While on the varmint hunting page I was reading about a "walking varmint" rifle. As I read through the posts it came to me that if a "walking varmint" rifle was over 22 cal. that it would also be a good "mountain rifle" for deer. Is this one in the same gun? I think it is!

Basically you are correct. "Mountain rifle" is a term used to describe a rifle that is lightweight making it easier to carry in rough, steep country. Caliber can vary from 270 powered cartridges for deer, sheep and goats, to 375 H&H, for elk and mountain grizzly.

It is interesting to compare a "mountain rifle" in 375 to a "safari rifle" in 375.
One is designed primarily to be easy to carry, the other to be easy to shoot.

It all makes sence, on a mountain trip you usually are hunting only one animal, you will not be doing a lot of shooting, in Africa you will shoot several.

I don't think too much about lables but this seems one of those, a rose by any other name things. My walk-around varmint rifle is a .223 and my lt. mt. rifle a 7mm 08. I accepted more wt. in the varmint gun because I shoot further at varmints than I do at deer in the hills here. But, I guess I'd consider any gun that will shoot 6.5mm or larger dia. bullets of sufficient wt. to kill a deer cleanly, accuraely enough over the intended ranges, a legitimate mt. rifle. Then the difference would just be the target. I reckon a deciplined person could do it all with one .243, .25 WSM, .25'06 or such. But it would be less fun.

Yes Kimber, a light wt. med. bore (6.5mm-7mm)deer rig would be a great walking varminter. I would think a lt.wt. .260 would be almost perfect, 85-90gr @ 3300fps for yotes & such, 120-129gr @ 3000fps for deer, sheep maybe goats, yeah, just about perfect. I think I need one!