Any recommendations for a sheep hunting gun?

EJG said:
We recently did a little comparison between 6.5CM 20" 140ELDM (2730fps) and a 7PRC 24" 180ELDM in just about identical lightweight rifles and same scope. We started shooting at 600m and ended at 1345m. Wind was around 10mph at the shorter ranges and up to 20mph at the longer range. Most emphasis was on first round hit. from the start the 7PRC hit better but the difference was huge at over 1000m. The little 6.5 even ran out of windage on S&B PMII scope at 1345m. If it counts I would certainly choose a 7PRC (or similar) over most others as being a good balance between performance and manageable recoil in a light weight rifle. I have also started to really like carbon fibre barrels as they seem to make a rifle shoot a little nicer, carbon dampens quite well. Carbon fibre stocks can dampen recoil very well too.

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edi
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Thank you for sharing. I'm leaning toward the 7 PRC myself. A lot of people seem to like this caliber which I have never shot.
 
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Savage Ultralite in 280 AI or 270 Win. Affordable rifle with a premium carbon fiber/stainless barrel. Comes with an adjustable polymer stock. Accurate. Good reviews too. A 270 is on sale at The Gun Dealer in New Brunswick for $1616.24!!!
 
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I was out a couple nights ago trying some of the barnes 168lrx with a modest load of h4831. It should be shooting right around 2760fps. I’m going to pursue this load for this rifle. It should be an allaround bear defence and any sized game bullet. the steel plate is at 300m. I put one shot lower to give myself a point of aim, which was pretty hard to see because those barnes bullets don’t explode and make a big mark on the plate.
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9-ball said:

lastwest lots of good suggestions but to narrow it down or offer better suggestions I have a couple of questions for you:​

-whats your weight that you want in a sheep rifle? ​

-are you backpacking solo multiday, horse, guided?​

-is this purely a sheep rifle or going to double for other game?

-are you set on factory builds or open to going custom route?
- when do you need it by?
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Hey,
With my buddy we backpack for 6 to 7 days. So, I'm defined looking for something under 5Lbs. If I don't find a stock rifle I like, I'm ready to go custom build. I will essentially use it for sheep hunting but would not mind to use it for long range shooting.
 
If you're going custom, take a look at Wildcat stocks in Edmonton as well. It will shave off a lot of weight on any rifle.

I put one on my tikka sheep rifle, shaved off a lot over the stock plastic one.
 
lastwest said:
Hey,
With my buddy we backpack for 6 to 7 days. So, I'm defined looking for something under 5Lbs. If I don't find a stock rifle I like, I'm ready to go custom build. I will essentially use it for sheep hunting but would not mind to use it for long range shooting.
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The light weight will almost ensure very little, if any, long range shooting.

R.
 
lastwest said:
Hey,
With my buddy we backpack for 6 to 7 days. So, I'm defined looking for something under 5Lbs. If I don't find a stock rifle I like, I'm ready to go custom build. I will essentially use it for sheep hunting but would not mind to use it for long range shooting.
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A sub-5lb 7 PRC. On the plus side, it shouldn’t take too long to sift through all the factory rifle options in that weight category….
 
9-ball said:
Horses would be nice for sure. But I am also out hiking faster in the mornings because I am not finding hobbled horses, and going to bed while others are feeding horses. Benefits and draw backs to both. Of course on a heavy trip out I am wishing I had a horse, or wasnt so far in, but that is what makes memories.
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I’ve both backpack and horseback hunted quite a bit, and that’s the truth. We’ve had trips where we’ve left the horses home because they’d have been less efficient. (Horses aren't these easiest keepers in our sheep country.) And trips when we’ve been so glad to have them, especially for the packout!
 
I would start with a Tikka in 7 prc.
put it in a Wildcat stock, shaves off a lot of weight.
Test it, if it's not performing then rebarrel with an ibi 7 prc barrel.
 
A buddy of mine has a lightweight rifle, around 7lbs iirc, (rem 700 I think) in 375 RUM for sale. Light to carry drop anything that walks (if the shooter does their part) and can reach out and touch. Better make your first shot count ‘cause you wont likely be interested in shooting it twice 😁
 
My go to for the last 5 years has been my Sauer 404 in 300 win mag with a Swarovski Z6i 2.5-15x56 BT Riflescope. I don't notice the weight although it is one of my heavier setups. I hunt in northern BC in grizzly country and I am confident and well practiced with this setup and I am always ready for surprises with a 20k hike from the float plane to the camp. I have studied tons from a 1000 yards and well beyond before deciding to get closer. I have always needed to get closer to confirm they are legal full curl and that's with an A tier spotting scope. I have never shot a ram past 200 yards and know what its like to crawl for an hour to get close enough to be sure.
 
Bustercluck said:
I was out a couple nights ago trying some of the barnes 168lrx with a modest load of h4831. It should be shooting right around 2760fps. I’m going to pursue this load for this rifle. It should be an allaround bear defence and any sized game bullet. the steel plate is at 300m. I put one shot lower to give myself a point of aim, which was pretty hard to see because those barnes bullets don’t explode and make a big mark on the plate.
View attachment 1161872View attachment 1161875
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Nice shooting... Cheers
 
9-ball said:
If you're going custom, take a look at Wildcat stocks in Edmonton as well. It will shave off a lot of weight on any rifle.

I put one on my tikka sheep rifle, shaved off a lot over the stock plastic one.
Click to expand...
Agree. Put a couple of those on lightweight rifles I built on Rem 600's. One of which was my sheep gun, in 284 Win. - dan
 
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