Best All Around Caliber for Whitetail and Mule Deer?

[Turpentine21]

All of the above… and 6.5-284 among the top of the list.

I thought hard on the 6.5-284. It's a heck of a cartridge. 5 gallon buckets full of 270 and 30-06 brass in my loading room hedged my decision toward the 6.5-06. Plus I've wanted to build one ever since I started reading reloading manuals and ballistic charts as a kid. It was a bucket list build for me.

 

[wvbearhunter]

308 Win is always the right answer

 

[clark33]

The majority of this thread is stuck in the 1970s lol.

 

[Varmintnv]

Gotta be a .270!

 

[HRM Johnny]

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

I'll second that. Good luck on the hunt. Please let us know what you decide.

 

[Jon Bischof]

He said factory loaded cartridges, many of these suggestions are of no help to the OP.
But you can buy 270 Winchester and 30-06 almost anywhere and they are both great for Whitetail and mule deer. Given the best load for your rifle. Ammo testing required.

 

[birddog 68]

Only my 280 AI has been on my western hunts the last 10 or so years. Antelope, deer and elk have all been one shot affairs. 139 interbond for antelope and deer or 160 accubond for deer and elk.
As mentioned numerous times earlier just put the bullet in the right spot regardless of cartridge and you are golden.

 

[Web1350]

This is for deer only in western states . Never seen any mule deer running around on the east coast side of the USA. I have been torn between a 7mm mag, 270 win or a 300 RUM. Wanting opinions from those more familiar with the area out there. I know not one caliber or bullet covers it all. But I have long favored the 7mm mag with a 160 Nosler partition for most all conditions.

I agree on the 7mm Rem mag with the 160 Partitions. Death personified.

 

[Roughrice]

I thought hard on the 6.5-284. It's a heck of a cartridge. 5 gallon buckets full of 270 and 30-06 brass in my loading room hedged my decision toward the 6.5-06. Plus I've wanted to build one ever since I started reading reloading manuals and ballistic charts as a kid. It was a bucket list build for me.

I agree with your decision!
I worked with a 6.5-06 for a while and was very similar, ballistically, to the 6.5-284 !

 

[Roughrice]

He said factory loaded cartridges, many of these suggestions are of no help to the OP.
But you can buy 270 Winchester and 30-06 almost anywhere and they are both great for Whitetail and mule deer. Given the best load for your rifle. Ammo testing required.

I thought I read that he had several projectiles and powders on hand for reloading and was asking for recommendations for his next pure deer rifle.

 

[Turpentine21]

The majority of this thread is stuck in the 1970s lol.

I wish I could go back to the 70s. The world was a simpler place. I had it made and didn't know it. Nothing wrong with the rifles from that time either. But the bullets have gotten better.

 

[AkleyFan]

Looking for thoughts on what caliber you guys would pick as the most versatile caliber for western whitetail and mule deer in factory offerings?

Thanks,
Mike

The 270 Winchester of course.

No, wait... the 30-06

Or perhaps the 308 Winchester

Oh no, what about the 280 Ackley Improved or a <insert 300 other cartridges here>... there are so many versatile options these days with the wonderful selection of bullets and powders we have, along with the accuracy and precision gains we've realized through improved manufacturing processes and tighter tolerances and the imagination of Hornady's marketing department - this is an impossible question to answer as it's totally subjective. Pick a box of ammo from off the shelf that tickles your fancy and buy a rifle to fit it, it'll work out just fine.

These questions do make my head spin, I need to sit down for minute. I believe it's a Whiskey tasting kinda night. Standby for lift off.

 

[wilkup]

I wish I could go back to the 70s. The world was a simpler place. I had it made and didn't know it. Nothing wrong with the rifles from that time either. But the bullets have gotten better.

Before my time, so I'll just have to take your word for it

 

[Quintus]

Really it depends on the shooter, the rifle, and what you can shoot accurately. With the bullets and rifle options available today it comes down to how well you can solve and shoot in the wind and what you are willing to carry for a rifle. Best all around to me means most versatile, able to do the job with the widest array of variables. The big 338s then the big 30s followed by the big 7s down to whatever package you can shoot accurately to the desired distance is the answer. Not the same for everyone. Accuracy is ultimately the key, and that is why the 6.5s are so popular now. Placement beats displacement if you have to choose one over the other. The OP is a question with no answer or a thousand answers. Ok, seriously, everyone knows the 6.5x284N is far and away the best deer cartridge ever brought to market...if you can't manage the 338RUM/Edge