Too much gun?

backwoodsboy223

backwoodsboy223

New member
Wanted some of your opinions, since I have no experience with antelope. I am going on a doe antelope hunt in early march. The terrain is flat and fairly open, shots somewhere from 50-300 yards. I have access to 2 rifles: a 7mm remington magnum and a 22-250 savage. Now, the folks at the sporting goods store tell me that a 7mm will destroy an antelope to the point that the meat is not any good. I am a little leery using a 22-250, but I want the animal. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.
BWB
P.S. I have 140gr nosler ballistic tips and 160gr nosler partitions for the 7mm and 55gr hornady vmax for the 22-250
 
Backwoodsboy223,
I think I would go with the 7mm, but then again it is all personal preference. The 7mm and 140 grain bullets. Don't know about the use of ballistic tips on big game since I had a bad experience using them deer hunting one year. Have you thought about soft nose bullets in the 140 grain class?
Good luck on your antelope hunt this coming spring.
 
Id use the 22-250, ive seen them shot with that rifle and it thumps them. Thats what my cousin in montana usese on them.
 
Take the gun you shoot the best. shoot the animal behind the shoulder, lungs.
either caliber will destroy meat with a bad hit, prong horn are little.
have fun, hunt hard, tell us the story!!!
 
Backwoods it depends on where your going i know in colo. it is ilegal to use a 22-250 to hunt big game with so i would use the 7 mag just to be sure
 
If it were my house, I'd call your quandary the perfect reason to justify a new rifle. If you can't do that, go with the 7 and have a great trip.
 
Centerfire-
I like the way that you think. Maybe this is a godsend instead of a problem...
By the way, i shot my 7mm for the first time today. Shot dime-sized 5 shot groups at 100, and silver dollar sized groups at 200
BWB
 
Originally posted by backwoodsboy223:
[qb]Centerfire-
I like the way that you think. Maybe this is a godsend instead of a problem...
By the way, i shot my 7mm for the first time today. Shot dime-sized 5 shot groups at 100, and silver dollar sized groups at 200
BWB[/qb]
Click to expand...
With groups like that, why consider anything else? On second thought, I think there is something wrong with your 7mm and I can fix it, uh yeah I can fix it so send it to me. Right now. hurry up.I'm waiting.
 
Pronghorn aren't hard to kill, and aren't very big. Think "small deer".

A 7 mag would be great for long shots. Up close, say within 150 yards, it could get real messy, depending on the bullet and load. If you're worried about it, use the gun but discipline yourself to only a lung shot with a good broadside profile so you can be sure to not waste a shoulder.

The 22-250 would do fine for lung shots on one, but I wouldn't use a V-Max. It might do OK, but has a very light jacket and I think a tougher bullet, even a BT, would be better.
 
Mr. Farish-
I have been looking for some 60 grain BTs or SP's, but I can only find 55 grain varmint rounds. I don't handload, nor do I know anyone who does. Any place that you know of that I can purchase some?
 
magelk i have had that 7mm since 6th grade and i ain't killed an animal with it yet. it's a weatherby mark v, cost me $250 of my lawn mowing money. it is a beauty; shoots well, handles well, and kicks the hell out of you. i think that caliber has me about situated for big game hunting in north america for about the rest of my life (damn, i hope no one from my household sees this, then i don't have an excuse to buy another one).
 
In 224 caliber, the heaviest BT is 55 grains. I use them in my 22-250. So far I've not shot a deer with them, but a lot of people use this round on deer. I'm tempted, just to see for myself, but would restrict myself to either a clean lung or neck chot, no shoulders.

In factory ammo, there is a good selection of loads, but as I do reload I can't tell you right offhand what factory loads there are. You might look at what you can find on the shelf and see if any that look more suitable than the V-Max. Possibly Remington green box, they use a soft point, 55 grains, I think. There may be a Federal or Hornady load to suit you. I'll try to keep an eye on my catalogs & will post if I find something that looks good. Just avoid the shoulder, be sure to impact on the thin area over the ribs behind it. If you want to mount it, avoid neck shots. Pronghorns have hollow hair, very light colored. It tends to suck up blood, so the cleaner you can keep the cape the better job your taxidermist can do with it. If you won't mount it, a neck shot can be very good, but you must be certain of your shot placement. Not what I use for long shots in windy conditions or on moving game.
 
Hornady makes a 22-250 factory load with a 60 gr SP bullet.

Federal makes 2 loads, a 55 gr Sierra Game King BTHP and a 55 gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw.

I would probably use the Hornady for this purpose, but as I haven't tried them out nor seen them used, I'm making my best guess here.
 
In NM it IS legal to hunt antelope (and deer) with .22 caliber centerfires. I've taken a muley and an antelope with a .22-250. The deer was a head shot at ~50 yards, the antelope was a double lung hit at ~150 yards or so. Both were shot with 55 grain soft points (handloads) and died just like they'd been hit with a cannon. Put a good bullet where it needs to be and you'll have a dead antelope. I wouldn't feel handicapped at all using a .22-250 for antelope as long as YOU are comfortable shooting that gun. Do not, I repeat do not use plastic tipped bullets on antelope. Check out a local Wal-Mart or K-Mart for some regular old Remington Core-Locts and you'll be good to go.

Good luck on your antelope hunt. My wife would kill to be in your shoes...
 
gunnut, i wasn't much bigger than you but i was able to take the recoil. now i am at leat a head taller and i will always be able to put you in your place. you will grow someday, but hey, you can get away w/ a youth permit!!!
 
Backwoodsboy: Try Custom Ammunition if Las Cruces.....they will load for you.
They are located just across the Interstate from NMSU on the road leading down the valley to Casa Mexicana (the tile place). Blessings.
 
BWB, I would go with the 22-250 because a doe antelope is between 75lbs and 100lbs. So if your confident with your shot with the 22-250, take it, if you hit her in the vitals, then it will do the job just fine.
 
Did someone say he was actually going to be concerned about the meat? Does that mean he plans to eat the thing?

PPPEEEE EEWWWUUUUU /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
That'd be Custom Cartridge in Mesilla Park. Carl's a good guy and can probably get or load what you need if you're close to LC.
 
Back
Top