Antelope/Mule Deer Caliber Recs

[Jaeger62]

I had been leaning towards a .264 but then I started looking into availability and it looks like it would be a LOT easier to find a .257 Wby Mag, 25-.06, or 6.5x55 Swede than any of the others.


Another thing is I want to get into coyote hunting and outside of my patrol rifle, don't really have anything for that. Would a 25-.06 in a lower grain bullet be the better option for 'yotes?

 

[sbhooper]

A 25-06 will do fine for coyotes, too, but do not plan on it being real fur friendly. If you are not saving hides, then it does not matter which rifle that you shoot. The 25-06 would be a great rifle for deer and antelope. It has a big following.

 

[deer_shooter]

What NHY said. I like the .270, but, I have a 7mm Mag and with 120gr handloads, its tough to beat. Your 30 -06 would be fine also, if you are planning on handloading. Any excuse to buy a new rifle and I'm in!

This. ^^

 

[MKotur325]

I wouldn't even worry about switching loads for 'Yotes. What better way to learn the load and how it performs with distance and wind than having another excuse to shoot it. The more you learn and shoot that load at 300+yds, the more confidence, and DOPE you will build with that load.

My logic says, if I will use it to kill a 200-250lb Mule Deer, it will certainly kill a 30-40lb coyote.

 

[Redwood]

Big fan of a lot of calibers being thrown around. For goats I like the 25-06 but think its a bit lite for a big muley buck. I think the .280 is one of the best all time cartridges, but one I've been curious about for your niche is the 6.5x47 lapua. If your going to reload it might be something look at. Supposedly mild enough recoil to allow you to watch impacts but throw 140 gr at over 3000 fps.

 

[MTpubliclander]

Well one thing that I have noticed out here in Mt is you need a do-it-all gun most days, cause unless your hunting antelope only then you also have the possibility of bumping a nice buck or some areas, (around here) or an elk. Old timers always seemed to like light stuff in the early 1900's 22 Hi-powers or 250-3000's and whatnot. I have seen elk dropped in one shot with a 243 as long as the shooter is capable and refrains from considering himself the star of the next SNIPER movie. really I think all these that have been mentioned will work as long as you keep in mind the effects of wind and elevation and refrain from shooting more than your optics and rifle can take. My optimal rifle for everything would be a 7mm Short Mag. Its a fast bullet fairly easy to get, shoots flat is a burner if you handload and.............. will kill just about anything you find in the west. A nice leupold 4x12 scope will make your new adventure even more awesome.

 

[jryoung]

There are many 6.5s that you can get a BC above the hallowed .5 such as the Scenar 123 and 139, .527 and .578 respectively. The 130gr Swift Sirocco gets you .571.....to boot there's a guy out there that took his GAP in 260 Remington to AK to shoot a bear with it.

To be fair, I'm sure he can get tighter groups in the eastern Montana wind at 700 yards, than I can in calm conditions at 200.

 

[idnative1948]

I am one of the old school guys so my vote is for the .270. For those who do not reload, walk into any mom and pop store out in the boonies and you can pick up a box of .270 or 30.6, plus you may have a couple of choices as far as ammo. Me, I have NEVER forgot ammo......

 

[Gr8bawana]

Antelope/muley guns

270 win or 7mm. Have my vote. I hand load but always want a caliber that's easy to find ammo in a pinch. You never know when an airline can loose your bags or some other freak accident.

I have shot antelope with both guns and the antelope never knew the difference. Both are very flat shooting.
I have also shot mule deer with both calibers and both are excellent.
My 7mm mag has been one shot deadly on a bull elk and a cow elk as well.
As for ammo i like to use factory stuff because you never know when you might need to buy
some in a small town somewhere and you can always find it. I use 130 grain in the .270 and
150 grain for deer in the 7mm mag. 175 grain for elk.

 

[elkantlers]

I didn't need a new rifle for open country pronghorn either but I really wanted one so I did alot of research last year and ended up getting a 6.5x284. I chose the Savage Weather Warrior. It comes with the 24" barrel that really gets most everything out of the caliber. The more I shoot the 6.5 the more impressed I am with it. I took it to Wyoming last year and shot two pronghorn with it. They were both at 300yds. No hold over, crosshair on the heart and they were done. I shoot a 140gr HVLD at 2975fps muzzle. My wife and two daughters ( 12 and 15 ) can shoot it real well also, very manageable recoil.

