Sheep Rifle
- Thread starter AR15meister
- Start date
I'd go with the 270 options. Prefer the Win Extreme Weather Mod 70 but the Finnlight is good too. But your 308 is totally doable as well. If you are comfortable with it, know how it shoots, practice out to 300 with it and call it good. But if you believe you need a new rifle, Jack O'Connor has the right idea!
If you don't have confidence in your setup, shoot it until the confidence comes or the certainty that you can't trust it is absolute.
Whatever option you choose, take whatever range you want to shoot to and try to double it. Safe range of 250 in hunting conditions, be failsafe at 500 at the range, 350 out hunting shoot 700 at the range and so on.
Whatever option you choose, take whatever range you want to shoot to and try to double it. Safe range of 250 in hunting conditions, be failsafe at 500 at the range, 350 out hunting shoot 700 at the range and so on.
Use the rifle you have, you are already familiar with it and the 308 is capable of making kills well beyond what most guys should be shooting at game. I would spend that 5K on better binos, maybe with a laser range finder built in, better boots, and a better pack. Also, in Toronto you are not that far (3ish hours) to MilCun up in Minden, sign up for the long range practice days, they shoot out to 600 meters regularly and sometimes farther. First LR practice day is late April, and there is at least one a month, sometimes two. All shooting there is prone, which is a likely position you will use in the field, off a pack or a jacket on a rock or something like that.
Good luck on your hunt! I hope to see some grip and grin pictures from you this fall!
Good luck on your hunt! I hope to see some grip and grin pictures from you this fall!
Of all the sheep I have taken and been in on the hunt (over 20) only a couple were way out there (beyond 400 mtrs). My Marco Polo was in a different county, and my sheep hunting buddy has made a couple real long kills, but only because we were always short of time and could absolutely not stalk closer. We never hunted more than 5 days and usually only 3 or 4, so we had to make the most of those shots that presented.
Something no one here seems to have addressed, so I will, and the main reason I prefer a cartridge shooting a bullet of at least 150 gns and a BC exceeding .5 and a velocity over 3000 fps or even better 3200 fps. WIND.....and it is very, very prevalent in sheep country.
I won't get into whether the 308 is capable of killing sheep at 500 mtrs, of course it is !! But the reality is you have to hit them, and low velocity cartridges like the 308 can make this much more difficult in the wind. Distance can easily be compensated for now-a-days with all the fancy rangefinding equipment available, but wind is a fickle temptress and can be almost impossible to gauge. The shorter the time of flight the less effect wind has upon your bullet....pure physics....undeniable fact. This is where the 308 really comes up short in my opinion, and there is very little you can do to mitigate it, you can only drive a bullet with a good BC so fast from a 308 case.
I have always felt that if I'm going to spend big bucks on a guided long distance hunt, that I want to eliminate as many negative variables as possible on my end. Thus increasing my chances of success, even if it's only a tiny bit. I don't know about you but it seems to me that there is always enough stuff to go wrong, or against me on a hunt, that I do not need to add to the potential failure equation by hunting with a cartridge that puts me at a disadvantage in any way........and I feel the 308 has serious disadvantages in the sheep mountains I have hunted. There is a very good reason that the 7mm RM is quite likely the most popular sheep hunting cartridge of all time........low recoil, flat shooting, good in the wind and can be made in a very light rifle that is still tame to shoot.
I won't address the boots, and binos etc that seem to many others to be more important than cartridge and caliber.........your question was to cartridge so I shall stick to your question.
I would highly recommend you buy yourself a 7mm magnum or 300 magnum in a rifle that fits you well and is relatively light and go with a 3-9X40 good scope and sight it dead on center X at 300 mtrs (2.5" high @ 100 mtrs). Practice with it all summer whenever you can get out and I personally think you will have more confidence and will be much better equipped for your sheep hunt.
As has been said there is nothing wrong with the 308 as a general hunting cartridge, and there is not I suppose......but sheep hunting is NOT general type hunting, in my opinion, and your chances of success are enhanced, with tools more suited to this type of more specialized hunting. It's not like you live in sheep country and you can go out next weekend if you can't get within the limitations of your 308 this week, for a shot.
So my advice is ignore all the 308 lovers in this forum (most of whom have never shot a sheep and live in a world of theoretical paper ballistics or shoot at a known range from a bench with wind flags) and get yourself a rifle and cartridge that is far better suited to the hunt you are paying big bucks for. You can take this advice for what it's worth, but it comes from a dedicated lifetime sheep hunter..........
Something no one here seems to have addressed, so I will, and the main reason I prefer a cartridge shooting a bullet of at least 150 gns and a BC exceeding .5 and a velocity over 3000 fps or even better 3200 fps. WIND.....and it is very, very prevalent in sheep country.
