# Best caliber for Pronghorn?



## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Planning a hunt for 2012 in Wyoming for Pronghorn. I have several different rifles and calibers to choose from. I will be using factory and handloaded ammo. 

What would you use and what ammo if it were you?

1. Winchester model 88 in .243 Win
2. Ruger 77 bolt in 7x57 Mauser
3. Browning A-bolt in .270 WSM
4. Remington model 700 in .30-06
5. Savage 110 fp heavy barrel in .308 Win


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## Carpmaster (Apr 1, 2004)

jayzbird said:


> Planning a hunt for 2012 in Wyoming for Pronghorn. I have several different rifles and calibers to choose from. I will be using factory and handloaded ammo.
> 
> What would you use and what ammo if it were you?
> 
> ...


ANY of 'em!!!! The nastiest one I have used on goats was a 270 WBY with 130 grain NBT handloads at about 3300 fps. Should be able to do similar with the WSM.

I thought about it a little more and I would be inclined to take the 88! One of my favorite guns of all time...I want to acquire all 4 of them someday....so far I have the 308.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

.257 Weatherby. Oh Sorry.

Of those, I'd take the .270WSM. More power than necessary to kill a speed goat but it is fast, flat and the bullet has enough weight/speed to buck the wind better than some of the lighter stuff. Handloads, 120 grain Barnes TSX or 130 grain Nosler BT/130 Hornady SST. Some of the new Hornady Superperformance stuff with the 130SST would be a great choice for factory ammo if available in the WSM.


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## Rugergundog (May 21, 2008)

I will be hunting this fall for them with a .308 win. Intend to shoot 150g hand load.

Of many of the choices you have listed i would suspect your choice of ammunition may play just as big of a roll.

How far are you comfortable shooting? Ill be using a .308 as its range pretty much max's out my comfort level for distance.


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## freshwater drum (Mar 17, 2007)

assuming accuracy isnt an issue, i would use the one i was most comfortable shooting and handling.


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

freshwater drum said:


> assuming accuracy isnt an issue, i would use the one i was most comfortable shooting and handling.


I'm comfortable with all these rifles, as i shoot alot. All have good optics on them and I handload for most of them. They all shoot under 1.5 MOA. I have shot 1 MOA or under out of all of these guns at one time or the other depending how good I am that day.


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Rugergundog said:


> I will be hunting this fall for them with a .308 win. Intend to shoot 150g hand load.
> 
> Of many of the choices you have listed i would suspect your choice of ammunition may play just as big of a roll.
> 
> How far are you comfortable shooting? Ill be using a .308 as its range pretty much max's out my comfort level for distance.


I am pretty confident out to 350-400 yards in light wind conditions! In heavy wind, not so much....:rant:


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## Newcub (May 26, 2010)

My Savage 10 fp is hard to beat with my hand loads. I used 165 gr. Nosler balistic tip this past deer season & shot to deer one of them was at 262 yards & the other was at 200 yards. Dropped them both were they stood. Muzzle velocity was at 2775. If your going to be shooting them at 500 plus yards I would take my chance's with the .270 wssm. Anything less then that your .308 will do just fine. Remember it's not so much the gun your using it's the shooter. Don't take that the wrong way.

Did you mean 10 fp & not 110 fp?


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Yep, you're spot on with the 10fp. My mistake. Not taken the wrong way at all. I am confident up to 400 yards with light wind. I wouldn't be taking the shot any further than that. Not real confident doping a heavy wind, especially when I can't practice it here at home. Around my house I don't have anywhere I can shoot a long ways. I do have a spot I can shoot to 350 and I have to travel 45 mins to do so.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

All are good choices but if it were me, I'd take the 7 x 57 Mauser...


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## Newcub (May 26, 2010)

jayzbird said:


> Yep, you're spot on with the 10fp. My mistake. Not taken the wrong way at all. I am confident up to 400 yards with light wind. I wouldn't be taking the shot any further than that. Not real confident doping a heavy wind, especially when I can't practice it here at home. Around my house I don't have anywhere I can shoot a long ways. I do have a spot I can shoot to 350 and I have to travel 45 mins to do so.


Isn't there any place around St. Felen I mean St. Helen. :lol: You might be able to go out by the train tracks in Ogemaw county to get your long distance shooten time.I use to work at the firehouse. Have ever been there?


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Newcub said:


> Isn't there any place around St. Felen I mean St. Helen. :lol: You might be able to go out by the train tracks in Ogemaw county to get your long distance shooten time.I use to work at the firehouse. Have ever been there?


