Smallest caliber for Montana Mule Deer Rifle
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HARPERC
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.30-06, but would prefer .300 Winchester, or RUM.
TheSouthpaw
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Last year I took my Montana buck bedded at 551 yards with a 22CM and the 88g ELDM. The deer didnt go 5 feet. The bullet put a 3 inch wide wound through both shoulders and the lungs, shattering the offside knuckle. It is very easy shooting with minimal recoil, a sweet deer cartridge.
waspocrew
Well-Known Member
22 Creed would do just fine. I took a doe antelope with it at 430 last year and had no issues (88 ELDM).
Top of the afternoon to you. To date I've used them to 505 yds. Could I, would I go to 600 with them absolutely! I've found that I don't have much trouble stalking inside 400. But was I bent on shooting to 600 after the experiences I've had with it sub 500 I sure as heck would drop the hammer
In the last several years using the 60 Horn HP ( a lot from the mid 70's) plus a few taken with my all time fav bullet the 63 Sierra we took 49 head of game with 49 shots from 35 yds on out. One of the elk I took with the 63 was a mongo sized cow @ 308 yds, one shot behind the left front, the bullet took out the lungs, went thru the left shoulder and exited. Said cow took a short dash 15 yds or so and augured in. Of those 49, 93% of them went absolutely straight down!
If, and I say if one is patient, has their emotions under control and has good trigger control one can do a lot of killing. Being part predator will help one get some awfully good things done with the Big 22's.
I built a 8 twist 22/250 AI last year on a Kimber 84M with a Lilja cut to 23" that is .62" at the muzzle. With a 3-10 Leo with a M1 on top. This thing weighs 6.5 lbs "all up" (sling, rounds,scope) and shoots lights out! it loves 73 Bergers, 62 TTSX and 70 Hammers. I sure could build a load around the 80.5 Berg and go light the torch on critters at 600 yds.
For the way I hunt, the country I hunt and the game I hunt I am more than fine with this as my go to rig. I started using the 22/250 and the Swift in 1978, the numbers of game we've taken with it is staggering. Filling a couple Arks comes to mind.
The biggest blackie I've taken 20 3/16 was taken with the 63 Sierra @ 178 yds. The boar was rutting I called him away from his blonde lady friend and at 178 yds he turned to go after her. I hit him as he quartered away, hit him where is love handle would be. The bullet went up thru the body and exited where his Adams apple would be if bears have one. The bruin went about 15 yds and piled up.
Breaking thru the fronts on small big game like deer and lopes doesn't take much. (I've done it with a 17 Rem) Be it 200 yds or 600 if one shoots them in the lungs they just aren't long for this world.
It's easy to see by the responses on this thread who's done a fair bit of work with the Big 22's on game and who hasn't. No bigga deal really, we all have our choices to make.
Life is short, shoot straight!
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That's on incredible mountain buck! Yeah if I lived in your world I'd carry my lightweight 308 with 155 Scenars. This is a great buck, so many of the bucks we see on these sites are spindly bucks that should of been allowed to live another 2-3 years.
You did well on this one!
I second Allen. The 6.5x284. 6.5 PRC or even the .260 Rem gives you more range
You could even go with a 6mm - .243Win and a .257 Bob!
I am a curious fella so need to ask, how many deer have you shot @ 600 to date and how many rounds a year do you practice with @ 600 yds?
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty much in the big 7mm cartridge or bigger camp on bigger deer. I've seen too many stung by lesser cartridges and need more rounds to bring them down. The problem often is getting more rounds into the critter before they get out of sight.
A decent 6.5 or 270 cal. rifle would be acceptable if you really watch your shots. I've killed better than 20 mule deer with my 300win and 165's from 30 yards to around 700 yards. If you put a round into the clockwork they are going down with a 300.
A decent 6.5 or 270 cal. rifle would be acceptable if you really watch your shots. I've killed better than 20 mule deer with my 300win and 165's from 30 yards to around 700 yards. If you put a round into the clockwork they are going down with a 300.
jamie eaton
Well-Known Member
Last year I would say my 7wsm . Now thanks to the bad influencers on this terribly expensive to subscribe to forum , I would have to say my 338 Allen Express !! Its just to much fun to shoot !
Nice to see another Sierra 63gr shooter/hunter. While I have not pushed them on deer and similar to your ranges, and don't load them in my 22/250 nor AI, since the 80's, I have killed a fair amount of Southern deer and hogs with them from 222 and 223's. I have never had any game escape or leave the scene, and I am always careful about shot placement when using them.
While I still load them for my 1/14"tw 222's and 1/12"tw 223's, I have moved into the 65GKBT, 69's and 75's for the faster twists 223's.
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buckbrush
Well-Known Member
I'd go 375 Cheytac to be safe.
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
69precision
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but to 600 yards? I've used 22-250 on muleys extensively, but 300 yards is about where they started to run further than I was comfortable with.
