# Guns for Antelope



## Slider_01

Alright all you flatland experts, I will hopefully be hunting in Wyoming for speed goats this fall and was wondering what caliber/bullet combo you think is best.

I currently own a .243, 30.06 and have access to a .270.

Any and all input is appreciated.

Slider_01


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## huntingdude16

They will all do the job just fine. Whichever you can shoot most accuratly and comfortably.

If I HAD to choose......270. The .30-06 is a bit overkill for a pronghorn(I still use it though :lol: ), and the .243, well, the .270 may be able to reach out a bit farther. It's a happy medium.

But again, whichever you shoot best.


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## Burly1

At the very least, you will need a custom rifle chambered in either .270 or .257 Weatherby magnum, topped with a Nightforce 5-15 trajectory/rangefinding scope. Nothing else will work. Pronghorn will merely laugh at anything less. List all those others in the classifieds immediately, so you have a down payment for the best custom gunsmith in your area. :wink:


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## iwantabuggy

Burly1 said:


> At the very least, you will need a custom rifle chambered in either .270 or .257 Weatherby magnum, topped with a Nightforce 5-15 trajectory/rangefinding scope. Nothing else will work. Pronghorn will merely laugh at anything less. List all those others in the classifieds immediately, so you have a down payment for the best custom gunsmith in your area. :wink:


 :rollin:


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## Slider_01

Burly1, great post! :beer: Now I guess I just need to sell off a few other items to afford the custom grade rifle :lol:

I figured a .243 would be fine to begin with. I was also reading of people using a 22-250, is't that a bit on the small side?


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## huntingdude16

They've been killed with less. I read of a guy killing one with a .218 Bee.

Though, i'de opt for something a larger than a .22 caliber. A .25-06 or .257 Roberts are just right for pronghorn.


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## Burly1

Your .243 will make a terrific pronghorn rifle. Load it up with a quality bullet from 80 to 100 grains. sight it in dead on at two hundred yards and any goat within reasonable rifle range is chops and jerky waiting to happen. PRACTICE, from field positions until you are confident in your ability at practical ranges. Still, if you want a REAL pronghorn rifle.........
:lol: 
Burl


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## NDTerminator

I've killed a fair bunch, a couple with the 243 and 100 grain loads but most with the 270 with 130's & 140's. Either will do just fine, although I favor the 270 or 7MM Mag with 120 grain Ballistic Tip handloads for goats.

That being said, goats are the only big game animal I'm entirely confortable taking after with a 243. My wife killed the biggest goat I've ever been in on at 383 yards (by rangefinder) with her Remington Model 7 in 243 and 100 grain Federals. Shooting prone with her pack for a rest, she put a round through the heart of a ND buck that missed B&C by a whisker...

I have a couple in the mid 70's on the wall, and her buck makes them look small...


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## dlotto28

A .243 or .270 is as close to perfect for antelope as you can get. Both are flat shooting and we shoot 'em out to and past 400 yards. Don't let anybody talk you into buying an expensive custom rifle or scope. Just use a good solid setup with good bullets. My dad and I have shot lots of antelope with .243's with 87 grain bullets. I have also use 130 grain bullets in .270 with great success.


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## Alamosa

If it were me, I'd pick whatever gun you like and choose a bullet with a lighter grain. The idea is that you don't need a heavy bullet to kill an antelope but a flat shooting cartridge will be to your advantage. It's nice when antelope hunting to not have to compensate too much for the variety of distances you may encounter.


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## Wyomingpredator

I would use the gun you can shoot the best if you can belly crawl a shot under 200 yards is very doable if you have trouble sneaking a longer shot might be necassary. WHATEVER you do if you come to Wyoming the caliber HAS to be 23 or larger basicaly a 243 is the smallest legal caliber in WY


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## varmit b gone

When I shot my antelope this year it was at 23 yards. Yeah thats right. i was using my 270 in case I did have to reach out and touch one and it blew him all to peaces. I have a 243 and I always wished I would of taken it. It is capable of downing annies at about 300 yards. But have a large bullet though! And remeber practice, practice, practice! Good Luck! :beer:


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## goose killer

When i go i use a .243 and my dad uses a .223 and we have no problem killing them.


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## CheapHunter

With antelope I wouldn't worry too much about what caliber, what brand, what finish, semi or bolt, ss or blued. Just get out there and hunt. Don't buy into this "overkill" nonsense. If it shoots it kills.


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## Plainsman

Out of the three you listed I would take the 270. Antelope are not large so more than solid bullet construction I would pick the most accurate round for the rifle. As long range is always a possibility the most important thing is a toss up between a bipod and a range finder. Both would be best. 
Learn your ballistic charts and practice at all ranges, including the longest you would feel comfortable shooting.


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## bwnelson

Just for the sake of talking, with all else being equal I'd go with the 270 or Turdy Aught depending on which shoots the highest B.C. bullet the best. There is a LOT to be said for a bullet that will not be blown as much by the wind when being serious about shooting speed goats. Gravity (drop) is a virtual constant and can be accounted for with a laser range finder. The only constant about wind drift is variability and voodoo black magic guesstimation when "doping" it.

FWIW I can't practice what I preach and carry a Browning 78 High Wall 25-06 with a straight 6 Leupold myself ... it is just for the style points that come with the octagonal barrel and tooled leather scabbard that screams "Plains Gun". That and the way it puts 100 gr bullets into bughole groups.


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## WildWill

Remember what WyomingPredator said, The smallest caliber legal for big game in Wyoming is .23 dia!!!


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## doubledroptine08

i have seen antelope taken with all those calibers. it all depends on how u shoot.. i shoot a 7mm08 with 120 sierra prohunters got mine this past year at about 375 yards. :sniper:


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## brittanypoint

Go big. .300 win mag in the neck. But here in wyoming we shoot what we have to. And as far as gunsmiths go, I know one that builds "excellent rifles that can consistently shoot a 1/2" group." He cant hit the broadside of a mountain if there is a breath of wind. The moral, watch what your gunsmith says and get references.


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## varmit b gone

I think a 300 Winnie is a bit overkill. A 243 is plenty of gun IMO, that is unless your shooting 1000 yards (which we had a set of hunters that would make that shot plus anouther hundred or two conditions permiting) I would not recomend trying this to anyone not practiced doing so though.


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## brittanypoint

I agree its over kill but I have one gun that I love and I wont buy another one. I shoot everything with my .300. Its seen alot of kills. Plus, where I hunt goats i usually shoot over 400 yds


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## jwdinius1

> They will all do the job just fine. Whichever you can shoot most accuratly and comfortably.


 Right on!!
I use my 7mm grained down to 100 grain bullets and love it, i dont beleive there is such a thing as overkill. If you choose the rifle you shoot best with, then you are probobly gonna make an ethical shot and clean kill and how much "over kill" can you have with a perfectly place shot??


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## varmit b gone

brittanypoint said:


> I agree its over kill but I have one gun that I love and I wont buy another one. I shoot everything with my .300. Its seen alot of kills. Plus, where I hunt goats i usually shoot over 400 yds


Hey if you can shoot it well, whos gonna stop you? After 400 that actually would be my gun of choice right after my good ol' 270.


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## jimpickens

From my arsenal I would use either my Western Fields 30-06 165 grain cor-lokt psp, Winchester Model 70 270 WSM 130grain ballistic silvertip, Remington 700 7mm-08Remington 120grain HP, Winchester Model 94 30-30 170grain soft point HI SHOK.


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