I won't get into whether the 308 is capable of killing sheep at 500 mtrs, of course it is !! But the reality is you have to hit them, and low velocity cartridges like the 308 can make this much more difficult in the wind. Distance can easily be compensated for now-a-days with all the fancy rangefinding equipment available, but wind is a fickle temptress and can be almost impossible to gauge. The shorter the time of flight the less effect wind has upon your bullet....pure physics....undeniable fact. This is where the 308 really comes up short in my opinion, and there is very little you can do to mitigate it, you can only drive a bullet with a good BC so fast from a 308 case.
I have always felt that if I'm going to spend big bucks on a guided long distance hunt, that I want to eliminate as many negative variables as possible on my end. Thus increasing my chances of success, even if it's only a tiny bit. I don't know about you but it seems to me that there is always enough stuff to go wrong, or against me on a hunt, that I do not need to add to the potential failure equation by hunting with a cartridge that puts me at a disadvantage in any way........and I feel the 308 has serious disadvantages in the sheep mountains I have hunted. There is a very good reason that the 7mm RM is quite likely the most popular sheep hunting cartridge of all time........low recoil, flat shooting, good in the wind and can be made in a very light rifle that is still tame to shoot.
I won't address the boots, and binos etc that seem to many others to be more important than cartridge and caliber.........your question was to cartridge so I shall stick to your question.
I would highly recommend you buy yourself a 7mm magnum or 300 magnum in a rifle that fits you well and is relatively light and go with a 3-9X40 good scope and sight it dead on center X at 300 mtrs (2.5" high @ 100 mtrs). Practice with it all summer whenever you can get out and I personally think you will have more confidence and will be much better equipped for your sheep hunt.
As has been said there is nothing wrong with the 308 as a general hunting cartridge, and there is not I suppose......but sheep hunting is NOT general type hunting, in my opinion, and your chances of success are enhanced, with tools more suited to this type of more specialized hunting. It's not like you live in sheep country and you can go out next weekend if you can't get within the limitations of your 308 this week, for a shot.
So my advice is ignore all the 308 lovers in this forum (most of whom have never shot a sheep and live in a world of theoretical paper ballistics or shoot at a known range from a bench with wind flags) and get yourself a rifle and cartridge that is far better suited to the hunt you are paying big bucks for. You can take this advice for what it's worth, but it comes from a dedicated lifetime sheep hunter..........
Dam, now I want to go buy a 7mm RM and go sheep hunting! Sounds like good advice and his logic is undeniable. This is now permanently catalogued for any possible future sheep hunts I go on.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I outfit for mountain goats in BC, not sheep but same logic applies. I'd say stick with your trusted .308 and have a blast, we want to see clients first and foremost with a rifle they're comfortable with. We have a max of 300 here for clients that prove it on the range and typically shoot 75-200, well within your .308's abilities. Do bear in mind if you're horseback the horses get you to camp and slightly past, not to the sheep generally, get good light gear, you mentioned you're already on that track.
If you want an opinion on best, it's 7 Mag and .270. But I'd be leery to see a client ditch a rifle he knows for a new one.
If you want an opinion on best, it's 7 Mag and .270. But I'd be leery to see a client ditch a rifle he knows for a new one.
Bingo we have a winner !!! great reply .
Sure you being a outfitter the worse feeling you have is a client unloading off a float plane with a new rifle that he's never had in the field before . Nothing like seeing them fliching off the bench trying to sight it in , or short stroking the action with a big time jam after missing a shot with a new rifle . Seen that way to many times as a hunter + sheep guide .
One of the hunter we guided use a older Rem 700 in 30-06 shooting factory 180 Sliver Tips . One shoot at 320 yards, double lung hit sheep took 2 steps and went to sleep . It not rocket science .
