Newbie pronghorn hunter

[Ace Quackhunter]

Heading to NE New Mexico to rifle hunt pronghorn
Question is... which cartridge to use. I'm leaning towards a 6.5, but my 270 WSM and 270 Roy are sick accurate.
Options are 80 grain TTSX 257 Roy, 143 ELDX 6.5 CM, 130 ELDM 260, 143 ELDX 6.5 PRC, 130 VLD 270 Win, 130 AB 270 WSM and 150 ABLR 270 Roy.
All are 1/2" or smaller shooters. 270 Roy is the heaviest 8.5#; Lightest 6.5 CM/260 around 6.4#.
Which one would you choose and why?
Thanks for your opinions.

I am a 6.5 man myself and I have a 6.5 X 55 set up for Deer / Pronghorn and it will sling out 130 grain pills to 400 yards all day long. Most of your time will be spent spotting, so good glass will help with that and when you get into position take your time on the shot. Pronghorn are not hard to knock down, if you do your part. Good luck, post some photos.

 

[JMW67]

Heading to NE New Mexico to rifle hunt pronghorn
Question is... which cartridge to use. I'm leaning towards a 6.5, but my 270 WSM and 270 Roy are sick accurate.
Options are 80 grain TTSX 257 Roy, 143 ELDX 6.5 CM, 130 ELDM 260, 143 ELDX 6.5 PRC, 130 VLD 270 Win, 130 AB 270 WSM and 150 ABLR 270 Roy.
All are 1/2" or smaller shooters. 270 Roy is the heaviest 8.5#; Lightest 6.5 CM/260 around 6.4#.
Which one would you choose and why?
Thanks for your opinions.

I have killed speed goats with 22-250 through 300 win any rifle you mentioned will work well just take the one you are most comfortable with and shoot the best, and know your wind corrections good luck and have fun they are a blast to hunt

 

[jasonco]

You know, whatever your choice of caliber, if you're not comfortable shooting at distance, don't shoot at distance. If you're not comfortable shooting in the wind, don't shoot when there's wind. Put your time in practicing so you won't have these doubts, obscure your judgement on the shot at long range and in the wind.

 

[03USMC]

You know, whatever your choice of caliber, if you're not comfortable shooting at distance, don't shoot at distance. If you're not comfortable shooting in the wind, don't shoot when there's wind. Put your time in practicing so you won't have these doubts, obscure your judgement on the shot at long range and in the wind.

It's not that I'm uncomfortable shooting distance or full value winds.
I'm never undergunned because I usually use something that's capable of taking the next size up game animal.
I've just read/heard so much about them being small and very thin skinned that I don't want to destroy the hide or meat.
Coyotes and hogs... I don't care if I have a 50 BMG, they're going down lol.
I plan on getting a pronghorn shoulder mount (lord willing if I harvest one), so I don't want the taxidermist piecing together a puzzle of random carcass (joking of course).

 

[257WTBY]

It's not that I'm uncomfortable shooting distance or full value winds.
I'm never undergunned because I usually use something that's capable of taking the next size up game animal.
I've just read/heard so much about them being small and very thin skinned that I don't want to destroy the hide or meat.
Coyotes and hogs... I don't care if I have a 50 BMG, they're going down lol.
I plan on getting a pronghorn shoulder mount (lord willing if I harvest one), so I don't want the taxidermist piecing together a puzzle of random carcass (joking of course).

I get it my taxidermist was not happy with me when I brought my cougar in that I shot 2X with my 340 WTBY mag. You cant tell but I remember him saying "what cannon did you shoot this with" haha

 

[Charles De Salme]

I've been hunting goats in Clayton for the last 25 years. My 25-06 with a 90 grn bullet has dropped them without any hesitation. I do take my 7mag (140 grn bullet) just in the event the wind is outrageous.
Just remember it is warm that time of year. Get the goat cooled down ASAP. Now excuse me but I'm gonna take some goat sausage out of the freezer.

 

[Bounce]

Lots of good advice here. I've only hunted NE New Mexico pronghorns once and that was out of Springer. Caught a good one about 300 yds out with a .243 BLR carbine, but thinking beforehand that I wished I had brought my .264 Win Mag so I would have enough gun. Didn't need the bigger gun as pronghorns go down easy. Some of the most tasty meat available. Don't over think it. Just do it with whatever you're most comfortable with.

