Antelope - .257 Weatherby Magnum
Apple Pie - Vanilla Ice Cream

I am so pleased with the 25WSSM. It took a while to figure out the little idiocincrocies for the round. The worst was overcoming, through glaring inspection; Winchester-Olin brass. It is with out a doubt garbage, or SHIT to be a little more desciptive. Once I found suitable cases, things really came together. This round performs!!!! Don't be afraid of pushing it to its designed limit. My favorite load is 4#.5 grains of Varget over a Rem9 1/2 primer an a 85 gr. Nosler B.Tip. It is .50 MOA load, 3400 f.p.s. average with 23 f.p.s. deviation. It CREAMS coyotes!!!
My load for Deer and "Speed goats" is 4^.5 grains of Ramshot Hunter over a Fed 215m primer on a 117 gr. Sierra flat base spitzer. It performs less than .75 MOA at 3080 f.p.s. average with 31 f.p.s. deviation. I also use the identical load with the 115 gr. T.B.B.C. for big mule deer and black bear.
All this on a Winchester M70 Featherweight Classic.
I have fallen in love with this rifle. It is all that I've ever dreamed of in a light western hunting rifle. I just LOVE the short action. Have shot this rifle much (850 rds without a feed failure. Get one for your "goat" and deer hunting and you will be pleased forever

I've killed about 15 antelope over the last 20 years--mostly with a 7MM remington Mag in a variety of bullets. I don't have any particular affinity for the 7 MM--it's just the rifle I used for everything--deer, elk, antelope--whatever. The one thing I won't use is ballistic tip bullets. Make a tiny error and hit a bone and an entire quarter gets fed to the coyotes.

This year I'm thinking of just using a rock. I've been planting wheat for two weeks and the simple-minded goats cluster around the tractor all day. They only move when it finally dawns on them that this big green thing might not be good to eat and could run over them. But 15 minutes later they've forgotten and it's deja vu all over again...

So, I'm wondering--smooth rock or lumpy? Aerodynamics or impact? Limestone or granite?

Any advice from other rock-throwers?

Oh man ... so since I'm taking my Browning 78 Two Bit Oh Six with 100 TSX's to SoDak next month I HAVE TOTALLY SCREWED MYSELF ... (out of excuses for why I didn't get my goats).

Thanks guys ... now I need better excuses ...

Are white line spacers a good enough excuse?

I'm thinking if you've an 06 and a 22/250 then you're definately in the want category and not the need categoy.

Either of those will do you just fine day in and day out for lopes.

For a short bit I used the old 06 with R15 and 125 NBT's and at 3200 they were mighty fine lope medicine. I'd also be way tempted to put a 130 TSX in that rig and some R15 and give it a go as well.

Now for giggles I made a short list this morn of cals that I've taken lopes with over the years (17 Rem, 223, 22/250, Swift, 243, 240 Page, 6/06, Roberts, 25/06, 257 Roy, 270, STW, 7 RM, 7 Mashburn Super, 7x300 Wby, 06, 300 Win, 300 Wby, 340 Wby, 375 Wby, 416 Rigby and 44 (my grandads 6" M29 that I used on a small buck that I called in from about 800 yds to 81 yds and took him out).

I guess my point is about anything will work on lopes, not much to the lil critters.

I've found in the states I've hunted them in to generally be able to get within 300 yds with a bit of time on your side.

On a side note I've hunted them a bit with a M94 and have not taken one yet.

A 45/70 is a big time cool idea and one of these days I am gonna set to getting serious about that!

Yesterday I bought a new lope/pd/yote rig, one of the new Wby Vanguard Varmint Specials in 22/250 and our party of 3 has 8 lope tags this year so am pretty sure it'll get broken in then.

If you decide to buy a new rig and want to shoot factory ammo I would find it very hard to beat a 25/06 as many others have said.

The other factory rifle I've a soft spot for is the Wby Vanguard in 257 Roy, I've been around several of these and they've all been shooters.

Now if I wanted to load for it and had a thing for wildcats (which I do) I'd no doubt do a 6/06. I've been using a 6/06 for quite a few years as my dedicated long range chuck/yote/lope rifle and it is quite capable for this work. I love to use it but don't get to much anymore as my wife has kind of taken over it as her dedicated rig.

Good luck to ya, tons of good ways to go and it'll be a fun project for ya!

Mark D

A few weeks ago I purchased (out of the want ads) a Pre-Warning Ruger #1, .25/06, V-Barrel, Behuler mounts and a 6X Leupold with antelope in mind. The package came with two boxes of Federal Premium 117 gr. ammo. With my cataratic eyes, I'm getting 1 3/4" groups at 100 yards. With that said, I'm planning a WY antelope hunt for next year and was wondering what your favoite bullet would be in the .25? I just got a set of dies on ebay so will be rolling my own here shortly. I've always loaded Nosler's in my .300 but was wondering about the bullet weight, as well?

BTW, I really lucked into this rifle!!!!

No expert here...only shot 3..all with 270 win. 130 gr sierra,130 gr NBT and 140 Hornady BTSP. All worked very well.

