Here We Go Again! I need to build a Mule Deer Rifle

[Boatninja]

Stay with the .270 Winchester. Ammo, brass, projectiles are readily available and is the perfect 400 yard mulie caliber. Not new or sexy, just perfect!

There are problems with the rifle and I don't think I can get solid 1MOA out of it

 

[ART W]

I have a 308 and 270 and like them both. The 270 shines with the older 150 grain Nosler solid base. If I were to build one today it would be a 280 Ackley Improved. We have one in the family built on an Encore . It does very well with H4831 and a 150 gr Scirocco. It is getting 3059 fps +- 18 and is sub MOA at 100yds. It has worked very well Muley's and antelope out to 400 yds so far.

 

[Boatninja]

Browning X-Bolt Speed in 270 WSM weighing in at 6.5 lbs with factory muzzle brake https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/rifles/x-bolt/x-bolt-speed.html

Hammer 122gr HHT moving along at about 3400 fps https://hammerbullets.com/product/277-cal-122gr-hammer-hht/

Rifle + scope + bipod + sling should be ~9 lbs. JBM recoil calculator is telling me 19.5 pounds of recoil.....minus whatever benefit you get from the brake. A lightweight scope and no bipod will lighten your load, but increase the felt recoil....

JBM simple ballistics calculator is telling me the above combo should be fine on mule deer to 800 yards.

Just one way to go about it....

.

Sounds like I need a JBM calculator. Is it an app?
I've been shooting custom PRS style rifles for so long that it is doubtful that I will be happy with anything less.
I do appreciate the info and price isn't a big factor. I can shoot my 6 cr but just feel like I need send a slightly heavier bullet downrange. Also I think it is the largest caliber I currently have.
I sold everything I had from .308 to 7 Mag after a back injury 7 years ago & I can shoot anything I just pay for it afterwards.

 

[Boatninja]

A lot of good recommendations here, but here is another. Ran the numbers and saw a lot of game go down many times….tough to beat these two for deer sized game.

6.5 Sherman or saum with 140 EH berger
257 Sherman Short with 133 EH Berger

Thank's Not familiar with either but will do research tonight.

 

[Boatninja]

The 277 Sig Fury will do the job for you. https://www.sigsauer.com/277-sig-fury-130gr-venari-soft-point-hunting.html

Yea man! Now we're talking!!!!

 

[Huntnpack]

7 SAUM. Hammer HHT 132 or lighter HH.
Short Barrel, Suppressed.

 

[Boatninja]

OK, Shooters with experience or solid data can help now!!
I think I've narrowed it down to .277 or 7mm something or another and I'm thinking 7mm-08 or as 4thefunofit just suggested .277 Sig fury. Ideally I would like to shoot no less than 130gr no more than150 gr Bullets and am partial to 130's but bullet selection comes in to play here. I am also partial to slow twist barrels and long bullets. I have three ARC short actions ready to go. I want to order a barrel ASAP.


This got waaaay more complicated than I expected and no fault to people who replied it is hard to get good answers without telling my life/shooting history. and sometimes people could save time by reading the entire OP.

 

[choprzrul]

Sounds like I need a JBM calculator. Is it an app?
I've been shooting custom PRS style rifles for so long that it is doubtful that I will be happy with anything less.
I do appreciate the info and price isn't a big factor. I can shoot my 6 cr but just feel like I need send a slightly heavier bullet downrange. Also I think it is the largest caliber I currently have.
I sold everything I had from .308 to 7 Mag after a back injury 7 years ago & I can shoot anything I just pay for it afterwards.

Here you go:

JBM - Calculations

www.jbmballistics.com

Some handy stuff there....

.

 

[JAYgs8163]

7-08 works. I also have a 7mm WSM that's lightning. I imagine the 270 would be similar. Biggest issue with a 270 or 7mm WSM is brass options. I was able to secure some Hornady 7WSM brass and with a LOT of brass prep I feel I've got some good quality brass. The round is a great all around performing cartridge. You can magnum heads on your ARC short action so you should be good to go. 7SAUM is also a good option.

 

[JAYgs8163]

OK, Shooters with experience or solid data can help now!!
I think I've narrowed it down to .277 or 7mm something or another and I'm thinking 7mm-08 or as 4thefunofit just suggested .277 Sig fury. Ideally I would like to shoot no less than 130gr no more than150 gr Bullets and am partial to 130's but bullet selection comes in to play here. I am also partial to slow twist barrels and long bullets. I have three ARC short actions ready to go. I want to order a barrel ASAP.


This got waaaay more complicated than I expected and no fault to people who replied it is hard to get good answers without telling my life/shooting history. and sometimes people could save time by reading the entire OP.

So the 7-08 then. Great round, great brass options. Alpha makes fantastic 7-08 brass. Numerous quality projectiles. I got my shouldered barrel from PBB and it's a prefit and will screw right on your action with no Smith needed. They have stainless, CM, and CF options with multiple twist options available. T/T Bryce and he will take good care of you. Good luck.

American Rifle Co (Nucleus, Mausingfield, Archimedes, CDG) - Fixed Shoulder - Prefit Barrels

American Rifle Company – Prefit Gun Barrels The American Rifle Company: Nucleus, Mausingfield, Archimedes, and Coup De Grâce actions are extremely repeatable, so nice in fact, we are able to offer prefit barrels for their actions configured in a shouldered barrel. This means there is no barrel...

preferredbarrelblanks.com

 

[craig hicks]

When my Remington Arms 7mm short magnum failed to do the job on safari in South Africa, the guide handed me his favorite rifle to make the long and difficult shot on the Impala. Done and done.
I'm going to let you guys take a few guesses.
Clue......it has been the standard caliber backup for this guide and most of his guide buddies for a long time.

 

[Mark37082]

Let's consider the objectives:
Short Action
Reloads but factory ammo is a plus
Mule Deer within 400 yards
Recoil sensitive due to injury
Does not want a 308

I personally would go with 7 SAUM as HuntnPack recommended and forgo the factory ammo. 7-08 will do everything you need.

 

[SSG Graybush]

270 wsm. With a 130 gr, my handloads are 3089 to 3178 fps, factory Federal vital shocks are 3300 fps, chrono'd. It's killed a cow elk at 100 yards, and many deer <200 yards, all one shot. It's so explosive at close range I don't use 130 gr vld-h or Nos BT's anymore, switching to a 129 LRX solid this year. Kicks like a 30-06. Nothings flatter shooting in a short action, that I can think of, maybe a 243 wssm idk. 6.8 western, no way, It only outperforms the 270 wsm past 650-700 yards with factory twist barrels because of the higher bc bullets, not case capacity.
The 270 wsm is my go to rifle. Only issue at the moment is finding brass, but Peterson is going to start making it and 300 wsm in the future. According to them, I asked. The 300 wsm ain't a bad choice either, a world record was resently set with it, a 2.6" 10 shot group at 1000 yards.

 

[Idaho Trecker]

270 caliber. You already listed a couple easy buttons. 270 winchester or 270wsm.

If you do your own loading the 270 Sherman short is great. My wife just filled her cow elk tag last night with the 270ss at 440 yards. 19" barrel with deadair nomad ti on top of that shooting 145 eldx because I hadn't had time to make another load before her tag opened. That rifle has now taken 3 cow elk from 770 yards to 220. It's also taken an Oregon mule deer at 1025 yards with no issues.

Like @Boatninja I am also a big 6mm fan for fast flat shooting with minimal recoil and amazing accuracy.