Best Mule Deer Rifle

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,341
Location
Alaska
I always used a 270, seemed to work fine. If I go back to hunt with my friends I’ll take my 30-06.
 

CCooper

WKR
Joined
Sep 14, 2017
Messages
982
Location
Western OR
Really been liking my 26 Nosler. Killed one w/ a 300 Winnie- a little much IMO. More importantly than caliber is proper bullet for task at hand.
 
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
1,774
Mule deer are so small, I’d have to put whatever is the best high bc bullet for hunting out of the 223 variety at warp speed

Guess would be a 90gr atip at 3200 sounds about right

although the 108gr eld-m at 3000fps isn’t slouchy and light on the recoil. Bang flops so far.
 
OP
L
Joined
Jan 30, 2020
Messages
2
Thanks for your replies guys,I have a Remington Model 7600 pump action .308 that im thinking about using for a mule deer hunt this fall.
 

toddg

FNG
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Messages
19
Most calibers will work so whatever you are most comfortable with. I use a 7mm Rem mag since that is what I have.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
1,747
Location
Western Montana
I think my favorite out of the rifles I have used is my 6mm Remington in a Ruger 1B single-shot rifle.
Here are some I have used and they all work great.

6mm Remington
25-06 Remington
280 Remington
280 AI
30-06

I forgot that does include one mule deer I shot with an old lever action Winchester 38-40 that I got from my father.
 

MT257

WKR
Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Messages
1,221
Whatever you can shoot best. But I’m biased and will push the 257 Weatherby. Roy Weatherby has it right with speed kills he just didn’t have all the high quality bullets we have today. The 257 will be able to hunt any critter even elk.
 

Steve O

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
2,877
Location
Michigan
Whatever you can shoot best. But I’m biased and will push the 257 Weatherby. Roy Weatherby has it right with speed kills he just didn’t have all the high quality bullets we have today. The 257 will be able to hunt any critter even elk.

Roy killed Cape Buffalo with his 257...

270 is not getting much love here. I’d have trouble counting all the different species I’ve killed with the lowly 270 Winchester. That’s a great round. My perfect mule deer round is the 264 Winchester; that’s what I will be using this fall and forward.
 
Joined
May 28, 2013
Messages
1,372
Location
Littleton, CO
Know the regulations for the state you plan to hunt. This is what it took to hunt big game in Colorado in 2019 with a center fire rifle. I doubt it will change for 2020.

1. CENTERFIRE RIFLES
a. Must be a minimum of .24 caliber (6 mm).
b. Must have a minimum 16-inch barrel and be at least 26 inches long.
c. If semiautomatic, a maximum of six rounds are allowed in the magazine and
chamber combined.
d. Must use expanding bullets that weigh a minimum of 70 grains for deer,
pronghorn and bear, 85 grains for elk and moose, and have an impact
energy (at 100 yards) of 1,000 ft.-pounds as rated by manufacturer.
e. It is illegal to hunt game birds, small-game mammals or furbearers with
a centerfire rifle larger than .23 caliber during regular rifle deer and elk
seasons west of I-25, without an unfilled deer or elk license for the season.
A small-game, furbearer or unfilled big-game license is required.
 
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