Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

Some guys seem to go light, then others big, I know they say you can get a 300-350lb mule deer, so what's your choice? .243 Win? .338 Win Mag.? Who thinks the .270/.30-06 is a tad light for a muley?

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

Thereis no better deer gun out there than the 270, bar none! Some may come up with a reason why "their" pet caliber is better, but no one can give any intelligent reason why the 270 isn't a great choice.

Sure there are guns out there that shoot harder, but no one can claim that the 270 or 30-06 are too light for muleys. People or certain types of bullets mayhave let their 270 down, but not the other way around.

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

7mm Mag is my fav mulie round because it is the one i used when i got my mulie a couple years back haha. but in all seriousness when i think of western big game calibers 7 mag is at the top of the list

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

I read of guys who love to hunt muley's with a .243, say it's enough gun, which I love the idea of using this caliber for one, but I'd much rather not risk it with a .300 than have the handiness of a .243, then I read how some guys like .300win mags or .338 win mags for muleys, and think .270 is light. If I hit something, which happens when I shoot.....I want it to go down, dead, sure it can run, but I don't want anything lost.

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

300 + whitetails aren't uncommon here and 300 + mulies are normal. Even still in terms of game animals they (deer)are relatively thin skinned and I personal think 1/4 bore or higher is just fine for our sized deer. In terms of mule deer I have used from 25-06 rem to 300 wby. My current choice in a CF cartridge is a 7mm rem mag for the big game animals I hunt here in Saskatchewan. The gun shoots/fits so well I have complete confidence when carrying it, thus it#1to me currently. That said it doesn't kill mulies any better then theothers, it boils down to shot placement - deflate the lungs and it isover quickly!

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

I loudly second the motion. I love my 270.It is the most bestest.
(altho I mostly hunt with my 7mm RemMag and '06). Wife uses her 30-06, and I have lots of 220gr silvertip ammo for grizz in AK if we go.



I hate these "who thinks..." and "who here..." questions. Seems like they take up too much bandwidth stirring the pot to no good end.

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

First choice: 270WSM
Second: 300WSM

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

.270 Fed 150gr NP

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

From the very few whitetails I have witnesses shot, and the 100's of mulies I have shot and witnessed shot,
the Whitetail, is much harder to to drop in its tracks so to speak than a mulie is..
Whitetails have alot of stamina..
I seen whitetails bolt over 100yrds when shot with .300 win mags and 7mm mags ..
I have never witnessed a W.T. shot with a 3006 or .270.....
And I've seen all these cals drop mulies, as well as elk moose almost instantly.
But reality is, they are both a thin skinned game animal and ya don't need a huge bullet with lots of energy to kill either of them..
Mulies tend to be in alot more open range, where longer shots may be the norm .(I hunt anarea where the closet shot is probably 250yrds away and the farthest well..if ya wanted to, ya could hailmary shots a mile away)thats why hunters favor magnums and flatter shooting cals....
.243 will work fine, .270 .280 .3006 are my favorite mulie cals..
Don't overlook the 270WSM 7mmMags or .300 magsif longer shots are the norm they will come in handy..

RE: Favorite Mule Deer Cartridge?
 

7mm-08