Outside of 500 26 nosler or 6.5-300 inside 270 wsm or 257 wby. Haven’t shot my 6.5 Sherman short yet but that could be too. 300 rum is had to beat all the way around dang it I can’t choose!!!
6.5 PRC in something that weighs about 9# scoped (no bipod). If money is no object scope would be a tangent theta 3-15 hunting model. More budget build would have a bushy LRTS.
So many choices. Any mild to hot 264/277/284 would do it for sure. Mine is the plain old 270 Win or the much maligned 264 Win Mag. Used to be all in Winchester M70s but have migrated to the Blaser R8.
Dedicated mule deer for me equals smaller than elk cartridges minimizing recoil and reasonably flat shooting. I’d either be in a .243 or a 6.5cm for a small action suitable for mountain hunts.
For years my do it all was a 8.5lb 300WM using a Shilen barrel.
Now I would say 280 Rem or 284 Win...In a 6lb bare rifle...7.5lbs all up...
Unless I thought I would be shooting over 500yds then “I” would be using a 270WBY shooting 150’s at 3250+....