looking for a new Mule deer rifle

[mkcj]

So we hunt Mule deer in Eastern Wash. and I'm a big fan of the 280, but with more people in the area we hunt we have looked to higher ground that is more open in a lot of places were 4-500yd shots (or longer) can be had. So I'm looking for a new rifle and you know how that goes, one day it's a 300 win. then a 7mm, now reading about the new 26 Nosler and that family of rounds. So this gun will be used for Mule deer and Antelope, would like a flatter shooter, you know all the excuses for wanting a new toy. Thanks for your suggestions, Mark

 

[wildgene]

...the guys around (Gunwerks, Boest of the West) here have been building some pretty impressive rifles chambered for 7mm WSM...

 

[.280 Remington]

.264 Win mag? A CLASSIC muley/goat rifle, all this coming from a certified .280 Remington nut job :grin:

 

[longrangehunter]

I'd look at a 7mm Remington Magnum in a rifle weight around 10 lbs. wearing a 26" barrel with scope and sling and ammo. Easy to find ammo anywhere in the world and when hand loaded w/ 168-180 grain bullets will get the job done with modest recoil that most anyone can shoot accurately. You could move up to a 300 magnum but keep in mind the cost of 30% more recoil.

It's one reason I'm thinking of selling my Nesika Bay Baer/Jarrett built 300 Jarrett and/or rebarreling it to a 7mm magnum. Even though I can hold 5/8" MOA well out to 800 yards with this rifle, recoil is too great to see bullet impact. One reason I love my Jarrett built 280 AI.

 

[HTDUCK]

Either a 264 Win Mag or a 7mm STW.

 

[DrMike]

You certainly have a plethora of options in chambering. I'm not deeply concerned about my .280 out to 500 yards; but I do understand the desire for a little more reach. I do like the 7 RM, but I also like the 7 WSM. Of course, the .280 AI may give you enough comfort to depend on it. The .264 WM and the 26 Nosler will undoubtedly get the job done, however. It'll be interesting to see what you come up with.

 

[Guy Miner]

Your .280 cartridge is quite adequate for 400-500 yard hunting of mule deer.

Does the rifle have the required accuracy? If so... Consider just bumping up your scope to be able to handle those longer shots easily with some target turrets or a custom reticle.

Re-chamber for the .280 AI perhaps? That will gain a bit of velocity. JD338 and I compared notes some time ago on the velocity he's getting from his .280 AI and what I was seeing from my 7mm Rem mag... Not much difference...

Just posing an alternative, making use of your existing rifle...

Regards, Guy

 

[FOTIS]

What do you want to spend? On the cheap Tikka 7mm rem mag will do. If you want pretty Sako or a wby in 257-30-378 will do nicely.

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

I would go with the 300 Win Mag myself and just get it over with as recoil is what it is but it will reach those distances with plenty of knock down and even a little left over! Lotta great rounds running around for it reloads or factory! 270 WBy would be my next step down in recoil and they are sweet shooting rifles! You could also see your bullet going down range! Funny my 338-378 with a 225 Gr TSX looks like a bread truck moving down range ! 3180 fps leaves a nice signature if Ya have a little humidity in the air! Not something we have a lot of but it is awesome!

 

[taylorce1]

While I haven't taken this rifle to 500 yet, my longest shot to date on mule deer is 560 yards with a .270 Win. I did it with a mediocre 130 grain Sierra GK bullet, and had a complete pass through even at that range. I would not hesitate to use a .280 at the ranges you listed.

The important thing is to learn your rifle and it's capabilities. Have you tried taking your rifles out to the distances you worry about? Once you get there you'll realize that your rifle is more than capable of doing what you want.

 

[SJB358]

Sounds tailor made for a 264 Win Mag and 140 grain AB's.. A bunch of the others would work fine, but a decently set up 264 running 140's around 3150-3200 will recoil easily and have alot of energy on target..

270 WSM, 7mm WSM, 26 Nosler, 300 Win, etc will all be equal, but if your talking deer and antelope, it seems like a perfect place for a fast 264.

 

[Guy Miner]

While I haven't taken this rifle to 500 yet, my longest shot to date on mule deer is 560 yards with a .270 Win. I did it with a mediocre 130 grain Sierra GK bullet, and had a complete pass through even at that range. I would not hesitate to use a .280 at the ranges you listed.

The important thing is to learn your rifle and it's capabilities. Have you tried taking your rifles out to the distances you worry about? Once you get there you'll realize that your rifle is more than capable of doing what you want.

I believe this fully. Try your present rifle out at 400 & 500 yards. It may well surprise you.

Perhaps change the scope, or develop a long range load for it... But the .280 is known as a very good longish range cartridge when coupled with those sweet, slick 7mm bullets avail...

