daughter wants muledeer gun

[JWW]

my daughter wants a mule deer gun for our 1st muledeer hunt together was thinking of 280rem. what do we need

1 doner action (probably savage or stevens)
2 new barrel
3 recoil lug
4 stock
5 scope &mounts

is there anything else we might need ,she allready shoots a 7/08 out to 350-400yards pretty good but wants a BIGGER GUN. she also wants to be involved in mechanics of build (reason for savage) so it is HER rifle. she is only 5.1" so i think 7mag is out.any suggestions would be welcomed this hunt is what she wants for graduation from collage with honors in enginering so dad is proud and happy to take her hunting
thanks JWW

 

[geargrinder]

It will be tough to out do the 7mm08.

How about a 284win built on a long action centerfeed Savage.

Good velocity, great bullets, you can seat the bullets as long as you want, and there are plenty of good stocks.


Congratulations to you and to her. That is quite an accomplishment. What engineering discipline? I'm a Civil myself.

 

[matt_3479]

Well is she wants a 7mm what about a muzzle break. It will feel like a 243. win. if not i know its not bigger but what about something like a 6.5 creedmoore, or 260 remington, 270. wsm or something. Good, fast, flat, accurate, hard hitting, little recoil.

All these are good rounds, heck even the 243. win would put a mule deer on its *** out too 400 yards. My neighbor drilled a 322 LBS, 170" mule deer at 387 yards and dropped him in his tracks.

 

[Oliveralan]

If your going with a muzzle brake, I would go for a 9-10lb 7WSM in a SA savage or without a brake a .284 win set up for 160 class bullets, mainly 162 Amax or 160 Accubond.

 

[Fitch]

Congratulations on raising a female engineer. My youngest daughter is a Civil engineer out of Cal Poly Pomona (PE in PA, NY, ME) with a Masters from ND.

Your daughter shoots a 7mm-08 with no trouble, she could easily step up to a .30-06 or .308. Either would work and they are both really good North American big game cartridges.

While 7mm bullets have a lot to recommend them in a .284 Winchester, .280 Remington, or one of the 7mm magnums, if one is going to go to the trouble to upgrade from a 7mm-08, and still shoot a reasonable weight carry around rifle with out ear plugs (i.e. no muzzle break), the .30-06 and .308 have a lot to recommend them. They are about equivelant for bullets of 180g and lighter. Both shoot a 150g bullet at 3,000 fps or more. They aren't sexey, trendy, or flashy, but they get the job done with monotonous regularity on what ever you point them at.

The next step up is a .300 WSM or .300 Win MAG, either of which requires a 10 lb or heavier rifle for comfortable shooting with out a brake, and frankly they don't have an advantage commensurate with the added grief for hunting mule deer.

In any case, shooting beyond 500 yards, be prepared to spend more on the scope than the rifle.

With a little bit of help it's possible to build a 1/2 - 3/4 MOA Savage with a Factory model 12 action, pre-chambered barrel from Shilin or equivelant, a good stock, and some time doing a good bedding job. The work can be done on a garage work bench with a few tools.

The rifle will deserve a good scope - probably costing more than the rifle. Done right, with just a bit of routine maintainance, that rifle will last for a life time of hunting.

Fitch

 

[JWW]

geargrinder her disciple is mech.
geargrinder & olveralan why 284win over 280rem
matt muzzel break is not out of my thoughts but i just dont know much about 7wsm
guys i think she just wants a semicustom gun of her own
last nite found a 270 savage at pawnshop for right price so we have action
btw she wants to build it on her own with some help from me so i think thats where were we are at JWW

 

[SBruce]

Is she willing to wear hearing protection while hunting?

Do you expect relatively quick shooting while hunting?

If she doesn't want to wear hearing protection, and if shots may be quick enough that she doesn't have time to put them on/in, then I'd suggest no muzzle break.

Do you or her reload? If not, 280 or 30-06 is hard to beat. Overall, easy to get ammo and not enough recoil that a break is needed. If you are into reloading, then 284 Win, 7mm WSM, 280 AI, the list goes on.

Don't forget a Pachmayer Decelerator or Limbsaver recoil pad, how about the accutrigger...?? The bigger the performance, the more the recoil, especially in a 9 lb with scope (or less) rifle. Most women I've seen like a rifle that's not very heavy to carry.

 

[geargrinder]

284 because is is a fat short action cartridge. You will be able to reach the lands with a VLD bullet and still fit in the magazine.

The 280 with any decent long range bullet will be too long to reach the lands and still fit in the magazine.

The 284 will also give more velocity.

It also works with your 270 bolt face.

Is your new action center or stagger feed?


Good for her. Mechanical is tough and still has good jobs around.

 

[royinidaho]

Being heavily biased towards the 270 cal and the Win cartridge in particular her are my thoughts.

But first....congrats to you daughter!!!!

If your donor action has at least a 24" barrel.

Much experience can be had by tuning/bedding/trigger work/upgrade and load development.

With a good 140 grain bullet, the proper powder (RL-22 as an example, maybe 7828, who knows, velocities in excess of 3000 fps and possibly much more may be achieved.

If velocity and accuracy are there, the young lady has a very respectful muley rig.

If the thing won't shoot the experience gained will not have been wasted.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[sinarms]

284, 280, 280ai, or 7mm wsm all on a long action. Best brass would be in the 284 then the 280's then the 7mm wsm. Savage would make a great action to start off of and you can make it how she wants it too.

 

[JWW]

thanks guys for the responces and sorry for long delay in getting back to yaull i was in west texas at ranch we hunt on helping put back togather after fires of 3 wks ago . but now onto the gun 284? will look into that idea i like it but what brand of barrel to buy we need some advise thanks JWW

 

[JWW]

btw gun i purchased for doner action is a walyworld package in 270 stagerfeed savage thanks again JWW

 

[ntg]

If I were you, I'd take the gun out and see how it shoots first. May surprise you. Like Roy said, if that .270 shoots it's a great muley gun as is. It's what I shoot and is great on mulies. Has plenty of horse power, even if he's out there a ways.

You likely got a 22" barrel on that gun. 24" is prefered, but I'd still shoot it first.

I load 140 SST in my .270 and it is an accurate, deadly load.

 

[rscott5028]

The only thing more satisfying than loading your own ammo and building your own rifle is doing it with your kids. And with so many capable cartridges, you almost can't go wrong. So, just go for it.

Always wear hearing protection.

Use a muzzle break.

My son has fired many hundreds of rounds of 7mm RM since he was 13yo. A good brake has made that possible/enjoyable.

Have fun and be safe!
Richard