Favorite deer catridge/rifle.

[nphunter]

280AI for me although I've never actually killed a deer with it. My youngest has killed 3 deer with it, my wife has killed a deer and elk with it and my oldest killed a bull elk with it. We will be taking it out this weekend for my 12yr old to kill his 4th deer with.

I bought both of my boys Kimber Hunter 6.5cm rifles topped with 3-9 VX2's and my youngest prefers my 280AI over that. IMO those Kimbers in 6.5cm would be an excellent lightweight deer gun.

 

[Patterbuilt]

What barrel are you running to shoot those 195's?

25” bartelin (couldn’t decide on 24” or 26” lol) 1/8 twist. I didn’t set out to shoot them, but the rifle absolutely loves the load so it’s all I load.

 

[BadTostada]

.308 win 165gr. All I’ve used for the past several years and no complaints

 

[danny6172]

.243win and .260rem have worked for mule deer. I bought a new to me Sako A7 in .308win that I hope to use for mule or coues deer with some barnes ttsx 168gr pills

 

[V-TRAIN]

I had a 300 weatherby accumark for years, that thing would knock stuff down like nobody's business, I used it for everything, but sold it last year. I got a 300 PRC from Alamo Precision a few months ago, but haven't had a chance to even shoot it. I have a archery hunt planned in Alberta in a couple weeks, and between practicing for that, work, and family stuff, haven't had a chance to play with my new gun. lol

 

[hunterjmj]

Rem 700 in 300WM. I use it for everything and I just know it well. I often have a deer and elk tag in my pocket so I like packing the 300. Im probably over-gunned for antelope but it puts them down and I've never experienced much meat damage.
I also use the same load for everything.

I've always wanted a 260 Remington so maybe someday I'll get one.

 

[BugleMeTimber]

.270 win and 7mm-08 are my go to deer rifles.

 

[mylsuhat]

I was always a 30-06 guy (150gr boat tail) but got a 6.5-300 WBY last year and this thing is a machine!

 

[benjohnson311]

+1 but chambered in 260. Love it.

Same but 25-06. Always looking for another!

 

[ianpadron]

This is a question I'll never get sick of contemplating!

Current favorite is the 270 WSM...a 140 grain Berger Classic Hunter at 3300-3400 fps is lightning in a bottle. Bought my 270 WSM specifically as a mountain muley rifle...2 for 2 so far.

For timber WTs in NW Montana and N. Idaho...my .243 gets the nod...5 pound rifle, light and handy for still hunting...enough horsepower to reach out to 4-500 yds in some of those burns/clearcuts if needed, but way more comforrable inside that 300 yd range.

Rifles, shotguns, and fly rods...a man can never have too many.

 

[Ripnbst]

I've got the following to choose from:

Christensen Arms Ridgeline 300 PRC
Bergara B14 Wilderness Ridge 7 Mag
Bergara B14 Hunter .270 Win

Which would you take after CO Mulies? I got the 300PRC thinking we were going to chase some elk but we switched gears and decided to go after mulies instead. Is the 300 PRC "too much" for Mule Deer? I am for sure taking two rifles, one as a backup to the other. Suppose I could take all 3 but that just seems unnecessary. A hunting partner will also have two rifles so worst case scenario, I borrow his backup if somehow miraculously both mine go to pot.

 

[pinpoint6713]

25-06

 

[Ucsdryder]

What is y’all’s go to deer slayer? Mine is the 257 Roberts. I have two at the moment. A pre 64 model 70 and a Remington 722. I will be buried with that 722 it’s a tack driving stone cold killer.

Here ya go Ryan! Does this look familiar?

 

[Savage99]

.308 now in a Tikka T3x shooting 165 accubonds.


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[3darcher2]

Being a lefty, mainly archery hunter in PA, I killed most of my rifle deer with a Remington 760 in 270. A few years ago, I started expanding my stables and in the past three years I've killed a whitetail buck in PA with a 35 Whelen, a 250 Savage, and last year, a 25-06. I am partial now to the quarterbores for whitetails. Next is a 257 Bob and Bee, maybe a 25 Souper at some point for fun.

I'll be on my first rifle mule deer hunt in two weeks in the Kaibab - I just put together a Savage 110 in 280 AI for the occasion. I know a 25-06 would be fine and it's the backup but I've been enamored with the 280 AI for a while now and finally have one ready too go. A big bodied muley seems like the perfect candidate to break it in.

 

[ArcherAdam]

30-06.

I am no fun though. I am 1 gun guy and use my m77 skeleton for any big game I would encounter.

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[(NOP)]

Tikka T3 Varmint in 308. It's about 4lbs (@14lbs) heavier then I would like but is an absolute hammer that I trust in any conditions. 0-500 yards is a sure thing.

 

[mcseal2]

For whitetail and lower country muleys it’s my custom 264 win mag. That gun has decorated my house and just works. Weighs about 10lbs ready to hunt with ammo, scope, and sling.

For mountain muleys I use my 300 win mag. Same action and brand scope, very similar ballistics, but 2lbs lighter.

Antlerless hunts I like my 25-06. It is a great deer cartridge when I’m a little choosy on shot angle. I shoot 100 grain ballistic tips in it for deer or coyotes.

 

[mistermystery]

I still use my Tikka 7mm-08 that my dad purchased for me when I was 12. I’ve shot quite a few mule deer and whitetails and never had them go far. 139gr usually

 

[JohnJohnson]

In recent years I've been rotating between a few rifles with the main one being a Mausingfield/Proof/Manners build but to be honest with you I can't seem to get the same consistency out of that barrel as I'd like. I actually preferred hunting with my Cooper M52 in .30-06 more. I just dropped my old 6.5CM R700 barreled action off at the smith and will probably use it instead because it shoots the best out of anything I've used.

It was originally a 24" R700/Bartlein combo that RWS Gunsmithing did for me. Later on my local smith cut the barrel to 16.5" and re-threaded it. So it will be my main setup this fall. I'll be using Hornady ELD-X 143gr factory ammo in it as long as it still shoots it well. With the previous barrel length it shot under 1/2MOA with it.

16.5" Bartlein barrel chambered in 6.5CM with a TBAC CB mount on it

• The action has been nitrided and the barrel has been Cerakoted so I don't have as many concerns about corrosion as I did before.
• I'll use one of my TBAC suppressors on it, probably the Ultra-9 since that's the one I use most.

KRG Bravo chassis with an R-Lock rail from RRS on the fore-end for mounting to my tripod as well as mounting my bipod

• On the subject of the bipod, I have an Atlas CAL that I'll attach to the rail via the SC-ARC clamp RRS just came out with.

TriggerTech Special at 2lbs
Nightforce SHV 5-20x56mm with ARC M10 rings and AADland scope caps

I know I'm technically taking a step down as far as the action goes but I just can't develop any trust for that fancy barreled action I've been using. I'll go back to Ol' Reliable instead.