silverlake176
Active Member
- Messages
- 284
If you were to purchase a rifle just for antelope hunting, what calibur/bullets would you use?
Antelope rifles
- Thread starter silverlake176
- Start date
sageadvice
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 11,849
It would be a single shot Browning 1885 or B-78 in 25-06. One like this one...
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=318445562
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=318445562
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
HighDesert
Active Member
- Messages
- 285
25/06 with 115 grain Nosler Partitions. Pretty tough on an old speed goat outwards of 500 yards.
Broadside_Shot
Active Member
- Messages
- 590
.243 with 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips
Phantom Hunter
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,098
LAST EDITED ON Nov-25-12 AT 01:12PM (MST)[p].257 Roberts or Ackley, 115-120 gr spitzer boat-tail bullets
Zeke
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 10,605
270WSM!
or a 25-06 or a 257AI or a 270Win, or a 6mmWSM, or a 6X47 Lapua, or a 6.5X47 L or a.........
Lots of quicker mid caliber rifles would work well for the prairie dwellers but in reality you could use anything from a 243 dia to a 338 dia very effectively.
Zeke
or a 25-06 or a 257AI or a 270Win, or a 6mmWSM, or a 6X47 Lapua, or a 6.5X47 L or a.........
Lots of quicker mid caliber rifles would work well for the prairie dwellers but in reality you could use anything from a 243 dia to a 338 dia very effectively.
Zeke
woodruffhunter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 3,677
I am surprised at how many people recommend the 25-06, and at how many people like them so much. Now, before anyone freaks out about that statement, I will say that I own one. I also like it.
However, I would shoot the same rifle you use for elk and deer. You are used to it, why not stick with it?
But, if you are like me, and look for excuses to buy guns, I would go with a 7mm...
However, I would shoot the same rifle you use for elk and deer. You are used to it, why not stick with it?
But, if you are like me, and look for excuses to buy guns, I would go with a 7mm...
No more excuses for me, and I'm old enough I don't have to explain myself anymore either.....
Normally I carry a .25-06 but then you never know....
Hunt with what you shoot best and put the bullet where it belongs and it won't matter what diameter the bullet is.
Semper Fi
Normally I carry a .25-06 but then you never know....
Hunt with what you shoot best and put the bullet where it belongs and it won't matter what diameter the bullet is.
Semper Fi
littlebighorn
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 5,316
Many of us are of the same mind here!
I have seen perhaps 2 dozen or so pronghorns killed with everything from a 22-250 to a 300 Win Mag. None of them knew what they were hit with, but all died quickly. I have personally killed them with a 308, 257 Roberts, 270, 7mmRem Mag and 270WSM, and never felt under or over gunned with any of those calibers.
One caution with smaller calibers is antelope live on windy prairies and light bullets don't buck wind as well as heavier ones, especially at longer distances.
I have seen perhaps 2 dozen or so pronghorns killed with everything from a 22-250 to a 300 Win Mag. None of them knew what they were hit with, but all died quickly. I have personally killed them with a 308, 257 Roberts, 270, 7mmRem Mag and 270WSM, and never felt under or over gunned with any of those calibers.
One caution with smaller calibers is antelope live on windy prairies and light bullets don't buck wind as well as heavier ones, especially at longer distances.
T
thomasthehunter
Guest
i used a tikka t3 lite with swaroski scope. kiled 7 antelope in last 2 years shortest shot was 186 and longest shot was 545. the bullet we use is reloaded 270 wsm with barnes tipped triple shock bullet.
elkantlers
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 3,728
>6.5x284 I love that caliber
X2
X2
4
440sixpack
Guest
I use a 264 Westerner. if I were going to buy or build a rifle I'd do a 25-06, 257 WBY or 264 win .
Stay thirsty my friends
Stay thirsty my friends
ishootaRUM300
Active Member
- Messages
- 494
I built a 260AI and hope to use it next year in Wyoming on a speed goat and maybe deer.
B
Blueticker
Guest
I just won a 257 WBY at the North American Moose Foundation banquet Saturday night in Salt Lake City and can't wait to use it for antelope next fall. I've shot most all my antelope with a 340 WBY and it seemed to kill 'em just fine.
Z
ZIGGER
Guest
lol.....340???....or did you mean 240???
340 would do it I guess.....lol
340 would do it I guess.....lol
I've never shot an antelope. When I do I will use my 25-06, Its my primary rifle. I've shot everything from sage rats to elk with it, I even used it on my Bighorn sheep. I think it will do just fine on antelope too. That being said I've never shot a big game animal at over 350 yards with it either. Believe it or not I have a hard time out doing 100 gr Remington Core-lokt's with handloads. I've been messing around with handloads for 12 years trying to out do them. For some reason my 'Ol Winchester M70 loves them. I've been using 115 gr Accubond lately, but to be honest I'm not that impressed with them. The only Accubond bullet I recovered had zero mushroom, it looked like end of the bullet was sheared off.
4
440sixpack
Guest
I'm not an accubond fan either.
Try the 117 gr BTSP Hornady Interlock. fantasic bullet, it's only fault is it's too cheap and gets no respect.
Stay thirsty my friends
Try the 117 gr BTSP Hornady Interlock. fantasic bullet, it's only fault is it's too cheap and gets no respect.
Stay thirsty my friends
CAelknuts
Moderator
- Messages
- 3,825
My favorite rifle for pronghorns is my .264 Westerner also. It's a fabulous rifle, and the 264wm is about as ideal as you'll get for hunting pronghorns and plains deer. I've also shot pronghorns with 25-06, 270, 30-06, 300 win mag and 338 win mag.
None of those are bad for pronghorns, but I do like that 264 the best of all for lighter game.
