Best Antelope/Mule Deer Caliber?

[Four22]

Whichever one you shoot most accurately and comfortably

 

[Talk2elk]

I like a rifle that is light and quick to handle so my 300win mag is staying home more and I'm starting to like the 308 with 165 accubonds for everything. Saves me 3lbs of carrying weight.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

I bought a Tikka in 6.5 CM this year. Ammo has been surprisingly cheap and accurate through the 5-6 various loads/brands I've tried. I bought one box for about $16 that shot 10 rounds under an inch @100 yards. I've been shooting 10 round groups and quite a few were at least 1.5 inches. That's pretty good. Since this is a newer cartridge, I think the standardization on manufacture is a little better hence the good results.

I started loading the 143 ELDx and have gotten the 10 round group to almost 3/4" @100 yards using a 6X scope.

Anyways, that being said, I'd think any of the calibers mentioned would work just fine. I do think that if you don't load, you'll probably have an easy time getting the rifle to shoot with the 6.5 CM.

 

[hunter14]

You already own an awesome mulie gun in 300 mag. If I ever hunted antelope in rifle season I would take my 300 mag In a heart beat. With hand loaded 165’s it’s like a laser

Yeah, my 300 shoots very well and I do use it for mule deer (and will continue at times regardless of buying another gun). I even considered just picking up a .243 or something similar for antelope but decided I wanted a little more horsepower if I wanted to use it for something else.

 

[hunter14]

Thanks for all the replies. Like a couple of you said, there is no "best" caliber for the hunts I'm looking at as there is a full range of calibers that are very good for the job, and it really does come down to personal preference and how I'm able to shoot whichever gun I'm using. I am very good at over analyzing and making decisions much more difficult than needed!
Thanks again for all the responses and advice, much appreciated!

 

[ismith]

There is no "best", but you would have a hard time besting the 30-06 for the best combination of performance and shoot-ability.

 

[kiwi hunter]

there is no such thing as overkill

 

[Deleted member 20812]

there is no such thing as overkill

There is such a thing as disliking heavy recoil rifles.

 

[FLS]

I’ll second the 25-06. I’ve shot a lot of game with one and it kills way out of proportion to its bore diameter. I reload for mine , but will shoot Winchester 115 Ballistic Silvertips in a skinny minute. Mild recoil, shoots flat and hits HARD.

 

[brymoore]

We have a bunch of rifle calibers in my house but the favorite deer/antelope rifle is a 257 Roberts.

 

[Bambistew]

Mule deer hate 280 Remingtons. I'd pick one that shoots well and is easy to pack. You'll be doing a lot of the later. I can't imagine packing a 9lb rifle with a 26-28" barrel and a 2lb scope around in the mountains... Just to end up with the same outcome as 99% of other hunters, a dead deer at reasonable yardage. YMMV

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Mule deer hate 280 Remingtons. I'd pick one that shoots well and is easy to pack. You'll be doing a lot of the later. I can't imagine packing a 9lb rifle with a 26-28" barrel and a 2lb scope around in the mountains... Just to end up with the same outcome as 99% of other hunters, a dead deer at reasonable yardage. YMMV

My gun of choice. 7 1/2 pounds, scoped. 136 grain Hammer at 3100 FPS.

 

[Irrelevant]

I have a .270, wish I had a 25-06. But 7mm-08 would be a close second if I had to do it again. But everything I've ever shot with that .270 died real quick.

 

[rjthehunter]

I have a .338 and a .270, but even for whitetail I tend to use my .338. Yes it's a little big for deer but I know the rifle and shoot it better than anything. So maybe find something you enjoy shooting and learn it inside and out!

 

[mtmuley]

There is such a thing as disliking heavy recoil rifles.

What? No way. mtmuley

 

[kiwi hunter]

There is such a thing as disliking heavy recoil rifles.

the 300 wsm i use is a browning xbolt and it doesnt kick but does jump at the muzzle,,can fire twenty rounds and no problem,,do intend to put a brake on soon hoping to tame the barrel uplift so i can spot my strikes(im only 70 kg n 70 yrs)

 

[huntin24/7]

There are so many great calibers that fit the bill, but......if you reload or don’t mind paying more for ammo, the 257 wby is tuff to beat and fun to shoot.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I just can't wrap my head around disliking recoil. That is like disliking fish that fight too hard, or disliking old pickups with manual steering, or disliking women who drink tequila. Head scratcher.

LOL I love hard fighting fish, drove manual trannies for many years, and think women and tequila are a match made in heaven. Still don’t like recoil though

 

[memtb]

I just can't wrap my head around disliking recoil. That is like disliking fish that fight too hard, or disliking old pickups with manual steering, or disliking women who drink tequila. Head scratcher.

Recoil must be somewhere “north” of 60 ft/lbs! I’ve not experienced it ......yet! memtb

 

[sbhooper]

Recoil will take a toll at the range, no matter who you are. Heavy recoilers are hard to put 50+ round through at the range. In the field it is irrelevant, as you will not feel it anyway. I see no real reason to shoot a heavy-recoil rifle, when a lighter one kills just as well. To each their own, but the older that I get, the less I want to get hammered at the range, when shooting steel and testing loads. All of my heavy kickers have the load worked up, and I don't shoot them much, except to check zero.

Although I have never been recoil shy, I have had both shoulders repaired and don't need that pounding anymore.