The Accurate Reloading Forums
Spanish Grand Slam Caliber
25 December 2019, 02:36
SevastopolSpanish Grand Slam Caliber
Hi. Reading up on iberhunting.com, it would seem that .30-06 is insufficient or, at least, not recommended for the Ronda Ibex. This means that I would have to buy a new rifle in .300 mag and practice quite a bit. Opinions on this?
25 December 2019, 04:49
Lamarwhy???
you can't hold 3"s higher at 400yds?
25 December 2019, 04:54
LHeym500Never been to Spain.
But the only rounds I have seen in the field in France, Austria, and Bulgaria other than what I brought were:
30/06
308 Win
7mm Rem Mag
9.3x62
270 Win
In that order. By far the 30/06 was most seen. And I was looking at brass on the ground of many a makeshift range.
Do not let anyone fool you. THe 30/06 rules the world.
If I went after ibex, I would use my 7mm STW. But I am weird.
The new turrets for dialing range work. The up and down is easy. Left and right in wind is hard.
25 December 2019, 07:33
NortonAre you expecting shots over 500 yds?
25 December 2019, 11:49
SevastopolThese were recommended minimum calibers for the Ronda Ibex hunt, specifically, on their website (IIRC): .338 Mag, .300 Mag, and .270 Weatherby. Shots averaging @ 300 yds. I would have thought my .30-06 would be plenty, but their experience must include some doping errors leading to disappointed customers, is my guess. I don't know if holding for wind would be necessary but, if so, that would be more difficult than hold over.
25 December 2019, 12:48
CaracalHi,
I organize Ronda hunts often.
The terrain is difficult and rough. It can be much harder then the other Spanish hunts, just because the mountains are a bit more difficult to walk in.
Normally you should be fine with a shooting range of 300yards. That said, we have taken a few with a bow without to many problems.
This one we took in March. I think the shooting distance was around 300yards.
25 December 2019, 14:45
Hunt InterMany Europeans like big calibres but more important is using what you know and can use well. A .30-06 is fine but I do like a .300 or 8x68 for much of my hunting
25 December 2019, 14:59
huntingineuropeHi Sevastopol
If you plan to visit iberhunting, you avoid worrying by bringing your own rifle, you can borrow several different calibers from Antonio and there is the opportunity to test them before you start hunting.
25 December 2019, 15:16
Sevastopolquote:
Originally posted by huntingineurope:
Hi Sevastopol
If you plan to visit iberhunting, you avoid worrying by bringing your own rifle, you can borrow several different calibers from Antonio and there is the opportunity to test them before you start hunting.
Thank you for the tip. That would be very convenient.
25 December 2019, 15:19
SevastopolCaracal, that´s nice. Looks like you lucked out with the weather, too.
25 December 2019, 15:25
Caracalquote:
Originally posted by huntingineurope:
Hi Sevastopol
If you plan to visit iberhunting, you avoid worrying by bringing your own rifle, you can borrow several different calibers from Antonio and there is the opportunity to test them before you start hunting.
Yes that's correct. Almost all guides in Spain have great guns available for their clients.
BUT coming from the USA you will still have to apply for a gun permit, as Spain does require it for you to legally hunt.
25 December 2019, 15:27
Sevastopolquote:
Originally posted by Hunt Inter:
Many Europeans like big calibres but more important is using what you know and can use well. A .30-06 is fine but I do like a .300 or 8x68 for much of my hunting
I like loading for and shooting my .30-06; not sure I could enjoy more recoil than that.
25 December 2019, 17:35
Stonecreekquote:
Originally posted by Sevastopol:
These were recommended minimum calibers for the Ronda Ibex hunt, specifically, on their website (IIRC): .338 Mag, .300 Mag, and .270 Weatherby. Shots averaging @ 300 yds. I would have thought my .30-06 would be plenty, but their experience must include some doping errors leading to disappointed customers, is my guess. I don't know if holding for wind would be necessary but, if so, that would be more difficult than hold over.
The .30-06 has ample power for any animal the size of an ibex. If the issue is distance, then recommending a .338 over a .30-06 is obviously foolish since the two have virtually identical trajectories; however, it is
generally more difficult to achieve accuracy with a .338 as compared to a .30-06.
It has been my experience that professional guides are anything but ballisticians. Their knowledge of cartridges and performance stem from a relatively small universe of observations in which the caliber of the gun was inaccurately blamed for problems caused by something else, such as bullet construction, shot placement, poorly sighted rifles, etc., etc.
Bottom line: You are MUCH better off using a rifle in .30-06 which you shoot well and in which you have confidence than some rifle in a larger caliber in which you have no such basis for confidence.
25 December 2019, 18:02
Sevastopolquote:
Originally posted by Stonecreek:
quote:
Originally posted by Sevastopol:
These were recommended minimum calibers for the Ronda Ibex hunt, specifically, on their website (IIRC): .338 Mag, .300 Mag, and .270 Weatherby. Shots averaging @ 300 yds. I would have thought my .30-06 would be plenty, but their experience must include some doping errors leading to disappointed customers, is my guess. I don't know if holding for wind would be necessary but, if so, that would be more difficult than hold over.
The .30-06 has ample power for any animal the size of an ibex. If the issue is distance, then recommending a .338 over a .30-06 is obviously foolish since the two have virtually identical trajectories; however, it is
generally more difficult to achieve accuracy with a .338 as compared to a .30-06.
It has been my experience that professional guides are anything but ballisticians. Their knowledge of cartridges and performance stem from a relatively small universe of observations in which the caliber of the gun was inaccurately blamed for problems caused by something else, such as bullet construction, shot placement, poorly sighted rifles, etc., etc.
Bottom line: You are MUCH better off using a rifle in .30-06 which you shoot well and in which you have confidence than some rifle in a larger caliber in which you have no such basis for confidence.
Yes sir, I agree. Like I mentioned before, I'm not sure I would enjoy shooting a .338 or a .300 even, unless I had a heavier rifle. But then, I'd probably hate carrying it. I do shoot heavier recoiling guns, but not for fun on the bench.
30 December 2019, 03:48
FMCThe slam is a great hunt.
As stated above though all the terrain can be difficult (it is after all mountain hunting), as a whole the Ronda hunts are the most challenging from a terrain and numbers standpoint. I took my .300 Win because it's been my "go to" rifle and is special to me. Shot many a good animal with it including my lion.
Ibex are neither large nor tough an animal and (my) shots range from 100-300 yards. I'd be more than comfortable bringing my .270 Win, which with an 130 gr bullet @ 3000 fps is the ballistic twin of a .300 Win with an 180 gr @ 3000 fps. Zero at 200 and you won't have to think.
I went with Loic Sintes - ProHunt Safaris and had a fantastic hunt.
There are two types of people in the world: those that get things done and those who make excuses. There are no others.
30 December 2019, 07:25
Sevastopolquote:
Originally posted by FMC:
The slam is a great hunt.
As stated above though all the terrain can be difficult (it is after all mountain hunting), as a whole the Ronda hunts are the most challenging from a terrain and numbers standpoint. I took my .300 Win because it's been my "go to" rifle and is special to me. Shot many a good animal with it including my lion.
Ibex are neither large nor tough an animal and (my) shots range from 100-300 yards. I'd be more than comfortable bringing my .270 Win, which with an 130 gr bullet @ 3000 fps is the ballistic twin of a .300 Win with an 180 gr @ 3000 fps. Zero at 200 and you won't have to think.
I went with Loic Sintes - ProHunt Safaris and had a fantastic hunt.
Thank you for the information.
04 January 2020, 06:11
A.J. Hydell30-06, ... topped with Sierra or Speer 165gn slugs. All you need, nothing you don't.
Get it zeroed for 200-yds, but know the 300-yd 'dope' - for the latte-sippers here, that's marksman-speak for 'hold-overs.'
Unless you fugly the shot, you'll have a dead Ibex right there.

All The Best ...
04 January 2020, 09:43
Sevastopolquote:
Originally posted by A.J. Hydell:
30-06, ... topped with Sierra or Speer 165gn slugs. All you need, nothing you don't.
Get it zeroed for 200-yds, but know the 300-yd 'dope' - for the latte-sippers here, that's marksman-speak for 'hold-overs.'
Unless you fugly the shot, you'll have a dead Ibex right there.
I have quite a bit left of the older Sierra 165 gr Hollow Points - I think Game Kings - that shoot really well, but, IIRC, they are a somewhat tougher than others in the same weight class. I think they're still made, so I'll do some research to see if they might be a good idea at these distances. Otherwise, I'll try some soft points...not sure what Speer has in that weight.
Thank you.