.270 (ideally .270 Wheatherby) would be an ideal antelope gun.

I would pick the 270 with 130 gr bullets topped off with a 4.5x14 AO Leupold scope as perfect for Antelope.

While similar to your 30-06, you could setup you '06 for for larger game with a 180 bullet, which in a pinch, could be used for Antelope. I always like a larger bullet/hole in an animal if possible.

I shoot a 375 scovill (Barnes reloading book) at them with 250 grain bullets at 2700 fps. My daughter knocked hers down at 200 & 360 yds and mine fell at 200 & 260. 4 shots/ 4 lopers in the truck.

Only the 360 yds lung shot ran about 40 yds. A bullet this large usually makes an impression.

As stated before, get a good scope and any caliber will do. I shoot one main gun for everything except coyote hunting and have settled on the 375 Scovill (9.3x62 necked up to .375).

Good luck

I personally use a .270 Win with 130 g. pills. But if you want a dedicated Antelope gun, go to a .257 Weahterby or a .25 on the WSM platform. the 6.5/284 would also do a great job. But, your O6 will do just fine with 150's.

my largest centerfire rifle is a 243 and i hunt pronghorn, mulies and elk with it AND I DONT FEEL A BIT UNDERGUNNED i just dont go shooting a un godly ranges ive never shot at any biggame over 300 yards oh yeah one antelope 250 yrds one at 60 mulies between 30 and 200 elk 100 or less be a hunter not a sniper

.300 WSM

new pronghorn rifle = 270 Win.

Better than Perfect!

Since any modren center fire rifle will work on Goats. the disscusion should be about the ultament rifle for goats.
I think I have it in a 257 STW, built on a rem 700 fuly accurized, 27" 3 grove pacnor barrel, and McMillian stock. It pushes a 100gr TSX a little over 4000 fps and better than .5 MOA.

Dr B

Ya know, for me I load one bullet in one rifle and use it for everything here, antelope through elk.

More important than the chambering is that you're comfortable and confident with the rifle. I've used and seen used everything from the 223 to 338 WM. They all work.

Confidence and comfort is the important thing...

Rem700 25-06 with Leupold VXIII 3.5-10X and just about any good 100 - 120gr. bullet.

My hunting partner uses his 7 mm RM because that is what he has! I used a .30-'06 this year because that is what I had in the test rack.

A comment on this '06. It is a Savage M114 Classic with the AccuTrigger. The test target in the box showed .4" with 165 gr match ammo. I had some Federal Premium with the 165 Nosler Ballistic Tip which shoots just under 3/4" in this rifle. Very impressive especially for a box stock factory rifle that sells at a modest price. I also had a Leupold 3.5-10X40 scope with B&C reticle.

With all that preparation, the 90 yard shot was straight forward.

I want to get my Ruger #1 in 6 mm Rem for next year. It is a #1B model with 26" barrel, and shoots the 100 gr Nosler Partition well under an inch at 100 yards at over 3,200 fps MV with MRP. It was made in '76, so it has the 200th year markings.

jim

.257 Weatherby Mag
100 Gr Spire Point
or
115 Gr X Bullet

Field Report ...

Camp Crook, SD ...

10/7/2006 Browning 78, 25-06 (26 Inch Octagonal Death) 100 TSX, 55 H4831, 360 yd, 15-20 cross wind, 13.75, good mass, dressed at 85 lbs. (est 116 live), OSOK, high double lung, ran 18 yds and flopped.

10/14/06 Grilled lope in Esse's marinade ... even the sober non game eaters at the party had foodgasms.

Am liking this high wall 25-06 as a goat gun ...

270 Winchester and 130 grain Hornady Light Magnum ammunition.

Your '06 will do just fine with the right load. "Goats" are not hard to find and kill. Waiting for and getting a clean shot on a 15+ incher can be challenging. I like to trophy hunt for the first few days. I'll take a buck with some character in the horn department or a horned doe, too.

I've used rifles, muzzleloaders, bows, and handguns to take these critters. I've focused on the handgun for about the last 35 years and just love it. I've used specialty pistols with scopes and iron-sighted revolvers. IT'S ALL GOOD. Have fun with what ya' brung! My latest SP is an Encore in .257Roberts AI. Already have the Burris 3-12x scope to hang on the barrel!

quote:

Originally posted by plainview:
The one thing I won't use is ballistic tip bullets. Make a tiny error and hit a bone and an entire quarter gets fed to the coyotes.

I have not killed the numbers you have but the 2 I killed Oct 4th and 5th both took Btips in the shoulders and the butcher said there was still meat that came off both. I took my buck this year with a 7mag, 150Btip.

Strange, the Btip is very diversified in terms of outcomes. I won't hesitate to use it on all future antelope.

I guess I should probably add my field report too...

200 yards, complete penetration with a 100g. Barnes X shot from my Remington 700 in a .250 Savage. Antelope dropped. 15 1/2 on one side, 15 3/4 on the other. Taken on public land in NE Wyoming.

All the antelope I've ever shot have been with a .250, .243, or .270. No complaints from any of these caliber choices.

MG