I actually live downstate in Davison near Flint. Our family's cabin is in St. Helen. Oh yes, I have been to the Firehouse plenty of times. It's the nicest place in St. Helen for sure!


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## stevebrandle (Jan 23, 2000)

One thing to consider is the wind factor. I used my 7 mag. with a 140 gr. barnes triple shock bullet on my pronghorn; more than enough gun. I don't have lots of rifles to choose from and figured it would be better than the 30-30.  Anyway, a 30 mph cross wind on the open ground of eastern Montana plays havoc with a light bullet like I used. I had a 325 yd. shot, downhill and the guide told me to hold right where the neck meets the back and then leave some daylight under the horizontal crosshair. I'm not used to holding "off target" , but did it anyway. The strong wind pushed that bullet a good 6 inches at that range. Made the shot, but learned a little about long range shooting. Lighter calibers will kill them, but to make longer shots bullet weight is a good thing.


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## Newcub (May 26, 2010)

jayzbird said:


> I actually live downstate in Davison near Flint. Our family's cabin is in St. Helen. Oh yes, I have been to the Firehouse plenty of times. It's the nicest place in St. Helen for sure!


I was the door man on the weekends.From 06 or 07 till 09.


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## gunsngolfn (Feb 12, 2009)

I agree all will get the job done, If it were me it would be the 270 only because I like it. I shot 2 goats in Wyoming 1 at just over 80 yds with my 41 mag mod 57 the other was under 150 yds with an 06 improved. At any rate they are not hard to kill. But to be honest I had more fun shoot n prairie dogs than those goats:lol::lol: Any way that's just me. what ever you choose will be fine have a good time.


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

Given the choices it would be hard for me to choose but I think the A-bolt in .270 WSM would get the nod. Normally I would have chosen the .308 (pet caliber) but I wouldn't want to lug the heavy barrel around all day.
That is a hard choice, all good guns in good calibers.


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## CMR (Jul 25, 2003)

jayzbird said:


> Planning a hunt for 2012 in Wyoming for Pronghorn. I have several different rifles and calibers to choose from. I will be using factory and handloaded ammo.
> 
> What would you use and what ammo if it were you?
> 
> ...


#3 without a doubt. 
Ammo? Whatever gives you the best groups.......


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## amon (May 8, 2002)

jayzbird said:


> 1. Winchester model 88 in .243 Win
> 2. Ruger 77 bolt in 7x57 Mauser
> 3. Browning A-bolt in .270 WSM
> 4. Remington model 700 in .30-06
> 5. Savage 110 fp heavy barrel in .308 Win


If I had to choose, it would be the 270 WSM for sure. 130 grain bullets all the way. FYI--if you can, consider an X-Bolt. Superior to the A-bolt without a doubt.

I really like the 7x57, but I'm not a fan of the 77 rifle. Use 139 grain bullets with IMR 4831 or H4831. You'll get 2800+ FPS with the appropriate charge.

.243 is a little light at distance--they lose their energy rapidly. Longer distance shots on pronghorn are typical. If I had to, 100 grains over R15 or Varget.

.30-06 is a good caliber, and my 700 is very accurate. 180 grain bullets over 46.5 grains of Varget shoot sub-moa out of my .30-06. 

Savage guns are excellent too. Not sure a heavy barrel would be ideal for hunting. For the .308, 150grain bullets over Reloader 15 or Varget all the way.


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## Rugergundog (May 21, 2008)

Seems the pretty clear answer is they will all kill one just fine. And if you shoot the same MOA with them all....well what one do you enjoy shooting the most?


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## inland44 (Dec 1, 2008)

I personally would use the Ruger 77 in .270WSM. my choice of ammo would be Federal Premium 140gr Nosler Accubonds, they are rated at 3200fps. I dont have a .270 but have shot the .300wsm accubonds and and my 700 runs them just fine out to 250yds. Thats as far as Ive shot from the bench and I dont think I would be uncomfortable with a shot out to 350.


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## Forever444 (Feb 17, 2011)

I'd opt for the 7x57 with a 139gr. sst or the 243 with a 95gr. sst either will ruin any Pronghorn's day out to at least 400 yards with minimal kick. Too bad you don't have a 25/06 because that's probably the best Pronghorn rifle ever made


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Forever444 said:


> I'd opt for the 7x57 with a 139gr. sst or the 243 with a 95gr. sst either will ruin any Pronghorn's day out to at least 400 yards with minimal kick. Too bad you don't have a 25/06 because that's probably the best Pronghorn rifle ever made


Nope, no .25/06 in my arsenal. Don't do any varmint hunting so never really interested in the lighter calibers. