 was king they was definitely a good share of 3030's don't recall any 303's but they were probably there just don't remember. But 30 06 was the go to gun.

[Big Daddy Badger]

Originally Posted by horsetrader

Grew up in Ont I know in our family and the group that hunted with dad 30 06 was king they was definitely a good share of 3030's don't recall any 303's but they were probably there just don't remember. But 30 06 was the go to gun.

I do use 30-06 for my main hunter now. Experiences vary and to be fair...I grew up in around a lot of vets. I think the thing that lends weight to my argumant is how many Lee Enfields you see being bought and sold still. The sheer numbers of them out there and in use still suggest that they have been used by a huge number of guys...although that is beginning to tapper off now.
The other thing is that 303 is an old calibre... originally intended for black powder so has the advantage of longevity.

I wonder if we would get a better idea by starting a poll to see how many guys have hunted or still hunt with them?

I would imagine that in the past the Enfields would be on top and that now it would be Remmy 700's...since so many have been sold over the last ?40? years.

I also wonder how many guys would have stuck with 303 if there had been more rifles offered in that caliber.

Doesn't matter... lets face it 30-30, 30-06 and 303 have been the big 3 and 308 is hot on their tail now and gaining ground. All of them are up to the job as long as the right guy is on the trigger.