Antelope bullet in my 308
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PLOTTHOUND
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I would use a good 150 to 165 gr bullet.
Bloodhound
New member
I am taking my .308 to Wyoming this fall. I am loading 165gr Sierra bullets over some Bal-C2 and a magnum primer. Its a load I know well and its great for Deer, Hog and Antelope...I am considering using that same load for Black Bear next Spring as well. I have two Doe tags for goats so I will use the .308 Model 88 for one and my new to me Pre-64 model 70 .270 for the other.
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Timberbeast7
New member
I assume they are recommending the heavier bullets because of their relatively high ballistic coefficients. I shoot a .243 with 105 gr. A-maxes (very good BC and heavy bullet for the caliber but light in regards to a 308). Antelope hunting is very often at least a semi-long range game and having the high BC bullets only works to your advantage. Antelope are not hard to kill, I'd pick a bullet based on long range ballistics. I think "flat shooting" is over-rated, you need something that will perform well in the wind. If you have an accurate load and know were it is shooting and can adjust (the simple turn of a knob), BC trumps "flat shooting".
Bloodhound
New member
I am not so interested in working a heavy bullet into the load, but I get great accuracy and performance from the 165 with its high BC, as this is close to the perfect weight/length for .30 cal. There is a term for this, but it boils down to length vs width the 165 is best for flight, energy retention and accuracy.
Plus that bullet weight gets me from Antelope to Elk with one load. You mentioned Hog Hunting...and I think they need a bullet with a little more oomph than a 110 or 125 grain bullet.
Just my thoughts YMMV
Plus that bullet weight gets me from Antelope to Elk with one load. You mentioned Hog Hunting...and I think they need a bullet with a little more oomph than a 110 or 125 grain bullet.
Just my thoughts YMMV
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Timberbeast7
New member
Originally Posted By: BloodhoundI am not so interested in working a heavy bullet into the load, but I get great accuracy and performance from the 165 with its high BC, as this is close to the perfect weight/length for .30 cal. There is a term for this, but it boils down to length vs width the 165 is best for flight, energy retention and accuracy.
Plus that bullet weight gets me from Antelope to Elk with one load. You mentioned Hog Hunting...and I think they need a bullet with a little more oomph than a 110 or 125 grain bullet.
Just my thoughts YMMV
It's called the ballistic coefficient (i.e. BC). There are other variables as well but bullet shape and mass are part of it.
Ballistic coeffient
The 165 gr bullet isn't the best long range bullet for .30 caliber but it's better than many others.
Plus that bullet weight gets me from Antelope to Elk with one load. You mentioned Hog Hunting...and I think they need a bullet with a little more oomph than a 110 or 125 grain bullet.
Just my thoughts YMMV
It's called the ballistic coefficient (i.e. BC). There are other variables as well but bullet shape and mass are part of it.
Ballistic coeffient
The 165 gr bullet isn't the best long range bullet for .30 caliber but it's better than many others.
Ive dumped a handful with my 30-06 using the sierra 125g jsp bullet at 3200 fps, flat out whomps them. I see no reason for a heavier bullet. In my 7-08 for antelope I run a 125g bullet as well.
They will do the job to 400 yds with ease. All mine were dropped at a max of 344 yds.
My last 7 antelope though have been shot with my 6mms using a 80g ttsx/85g sgkhp and 95g nosler HBT bullets.
Shot placement have all been through the front shoulder bones, even the heaviest bone in the antelope are easy to punch through & out the other side w/light bullets at 3000-3100 fps.
They will do the job to 400 yds with ease. All mine were dropped at a max of 344 yds.
My last 7 antelope though have been shot with my 6mms using a 80g ttsx/85g sgkhp and 95g nosler HBT bullets.
Shot placement have all been through the front shoulder bones, even the heaviest bone in the antelope are easy to punch through & out the other side w/light bullets at 3000-3100 fps.
CatShooter
New member
Originally Posted By: Bloodhound
"... There is a term for this, but it boils down to length vs width the 165 is best for flight, energy retention and accuracy.
Plus that bullet weight gets me from Antelope to Elk with one load. You mentioned Hog Hunting...and I think they need a bullet with a little more oomph than a 110 or 125 grain bullet.
Just my thoughts YMMV
Length and width has nothing to do with accuracy.
And if you hit a hog with a 125 Nosler BT, from a 308, you are going to knock his dead butt into the next county.
"... There is a term for this, but it boils down to length vs width the 165 is best for flight, energy retention and accuracy.
Plus that bullet weight gets me from Antelope to Elk with one load. You mentioned Hog Hunting...and I think they need a bullet with a little more oomph than a 110 or 125 grain bullet.
Just my thoughts YMMV
Length and width has nothing to do with accuracy.
And if you hit a hog with a 125 Nosler BT, from a 308, you are going to knock his dead butt into the next county.
Originally Posted By: sigprosThanks guys. Why the heavy bullets? Just curious.
