antelope Rifle?

[bobcat]

I think antelope is where a 25.06 or 257 would shine using 100 - 120gr bullets. But then again, if you hand load a .270 or 30.06 with these same bullets, they'll shoot almost exactly the same velocities and trajectories. What's the difference then? Not much. You're splittin hairs.
Any deer caliber will be perfect. I'd pay more attention to bullet weight. Light for caliber, flat shooting bullets will be best in the open country antelope live in.

I'm not sure light for caliber bullets are best for long distance shooting. I'd rather have a better ballistic coefficient and less wind drift which means heavier bullets. In .277 I'd go 140 or 150 and in .308 I'd go 165 minimum. Of course like you said, a lot of this is just splitting hairs- a 130 grain .277 bullet or 150 grain in .308 would work well also. But I'd definitely not go lighter than that.

[YoungBuck]

Have'nt shot a speed goat yet but I imagine my 25-06 would do well

[nwwanderer]

7mm Rem Mag and 243 here.  You can do it with one shell at 40 yards or bring a couple pockets full for the 40mph 400 yard shot.

[throttlejocky20]

7mm Rem Mag and 243 here.  You can do it with one shell at 40 yards or bring a couple pockets full for the 40mph 400 yard shot.

agreed 100 percent. But what im seeing here people are thinking that hunting prongs means a long shot, If your not within your comfort range with what ever gun you shoot try to get closer or wait for the next opertunity.

[cascademountainhunter]

I used my 270 win. But now my 7mm mag to reach out a lil further.

[MuleySniper]

Man now I really want to hunt lopes in Wyoming... A good excuse to get a .257 wby.
MS

[high country]

I would choose the 257 roy or.... a quick twist 6-06 throated for a big berger.

[ribka]

G' dang it. A guy wants to sell  me a 257 roy sub moa for a very good price. Now am going to have to buy it for a lope hunt next year. The 243, 270, or 6.5 wont do it 

[Bob33]

G' dang it. A guy wants to sell  me a 257 roy sub moa for a very good price. Now am going to have to buy it for a lope hunt next year. The 243, 270, or 6.5 wont do it 

I hate it when that happens

[elkaholic123]

270WSM   They are flat and fast with 140gr Accubonds 

[Bob33]

FWIW, here are the records I've kept on pronghorn calibers and distances:

Number killed by caliber:
25-06                25
257 Roberts   1
257 Weatherby   14
270 WSM      5
300 Win Mag         5
30-06                3
Total                53

Longest shot: 418 yards
Shortest shot: 32 yards
Average shot: 253 yards
Number of animals shot over 300 yards: 22
Number of animals shot over 350 yards: 11
Number of animals shot over 400 yards: 3

Even though I own and love a 257 Roy, I took a 270 WSM to Wyoming this year and killed five antelope with five shots.  I personally think the 257 is the ultimate antelope caliber, but the others are fine if you know your gun and practice.  Usually, but not always you can get closer. However, it that Boone & Crockett 85" buck pokes his head up at 450 yards....

[ribka]

Gasman was kind enough to "lend" his 257 Bob for few shots this year in Wy Lope hunt.  Really good flat shooting round. I imagine the 257 Roy can only be better

[Hangfire]

My wife, son and I have used the following, 30-06, 243, 244, 300 wby. 30-30, 44 mag handgun, 50 cal CVA  and archery.

The best hunts are the one where you stalk the pronghorn (they are not a antelope but a separate critter called a pronghorn) according to the weapon in hand. We have never lost a animal but have missed a few.

My wife's first pronghorn was 427 paces with her 244 Herters J-9. The furthest shot was my wife using our sons 300 wby, 1 shot at over 500 yds. Most killed in the 200 yard area. The muzzle loader a .495 round ball with 90 gr of 3FFF at 80 yards. Archery all under 40 yards to 14 yards.

They die easy, hit through lungs behind shoulder. We have found several that had there lower jaw shot off. I don't know why that should be common but was. Would see them for several days.

Probably the most enjoyable hunting trip, you knew you would see and get one, wonderfull drive, stop at many of the roadside attractions: Custer battle field, Buffalo Bill museum. Look at the Wyoming rest stops neatest solar heated I have ever seen.  A really fun trip.

[JimmyHoffa]

They die easy, hit through lungs behind shoulder.

I've heard this before about them and animals similar to them.  What I heard explained is that certain animals (like this one) evolved to have large lungs/hearts to cycle the blood through quickly....so they can sustain that 45+ mph run for a long duration.  So anything that damages this system will put them down quickly---basically their best defense (good internals for running away from you) can be their worst enemy at times (they will get air in the bloodstream/bleed out more quickly).  Other animals that aren't 'runners', take a bear or cougar (they are fast sprinters, but not designed for running like deer/pronghorn/etc) don't have the same type of lung capacity or circulatory rate so their heart lungs are proportionally smaller for their size--weird though--the system isn't as critical for them, but since it is more compact a hit there is still effective.

[finnman]

I bought an A-bolt II in .25-06 this summer for Antelope in 2011. It ended up killing 2 muley bucks and a WT buck this fall, was using 100 gr. NP at 3300 fps, they group well at 200 yards. All three bucks were killed with a single pass through shot. I think this setup is about as perfect a load for Antelope you can find! Recoil is mild, trajectory is very flat, the bullet will do the job at 50 or 550 yards.
Really looking forward to using it in WY in 2011!!!