Heading to West Texas in January for desert Mule deer, Free range Mouflan sheep, and Javalina. I also have 2 nights booked for predator hunting for bobcat and coyotes.
My question is should I bring my 300 winny foR the big game AND my 243 for predators...... Or just use my 300 Win mag for both the big game and the predators.
guide already said for the shots at the big game the 243 is a little light.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks.
W

Take the .300 win and don't look back, or take both in case something goes wobbly with one of them.

I recommend a person taking two guns in case something happens to one. Either that or take one and if something goes wrong you might be able to borrow a gun from the guide.

Is there any reason NOT to bring both? Excessive baggage charges and such?

If bringing both were a problem, the I'd go the the .300 mag. It will work on everything. It's better to be over gunned on predators than to be undergunned on big game (which I assume is the main focus of the trip.)

On the other hand, IF you can place your shots precisely the .243 can take everything on the list. But, be realistic about your marksmanship skills.

I'd bring a smaller gun for the predators. The pelts should be prime in January

I have always been susceptible to Murphy's Law so I always take two.

Best of luck, let us know how it goes, with pictures of course.

Carl

Do you handload? If so, get some solids for the 300 and see if you can get them to group the same as your regular hunting loads. That way if you shoot predators you'll just a clean hole which is easy to sew up.

I've done the above with my 7mm Mag. I got the solids to group less than a half an inch lower than my normal load and I always cary 2 or 3 solids for when I get a crack at a song dog or 2.

Sell them both and take a 270.
Seriously, take them both just to have a back-up rifle, although Tommy's idea of loading solids would be a fine idea too.

I always take two.

One is none and two is one.

As posted, is there any reason to not take them both?
That said, I usually take one rifle. geared for the biggest thing I plan to hunt. I do take a back up scope with QR rings that has been sighted in on the rifle.

The only reason not to bring two guns would be easier ness in travel.
Any Better results if I were to bring just my 30-06.
Thanks.
Michael

A big male Aoudad is a tough critter, out there shots can be long. IF I where to only take one it would be the .300WM.

Mulies die pretty easy in my experience Aoudads can be tough!

Was it me I'd take the .300 and never look back!


.

No aoudad on this trip. Just Free Range mouflan and Mule Deer for the big game.
Do you think a 30-06 with a 150Gr Balistic tip would be a good combination. It would be fun to put this together and shoot it.
So Im gonna bring only one gun.
OK
For this hunt, would you bring the 300 Win Mag with 180 grain accubond (my go to set up) or bring the 30-06 with 150 Grain Balistic Tip.
Please let me know.
(I gotta do something to keep my mind busy before my October moose hunt in Utah (LOLLOLLOL)
THanks,
Micahel

Just the 300 or 30-06 seems sufficient. You're coming to Texas, we have lots of guns here if something happens to your primary.

quote:

A big male Aoudad is a tough critter

Whoops read that wrong.......West Texas always has me thinkin' Aoudad.......

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I'd bring both. Otherwise bring the .243 and you should be fine.

I'd stick with my "go-to" rifle regardless. Your go to is more than capable and if you're comfortable with it you probably shoot it well.

Calling critters at night is entirely different and I'd use a AR or Mini-14 were it me. Does your outfitter have loaners for night calling that are already set up? A red lens light, low magnification sight, and a bag of giggles & grins would be ideal for calling.

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
Sell them both and take a 270.
Seriously, take them both just to have a back-up rifle, although Tommy's idea of loading solids would be a fine idea too.

What do you think about this idea. Buying the 270 win and sord of meeting in the middle of both calibers. It could be perfect.
Thanks.
W

A good reason to buy a different gun as any.

That still does not answer the idea of what if the one gun breaks during the hunt. I don't know about most folks, but for me if I am going away from home whether on a D-I-Y hunt or a fully guided, I am taking two rifles in case something goes wobbly with one, and enough ammunition for a re-sight session if necessary.

Ya I understand the concept………however I have shot a pile of bolt action rifles over the years and think I could adapt to a borrowed rifle. The longer I am around and the more I travel………. what a pain in the ass it is. If I am not going for ele or buff…….. who cares as long as I can shoot and quite frankly good shots seem to be able to shoot with rifles they do not own.

What if I break. LOL No fill ins?

