Antelope and range gun

mackillan

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Western Canada
I ordered a 257 Weatherby Mag stainless with a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x50 with tactical knobs and side parallax with the standard tube for practicing at the range and for antelope this fall. Does this make a good antelope gun? I was considering the 270.
 
What rifle did you get? Yes, it's probably a good choice with a 26" barrel. But for the price of loaded ammo and even brass, the 25-06 will do as well in my opinion but just a little slower off the line. If your rifle has a 24 inch or shorter tube, you will probably be shooting in the .25-06 league anyways. But hey, any reason to buy a new rifle is a good reason in my books. :)
 
What rifle did you get? Yes, it's probably a good choice with a 26" barrel. But for the price of loaded ammo and even brass, the 25-06 will do as well in my opinion but just a little slower off the line. If your rifle has a 24 inch or shorter tube, you will probably be shooting in the .25-06 league anyways. But hey, any reason to buy a new rifle is a good reason in my books. :)
A a 257 Weatherby Vanguard:sniper::sniper::sniper: Mag stainless with a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x50
 
Should work great as an antelope rifle but may warm up a bit quickly for any extended range use.

I hope you are handloading.......
 
Sounds like a great setup, way more than you need for antelope. It will make a great everything rifle if you really want it to. I have a group of friends that have hunted in the Grand Cache/Hinton area for years and they all shoot 257 Weatherby's with 115 Barnes X bullets.
I think for your application the 110gr Accubond would be a great choice. It has a good BC and will resist going shrapnel at the speeds you will be pushing.
Have fun with the rifle.
(I still don't understand why people ask others to justify things for them after they purchase it.......:rolleyes:)
 
The 257wby is in my opinion,one of the very best choices for pronghorn and for deer as well.However,it would not be my choice for a range rifle due to the fact that the barrel will heat up quickly,and if you overheat it,barrel life will be shortened dramatically.
 
I would think it will make a great Antilope gun. I was thinking about getting one but theres probably no point since I have a 264 wm. +1 for reloading for that caliber, if you dont' then you should have no problems finding people to buy your fired brass.
 
Everyone's idea of the "right" gun differs, my ideal gun for these animals would be a 40/90 SS or shorter .40, stuffed full of Black Powder. The barrel sight would be set for 100yds. and the tang peep sight set for 200yds. For the front sight I would use a post/bead combination. This might be a suitable place for a Malcolm 6x scope if desired. A Sharps '74 or Highwall would be my choice as the Highwall was probably the first home of the 40/90 Str.
 
I ordered a 257 Weatherby Mag stainless with a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x50 with tactical knobs and side parallax with the standard tube for practicing at the range and for antelope this fall. Does this make a good antelope gun? I was considering the 270.

That'll do the job just fine. Just pick your shot carefully....antelope can go for miles when hit poorly.
 
After you shoot a few get back to us ... let us know how it works out.

'Ol Roy Weatherby hisself took one to Africa - shot a Cape Buffalo with it !
Later fessed up & said it wasn't such a great idea.
 
Everyone's idea of the "right" gun differs, my ideal gun for these animals would be a 40/90 SS or shorter .40, stuffed full of Black Powder. The barrel sight would be set for 100yds. and the tang peep sight set for 200yds. For the front sight I would use a post/bead combination. This might be a suitable place for a Malcolm 6x scope if desired. A Sharps '74 or Highwall would be my choice as the Highwall was probably the first home of the 40/90 Str.


I have used a 45-70 in a Pedersoli roller. Why 90 grains ? ;)
 
You should reload for the .257 Wby., it saves you lots of money. If factory brass is not available, you can form it from 7mm RM, which is usually available evrywhere. I shot some boar and a couple of deer with mine. The results were always very good. I used 75gr Barnes X, which chronographed just under 4000fps out of a 26" tube, and 120gr Nosler Partitions.

Barrels do tend to heat up rapidly. Let your barrel cool between shots to help reduce throat errosion. I think it is a good choice for Antelope, sheep, deer, goats, black bear and caribou. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on moose or elk either. The recoil is very mild, so mild that I could often see the impact of the bullet on the animal I was shooting at!
 
Everyone's idea of the "right" gun differs, my ideal gun for these animals would be a 40/90 SS or shorter .40, stuffed full of Black Powder. The barrel sight would be set for 100yds. and the tang peep sight set for 200yds. For the front sight I would use a post/bead combination. This might be a suitable place for a Malcolm 6x scope if desired. A Sharps '74 or Highwall would be my choice as the Highwall was probably the first home of the 40/90 Str.
Any hope of getting together the weekend after the long weekend. I have brass and I am getting powder for the sharps:dancingbanana:
 
I think 257 Wby would be an awsome speed goat cartridge. As for the rifle... it totally depends how it shoots.

I too sincerely hope you are or soon plan to reload for it!

I also would try the Nosler Accubond, or Sierra Gameking for speed goats. Or TSX's, or whatever else shoots very accurately and bucks the wind that you'll doubtless find in pronghorn country.
 
I ordered a 257 Weatherby Mag stainless with a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x50 with tactical knobs and side parallax with the standard tube for practicing at the range and for antelope this fall. Does this make a good antelope gun?
Kind late now ..... you've already ordered it.

Shoulda got a bigger scope, something like a 6x24x75.

.
 
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