Antelope rifle recommendation
- Thread starter VLD Pilot
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Excellent...!!!
Just shot a nice 15" Wyoming pronghorn buck Saturday, Sept 22, 2018 outside Sheridan at 223 yards. Used my Christensen Arms MPR in 6.5 Creed, NF ATACR FFP 7-35x56mm, 26" carbon fiber barrel, 8 twist, love this rifle and set-up. Reloads are Hornady 143gr ELD-X, IMR 4350 powder 41grains 2810fps, seat bullet 0.010 off the lands. Accuracy is outstanding..better than 1/2 MOA consistently. Light weight gun even with NF scope, easy to carry. 6.5 Creed is a very versatile caliber...
Monttrap04
Well-Known Member
The last three years we have pretty much been shooting antelope exclusively with 6mms of one flavor or another and 7mm-08s. They all seem to work fine when placed in the vitals.
My personal favorite is the 6mm-06 setup to shoot the 105 Bergers. That bullet at 3300+ has proven to be accurate, deadly, and has enough BC to buck the wind.
I have a 6.5-06 in the works and hope to give that a shot next year also.
My personal favorite is the 6mm-06 setup to shoot the 105 Bergers. That bullet at 3300+ has proven to be accurate, deadly, and has enough BC to buck the wind.
I have a 6.5-06 in the works and hope to give that a shot next year also.
Litehiker
Well-Known Member
Just got a 6.5 CM Browning X-Bolt Pro (carbon fiber stock & other extras like lots of fluting). I'll shoot 143 gr. Hornady ELD-X bullets or, if pretty windy, 147 Hornady ELD-M. The latter is a purely match bullet but having a polymer tip and relatively thin jacket would work fine on antelope.
By January I'll have a gently used MARCH 3 - 24 x 42 scope in FFP, mil/mil illuminated number indexed reticle. Only 22.5 oz and I'll use Talley aluminum rings. The unloaded rifle & scope will be 7lbs. 10 oz. With nylon webbing sling & 5 rounds of ammo ti will be above 8 lbs. Still not a bad weight if I go mountain hunting for mules, elk or sheep.
Before then I'll use my SWFA 3- 15 x 42 scope on it to see how it shoots.
JMack, if my X-Bolt shoots as well as your rifle at 500 yards I'll be very happy. My 6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle does it just fine but a light hunting rifle may be another story.
Eric B.
By January I'll have a gently used MARCH 3 - 24 x 42 scope in FFP, mil/mil illuminated number indexed reticle. Only 22.5 oz and I'll use Talley aluminum rings. The unloaded rifle & scope will be 7lbs. 10 oz. With nylon webbing sling & 5 rounds of ammo ti will be above 8 lbs. Still not a bad weight if I go mountain hunting for mules, elk or sheep.
Before then I'll use my SWFA 3- 15 x 42 scope on it to see how it shoots.
JMack, if my X-Bolt shoots as well as your rifle at 500 yards I'll be very happy. My 6.5 CM Ruger Precision Rifle does it just fine but a light hunting rifle may be another story.
Eric B.
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Trooper21986
Well-Known Member
Love the 6.6-06! Currently running a 260AI . Gotta be close ! Just under 3000 with a 140 !
VLD Pilot
Well-Known Member
I hear guys getting 2950+ with the .260 Ackley. I think the 6.5/06 has the potential to do better. About par with the 6.5-284 which still bests the .260 AI by about 100-150 fps depending on powders used. Either way, from the standard .260 thru the 6.5 mags, they all do phenomenal on game at very long ranges.
Trooper21986
Well-Known Member
I'm at 2940 , still have room to go , just stopped when I found the accuracy node ! I've shot everything from coyotes to elk , nothing has went far ! I put a break on mine , not that it needed it , but zero recoil now and I generally don't lose sight picture , and it's a #2 contour . Can't wait to get back to Wyoming , it's going again !
VLD Pilot
Well-Known Member
That sounds like the perfect setup. Anything you can shoot and watch impact is what I call " The perfect setup".
Trooper21986
Well-Known Member
And light enough to pack all day ! Pretty sure, even with the scope , it's less than 7 pounds !
VLD Pilot
Well-Known Member
Trooper21986
Well-Known Member
The rock creek #2 is pretty light ! It could have been just a shade over (haven't weighed it for a while ) but I'm pretty sure it was just a couple ounces under ! Goes over 8 with the bipod , dangitt ! Still easy to carry ! Took it to Wyoming last season for antelope using the rdf 140 . Acted like a partition. Curled and punched . 2 antelope same thing .... Thought they'd act more like a berger but didn't ! Got back here had a doe tag used a 6 crredmoor with a rdf , same thing and at 640 yards ! I hope they start making a 338 !!!
D
Deleted member 107796
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270WSM or 270Win are my choices, but I like the comments about so many good candidates.
