quote:

Originally posted by cpaer:
I have been on 7 sheep hunts that has enabled me to obtain a Grand Slam. My rifle of choice has been a pre-64 model 70 Winchester with a 20' pencil barrel. The caliber is a .257 Improved shooting a 120 grain bullet. The sheep were all one shot kills at ranges of 100 yds to 425 yds. The rifle carries a custom English walnut stock.

My .257 AI shooting 117 gr Sierra GameKings has been my favorite sheep rifle also, however my barrel is about 18 feet shorter than yours.

I was also able to make one shot kills on four rams but, but I'm still two shy of a Grand Slam. I did a guided backpack hunt for my Dall in the Mackenzie Mountains in the Northwest Territories and I've taken three Bighorn rams from Montana's unlimited tag areas on DIY hunts.

My .257 AI is a Mark X Mauser that I put in a Fajen Claro Walnut stock and its topped with a 6x Leupold.

quote:

Originally posted by Tentman:
How about 6.5/06, you'll get a 130gn projectile with a high BC that will give you plenty of reach, good penetration and it will fit your action nicely!

+2 on the 6.5. For precisely the reason I'm building a 6.5 mm SAUM.

quote:

Originally posted by DArcy_Echols_Co:
Mt
All those Winchesters had overly long throats but also had long magazine boxes if my memory is correct. You could try a Barnes 150gr TSX flat base. With an un-blocked magazine box you can seat these bullets much closer to the lands as this bullet is long for its weight you might be able to get them within .050 Then try some H414, R-17, H4350, and 4 or 5 other powders. I'd be willing to bet you get that 7x57 to shoot just fine.

To test the accuracy theory shoot it single shot at first. If you find this works form an accuracy standpoint and the original magazine is blocked either remove the block or obtain a std 270/30-06 magazine box and replace the original magazine with the 270/30-06 magazine and follower.

I have seen this procedure work really well on a couple of Push Feed 70's. The owners then really like the rifle.

Correct, I have the same rifle. They have a really fast twist and a long throat.I had good luck with long bullets like 140gr Ballistic Tips seated out to almost touching land over some IMR 4350.

quote:

No one seems to want to use the "old" style guns like a lever action. WHY?

Doug: The short answer to your question is weight. Sheep live in mountains. 9 lbs. with no scope is a lot of rifle to carry in the mountains. Especially when you consider most sheep hunting involves backpacking.

My sheep gun is a Kimber 5.2Lb. wood stock and blue in 308 win. The 150 gr. Nosler shoots as flat as my 130 gr. .270 that weighs 8 lbs. and most sheep are actually shot at under 200 yards, unless your one of the new breed of long range shooter and don't like to close the gap...I wouldn't hesitate to hunt sheep with a 30-30 or a 250 Savage for that matter. Sneaking up and Lurking on sheep is the best thing about hunting sheep or anything else IMO, but then I love the hunt, but that's been changing more and more as I keep getting older and older, shot my elk over an alfalfa patch this year! and my game warden told me to go get a $1.50 permit to shoot deer out the pickup window but I passed on that, maybe in a few years. Dammit, hunt while you can, be a long ranged shooter when your too old to hunt.

However since you have a 7x57 I think you would have to spend the rest of your life to find a better caliber, and then you might equal it. My old 7x57 has a 06 length magazine box, and a long throated chamber to match the box..With H-414 powder is incredibly accurate and will match a .280 with ease velocity wise, and according to my chronograph will out perform the 7 mags factory 140 gr. load!! that was a surprise to me, but they underload ammo for sure. I shoot a 160 gr. Nosler at 2916 FPS, and have used that load for years in that gun and a Brno mod 21 that comes set up that way from the factory. For sheep the .270 always made since to me, Jack O said so, and he was seldom wrong.

I love/hate sheep hunting. I have made several trips, each with a different rifle. I started carrying a little heavier rifle and use an Eberlestock back pack with a scabbard. Makes the carrying a lot easier.

On rifles for sheep, I like a little heavier rifle that does not wiggle so much in the wind or when I am nervous. Mine are about 9 to 9.5 lbs all loaded up. I am not nearly was weight conscious when I am using the backpack.

For caliber, I use a .280 Rem or .300 WM. Mostly the .300 WM.

I would suggest the 6.5mm caliber, one of the best balances between recoil and a flat trajectory. I am building a 6,5x68S this coming year. It has a little more power than the 264 WM with no irritating belt.

The factory RWS load has a 127gr spitzer soft point at an advertised 3150fps. The box says that zeroed at 200yds, the drop at 300 is only about 5.5 inches.

My alpine rifle is a M700 7 Rem mag which has evolved over 20 years, three barrels, three stocks, a trigger or two, various optics and mounts, etc. Now that it suits me, I'm too old for such stuff.

My advice is to focus on the whole package. There are dozens of calibers that will do nicely. If starting over I think I might use a 308 Win. Beyond 300-400 yards they all start to shoot rainbows. For me, confidence in the rifle is the major consideration.

I have a McWhorter in 7 Wby....it'll reach out there.

264 WM. Winchester SS mod 70 all weather -
6x24 B+L - Harris bipod

.280 Remington. I have the Rem. 700 Mountain Model but it is at the gunsmith having a #3 Brux SS barrel cut to 23 inches put on and getting dropped into a Manners MCS-EH3. My weight is going to go up to 7 pounds from 6 1/2 but I gained a inch in the barrel, a larger barrel and a much better stock. With LW Talleys and VX3 I'm still under 8 pounds. I'm in the Dogcat camp on rifles. I don't want heavy but a 5lb rifle is too light for my skill level.

Regards,

Don

6.5 Nosler or 7mm Weatherby, with 7 WSM coming in there somewhere.

My take on mountain rifles, and the suggestion write up I give clients when they ask about rifles. Not everybody will agree with the thoughts.

I have a full titanium Satterlee in production, everything but the springs is Ti, and it still won't replace an 84M. It'll likely still weight more too.

Angus

http://www.morrisonarms.com/20...s-their-chamberings/