Caliber for Pronghorn....

[rsbhunter]

The stars aligned, I drew a antelope tag in unit 33 in New Mexico. As this units west boundary is maybe 10 miles from where I live, I know the area well. Hunt coyotes in an area that has a good population of animals, so that is where I'll start. Shots could go from 200- 800 yards so caliber choice is wide open. I have in Savage custom bbl's a 6XC, 6.5X284, a Browning A bolt in 7mag, Custom Rem 700 in 300 RUM, and a Savage long range hunter in 6.5 Creed, as well as a AR 10 custom in 6.5Creed. I wouldn't consider any of them if they weren't capable of sub 1" 100 yd groups, and have shot all of them to 500 meters....trying to balance out bullet weight/energy of each choice for shots that might reach 5-6 hundred yards....I shoot competition out to 500 meters twice a month, so I am practiced at 200,3,4,and 500 meters (547 yards). Any input would be great...rsbhunter

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Anyone of your rifles will work, just pick out a good bullet. Out of what you have I would go with the 6.5x284. Out of my safe I would take a 243, 260 6.5x284 or 270WSM.

 

[Calvin45]

Any of the above should have no trouble. If you can make the hit it will kill the antelope, they're much more delicately built than a deer, by far. Of course in that "dead sprint" animals have with a heart/lung shot the only thing that can sprint faster than them is a cheetah.

I often see the fast 25s romanticized for this, the .257 weatherby being perfect, the .25-06 rem being THE classic pronghorn rifle. The 7mag or 6.5-284 would get the nod from me. Or better by far, use this as an excuse to"need" another gun and get a 257 weatherby or .25-06 .

 

[wyowinchester]

Any of those will work great for pronghorn. Thin skinned, but got great lungs. Shoot accurately and you will kill one with your favorite shooter.
Bullet choice, and shot placement, trump size every time.

 

[WahooYahoo]

The stars aligned, I drew a antelope tag in unit 33 in New Mexico. As this units west boundary is maybe 10 miles from where I live, I know the area well. Hunt coyotes in an area that has a good population of animals, so that is where I'll start. Shots could go from 200- 800 yards so caliber choice is wide open. I have in Savage custom bbl's a 6XC, 6.5X284, a Browning A bolt in 7mag, Custom Rem 700 in 300 RUM, and a Savage long range hunter in 6.5 Creed, as well as a AR 10 custom in 6.5Creed. I wouldn't consider any of them if they weren't capable of sub 1" 100 yd groups, and have shot all of them to 500 meters....trying to balance out bullet weight/energy of each choice for shots that might reach 5-6 hundred yards....I shoot competition out to 500 meters twice a month, so I am practiced at 200,3,4,and 500 meters (547 yards). Any input would be great...rsbhunter

Wind + distance needs long slippery bullets. Pronghorn are not tough critters but the wind in those open prairies, at range, is the 1st factor of concern. Given your choices, 6.5-284 and 7 Mag would be my choice.

 

[cjuve]

6.5 x 284 but who am I to talk when I usually use a 28 Nosler.

 

[Rick Richard]

I like the 6.5 s for antelope. As mentioned, they are thin skinned and not very difficult to put down. I shot mine last year with a 6.5X47 pushing a 110 grain Hammer Hunter at about 500 yards.

 

[Orange Dust]

The stars aligned, I drew a antelope tag in unit 33 in New Mexico. As this units west boundary is maybe 10 miles from where I live, I know the area well. Hunt coyotes in an area that has a good population of animals, so that is where I'll start. Shots could go from 200- 800 yards so caliber choice is wide open. I have in Savage custom bbl's a 6XC, 6.5X284, a Browning A bolt in 7mag, Custom Rem 700 in 300 RUM, and a Savage long range hunter in 6.5 Creed, as well as a AR 10 custom in 6.5Creed. I wouldn't consider any of them if they weren't capable of sub 1" 100 yd groups, and have shot all of them to 500 meters....trying to balance out bullet weight/energy of each choice for shots that might reach 5-6 hundred yards....I shoot competition out to 500 meters twice a month, so I am practiced at 200,3,4,and 500 meters (547 yards). Any input would be great...rsbhunter

I would say choose whichever rifle has the best scope that you are comfortable dialing on it. Any of them will kill him fine, just choose your bullet carefully.

 

[FEENIX]

The stars aligned, I drew a antelope tag in unit 33 in New Mexico. As this units west boundary is maybe 10 miles from where I live, I know the area well. Hunt coyotes in an area that has a good population of animals, so that is where I'll start. Shots could go from 200- 800 yards so caliber choice is wide open. I have in Savage custom bbl's a 6XC, 6.5X284, a Browning A bolt in 7mag, Custom Rem 700 in 300 RUM, and a Savage long range hunter in 6.5 Creed, as well as a AR 10 custom in 6.5Creed. I wouldn't consider any of them if they weren't capable of sub 1" 100 yd groups, and have shot all of them to 500 meters....trying to balance out bullet weight/energy of each choice for shots that might reach 5-6 hundred yards....I shoot competition out to 500 meters twice a month, so I am practiced at 200,3,4,and 500 meters (547 yards). Any input would be great...rsbhunter

Pick the rifle and the load with accuracy and enough energy at your maximum range. "My" unwritten rule is ~1000 FT-LBS/and minimum velocity of the bullet to expand at point of impact effectively. Good luck.

 

[lancetkenyon]

6XC, 6.5CM, or 6.5-.284 would be my top 3 choices, depending on bullet choice.

6.5SS, 150SMK, 3113fps @ 183 yds, DRT

6.5SLR, 130 OTM, 2925fps, @ 391 yds DRT (hers) & 260ish yds, went 40ish yards as he was on a dead run when shot (his)

6CM, 105 Hyb, 3108fps, 460 yds, DRT

25SST, 131 BJ, 3238fps, 331 yds, went maybe 15-20 yds miraculously

 

[bozoben]

I think the RUM is the obvious choice. haha

 

[Barrelnut]

Since you shoot 500 meter comps, I'm sure you understand the importance of a scope that dials correctly. The further the shot the more critical it gets. So use your best scope on your most accurate rifle. For me it would be my custom 300 RUM with a 210 berger VLD. I would not want to shoot one at 200 yards with it though...

Here's my brother's 865 yard antelope. Taken with the custom 300 RUM. The bullet did not exit. The 210 VLD out of the RUM shoots 2 MOA flatter and with .5 MOA less wind that the same shot would have been with the 6.5 CM. Also hits with over twice the energy.

 

[kevin0270]

300 rum

 

[Sako28]

Of the cartridges you mentioned it makes no difference. Pick whichever rifle you like the best.