300 Win Mag for antelope????

sheephunter said:
Man, you boys need to learn to cook. Antelope meat is about as fine as it gets!
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I shot my first one in 1955 or 56 when I was 12 or 13. I didn't cook it. It was quite gamey, you could smell it throughout the house. I haven't eaten any since then. Everyone I knew at that time felt that was how it was...
 
I've eaten a few lopes and they all tasted decent. They have hollow hair that is very insulating, and tend to bloat up quickly if not dressed immediately. Get them dressed, cooled and butchered pronto and they are good eatin. They do stink like heck, but it doesn't seem to effect the taste of the meat. I think I actually prefer a properly done lope to a deer...
 
i used my 300 win mag on my antelope this year. 175 yard shot, very little meat damage with a shot right through the vitals. stick with somthing 180 grain.
 
Big Game said:
So. Would my 180 grain loads do?
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Sure. That what I use in my 300's for deer. 180's are my bullet of choice for 300 win. Be just fine for lopes. You'll have less meat damage that a 270 with 130's. I've seen more meat damage with small frangable bullets.

Before the 270 guys jump on me, I do have a 270 and it is a fine cartridge, with 140's plus, in my oppinion. As previously stated. Bullet selection is very important.
 
Big Game said:
So. Would my 180 grain loads do?
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They will work fine... just make sure there is nothing behind the antelope you shoot, as the bullet will most likely pass through and is still capable of killing ... whether it be another antelope or a cow.
 
Antelope meat borderline rivals wild sheep. I've yet to have one that is gamey in any way. I've even eaten pronghorn that were poorly shot that were nothing less than fantastic table fare.
 
I pounded one with a 180gr at 200 yards with a .308 NM and I doubt the bullet even opened up or slowed down much.Too hard a jacket! A 150gr would have been more appropriate.The hide stinks of sage as thats what they eat .After skinning no smell.I usually bone the whole critter and it becomes hotrods.Fine tablefare as is as well..................Harold
 
I wouldn't use a 180. A 150 TSX as fast as a rifle will shoot them real accurately is what I'd shoot, mainly because my .300 shoots them so tight it's hard to measure a group and at 3400 fps allows for a fair bit of error on the range estimates. That or a 165. And yeah, I'd make sure it's clear behind - this bullet's not stopping in the goat.
 
guntech said:
They will work fine... just make sure there is nothing behind the antelope you shoot, as the bullet will most likely pass through and is still capable of killing ... whether it be another antelope or a cow.
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hmmm, thought that was hunter training lesson 1 to make sure there is nothing behind your target before you shoot...
 
A friend of mine and I got the idea of using the animal it's self as a cooler. We made sure we had bags of ice with us and after gutting them we packed the cavity and the neck with the bags of ice. Works like a dam. I think I prefer antelope to deer, but that may be because we get it less often.

I've used 25-06's to a 358 STA on antelope. Meat damage seams to depends on where you hit them and from what I've seen impact velocity is a big culprit of excessive bruising. 180's and 165's should be fine with the 30 cals.

Jim
 
Over-kill?? WTF is that? Dead is dead. You sure don't need to go out and buy a special speed-goat gun. Head-shot or broadside. Your 300 mag bullet won't likely even expand in an antelope.
 
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