Smallest caliber for Montana Mule Deer Rifle

[65x55Shooter]

Soooo...your the mastermind of the 25-284 wildcat. I love mine. It's just a faster twist version of yours if yours is 40 years old.

Well I’m not sure I’m a mastermind of anything…but you are correct, mine is 10 twist 26” Douglas. It can handle 120’s pretty good, but the 100’s are a bit faster and better bullets then the 120’s that were out there then. I started with partitions but didn’t like the results. The monos, were DRT if I did my part. Mine is from 1970 and built on a 722 action…it was a 257 Roberts but I wanted a bit more range/velocity…

 

[Rotten]

I remember back when I first started hunting big game they had a minimum rifle caliber requirement in UT. I just looked at the regulations and no mention of caliber restrictions except for shotgun and handgun. For handgun is .24 caliber min with 500 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle for deer. I'm with the group that's asking why use the minimum caliber? I can understand to some degree with kids hunting with light cartridges and injuries and such. But I just don't see that a 6 mm cartridge would recoil that much more than a hotrod .22 I would always feel a lot more comfortable shooting a deer at 600 yards with something a little more poop behind it. But I've never shot a game animal passed 500 yards. I've shot plenty of milk jugs and soda bottles at 1200 for me I think I'd start with the .243 and go up from their and prefer the ole 270 and 30-06 but I'm over the 50 mark so I guess I'm a old fud.

 

[1017Adams]

I have few 22-250ai’s that are fast and shoot great. They won’t reliably stop a coyote at 400 yards or more. Wouldn’t even consider them for game animals although antelope would properly expire with .17….

I hear reality here. Thanks. 55gr 556 @ 300 is not reliable in my experience on white tail. 2" isn't deep enough.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Well I’m not sure I’m a mastermind of anything…but you are correct, mine is 10 twist 26” Douglas. It can handle 120’s pretty good, but the 100’s are a bit faster and better bullets then the 120’s that were out there then. I started with partitions but didn’t like the results. The monos, were DRT if I did my part. Mine is from 1970 and built on a 722 action…it was a 257 Roberts but I wanted a bit more range/velocity…

Well if you wildcatted the 25-284 back 40 years ago, you darn sure did or at least was one of maybe 2 or 3 that played with it.

 

[Allen Lone wolf]

It's just my opinion, but my experience shooting at longer ranges I personally wouldn't go below the 6.5's. As a hunter you are for sure are going to face a wide variety of conditions especially in windy conditions the 22 calibers simply can't handle that like the larger calibers and definitely would be to risky. And playing the game of "poke and hope" is not fair to the game we pursue. JMO.

 

[MontanaJack]

I grew up hunting in Montana and bagged my first deer 60 years ago. During my hay day, you either shot a 30-30, a 270, a 308, or a 30-06. Most of us were lucky to have one rifle for big game. The 270 was my favorite. Later in life my collection grew. One experience stands out that formed my deer hunting caliber thoughts. My hunting partner and I were meat hunters. We each had 5 anterless muley tags during one of those years at the peak population. We had a large herd moving up an adjacent ridge about 200 yards across. I dropped 3 does quickly with my 25-06. My buddy was shooting his 220 Swift, shooting at one deer that wouldn’t go down. As the herd was about to disappear behind the ridge he yelled at me to put that one down, which I did. His deer was hit numerous times in the lungs with his 50 grain bullets. My deer were also lung shots with my 120 gr bullets. That’s the last time that either of us ever carried a 22 caliber rifle for big game hunting. His load had about 1200 ft-lbs of energy at 200 yards. So it should have been effective. Generally, 1000 ft-lbs of energy is considered a minimum for deer sized game. However, for a quick, ethical kill, caliber matters. My experience dictates that 24 caliber (6mm) is a minimum. And we have lots of choices to use. My children’s first deer rifle was at least a 243 or 6 mm. My grandkids all start with a 6.5 Creedmoor for deer.

 

[Hondo64d]

It's just my opinion, but my experience shooting at longer ranges I personally wouldn't go below the 6.5's. As a hunter you are for sure are going to face a wide variety of conditions especially in windy conditions the 22 calibers simply can't handle that like the larger calibers and definitely would be to risky. And playing the game of "poke and hope" is not fair to the game we pursue. JMO.

