Sheep rifle
- Thread starter Nuclear Worker
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
I agree with 35Whelen. "I have a 270,30.06 and a 300wsm." For me go with what you already have, what you are familiar with, have most confidence with, and what you shoot the best with. I personally like a .270, with my next choice the 30-06, but.....I'm also old school. I'm building a .270 AI, hunt with a 35 Whelen and 358 Winchester. I'd say great, for the new rifle build "if" you had/have time to get familiar with the rifle, shoot it and have confidence with it. Just because a rifle is new, it doesn't mean that you cannot/will not have some kind of trouble with it; shtuff happens!! We've all bought rifles that didn't do what we "thought" they were going to do. So now you have a new rifle, in the caliber and configuration that you wanted, and........there's a problem; inconsistency, fail to fire, fail to eject, whaatever. Now not only are you working on getting yourself in shape, getting all of your other equipment up and running, now you have to work on getting a rifle (that is having trouble) up and running and that's cutting into your time to prepare for the hunt; burning the candle from both ends!! Recently a friend bought a new Mod. 70 in .270WSM to go on a (once in a lifetime) mule deer/antelope hunt in Wyoming; he has a safe full of Model 70s however he wanted a new gun to take on this hunt. We went to the range, sighted the rifle in, and started shooting. He would get good groups then some really crazy fliers. He started getting these fliers, then started sweating and losing confidence in his ability to shoot. I suggested that he was having a bad day and to take a time out for another day. The next session at the range I was watching him shoot looking for possible flinch or something like that. When he fired I noticed that his scope moved, he had a broken scope ring!! Who ever heard of a scope ring breaking!!!???? He got it fixed, under normal conditions this wouldn't be a big deal, however he had the crunch of getting the rifle back up and running again. If you really want to buy something, perhaps buy a really good piece of glass with good mounts to improve what you already have. JMO!! Good luck with whatever you choose to do and enjoy your hunt.
grandslamsheephunter
Official LRH Sponsor
Any of your calibers will kill sheep, Most guides will not let you over 200 yards anyway
as you do not want chase a wounded sheep around on those mountain, just save your money and get to know your rifle, Reminder if you draw blood and don't get the ram
you still PAY the trophy fee, My Slam # is 1195 Good Luck on the hunt Aditude is Altitude
as you do not want chase a wounded sheep around on those mountain, just save your money and get to know your rifle, Reminder if you draw blood and don't get the ram
you still PAY the trophy fee, My Slam # is 1195 Good Luck on the hunt Aditude is Altitude
We all love new rifles. Regardless of if they are necessary. I have some thoughts that you should consider though.
A sleeping bag for a hunt like this is about $500. A pack will be $500. Pants are $150+ per pair. And you need 2. Good rain gear is $400+ and 100% necessary. Boots are $400. You should really consider a Sitka jacket. They are about $500+ too but after you bust your butt for 6 hrs to get to the top of a mountain and all sweaty then stop to glass you will be glad you have a warm coat to put on.
Maybe you have all this gear already. But unless you have sheep hunted you probably could use some of it.
There is no bad weather. Only bad clothing.
A sleeping bag for a hunt like this is about $500. A pack will be $500. Pants are $150+ per pair. And you need 2. Good rain gear is $400+ and 100% necessary. Boots are $400. You should really consider a Sitka jacket. They are about $500+ too but after you bust your butt for 6 hrs to get to the top of a mountain and all sweaty then stop to glass you will be glad you have a warm coat to put on.
Maybe you have all this gear already. But unless you have sheep hunted you probably could use some of it.
There is no bad weather. Only bad clothing.
The older I get the more I realize I don't NEED that many rifles. Doesn't mean I don't still want a new one sometimes though. I would just look at upgrading one of the ones you have with a lightweight scope and stock.spend the rest on gear and practice ammo.
grandslamsheephunter
Official LRH Sponsor
Buy Polar tec shirts and undies ,and a down jacket, Polar Tec clothes wixs the sweat away and you don't get cold even when your taking the sheep hunters nap sitting against a rock Believe me !!!! Sheep Hunting is not for everyone Either you love or hate it. But the rewards are worth the effords
IF you want to do this rite,and have the best memories, Use your 300 Win short mag, and take the wife with you, I'd offer to keep her for you ,but my wife frowns on such endeavors. Seriously it's a Once in a lifetime hunt, she made it possible, I know you want another rifle, hell we all do, but when your old and can't do such hunts will you look back and say " should have spent the money on another rifle" or will you wish you took her, not even a hard decision.
grandslamsheephunter
Official LRH Sponsor
Sounds Like my wife and her would not get anyway , A man once told me to disperse of his guns when he dies BUT he said don't let my wife sell them for what I told I gave them . LOL
As mentioned before....you need to consider bears whether you have a tag or not. Sheep almost always live in grizzly country. I'm pretty sure your guide won't be carrying a 6.5. It is something you need to seriously consider.
Mike
I agree don't want to carry a 6.5 in bear country but I do for sheep. As far as the 6.5 goes we had toput a steer down on the farm so we shot it the 6.5 at 200 yards just to test the caliber. Punched through both shoulders and out other side so I believe it can do the job if needed.
Salmonchaser
Well-Known Member
Dang, yep it'll work if needed, I think the bear my dad had trouble with was on one of his sheep hunts, he was using his .264 wm. So he wasn't out for bear or moose. Always said he shouldn't have picked that fight.
As to the 6.5/284 probably just about a perfect sheep cartridge.
Pretty **** rare for sheep hunters to have a DLP shooting.
ramrod79
Well-Known Member
Nothing wrong with a 6.5 in Grizz country last ram I shot was with 6.5 Sherman. I'm lucky I can hunt in a general sheep zone every season.The last couple years I used my 6.5 Sherman in the Castle country of Alberta. This country is the home of Griz in Alberta and did this without a worry. The way I see it is gun is either on pack or in scabbard on horse so it won't matter what caliber I have. First ever Ram shot in same country 25 years ago with a 270 mountain rifle. Second ram shot with 300 WSM and 4th shot with my custom 260 rem. Then I was onto the 6.5 284 for a few years then my 65 Sherman witch did just fine.
My Dad hunted sheep all over the country for years before he retired from it all he used was a 270. Personally after my one of my hunting partners was mauled a few years back caliber is not as important as awareness and Bear spray this is what saved his life as he never had a chance to raise his 300win mag for a shot. Just my thought tho.
My Dad hunted sheep all over the country for years before he retired from it all he used was a 270. Personally after my one of my hunting partners was mauled a few years back caliber is not as important as awareness and Bear spray this is what saved his life as he never had a chance to raise his 300win mag for a shot. Just my thought tho.
Thanks for the information