Man I have bin struggling with wich rifle to use on my sheep hunt and its getting worse Haahaa
Shood I take the new to me Kimber adirondack 308 or my new to me SH precision 7 mag,or my new to me Remington seven 300wsm
One good thing is I don't think I can real go wrong with any one of them so I will shoot them all and pick the one I can shoot the best
betting on the 7mag to be the most accurate but it's the heaviest at 7+ lbs not that matters as I have saved so many Lbs on my equipment that waight is less of a issue wen it coms to the rifle
The Kimber is lightest of the bunch and the one I will pack on Haida Gwaii don't know if it's going goat hunting or not but I'm betting this will be my New favorite hiking rifle
I will bring 300 wsm up with me on my scouting trip
Sumthing comforting having a 300 wsm in early spring as hungry bears coming out of ther dens
Over all I think I'm sitting pretty damn good but have to many rifle fore one sheep hunt and no there not fore sale lol
Shood I take the new to me Kimber adirondack 308 or my new to me SH precision 7 mag,or my new to me Remington seven 300wsm
One good thing is I don't think I can real go wrong with any one of them so I will shoot them all and pick the one I can shoot the best
betting on the 7mag to be the most accurate but it's the heaviest at 7+ lbs not that matters as I have saved so many Lbs on my equipment that waight is less of a issue wen it coms to the rifle
The Kimber is lightest of the bunch and the one I will pack on Haida Gwaii don't know if it's going goat hunting or not but I'm betting this will be my New favorite hiking rifle
I will bring 300 wsm up with me on my scouting trip
Sumthing comforting having a 300 wsm in early spring as hungry bears coming out of ther dens
Over all I think I'm sitting pretty damn good but have to many rifle fore one sheep hunt and no there not fore sale lol
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pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
You can get a ballistic turret for your swarovski z3, then all you would need is a range finder. Then practice at long range. If you feel the need for a new rifle take a look at kimber montana 84L chambered in 270 win. I'm the same height as you, 5'7". The rifle fits me perfectly. My rifle is also scoped with a Z3 with the BRH reticle. Good luck on your hunt.
- Location
- Lumby Town!!
Lots O good advice here......Ardent and FBMI are steering you straight....By all means buy another rifle, but I'd stick with what ya got and practise with it and longer ranges, and especially cross wind. Case in point, I was in NZ over the winter, went chasing Chamois with my BIL. The weather was rotten, didn't allow us to go where we wanted, had to settle for closer to home....crazy wind, as usual there. Second night my mate spots a nice buck Chamois coming across the mountain top like he owns it...we give chase. 3 ridges later we catch him....250yards away and blowing an easy 60kph. As usual no rest, off my knees on the steep side of the hill. Its a bit different in NZ , as the animals are all considered pests and you can shoot as many as you want, but I still don't want to wound him....anyway, hold off and a hair high, bullet hits right in front of his chest.. he takes off like a rabbit. slows down and looks back on the next cliff, now he's 325 or so, hold a bit higher and double the windage.....bullet goes right through the chest and off the rocks he goes.
So skill???? not really, but cross wind practise and a bit of experience...yup (bit of luck never hurt either )
So skill???? not really, but cross wind practise and a bit of experience...yup (bit of luck never hurt either )
Maybe you should start your own thread all about you, your new rifles, all your lightweight gear and your sheep hunts.
Your autobiographical post is a derail, and doesn't really address the questions asked by the OP.
OP- I would stick with what you know and love. Perhaps consider a load change to a load that better suits your goal, assuming this is necessary. For example, consider building a load with 110 or 130 TTSX or 125 AB bullets (all can be loaded to well in excess of 3000 fps in the .308) that will flatten your trajectory a bit over your self imposed range limitations yet be perfectly adequate for your intended quarry.
Just my thoughts.
Maybe you should start your own thread all about you, your new rifles, all your lightweight gear and your sheep hunts.
Your autobiographical post is a derail, and doesn't really address the questions asked by the OP.
OP- I would stick with what you know and love. Perhaps consider a load change to a load that better suits your goal, assuming this is necessary. For example, consider building a load with 110 or 130 TTSX or 125 AB bullets (all can be loaded to well in excess of 3000 fps in the .308) that will flatten your trajectory a bit over your self imposed range limitations yet be perfectly adequate for your intended quarry.
Just my thoughts.
I never ment to derail this thread if that is what I did I'm sorry
Just a bit to excited and I bin having way to much fun looking for best used ultralight equipment and this thread is building on the excitement
Good on you for using the hunt for an excuse to work out. You can never be in too good of shape. Big Horns arent White tail. Use old Betsy. That will make the kill even more special. If you want to extend your distance, buy/load a heavier bullet and hit the range. I love buying guns as much as the next person with the sickness, but its not necessary. Put that cash towards the taxidermy!
Fair enough
Ya know, a 150gr .277 interbond claims a BC of .525 and the 270 Weatherby will push it at 3200fps... Hell, you'd probably push it closer to 3400 fps lol (Hell, even the 270WSM claims over 3100fps with a 150 grain pill)
It'll flatten your trajectory, but it will also increase wind drift with lighter bullets. Have you seen the kind of BC's that 125gr 30cal bullets have?
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pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
It'll flatten your trajectory, but it will also increase wind drift with lighter bullets. Have you seen the kind of BC's that 125gr 30cal bullets have?[/QUOTE]
I was thinking the same thing. A 150 gr accubond at 2900 fps would be a better choice.
I was thinking the same thing. A 150 gr accubond at 2900 fps would be a better choice.
