Best All Around Caliber for Whitetail and Mule Deer?

[NorthernShot]

Oh dang. You might have just made me doubt my next choice of .28 Nosler. I wish Browning made the 6.5 300; I have my heart set on another X Bolt….

Hahaha! It's one heck of a round! But don't let me sway you away from what you want! I just fell in love with the speed and energy that it can dump in an animal! I loved the idea of eventually getting a 28 Nosler myself because it's got a bit more frontal diameter and heavier bullets (especially the sleek 160 gr Barnes LRX) that would honestly be better for large moose like I took this year with the 6.5-300. But I killed my moose with 1 shot through the heart and all it did was fall down the hill so I'm pretty settled with the 6.5-300 until I burn the barrel out in a few years. When that happens I'll have a hard decision between re- barrelling in 6.5-300, a custom 7-300 Wby, or a 28 Nosler in a magnum length action or just a straight up 300 Wby because I do like a 30 cal too!

 

[Brushcutter]

"Best deer caliber" for Muleys and Blacktails in my case. I just made 2 lists, 1- rifles of mine capable of ethically and legally hunting deer in Oregon, and 2- handgun calibers that I currently have and can or have hunted deer with. Rifles from 223 to 460 - 16 cartridges, and handguns from 223 to 460. For example, 30 years ago I handgun hunted deer with a 357 maximum blackhawk and a scoped 223 Contender. Interestingly, exactly in the center of each list are the calibers that I hunt deer with the most. Rifle - 308. My go-to Rifle is my Savage 99f. Handgun 357 and 44 magnums. S&W 686+ pro 5", Ruger Super Blackhawk 7 1/2" (I wish it was stainless since we moved to the coast.)

 

[bama92]

Depends….
If I'm filling the freezer in Bama, .280 or .25-06….
Annual trip to Alberta, 300 RUM
Two totally different situations….