Guy

 

[IdahoCTD]

I agree with many of the others here....try your rifle first. I would get a scope that has adjustable turrets like a Leupold with CDS dials/target knobs/or M1 knobs and give your rifle a go. A good trigger is pretty important for long range shooting too IMO. If it doesn't work out a .264wm like Scotty mentioned is good as are the 7mm's (.284, 280, 280AI, 7rm, 7-300wm, 7STW). The reality is a 6.5x47, 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem., and 7-08 are all capable of the task as well if you choose the right bullet for the job and put it where it needs to go. The only nice thing about the magnums, if you can shoot them accurately, is they are more forgiving on wind drift and yardage miscalculations because they typically shoot faster. I really don't think you need a .30 caliber for deer unless you want one. The recoil jumps quite a bit over a 6.5mm or 7mm.

I've coached a lot of people into shooting long range and most are amazed at how simple it really is out to 5-600yds or so. After that the drops start to get more dramatic and it also seems like with most factory guns the accuracy seems to drop off past that.

 

[mkcj]

So the reason I shoot a 280 is the first gun I bought at 16 was the brand new 7mm express (280), sadly I sold that gun when I was 21. Now that I'm older and have more money I started collecting 7mm express Remington's years ago. Now while I have many of them in different models and variations including a few of the double stamped RS models in camo from '86 along with a older 300 win mag I used for moose hunting years ago, but none are what I would consider a long range gun without some work being done to them. Now my boy's have newer guns one shoots a 280 or 300wsm other shoots a 270wsm. my older son says to get a 300wsm so we can load for both. I really like the look of the Nosler rifle and it's offered in a lot of good calibers and is a good weight not to light not to heavy. If I go 264wm why not just get the 26 N and get a little more power?

 

[longrangehunter]

+ 1 to the above mentioned posts. Honestly anything under 600 yards is still considered mid-range in the shooting world and any short action round in 6.5 mm, 7 mm or even the old 308 Winchester or any 30-06 or necked down will put a bullet down range on game with enough authority to take down deer sized game with little recoil to boot.

I normally don't like limiting my options on caliber simply because during the hunting season I can shoot an Elk, Deer or even a Black Bear while in the field. Which depending the range and more importantly the angle at which a game animal may present itself. This is where things (Bullet pass through and angle) can make or break what might be considered "enough gun" and/or more importantly the bullet used.

If by chance the game is running dead away and very large a complete pass through would require a lot of energy and a bullet with high SD and a lot of penetration to make a clean kill. It boils down to knowing the limits of what the gun can and can't do as well as your own ability with what you carry in the field and picking your shots accordingly.

I wasn't aware you already had a 280 Remington, which is a great cartridge and I've used a lot over a great number of years on game from as small as Black Buck to huge Whitetails (300 pounds on the hoof), Caribou and even Moose. Moose and Caribou aren't terribly tough to put down but those big Northern Whitetails below the Canadian border are not only huge but tough as nails.

Basically it does come down to logistics. By that I mean are you spending thousands of dollars on a Trophy Hunt and if your equipment fails it'll cost you big time or hunting out your backyard and not really a big deal? Those are the things that really matter and is having some overlap on a do-it-all rifle for whatever might cross your path important? As well as your ability to place your shots well.

 

[Guy Miner]

A new Nosler in .26 would be a pretty doggone cool mule deer rifle...

I have to admit... :grin:

 

[SJB358]

So the reason I shoot a 280 is the first gun I bought at 16 was the brand new 7mm express (280), sadly I sold that gun when I was 21. Now that I'm older and have more money I started collecting 7mm express Remington's years ago. Now while I have many of them in different models and variations including a few of the double stamped RS models in camo from '86 along with a older 300 win mag I used for moose hunting years ago, but none are what I would consider a long range gun without some work being done to them. Now my boy's have newer guns one shoots a 280 or 300wsm other shoots a 270wsm. my older son says to get a 300wsm so we can load for both. I really like the look of the Nosler rifle and it's offered in a lot of good calibers and is a good weight not to light not to heavy. If I go 264wm why not just get the 26 N and get a little more power?

There isn't anything wrong with the 26 Nosler, matter of fact, for a hunting cartridge it is really good in my book, but as a handloader, right now, brass is a litle pricey, and since I get pretty good ballistics out of my 264 Win Mag, I don't have a ton of drive to get the larger 26 Nosler. Would I get one if I didn't already have a 264, maybe if the rifle was something I absolutely wanted. I'd focus more on the rifle to be honest, if the rifle is what you like, chances are it'll be chambered in 2 or 3 cartridges that'll kill deer and antelope to 500 yards.

Good luck with your quest. I am the last fella to try and sway you from a new rifle.. Especially a Nosler.

 

[mkcj]

So after some checking and calling Nosler NO ONE has one of these and almost all guns being shipped to dealers are already sold, she even knew that there is 1 up for auction on gunbroker right now, and if I want to place an order with Nosler I would not get it until Nov. of '15. I was very glad to hear her say that they are not going to increase production just to get more rifles out.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I sent you a PM with some possibly helpful info.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Looks like I sent one of the links twice (the 26)...one of them was supposed to be a 7mm Rem Mag, for about $1300...its there for sale too.