Ohio Hunters-Best Rifle Caliber for Deer

[kyreloader]

I am currently moving to Ohio from out of state and noticed the rifle equipment restrictions (.357 caliber or higher with straight walls) for deer hunting.

Is a 45-70 as good as it gets?

I like bolt action rifles, so plan to just buy a barrel and chamber for a current action.

Anyone doing anything special?

Thanks in advance!

 

[284winner]

TONS of new options. Currently the 450 Bushmaster leads the pack. Even here in Michigan with the same new laws for the 1.8" straight wall max case length, the 450 Bushmaster is hands top seller in previous shotgun zones. Can't say if it's the best all around choice but it's selling like crazy. Personally I believe it's the leader because there cheap, accurate and out to say 300 yards, deadly. What else issues left ?

 

[Mark M.]

The 450 has my vote, especially on a AR platform

 

[284winner]

Someone posted something about a 357 maximum for deer in a rifle length barrel. Sounded pretty impressive. Didn't know the maximum was really a candidate for a longish range deer gun. Think I read that they were using it at 300 yards with very good results. My memory may be off but it's what I remember.

 

[helmut in the bush]

450 marlin bolt gun

 

[MrMajestic]

I'm thinking the .50 Alsakan would aerate any cervid you would come across...(insert tongue in cheek here)

 

[1shot]

I use an Encore in 454 Casull.

Lloyd

 

[WyleWD]

Some of the decision on caliber will hinge on whether you're planning to hunt timber and rolling farmland of south and east of Ohio, or the relatively flat farmland of the north and west.

The most successful deer hunter that I know personally in Ohio uses a rifle chambered in 45 Long colt. Keep in mind that there is a 3 shot capacity limit.

Personally, I'd like to see Ohio adopt the Indiana format for legal rifle cartridges for deer. JMHO. WD

 

[JayHHI6818]

Ohio allows rifles chambered in straight wall cartridges for deer hunting

Straight-walled cartridge rifles in the following calibers: All straight-walled cartridge calibers from a minimum of .357 to a maximum of .50. Shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles can be loaded with no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined.

 

[rayporter]

I have hunted the brush and woods of the eastern part for 55 years and a 12 ga is a mighty good choice there. while I use a 20 ga a lot nothing will ever equal the number of deer the old H and R 12ga put in the freezer.

2 years ago I switched to a 45-70 [ new marlin] and it also is a hammer. the first shot with it 2 deer went down to a 300 gr HP.
now I am trying a 250 gr hornady. I really like the ballistics of it but we shall see how it fares over time.

 

[GSPV]

450 Bushmaster unless you plan to hunt larger game with it. They are comfortable to shoot and reasonably economical.

I just loaned my old Savage 212 bolt slug gun to a young man to hunt with in NC. I put a scope on it, bore sighted it, and sighted it in. My shoulder is still bruised and sore. Keep in mind that I've shot a large room full of 12 ga shot shells and shoot a centerfire rifle regularly.

Slug guns are a bitch. Hate them. By association, I hate all light weight, large caliber, heavy recoil SOBs. They make shooting un-fun.

 

[Bojo]

444 marlin , 450 marlin ,45-70, all will serve you well. The 444 and the 45-70 being my favorite. Many other option also though. A 240 hornady out of a bone stock marlin lever gun does a great job of putting them down without the recoil of a 300 plus grain shoulder pounding.
I won't shoot anything anymore that I am not willing to practice with.
Any shotgun with a slug that is worthwhile to shoot is hard on the wallet and your body .

 

[Evlshnngns]

I would like a 45 Raptor. 308 brass and 460 S&W dies.

 

[hogpatrol]

.45 Caliber smokeless muzzleloader, one and done. Good to 350 yards with saboted SSTs.

 

[Bojo]

.45 Caliber smokeless muzzleloader, one and done. Good to 350 yards with saboted SSTs.

View attachment 1078677

if that is all the "meat "you have left afterwards I'd stay away from that

 

[dkhunt14]

.45 Caliber smokeless muzzleloader, one and done. Good to 350 yards with saboted SSTs.

View attachment 1078677

My one shooting buddy is building them. They use a sized bullet from a piece of the barrel. Accuracy is unbelievable, one hole at 100 yards and 2 inch groups at 600. He shot a coyote at 600 plus yards across the Pa Canyon last year. He has sent alot of them to the midwest and they are killing with them. He just went to Iowa and visited a couple of guys he built them for. He said the one guy has a whole room of true trophy bucks, lots of 160 to 170 bucks. Matt

 

[284winner]

444 marlin , 450 marlin ,45-70, all will serve you well. The 444 and the 45-70 being my favorite. Many other option also though. A 240 hornady out of a bone stock marlin lever gun does a great job of putting them down without the recoil of a 300 plus grain shoulder pounding.
I won't shoot anything anymore that I am not willing to practice with.
Any shotgun with a slug that is worthwhile to shoot is hard on the wallet and your body .

Not sure positively but I believe Ohio has a 1.8" case length maximum. Eliminates the 444, 450 Marlin and 45-70.

 

[GSPV]

Straight-walled cartridge rifles in the following calibers: All straight-walled cartridge calibers from a minimum of .357 to a maximum of .50. Shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles can be loaded with no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined.

 

[rayporter]

45-70 is legal

and so is the 50-110 they are specifically named as legal

 

[GSPV]

That paragraph that I posted above is verbatim from the ODNR website.

With that said, just because *could* do something, doesn’t mean that they *should*.