Antelope bullet

[greenejc]

I'm looking for advise on a 243 antelope bullet. I've got a rem model 7 predator. It's supposed to have a 1:9 twist. From what I read antelope are not tough to kill, so much of what I read suggests ballistic tips and such. I'm not opposed to using them, but in my experiences (with other calibers) they cause an excess of meat damage. I was thinking 95g partition?Ive never shot partitions before in any caliber. Was thinking that bullet could work for WI whitetail as well. I reload. Your thoughts? View attachment 188910

They will work on both antelope and deer. I would suggest either the Speer 105 grain Hotcor or the 100 grain Speer or Sierra boat tail bullets, though. I think the partitions are more than needed, and the Hotcor won't damage meat while giving a very good penetration on either deer or antelope. Its just me. I don't like paying the cost of the premium bullets when other bullets will do the job just as well for less. By the way, the Hotcor is my favorite for my 6mm Remington. It gives minute of prairie dog out to about 300 yards in my Ruger M77.

 

[ILVTOHT]

I'm looking for advise on a 243 antelope bullet. I've got a rem model 7 predator. It's supposed to have a 1:9 twist. From what I read antelope are not tough to kill, so much of what I read suggests ballistic tips and such. I'm not opposed to using them, but in my experiences (with other calibers) they cause an excess of meat damage. I was thinking 95g partition?Ive never shot partitions before in any caliber. Was thinking that bullet could work for WI whitetail as well. I reload. Your thoughts? View attachment 188910

I use 80 grain Sierra boat tails in my .243 for antelope and coyote. They work well and are accurate. The extra velocity is very nice!

 

[greenejc]

Then you are far ahead than most new antelope hunters. A few years ago, I took a military member out that supposedly grew up hunting. However, he was from GA and only hunted on a stand and the average range is 50 yards or so. The closest we can get is ~200 yards and he was not comfortable with it.

Where is your hunt? As @WAHOOYAHOO noted, it can be windy where they roam. Below is a video in one of my antelope hunts ...



Good luck!

I took a buddy out for the first time last year during doe season here in Colorado. He also hadn't hunted antelope ever. I couldn't get him to sit still and let the antelope come in. He got his antelope with a 300 win mag using 180 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips (My hand loads) at 478 yards. If he would have stayed still and patient, his shot would have been inside 250 yards. We were on a turf farm, and the antelope were coming across the turf two or three times a day. I shot both of mine inside 225 yards with my 30-06 elk loads using 200 grain Sierra Gamekings. But he did make a really good shot, and he got his antelope.

 

[montana west]

greenejc I like your story and I like very much the serria game king ? does it open up good on that animal. I have tested the 225 game king in a 35 gibbs and it penetrated an aspen long end wise after going through a 1/16 soft steel after a gallonof water in a jug then 11" and after i recovered the perfect mushroom wt was 205 I was impressed..

 

[freddiej]

Jungle Bird, My experience is with the antelope in the middle of and western Nevada are easy to kill just not easy to get close to. I had a 25-06 that I used. 100 grain Speer HP's, 100 grain Barnes TTSX, and Berger 100 grain slugs were all I used. I shot them at 400+ because my hunting partners were a bit too frigidity. for the 6MM/243 class I would still suggest Berger and Barnes. also I suggest shots that you will get more times than not.. head shots are very common here.. the tall grass and the heads just fixated on your position. so use their skulls for the bullseye. also use a veil over the scope, the gun and use a veil over your eyes so they do not fixate on you. let them home in on someone else's eyes. they home in on eyeballs. do not let them see your eyes.
I would normally use a 87 grain HPBT for my friends 6MM rem for antelope with Berger slugs, or a load with 80 grain Nosler ballistic tip, or a Barnes TTSX in 80 grain as well. those are the 6MM slugs I know that work well in this part of Nevada.

 

[smokehanger]

I will throw this out, in the 70s I ran out of 100 grain spritzer boat tails and wanted to shoot some deer with a .243. The only thing that I had loaded at the time were some Hornady 87 grain boat tail hollow points for coyotes. All of my friends told me that they would not be a good deer bullet. I ignored all of that advise and went hunting with them anyway. Would hate to guess how many deer and antelope my family have taken with this bullet. NOTE: bullet placement is very crucial!!! I can only think of one big whitetail that was lost due to poor shot placement. We have several .243s and a couple 6mms. Accuracy is great at all the ranges that we have shot deer and antelope at, out to 430 yds, they typically run less the 30 yds, lots drop in their tracks.

 

[Farmer72]

I have killed many antelope with a 6mm Rem and 85gr. Barnes TSX without any issues. I even got one at 350 yds. with a 223 Rem and a 62gr. Barnes TSX.

 

[GonzoK34]

Seams to me a lot of people are overthinking this.
4 of the last 5 antelope have been dropped with a 100eld out of the 6.5 Grendel between 4-5 yards. The wind was howling in 2018 so the Sweede gotrdone with a 143eld.
An antelope is all lungs, not a huge target but a lot easier to hit than the prairie dogs we chase all summer(practice in the wind helps!) The wind can be accounted for and at 400 yards bc aint gonna be a big factor.
My favorite prairie dog gun is a 243 shootin 55 grainers past 4k, not something I would recommend for antelope but if you didnt hit a rib going it it would be devastating.
A prairie dog/scouting trip would teach you more a lot!

Prairie dog hunting is incredible I am going on my 3rd trip this year. We shot out to 600 yards with 243s.

 

[Australia]

I have tried every available projectile for 243 and as KSSHooter states the only projectile I will use now for everything is the Sierra Game king and for 243 its a 85 or 90 grain and if you place your shot right you can use a bow and arrow but a 243 will stop a Camel or a cape Buffelo in its tracks with these projectiles I Know because I have done it

 

[GonzoK34]

Prairie dog hunting is incredible I am going on my 3rd trip this year. We shot out to 600 yards with 243s.

Sorry wrong site. Antelope are thin skinned shoot behind the shoulder and DRT. 85 or 87gr bullet in 1:9 twist done deal. Practice out to 500 yds in windy conditions. Develop dope card and have fun. Wind will be your obstacle. Learn to shoot ion it!

 

[FEENIX]

Seams to me a lot of people are overthinking this.

Agreed! This is why the .300 WM remains my go-to chambering from antelope to elk size game up to 1K yards. Where I hunt antelope, there are also, deer (muleys and WTs), black bear, elk, and there is a time when they are all open at the same time.

 

[GonzoK34]

I agree with the 300WM it's my primary rifle. However in heavy timber the 7-08 covers most of the shots out to 5-600. 200gr LRX in the 300 longest shot on elk 836yds. Dropped in place . Packed out in 2 days.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I've seen the 28 Nosler used on goats. Does massive damage and doesn't stop them any faster than the 243s. I think if any cartridge could be made for pronghorn antelope, it'd be the 243 Winchester. Bullet weight to animal size is about perfect.

 

[KS2506]

Great advise on the Sierra GameKing bullet. Any 90 or 100 gr cup and core bullet will kill antelope DRT. All I ever used for coyote, antelope and deer was 25-06 with 100 Sierra boattails or flat base bullets. Over 52 years, have never seen the need to change.