antelope Rifle?

[sled]

  Just curious what everyone is shooting Antelope with, also the ranges you are shooting them.

[bobcat]

I haven't shot an antelope since 2001, but I used my 270 Win. and I don't think it can be beat as an antelope cartridge.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Long time ago I bought a .25-06 for just that purpose.  Never did hunt antelope, but I still think it's a good 'lope cartridge.  Hell, good for just about anything, actually.

[BLKBEARKLR]

used a 243 on ten lopes this year, all the gun you need. I know Wyoming it is illegal to use a 22-250. I dont know how small they let the caliber go to there for Antelopes.

Joe

[longrange7mm]

shot several with a 257 roberts, and a 2506 longest shot on a speed goat was 537

[Craig]

Used my .300 ultra mag this year. About 150 yards. I'm sure anything will be fine.

[carpsniperg2]

270wsm would be my choice. Very flat shooting, 120-140 grain bullet is more then enough for any speed goat. I shot mine with a 30-06 worked just fine.

[Bob33]

used a 243 on ten lopes this year, all the gun you need. I know Wyoming it is illegal to use a 22-250. I dont know how small they let the caliber go to there for Antelopes.

Joe

"Wyoming statutes authorize the use of a firearm that has a barrel bore diameter of at least twenty-three-hundredths (23/100) of an inch and is chambered to fire a center-fire cartridge not less than two (2) inches in overall length,"

Antelope are not hard to kill.  They can be difficult to hit.  They are small, and often shot at distances in excess of 300 yards.  Flat shooting rifles allow for less correction at longer distances.  A caliber that drops 8" at 400 yards should in theory be easier to hit with than a caliber that drops 20" at 400 yards.

A standard caliber like a 270 or 30-06 works fine.  A faster caliber like a 270 WSM or a 257 Weatherby works even better, everything else being equal.

[jackelope]

I suspect that a 257Roy would be about perfect.
 

[cohoho]

.308 works pretty well.....

[sakoshooter]

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.

What gun do you have now?
Do you hand load?
Or are you just looking for a reason to buy a new rifle?

[Ray]

.25-06

[Bob33]

I suspect that a 257Roy would be about perfect.
 

A .257 100 grain at 3600 ft/second is pretty tough to be beat.  You can sight it in to be 3" high at its high point, and still only be 5" to 6" low at 400 yards.  There are not too many other calibers that can compete with that.

Antelope are easy to kill.  They can be hard to hit.  Distances after often north of 300 yards.  The more accurate your gun is, the better.  The flatter is shoots, the better.

[throttlejocky20]

Going to Montana next year for a speed goat. I will be carring my 243 model 700. shooting 95 grain sst. With the right conditions I wont even think twice about a 400 yard shot.

[bearpaw]

I agree, the 257 Wthby is about the most perfect antelope round ever concieved. And it's great for deer and coyote. It's also pretty deadly on varmints, bear, elk, and even moose. I even have a past moose hunter who had shot his Kodiak Brown Bear with his 257 with 1 shot. It's the only gun he owns and he has killed nearly every specie in North America with 1 shot.

The 243, 25/06, 264 Win Mag, and a host of other rounds do the job well, but when you get right down to it, as Bob33 said, "A .257 100 grain at 3600 ft/second is pretty tough to be beat."  

Here is an excellent article about the 257 Wtby:  http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition/ST257weatherbymagnum_031706/index.html