what's your mule deer rifle?

beav906

Active Member
Apr 18, 2011
177
0
Bend, OR
I see they had this for elk curious to see what everyone shoots for the big mulies. I shoot the 700 in 7mm or my Springfield '03 in 30-06
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,348
4,741
83
Dolores, Colorado
Used to use my sporterized 03 Springfield 30-06, but after I built a custom wildcat 25-06 in the mid 60's, it became my backup. In 1976 I bought a Ruger M77 in 25-06 and never looked back. Shot over 50 deer and as many antelope with it. It is topped with a Leupold VXIII 4x14 40 mm. It has provided lots of meat for my family for years...shot a few coyotes too.
 

Timberstalker

Veteran member
Feb 1, 2012
2,242
6
Bend, Or
Winchester Model 70 in 25-06 w/ 3x9 VXII Leupold. Shot my fist deer (Blacktail) with it 30 years ago an still use it today. I've only shot 2 Mule deer with it, but over 20 Blacktail, last kill with it was my 2011 bighorn sheep, no doubt it is my favorite rifle. Currently shooting 110 gr nosler accubond. I have a Winchester X-150 .50 cal muzzle loader that I've used on a couple muzzy hunts too.
 

brooks

Member
Aug 3, 2011
134
0
New Mexico
I bought a Winchester model 70 in .25 wssm when they first came( about 04 ?) out with them it has a heavy stainless steel bull barrel, a Harris bi pod, shoots 110gn AcuBonds with 45 gn's. of IMR 4350 It has been one shot one kill on Antelope,Muley and Whitetail ever since from 20 to 300 yards. By far the best shooting tack driver I have ever owned. It has a Leupold 4x12x40 VX11 on top.
 

xtreme

Very Active Member
Feb 25, 2011
859
4
Searcy, Arkansas 72143
Browning SS w/BOSS in 243 WSSM to 400 and Browning SS w/BOSS Rem 7mm to 600. The 243has a Z5 on top while the 7mm has a VX7 on it. My Rem 700 22-250 with windchester 50gr Silvertip works well on Ar whitetail deer. I still have some Lost River Technolgies reloads in both 140gr and 160gr to use, currently I am using 168 Bergers HPBT hunting VLDs in the Browing 7mm. Those bullets are loaded by HSM in Montana.
The LRBT bullets Velocity is 3063fps, good stuff. Working on loading 52 Amax for the 22-250. The go to black bear gun is a Rem 700 7mm and this year I am trying the RWS ID Classic in 177gr, that gun has a VXII 3x9 on it. I bought that gun in 1974 and it is almost retired with honors. After all these years, I finally installed a Timmy Trigger this year. The gun shoots the RWS 1/4 moa. before trigger was installed.
only hunts bear now. Longest mule deer shot with the 700 was 467yds in Ne. That was the beginning year of LRS for me.
 

bigshot

Very Active Member
Apr 14, 2011
538
1
Crestline, CA.
Hunting in Strawberry Creek mountains 004.jpg

For deer I like a light rifle, so lately its been my custom, Rem, 700, 7mm SAUM with 140 or 160 grain Nos. Accubonds. My backup is a Browning A-bolt II, 270 WSM, with 140 grain Nos Accubonds as well. If I hunt the copper only areas, I like to shoot the 140 grain Barnes TTSX.
This California forkie was taken with my 7mm SAUM in Zone D-14 and was a true unicorn. When I caped the head the skull looked like a doe on the left side, no evidence of an antler ever growing there. This buck weighed approximately 200 lbs on the hoof, which is big for southern Cali standards.
 
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Fish

Active Member
Jul 8, 2011
319
3
WA State
I use a Ruger #1 in 257 Roberts shooting 100gr Barnes TS. My back up rigs are two Winchester featherweights in 7x57 and 6.5x55 with 120gr Barnes TS and 129gr Hornady respectively.
 

HuskyMusky

Veteran member
Nov 29, 2011
1,337
183
IL
270win., 130grs, if talking mulies less than 500yds, I don't think it gets much better.

I think I need a newer mulie rifle though, it very well could be in the same caliber just lighter, or perhaps the 270wsm.

I'll probably have a .300wsm sheep style rifle before I get around to the new mulie rifle however, so there's a chance I'd just use that.
 

sjsmallfield

Veteran member
Feb 22, 2011
1,399
1
Jackson, CA
My fist rifle was a Savage lever action take down model in .300 sav w/150gr win silvertips. Now I mostly use my Weatherby Mark V .257 wby w/115gr barnes x and my main backup is a Browning A-bolt in 30-06.
 

jay

Active Member
Mar 10, 2011
462
0
TriCountyNM
I have an old 300 Savage lever action that my uncle gave me 10-15 years ago. I like it because its open sights, good to have in the truck, atv, horse etc. Don't have to worry about knocking a scope off. Pretty cool rifles!
 

Musket Man

Veteran member
Jul 20, 2011
6,457
0
colfax, wa
Doesnt get much more classic than that. Can only imagine the stories that rifle could tell.
Havent had it real long myself. Got a deal on it because someone drilled 3 holes in the reciever for a scope mount. I put a leupold VXII scope on it now. Before that I had a Remington 700 in 270 and i started out with a pre 64 model 70 in 243 with open sights. I still have all 3 of them.
 

Jon Boy

Active Member
Apr 13, 2011
339
0
Billings, MT
Havent had it real long myself. Got a deal on it because someone drilled 3 holes in the reciever for a scope mount. I put a leupold VXII scope on it now. Before that I had a Remington 700 in 270 and i started out with a pre 64 model 70 in 243 with open sights. I still have all 3 of them.
Do you hunt much with a smoke pole? (your handle is musket man any how haha) Thats all I used to do in WA until I got fed up with the one week early season and limited late season and switched to bow.