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
I always take two.

Yep, 2nd, 3rd or whatever we are up to!

When hunting away from home, I take a back-up rifle with me.

Knock on wood but I've done a pile of hunts and never brought a backup rifle. One time I had to use the guides, then I bought that rifle off him cause it had good ju ju.
Thanks everyone.
W

quote:

Ya I understand the concept………however I have shot a pile of bolt action rifles over the years and think I could adapt to a borrowed rifle. The longer I am around and the more I travel………. what a pain in the ass it is. If I am not going for ele or buff…….. who cares as long as I can shoot and quite frankly good shots seem to be able to shoot with rifles they do not own.

Then why own rifles of your own? I could be wrong but my guess is most or the majority of hunters want to kill game with the rifles they own.

Why go thru the processes of buying rifles and scopes and working up loads, when it is easier and less trouble just to go on a hunt and have the rifle and ammo supplied?

Looks to me that would cut out a lot of problems. Don't go to the trouble of owning any guns, just use whatever the guide/outfitter/PH can supply.

That would cut down on hassles at the airport, the amount of packing a person has to do for the trip, does away with the headaches of putting a rig together or spending time putting loads and getting the rifles sighted in.

Sounds like a great strategy to me!

No Thank You. I buy rifles to hunt with. I intend on everything I kill to have been killed with one of my rifles, does not matter if it is the A string rifle or the B team rifle, I am going to do whatever is necessary to make sure that whatever critter it is I kill is killed with one of my rifles and a load I spent time working with for that gun.

I have loaned clients rifles and they killed game with them, but, you could tell that they were not as thrilled as they would have been had they been using their own equipment.

A double gun case and 100 rounds of ammunition is not all that much trouble to keep up with, if I can manage it anyone can.

Getting a little carried away aren't we?

Lots of people rent/borrow rifles these days. I am not saying we all should do it, but I understand it.

quote:

Getting a little carried away aren't we?

Not at all. The OP asked for opinions, I have given mine, you have given yours. I don't agree with yours, you don't agree with mine, that is life.

I simply believe that if I am going to go to the trouble of buying rifles and scopes and work at getting them sighted in, that is what I intend from the start of the process. If I am going on a local hunt or an out of state guided hunt I intend on using the rigs I have spent money and time putting together, and I am going to do everything possible on any hunt I go on to make sure the game I kill is done with my personal equipment.

If that is not all that important to you, that is your business. I just view it as that if a person doesn't mind whose gun they use, that is their thing, but I don't understand why they would waste the time putting a rig or several rigs together if they really did not care that much whether they hunted with them or not.

Difference in folks/difference in opinions.

I can't imagine not using my own rifles and loads on any hunt I go on. Borrowing a gun just does not turn me on in the slightest and having my own to use with a load I work up is the whole essence of the trip IMHO! I can easily understand what CHC is saying and agree with him 100%!!!

Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to draw a free range Bison tag in Utah. This was fairly remote country with limited places to buy anything.

Previous to this hunt, I had never taken a backup up rifle. I never needed one and in reality, it rarely, if ever crossed my mind.

However, I decided to take one for this trip.

On day one, I slipped on some shale rock, that was wet, and pretty much destroyed my scope mounts. The gun was useless.

I ended up shooting my bison on day 6 of the hunt with my backup 7mm WSM.

I SAVED a lot of time as I was a long way from home. Who knows, my tag may have very well went unfilled.

Given that experience, I am a big believer in a back up gun!

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

Getting a little carried away aren't we?

Not at all. The OP asked for opinions, I have given mine, you have given yours. I don't agree with yours, you don't agree with mine, that is life.

I simply believe that if I am going to go to the trouble of buying rifles and scopes and work at getting them sighted in, that is what I intend from the start of the process. If I am going on a local hunt or an out of state guided hunt I intend on using the rigs I have spent money and time putting together, and I am going to do everything possible on any hunt I go on to make sure the game I kill is done with my personal equipment.

If that is not all that important to you, that is your business. I just view it as that if a person doesn't mind whose gun they use, that is their thing, but I don't understand why they would waste the time putting a rig or several rigs together if they really did not care that much whether they hunted with them or not.

Difference in folks/difference in opinions.

Yes…. you are absolutely correct in all respects of the topic.