Antelope Gun?

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Got a buddy going Antelope hunting , he has 3 choices of guns to take along-- a .270, 300 WSM mag and a .243. Just looking to pass on a little advice to him on which gun and what grain bullets he might have the best luck with. Thanks in advance!

[c&amagn]

I'd opt for the .270 130gr. Very flat shooting for distance and pleanty of energy and bullet for pronghorns.

[Dave S]

I would take either the .243 or the .270 and leave the .300 at home.

As far as bullets, about the only thing I would say is, stay away from ballistic tips for antelope.

[irvingdog]

Prairie goats tip over pretty easy, but are hard to sneak up on.

243 is great. I use a 25.06.

[fishwithteeth]

.243 with a Barnes TSX or TTSX 85 grain bullet.

[perchking]

.243 would be my choice...

[shortfatguy]

I used my 300wsm with 150gr last year on my antelope hunt. I like the 300 because I am comfortable shooting it at the ranges I would encounter while in montana. All 3 of the calibers you mentioned are more than capable of taking antelope. I would say he should take the one that he has the most confidence in shooting at long ranges

[big drift]

Either one the .270 imo would be a better due to the bullett weight being less affected by crosswind. Yes I know it is still affected but in my experience the drift seems less.

However we also have used the .243 with 100 grain interlocks or 85 gr. Barnes TSX with no problem for shots under 200 yards.

Although I would also highly recommend a .25-06 in a 120 gr. one of the best all around cartridges for open country hunting.

[Walleye Guy]

I had to make this decision early this year. Four of us went to Wyoming for a DIY antelope hunt. I was set on the gun. A T/C Prohunter. I was leaning towards a .243. Went to Cabelas and ended up with a .270. Granted I was buying a gun and not choosing between a few for use on one hunt. I went with the .270 because of the versatility and the choices in bullet weights. I used Winchester Supreme Ballistic Tips is 130 grain. Deadly round and it shoots very flat and accurately. I do agree that the ballistic tips leave a pretty big exit hole on an antelope. The buck I shot dropped in his tracks so it accomplished the task.

The .243 is a great caliber too. You can't go wrong with either. Keep in mind that lighter bullets are more susceptible to bullet drift in high winds. Shoot both and pick the one you are more comfortable with.

I would also consider the quality of the optics on each gun. Shoots out to 300 yards aren't uncommon for antelope. I put a 6 x 14 Nikon with the BDC reticle on my TC and couldn't be happier with the choice.

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Thanks for all the input folks!! He decided on taking the .270 with 130 grain rounds, he is going to take the 300 for a back up in case of problems. Thanks again...he leaves in the morning so we'll see what he came up with on Monday when he gets back!

[c&amagn]

Perfect Choice!!!

[machaf]

I used a .300 Win Mag in Wyoming this year. It was overkill. If it hits bone it does massive damage.

.243 would be perfect. However, they're hard to sneak up on, and you usually end up shooting 300 + yards.

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Well here's the report...Against our advice and his better judgment he took the .300 and left the .270 at home even though he went and bought rounds for the .270 that were better suited. Anyway, on the 1st shot the gun misfired (didn't fire at all I guess), and the shell got jammed in the chamber. So he got it out and had time to chamber another round which also did not fire only this time something really went wrong! Apparently he could not even get the bolt open to attempt to get the round out of the chamber again. So that was that! He got so upset telling me the story up to that point that he wouldn't tell me what ultimatly panned out for the rest of the trip. Maybe he'll offer it up in a week or so when he cools off!

[matthothand]

Wow. That's unfortunate to hear. Hopefully he got ahold of another gun and got it done. I used a 7mm Mag on my trip and though it was likely too much gun it proved to be enough. If I did it again I'd do archery and shoot an even bigger one. It's not high on my list anymore though after doing it. I hope regardless of the outcome your buddy makes it out there (west) again for some sort of critter and this hasn't left a bitter taste in his mouth. Awesome country out there!

[DonBo]

Antelope hunting is one of my favorite western adventures. I have shot several with both the .270 and the .243. IMO the .300 is way too much gun for these speed goats, but hey, whatever you're comfortable with.

For the most fun, sit on a water hole with archery tackle and pick the nicest one. got a 15 1\2" on the wall from my last Montana antelope trip. Great fun!

Hope your buddy had great comeback and dropped the hammer on one of those goats.

[harvey lee]

I agree with the 270 or the 243. A 25.06 might be ok also.