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| one of us |
Have a SRK 454 Casull with 7x scope. Would like to hunt antelope at 150+- yds. I do not reload. What would be a good off the shelf load for this task? Thanks | ||
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| Moderator |
I only reload for this cartridge, $2+ per round is steep. If your revolver shoots it minute of antelope or less, I believe the Winchester 250 grain load is more than adequate for what you are wanting to do. Which load are you currently shooting? It may be just as well to stick with what you are using and adjust your practice to the further distances. If ignorance is bliss; there are some blissful sonofaguns around here. We know who you are, so no reason to point yourselves out. | |||
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| One of Us |
I would use the 240 gr hornady factory load. At 150 if sighted in at 100 which, if i remember correctly as i compared these two loads years ago for blackbuck hunting, will drop about 4 to 5" that winchester 250 load will drop close to a foot and have to be much higher at 50 yards to do that and be sighted in at 100 yards. The me and momentum figures show the 240 will hit like a 44 mag factory 240 round at the muzzle and the winchest will like a weak 45 acp round. Is what did was to sight the 240 hornady 2" high at 50 yards at the 150 had a drop of like an inch or so at 150. It made it a 200 yard gun if you shoot off sticks and can play the wind. | |||
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Moderator |
And if you choose that Hornady load, be sure to wear hearing protection as it is bleeding loud. Oh, and keep us posted! "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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| Moderator |
Every load in a .454 is bleeding loud. If ignorance is bliss; there are some blissful sonofaguns around here. We know who you are, so no reason to point yourselves out. | |||
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| Moderator |
Not like that 240, Rob. That one is in its own class. I got more complaints testing that load than any other at my local range. "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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True, i use hearing protection for every gun i shoot and 100% for all revolvers. That said, with the exception of a few 500 smith and nearly every 460 round that would be the last round id ever use without ears. Ever. | |||
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Some times it seems to me that factories use powders that have a lot more muzzle blast.  So you know your shooting a big bore or magnum. I shot one WW 357 the blast and recoil was nuts and it was a 100 fps slower than a hand load that didn't have as much blast or recoil. | |||
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| One of Us |
Ive noticed the same, none more so than the 260 gr factory loads. I can get the same velocity with much less blast and a noticeably less sharp recoil | |||
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| One of Us |
 It can be done. Winchester Factory 260 and a FA Premier 4 3/4" could do it. "It ain't lion hunting unless you get stitches." - John in WYO "It became aquatic, briefly." Ann ~ Aspen Hill Adventures The bear has to touch you to hurt you. Don’t let the bear touch you. | |||
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| One of Us |
John, what was your experience like using a revolver for antelope? Shot distance, shooting position, shooting sticks?, etc. I've never used a handgun for antelope before and would be interested to hear how others approached it. | |||
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| One of Us |
It appears to me that this shouldn't be much different from shooting IHMSA rams at 200 with a big bore handgun. If you have shot IHMSA, it should not be a big deal. The big thing, to me, is sight radius. However, that photo of a pronghorn with a 4-3/4" FA is impressive as all getout, if for no other reason than his sight radius was only about 7" at absolute best (and that is a guess)! | |||
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I have taken one with a XP-100 in 284 Win, at about 250 yards of of a seated bipod. I think a revolver guy could do the same at 150. Hard part is sneaking in. I'd do a tripod if I was doing it that way. | |||
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one of us |
Getting back to the question at hand, the sight radius will not be an issue with your scoped gun. What will be an issue will be: The willingness to pass shooting at the antelope when it is beyond your set limit. Unless you are already proficient at that range, you need to be shooting enough at 100-150 to be ready when the time comes. Just getting within the 150 yards you want to base your shot on may be an issue depending how many folks will be in the area chasing them around. Accurate range estimation or a range finder. After that it is simply a matter of finding, getting close, shooting one and getting it cooled off in the heat. Don't limit your challenges . . . Challenge your limits | |||
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| One of Us |
Definitely can be a hoot to hunt the speed goats with a revolver. I used a Ruger 414 supermag that I had Alan Harton build to take this one a few years ago.  | |||
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