Best factory 7mm cartridge for whitetail?

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

I used a BSA CF2 rifle chambered in 7x57 for my 2003 Missouri Whitetail hunt and it woked fine. Using handloads consisting of Hornady 139 Grn BTSP bullets I did shoot my Buck twice however the 2nd was not really needed. The 1st shot was broadside and a good upper heart low lung one however the Buck just started and ran at angle behind my stand towards the creek but paused to look back so I at that point shot him the 2nd time as insurance. I certainly didn't want him stepping off the bank into the creek and having to haul him back up the 6 foot shear bank. Oh I recovered the 2nd bullets and it's a nice mushroom, it was under the skin of his left fore shoulder and measures about 0.600".

Later in the week the Large Doe I shot dropped on the spot but that was a neck shot so it's as I would expect. I have no complaints about how the 7x57 takes larger game like Whitetails after all my Buddy shot his Buck with a .330 WM using 180 Grn Nosler Ballistic Tips and that buck also ran a little way before going down. From what I gather Whitetails often run a ways before going down.