Snapper: I have Hunted Antelope virtually every year since my first Hunt in 1969. Many of those years I would Hunt both Wyoming and Montana for the wiley Speed Goats.
The answer to your question today is the 240 Weatherby! I have a custom 240 Weatherby built on a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 action. It has a heavy 27" barrel. The bullets fly real fast and real flat and the wind does not have much time to work on the great bullets now available in .243 calibers. My 240 is topped with a Leupold 6.5X20 variable. Fantastic tool this for Antelope!
Right off the top of my head I recall harvesting Antelope with the following calibers 30/06, 300 Winchester Magnum, 6mm Remington, 243 Winchester, 257 Roberts, 25/06 Remington, 270 Winchester, 280 Remington (also the 7mm Express - 280 Remington when real new!), 7mm Remington Magnum and 220 Swift.
Antelope are not difficult to kill and I always wait for a broadside double lung shot. It is my contention that this shot will get most all the blood into (and spilled out of) the chest cavity. Antelope blood in my opinion contributes to the "taste" of Antelope. I have eaten head shot Antelope where internal bleeding was minimal and in my opinion it tasted stronger than a properly "pumped out" Antelope.
I used my new Remington 700 Sendero in 270 Winchester this year to take a fine Antelope at 366 yards this year. The Nosler Ballistic Tip 130 gr. really worked well on the Antelope at that range in a windy situation.
I think I would rate the top three (ahh make it top 4) Antelope calibers I have used in this order: 240 Weatherby, 270 Winchester, 25/06 and 280 Remington.
Good luck with whichever you choose!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

If I had to choose a dedicated antelope rifle, I'd give the .260 Rem. a hard look. Or, just take my old .270 and do the deed.

RSY

Snapper--you know me give me my 6/06 with a 95 Noz Bt at 35 and I am a happy camper.......

Hey I owe you a phone call about elk--I'll have to try you this weekend.

C-Ya on the hill

Dogz

"GET TO THE HILL"

Mark, I thought I'd lost ya! We will be blasting through Boseman Sat. morning on our way to W. Yellowstone unless you have a better idea.

Call me on the cell if you can.

Snapper & Anna Oakley ( She's 5 for five this year)

Hey Snapper!
It's me, Ben! I personally chose the .308 Warbird this year with 168gr XLC's...finally got my Sako to group!!!! Good to hear about your daughter...tell her to cool it though, I want to have SOME animals left over in MT to shoot..HA!!!! I'm working over at Yellowstone Gateway Sports and MSU Catering now...if you're ever in town, stop by and say hi!

My .416 Rem mag loaded with hornady solids worked just fine a few weeks ago on the way up to SD for my buffalo hunt.

Probably not ideal but it worked.

JohnTheGreek

As a dedicated antelope and possibly deer gun one would need a TRUCK gun and a CARRY gun. THE best antelope gun I EVER used was an old 40XB with a 27" barrel in 6mm. ACCURATE, heavy so it was steady and a great 2 oz trigger. But I wouldn't want to carry it.

As a carry gun my favorite was a B78 in .25-06 with 100 grain bullets. DEADLY.

The .25-06 would be MY choice as a dedicated antelope gun.Taking into account winds and extended ranges.

FN in MT

Snapper,

If I didn't have to carry it, since it weighs 13.5lbs, I would use my 22 CHeetah MK 1 to 600 yards on antelope. Talk about flat shooting and accurate. I managed to kill a woodchuck with it this past summer at 675 yards. Start out a 52gr bullet at 4280 FPS and it doesn't take long for the bullet to arrive and wind doesn't bother it near as much as most would beleive.





Here are a couple of pictures of the 22 CHeetah MK 1.

Don

I'll throw my vote in on the 240 wby mag. I think this would be a great Antelope cartridge. Load it with a 90 - 100 grain X Bullet, partition, or scirocco. The 25-06 would be excellent also.

I have shot more Antelope with a 308 than any other. I have also shot them with a 7MM Rem Mag, 300 WBY mag and a 30 Herrett [Contender].
I have seen them shot with a 35 Herrett [Contender], 243, 6MM Rem, 25-06, 270 other 7MM REM Mags, and 300 Win Mags.
For my money a 243 with a 100 grain Sierra kills them as good as anything, and better than most. As far away as 370 yards at least, with less muss and fuss.

Hey Guys, thanks for all the great replys!

I'm working up coyote loads for my 6mm AI right now and may give it a chance next time with heavier bullets. I still have two deer tags.

Snapper

Good to hear from you Ben. Ill try to stop by in the next few weeks. Do you work the weekends?

Snapper--I still owe you a call--sorry its taken so long to get back to you. I'll be in Billings tomorrow night and then on to Casper early Sat morn. Back in Boze hopefully late Sat night.

I met a fella the other day-he owns 5 ranches and has lots of deer/birds and best of all Yotes.....

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

Hey Snapper!
No, I don't work weekends at Yellowstone Gateway right now...I usually work Saturdays at MSU Catering. This semester, I'm down to only 2 days a week at Yellowstone Gateway, Wed. and Thurs. afternoons and evenings. If you get the chance, do stop in...it'd be great to see you again!

I'm surprised that no one has yet mentioned the .257 Weatherby. I don't own one and probably never will, but it seems to me that this cartridge was designed especially for antelope hunting (and lightweight African plains game, too). Other good choices are the .25-06 and the .270.