None of those are bad for pronghorns, but I do like that 264 the best of all for lighter game.
L
ljmelea
Guest
.257 ackley,110 accubond,of which i have harvested 8 antelope with no problems as well as two mule deer bucks. Larry
P
pseshooter300
Guest
25-06
bassinhunter
Member
- Messages
- 68
LAST EDITED ON Jan-22-13 AT 01:15AM (MST)[p]I guess if nobody else is gonna say it I will. 7mm-08 in 140 grain nosler partition. Look at the ballistics and I rest my case. Fast, flat, and available in a wide variety of ammo from small varmit stuff to heavy loads. Small flat bullet is effected less in the wind
P
prong_hunter
Guest
LAST EDITED ON Feb-06-13 AT 07:55PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-06-13 AT 07:53?PM (MST)
LAST EDITED ON Feb-06-13 AT 07:46?PM (MST)
I don't start with the rifle. I start with the bullet.
I want the highest ballistic coefficient bullet I can get. (You can kill an antelope with any bullet made in America today, but you have to get it to him with sufficient energy.)
Turns out that 7mm bullets like the 168-gr Berger VLD and 162-gr Hornady A-max have the best B.C.s
Next I turn to the cartridge behind the bullet. That big B.C. needs all the muzzle velocity you can give it. The biggest is the Remington Ultra Mag. There are others just as good - STW, Weatherby, the Lazzeroni big magnum, the Dakota magnum. But the 7mm Remington Magnum, although not the fastest, is so close and so much more available that I consider it the best all-around 7mm even if it's not the absolute fastest.
The 7mm-08 and 7x57 will kill antelope for sure, but not with the flatness of trajectory of the big 7mm magnums.
Next I pick the rifle - a good single shot or bolt action, with a long barrel, and perhaps a muzzle brake if you've chosen the Ultra Mag or its brethren. A single shot will allow you as much as 30" of barrel or more, whereas a bolt action of more than 26" is ungainly.
Don't forget the barrel needs adequate twist for these long bullets. As I recall, the Hornady A-max needs 1-in-9", and the VLD needs 1-in-10".
Rugers, Browings, and many custom or semi-custom single shots are wonderful. All the standard bolt actions - Ruger, Remington, Winchester, Weatherby, Dakota, Jarrett, MacMillan, Cooper, the list goes on and on. They'll all do the trick.
Last is the scope atop the rifle. As a bare minimum a 3x-9x Leupold set to 9x. Many serious antelope hunters use tactical scopes like Nightforce, and high powers like 20x or 22x.
If you go that route you'll want a ballistics program, a chronograph, and a shooting range that allows you to check you're 1/4 minute clicks out to at least 500 yards.
Do all that, and practice, and you'll be a world-class antelope hunter. Make sure you wait for them to stop and stand still. Don't shoot at running antelope. And learn to judge horns. With a little practice it'll all pay off.
LAST EDITED ON Feb-06-13 AT 07:46?PM (MST)
I don't start with the rifle. I start with the bullet.
I want the highest ballistic coefficient bullet I can get. (You can kill an antelope with any bullet made in America today, but you have to get it to him with sufficient energy.)
Turns out that 7mm bullets like the 168-gr Berger VLD and 162-gr Hornady A-max have the best B.C.s
Next I turn to the cartridge behind the bullet. That big B.C. needs all the muzzle velocity you can give it. The biggest is the Remington Ultra Mag. There are others just as good - STW, Weatherby, the Lazzeroni big magnum, the Dakota magnum. But the 7mm Remington Magnum, although not the fastest, is so close and so much more available that I consider it the best all-around 7mm even if it's not the absolute fastest.
The 7mm-08 and 7x57 will kill antelope for sure, but not with the flatness of trajectory of the big 7mm magnums.
Next I pick the rifle - a good single shot or bolt action, with a long barrel, and perhaps a muzzle brake if you've chosen the Ultra Mag or its brethren. A single shot will allow you as much as 30" of barrel or more, whereas a bolt action of more than 26" is ungainly.
Don't forget the barrel needs adequate twist for these long bullets. As I recall, the Hornady A-max needs 1-in-9", and the VLD needs 1-in-10".
Rugers, Browings, and many custom or semi-custom single shots are wonderful. All the standard bolt actions - Ruger, Remington, Winchester, Weatherby, Dakota, Jarrett, MacMillan, Cooper, the list goes on and on. They'll all do the trick.
Last is the scope atop the rifle. As a bare minimum a 3x-9x Leupold set to 9x. Many serious antelope hunters use tactical scopes like Nightforce, and high powers like 20x or 22x.
If you go that route you'll want a ballistics program, a chronograph, and a shooting range that allows you to check you're 1/4 minute clicks out to at least 500 yards.
Do all that, and practice, and you'll be a world-class antelope hunter. Make sure you wait for them to stop and stand still. Don't shoot at running antelope. And learn to judge horns. With a little practice it'll all pay off.
H
HuntAddiction
Guest
.50 BMG. Flatest, long range gun out there.
H
HuntAddiction
Guest
Hey, I couldn't resist.
P
prong_hunter
Guest
I talked to one successful hunter who said he used exactly that cartridge for long-range antelope hunting.
I guess what that shows is that if you can hit 'em, you can kill 'em.
You can't kill an antelope deader than dead. A 50 BMG will do it. A 17 Rem will do it (if you can slip the bullet between two ribs on the way in).
Good Hunting
I guess what that shows is that if you can hit 'em, you can kill 'em.
You can't kill an antelope deader than dead. A 50 BMG will do it. A 17 Rem will do it (if you can slip the bullet between two ribs on the way in).
Good Hunting