Wind drift is strictly a function of ballistic coefficient and velocity. Given identical velocity and ballistic coefficient, a 6.5mm bullet will not drift any less than the comparable .22 caliber bullet. My preferred .22 caliber bullet, the 88gr ELD-M, drifts .1 mil per hundred yards in a full value 6mph wind out to 1000 yards. The G7 BC on that bullet is .274, slightly less than the 6.5mm 130gr Hunting VLD and slightly better than the 123gr Scenar. Additionally, I’m pushing the 88gr ELD a bit faster than I can launch the 123s or 130s out of my 6.5 Creedmoors. I find my .22GT to be at least as forgiving in the wind as my 6.5 Creedmoors are.

John

 

[nksmfamjp]

What part of the state are you hunting and it all depends on shot placement

South central. Reed Point, Columbus, are the big cities near there! I will likely be trying another place next year. It is a mix of wooded, sage covered open breaks type country and CRP/Hay fields….shots are usually 80 yds to 300 yds, but game is usually spotted out to 1000 or so yards.

Is there a reason to go with the minimum?

No, and I likely won’t. I’ve received and latched onto a lot of messages about 300 mags, 338, 7mm, etc are the only good calibers, but I know I shoot thinks like 6.5x55 and 6.5 Creedmoor much better…..even in lighter guns.

So, I’m wondering about 6mm, 25, 6.5 for deer…..I’m thinking that a 100-140 grain bullet at 3000ish might be a better choice than a boomer.

 

[eyeking89]

80

Love my 6.5x284 killed deer elk out to 800 140 burger

 

[Alex Wheeler]

South central. Reed Point, Columbus, are the big cities near there! I will likely be trying another place next year. It is a mix of wooded, sage covered open breaks type country and CRP/Hay fields….shots are usually 80 yds to 300 yds, but game is usually spotted out to 1000 or so yards.


No, and I likely won’t. I’ve received and latched onto a lot of messages about 300 mags, 338, 7mm, etc are the only good calibers, but I know I shoot thinks like 6.5x55 and 6.5 Creedmoor much better…..even in lighter guns.

So, I’m wondering about 6mm, 25, 6.5 for deer…..I’m thinking that a 100-140 grain bullet at 3000ish might be a better choice than a boomer.

I think your right. When you see some of us, myself included talking about the big stuff its really for elk and longer ranges. 600yds and in does not require the same thing as out to 1k. This depends on the wind where you hunt as well. Sometimes you need all you can get even at 600yd. My personal choice out to 600 is a 300 wsm with 185 Bergers. Ballistics on par with a 7 saum to 600 combined with the best accuracy and ease of tuning of anything I have shot for hunting. The lighter bullet really cuts down on recoil. But I would not turn my nose up at something like a 6 creedomoor. A 115 Berger at 3000-3100 pushed by RL16 is for real. But nothing will shoot with that 300wsm combo at mid range. I promise that.

 

[Taj]

I know guys are killing them with .22 CFs but I think I'd stay with a 6mm or 6.5 of some variety. I've had great success on mule deer with a 6mm Rem. Bullet design and construction has definitely upped the game for smaller, HV calibers.

 

[bsnyder]

Please nobody go tell the antelope we are hunting this fall we are shooting a 22 creed, they might tip over in fear already

 

[Mountain Sloth]

Boy this one went off the rails. If you plan on shooting a mature mule deer at 600 yards a 270 wsm, 7mm rem/prc/whatever, or 30 cal "magnum" would be on my short list. I'm sure the 22 cals do it, look at all the people on this post that say they use them for 600 yard shots on mule deer and elk... wouldn't be my choice, but its not my tag in this situation so I'm just offering the advice of a MT resident. Make your bed and lay in it I suppose.

 

[Allen Lone wolf]

Wind drift is strictly a function of ballistic coefficient and velocity. Given identical velocity and ballistic coefficient, a 6.5mm bullet will not drift any less than the comparable .22 caliber bullet. My preferred .22 caliber bullet, the 88gr ELD-M, drifts .1 mil per hundred yards in a full value 6mph wind out to 1000 yards. The G7 BC on that bullet is .274, slightly less than the 6.5mm 130gr Hunting VLD and slightly better than the 123gr Scenar. Additionally, I’m pushing the 88gr ELD a bit faster than I can launch the 123s or 130s out of my 6.5 Creedmoors. I find my .22GT to be at least as forgiving in the wind as my 6.5 Creedmoors are.

John

I have 3 whitetail kills with 6.5's and 1, 30 cal all were DRT between 500 and 600yds but I've never used a 22cal at that range do you have any kills on deer at that range with the 22 cal. Just curious. I did take 3 different calibers to Montana 22-250, 243, and 308. I had to use the 308 at 750yds the 22-250 and 243 were useless in the wind just my experience.