 

[Ace Quackhunter]

I've been hunting goats in Clayton for the last 25 years. My 25-06 with a 90 grn bullet has dropped them without any hesitation. I do take my 7mag (140 grn bullet) just in the event the wind is outrageous.
Just remember it is warm that time of year. Get the goat cooled down ASAP. Now excuse me but I'm gonna take some goat sausage out of the freezer.

If you are talking about Clayton, New Mexico I have hunting there in the past and got a nice Mule Deer in that area.

 

[03USMC]

Thanks for the advice gents.
I've narrowed it down to...
257 Wby
6.5 CM
270 Wby
I always take a backup, so now to eliminate one.

 

[Farmer72]

I will say that I don't think caliber as much as bullet will have a bigger effect on meat and hide damage. I have a friend that used a 340 Weatherby on antelope and had no issue but he was using a bullet that didn't blow up either. Personally I have used almost exclusively Barnes "X" bullets (X, TSX, TTSX, and LRX) for years. And love the way they hold together and have very minimal meat damage no matter where you hit them. I shot a Antelope buck at 350 yds with a 168gr Tac-TX BT from a 300 WSM where he was facing straight at me it when end to end and I recovered it just under the hide and there was very little meat damage. Now the one at 250yds with a 7 STW Imp and 120gr Ballistic tip did a lot more damage as those bullets come apart like a firecracker.

 

[Ace Quackhunter]

I will say that I don't think caliber as much as bullet will have a bigger effect on meat and hide damage. I have a friend that used a 340 Weatherby on antelope and had no issue but he was using a bullet that didn't blow up either. Personally I have used almost exclusively Barnes "X" bullets (X, TSX, TTSX, and LRX) for years. And love the way they hold together and have very minimal meat damage no matter where you hit them. I shot a Antelope buck at 350 yds with a 168gr Tac-TX BT from a 300 WSM where he was facing straight at me it when end to end and I recovered it just under the hide and there was very little meat damage. Now the one at 250yds with a 7 STW Imp and 120gr Ballistic tip did a lot more damage as those bullets come apart like a firecracker.

I have used the Barnes X Bullet in the past with mixed results on Deer coming out of my 25-06. I just ordered some for the 338 Mag. that I finished building while in quarantine and hope to find out how they work this fall.

 

[03USMC]

I will say that I don't think caliber as much as bullet will have a bigger effect on meat and hide damage. I have a friend that used a 340 Weatherby on antelope and had no issue but he was using a bullet that didn't blow up either. Personally I have used almost exclusively Barnes "X" bullets (X, TSX, TTSX, and LRX) for years. And love the way they hold together and have very minimal meat damage no matter where you hit them. I shot a Antelope buck at 350 yds with a 168gr Tac-TX BT from a 300 WSM where he was facing straight at me it when end to end and I recovered it just under the hide and there was very little meat damage. Now the one at 250yds with a 7 STW Imp and 120gr Ballistic tip did a lot more damage as those bullets come apart like a firecracker.

The 257 Roy is a 80 grain Barnes TTSX at 3850
The 6.5 CM is a 143 ELDX around 2700
The 270 Roy is a 150 Accubond LR at 3080

 

[Farmer72]

I know some guns just don't like Barnes bullets. I have been pretty luck in that mine so far have liked them. When my dad had his 340 Roy it hated the Barnes bullets. He now shoots a 300 Win mag with 180gr AB's. I have shot a lot of Antelope, deer, and elk with Barnes and have had great success. I am one that prefers penatration over blowing up inside. That is just my preference though. If there was one perfect bullet/caliber combo it would just be boring. All of the 3 you narrowed it done to would be good chooses. To bad the hunt is for one antelope or you could take all 3 and shoot one with each.

 

[DMP25-06]

The 257 Roy is a 80 grain Barnes TTSX at 3850
The 6.5 CM is a 143 ELDX around 2700
The 270 Roy is a 150 Accubond LR at 3080

I say take both Weatherby's . Their higher velocities will negate the higher BC of the 6.5 bullets , especially the .270 WBY. with 150 gr. ABLR at 3080 FPS. It would be my 1st choice , with .257 WBY. as backup , and prairie dog vaporizer .

DMP25-06