If you stay off the big bones heavier bullets tend to damage less meat. Antelope are very easy to kill but you can destroy one pretty easy too. I use 180 gr. Sierra BTSP and shoot em thru the ribs whenever possible.
If you stay off the big bones heavier bullets tend to damage less meat. Antelope are very easy to kill but you can destroy one pretty easy too. I use 180 gr. Sierra BTSP and shoot em thru the ribs whenever possible.
Smokin Barrel
Active member
Normally I can't stand antelope and never hunt them for myself. A couple years ago I killed one for a family member that wanted a bunch of jerky. I used a 110gr Vmax from my .308. They run about 3200 fps and it did the trick just fine!
NdIndy
New member
Pretty much all ^ is ovethinking for antelope. You can drop them just fine with a wiffle ball. Strong language and dirty looks has a reasonable chance at putting meat in your freezer. I'm honestly not sure how they survive a mild rain shower in the middle of summer. Honestly if it goes 'bang' it's more than enough to drop a goat. Just make sure that there isn't a 2nd animal behind your first, the bullet will not stop. Other than that literally use anything you want and you're fine.
The last few I've taken have been with 100gr or lighter 25-06 at ranges past 400, still havent recovered a bullet even when I used really really cheap ones.
Starting this year .223 is legal for them. My mom wants to go hunting for the first time in her life and isn't physically capable of noticeable recoil, planning on loading some 'heavy' .223 rounds for her.
Since we're talking goats, I did my first ever in my life trophy mount last year. Taxi finished him several months earlier than I expected. Cell phone pic yada yada.
All my trash talk aside, they are actually insanely interesting animals. The last of the species and physically designed to get away from predators that went extinct centuries ago, vision that is comparable to a person with 20/20 looking through 8x glass etc. But they are an easier hunt than rabbits and prairie dogs. Personally, as long as I don't look like I'm hunting them I've walked to within 30 yards of them in full view, watching them watch me the entire time.
You can't *always* do that, but I've done it more than once in the middle of public land during hunting season. And I've STILL never been able to take one with a bow!
The last few I've taken have been with 100gr or lighter 25-06 at ranges past 400, still havent recovered a bullet even when I used really really cheap ones.
Starting this year .223 is legal for them. My mom wants to go hunting for the first time in her life and isn't physically capable of noticeable recoil, planning on loading some 'heavy' .223 rounds for her.
Since we're talking goats, I did my first ever in my life trophy mount last year. Taxi finished him several months earlier than I expected. Cell phone pic yada yada.
All my trash talk aside, they are actually insanely interesting animals. The last of the species and physically designed to get away from predators that went extinct centuries ago, vision that is comparable to a person with 20/20 looking through 8x glass etc. But they are an easier hunt than rabbits and prairie dogs. Personally, as long as I don't look like I'm hunting them I've walked to within 30 yards of them in full view, watching them watch me the entire time.
You can't *always* do that, but I've done it more than once in the middle of public land during hunting season. And I've STILL never been able to take one with a bow!
RonO.
New member
My preference for a dandy wind bucking vs velocity bullet would be the Berger 155 VLD Target/Hunting bullet. I've had a couple of these take nice whitetails so far and the BC is really quite good. TurboGoats tend to live in windy country and a high BC bullet is something you really want. I agree, they are not hard to kill. Being a truck driver and well versed in salty language, however, I have yet to make one fall over in it's tracks. To date, they have only blushed, looked shame faced, and turned broadside.
I have to concur with NDIndy's assessment. Pronghorn are pretty delicate critters when it comes to shooting them with a rifle. I've shot several with 125 grain B-tips out of my .30-30 AI Contender. At the relatively sedate velocity of that round, they work very well. I've also shot them with 129 grain SSTs out of my 6.5x55 and 150 grain TTSXs out of my .300 WSM (overkill, but does surprisingly little meat damage). Mama shoots all of hers with 100 grain TSXs out of her .257 Roberts. Like ND, we've never recovered a bullet from a pronghorn, so do be careful that there aren't more than one lined up.
Based on my experience, I'd say any decently accurate 125-165 grain bullet will do just fine. I've never seen a reason to take really long shots on pronghorn. My longest was 289 yards, and most were much less than that.
Based on my experience, I'd say any decently accurate 125-165 grain bullet will do just fine. I've never seen a reason to take really long shots on pronghorn. My longest was 289 yards, and most were much less than that.
James Knight
New member
The Sierra 125 Pro Hunter, Nosler 125 BT, Barnes 130 TTSX will all work swell. The Barnes 110 TSX also and that 130 will work on about everything up through elk I betcha! Good luck on getting one and in finding some way to cook that nasty devil! whew! It is beautiful meat, and even though I've skinned them, kept hair/debris off, then right into the ice chest, it was still gamey! ha. I know some guys who love it, but I suspect they eat a lot of old road kill too! lol