what is you caliber of choice for antelope?

[Badlandcat]

Started with a 22-250 Rem 700 ADL for few years then moved up to a 25-06 Rem 700 BDL and after I shot out the 2nd barrel on it I moved on to a 6.5 x 284 Cooper model 22.
Killed my 1st one when I was 14, and that was 36 years ago. Hunted antelope in NoDak, SoDak, MT, WY and NM.
All rifles did well, but I am having the most fun with the 6.5, its fun to reach out and smack'em!!
If I had the setup that I have now 36 years ago there would be a few more booners on the wall.

 

[the nikster]

I don't have a .270, if I did that would be it. I have a 7MM Rem Mag-my go to baby!

 

[----]

Whatever you can hit an antelope with.

 

[pseshooter300]

I like the 270 myself I would like to have a 25-06 though

 

[pointingdogsrule]

I bought a used 25-06 from a from, Brock, on this forum and used it for the first time this year. A browning A-bolt and I just love that gun. Very accurate and sweet shootin'. Hardly any recoil.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[Missoulaz28]

I like my 270 personally, but anything you have above a 243 will work just fine.

 

[pseshooter300]

Well I wouldn't feel comfortable taking a shot longer than 250 300 yards 300 is as far as my gun range goes to. So that is something I'm looking at. Hoping if given the opportunity to get close to some antelope with a good stalk but just gonna really practice at my max range in case it is needed.

 

[KRasmussen]

Howa 7mm rem mag and an old Remington 788 in .243. I actually prefer the .243.

 

[tarheel]

Tater, I have used a .243 for every antelope I've killed except one, and I killed that one with a Model 98 Mauser, and that doe died within 20 feet of where she was hit at 350 yds. All the others were hit from 150 to 400 yds, and I had to pistol finish several, so you just never know how effective one caliber is over another from one kill to another. All things considered, the .243 with a 95 or 100 gr Nosler PT should do the trick out to about 500yds if bullet placement is correct, but a gut shot goat can struggle a long way if not finished off promptly.

A .270, 25-06, 257 Bob will all do a more convincing job of it. I'm personally not a fan of magnums, especially on smallish game such as antelope, although they do have their place and a rather large fan base.

 

[Hem]

I'm not going to dish the .243 lovers,I've killed 6-8 antelope with this caliber,but let me tell you if the wind is blowing(when is it not in Montana and Wyoming) the drift from the bullet is not worth the gamble.

 

[pseshooter300]

The more I think about it the 270 seems pretty good to me.

 

[tarheel]

I'm not going to dish the .243 lovers,I've killed 6-8 antelope with this caliber,but let me tell you if the wind is blowing(when is it not in Montana and Wyoming) the drift from the bullet is not worth the gamble.

You definitely have to know how to dope the wind with the .243. The fairly hot load I shoot (3100 fps) will drift 41 inches at 500 yds in a 20 mph Wyoming breeze. Hell, even the 8mm 180gr BT has a higher ballistic coefficient than the 6mm Nosler 100gr PT.

 

[Gunner46]

I always wanted to try a .257 AI Roberts.

 

[CABugle]

I have shot all of my antelope with a Tikka 25-06, and have never had to shoot one more than once.

CABugle

 

[Hem]

So someone thinking about buying a rifle for antelope should still consider a light end caliber AND enjoy compensating wind drift when they can eliminate a good portion of wind drift with a larger caliber.Don't make much sense to me,unless one wants a .243 to hand over to their wife or kid.Just saying, don't get worked up over it,just one mans opinion.

 

[tarheel]

So someone thinking about buying a rifle for antelope should still consider a light end caliber AND enjoy compensating wind drift when they can eliminate a good portion of wind drift with a larger caliber.Don't make much sense to me,unless one wants a .243 to hand over to their wife or kid.Just saying, don't get worked up over it,just one mans opinion.

I think you've misinterpreted the point I'm trying to make. I'm not advocating anyone buying one, just trying to point out that it will do the job, but with limitations and marginal ones at that. If someone wants to shoot a 110lb animal with a 300 Win mag, more power to them; there's not much to eat on their ribs anyway.

 

[BuzzH]

I've shot them with 22-250, 6mm, 243, 25/06, 7mm, and 30/06...all worked just fine.

Always was pretty impressed with the 243/6mm and 25 calibers on pronghorns.

If I wanted a dedicated pronghorn rifle, I'd look pretty close at a 25/06.

 

[huntRme]

Not a fan of 6 mm's, but I am a fan of the .257 Bob, and 6.5 x 55 with a preferance for the latter. The 6.5 variations just seem to outshoot most everything...its something I can't explain. I see there are some 6.5 x 284 fans here...I've never shot one, but I expect it would do anything you asked of it.

 

[WapitiBob]

If you're only shooting Antelope and Deer, you can't beat a 6.5 x 284 Norma with 140 gr Berger VLD's.

 

[BuzzH]

About a dozen of these were not a fan of the 243/6mm...the rest werent a fan of 25's.

Rough day to be a pronghorn: