which caliber and bullet for pronghorn

[longwinters]

I have a 1st time opportunity to hunt pronghorns in SE Wyoming this coming Oct ( If I draw a permit).  I have 2 rifles.  A Tikka in .243 and a Weatherby in 30-06.  I am sure either will do the job at least out to 300yds.  But which one would you recommend and with what bullet?

[jdt48653]

i would say the /06 because of the wind! i would use 150g hornady light magnums,if you are buying taylor mades!

[Selmer]

You have two good choices there, I've hunted a few antelope in western SD and they are the two choice I have as well, also a .308.  If you are a good stalker, a 300 yd. shot shouldn't be hard to get.  I've shot my biggest goat, a 15 1/2", with a .243 at 75 yds., he thought I was a challenger and he just kept coming in.  If you look at tables and yadda yadda yadda, you'll see that the .243 with a good 100 gr. bullet at 3000 fps. is no flatter than a .30-06 with a 165 gr. at 2800 fps.  Either will do the job, just make sure the .243 has a Nosler Partition in it, you'd hate to wound an animal, and a 150 gr. or 165 gro. Nosler BT will be great our of the .30-06, shoot whichever bullet your '06 prefers, mine likes the 165, so that's what I feed it.  Good hunting!
Selmer
PS You don't need a magnum!!!

[jhm]

longwinters the other posters have all given you good advise also I will add if you havent seen the area you are going to hunt or talked with anyone who has I would take both and use the one that matches the teren the best but if limited to just one I would vote 06 with good 165 gr I have a 06 that just loves them, good hunting.   JIM

[Zachary]

In the .243 I would use the Hornady 100 grain Interlock Boat Tail.  In the .30-06 I would use a Nosler Ballistic Tip or Sierra Boat Tail in 150 grain.

A pronghorn is a relatively small animal.  It doesn't take much to put one down.  Your .243 to .30-06 range is very wide.  I would prefer a .25-06 or .270, but out of the two guns that you have, I would take the .243.

BTW, I also have a Tikka, and I absolutely LOVE it.

Zachary

[taxmiser]

Take which ever rifle you have more confidence in.  They are small creatures even when compared to a whitetail but the prairies are subject to some stiff breezes and the shots tend to be longer than with most any other big game on this continent.  So having faith in the rifle is the most important aspect in making the choice.

Good shooting and good luck!

[tominboise]

The '06 will certainly do the trick, but use 150 grain bullets in it. However, You don't need the power of the '06 for antelope.  Personally, all the antelope I have killed, have been with a .243.  Use a 100 grain bullet.   Of course, if you can shoot one rifle better then the other, then take that one.

Personally, I vote for the .243.

Tom

[Big Tom]

I think you need a new FinnLite in .25-06 topped with Svarowski glass !!! :shock: DREAM ON!!!   :lol:  :lol:  

PS Use the new 7mm with 140 gr ballistic tips.