 

[sbhooper]

I have not read all of the posts, as these threads get pretty stupid sometimes.

You are armed well with what you have. Load 140 grainers in the 08 and 165s in the 06. Practice and learn the ballistics. Both of those guns are as good as it gets. If you compare the drop chart of those with the others that you listed, you will see how really little difference there is, unless you are one of these lead slingers that think that they have to shoot past 500 yards or they are not hunting.

If you are just looking to get a new gun, I would say a 7 mag with 140s will do all you want with antelope and deer. You do not need any fancy, smancy bullets either. Just load Sierras, Hornadys or Speers and go kill stuff. Don't buy off on the "lighter is better" crap either. Light bullets do fine until you stretch the range and then you will see how much better the heavier bullets maintain their poop if you study the ballistics.

Have fun.

 

[Rooster52]

I have taken several antelope and deer with my 243 Winchester ,but recently started huntingwith a 270WSM, great caliber.From antelope to elk .

 

[danr55]

I've owned or built about everything available in 6.5 and there are several among them that would qualify if you reload. If you don't reload, let me suggest the 257 Wby Mag. It's about the epitome of flat shooting western plains rifle. Ammo is expensive and it's not a rifle you want to take to the range and shoot up a hundred rounds, but with a good bullet and good placement, there isn't much on this continent it wouldn't stop. If you read some of the stories of the developement of the round, Roy Wby proved it by taking a cape buffalo with one shot. ( I'm sure he had lots of backup..)

 

[6mm Remington]

Nothing wrong at all with a 30-06 and a 165 gr. Accubond! Great cartridge and great bullet. Now since you want a new rifle how about one of these??

6mm Remington - 100 gr. Partition or 90 gr. Accubond Great for coyotes, deer, and antelope. I've killed one elk with mine and so has my son with his!

25-06 - Hard to go wrong with this one with a 110 gr. Accubond or the 115 & 120 gr. Partitions!

6.5-06 - That would be a fun one to work with.

280 Remington or 280 AI - Great cartridge with a 140 gr. bullet. Super elk rifle also!

 

[bobvonb]

I also am a bit more cautious. I would never feel under-gunned with a 30-06. Good arguments for 6.5s but I like the 7mms better. A few years ago I had the notion that I needed something different from my -06 and my research, including lots of good input from GOOD hunters I know, led me to think the 7-08 was the IT gun. But when I eventually had one built it wound up being a 7x57. LOVE IT!! Sure the 7-08 is the "ballistic equivalent" (whatever that means) and that's a great gun, but I kind of like having a more classic round and after all it is a little more than the 7-08 with my handloads. Others out here use 7mmRemMag and a 7mm WSM and while I know they are more than adequate, what they offer beyond my 7x57 is only about 100 yards effective range and since I will not shoot past 350 yards in the field the extra recoil rules them out for me (and me only). So, to make a long story longer, get another 7-08 and shoot the heck out of it. If you are still unsure, get the Big 7, the 7RemMag. It is a by gosh flat shooting, hard hitting buck buster with ammo available everywhere. Otherwise get a nicer 30-06 to satisfy your new gun need.

 

[Rooster52]

I have hunted with several different rifles and calibers and settled on a one rifle one caliber rifle. Browning Abolt in 270WSM. Does it all for me.

 

[Mudranger1]

Is it just me or what? But looking at ballistics charts I haven't seen any difference worth changing guns out to 300 yards. Other than wanting to of course

 

[Gr8bawana]

I've been using my 7mm mag for everything since 1980. It will reach out a touch them waayyy out there
even with facory ammo.
Although you can't go wrong with a .270 either. Bought one for my wife because recoil is very managable.
It's also a good long range shooter if needed, plus like a previous poster said you can get ammo anywhere and pretty cheaply.

 

[Pecos7744]

At that range a creedmore, 260 or swede with a GMX or similar in the 120 range will be more than atiquate. I'm using 120 GMX in my swede and won't hesitate to shoot at bull elk out to 400 yards.

 

[idahojoe]

270 243 7mm-08 the list goes on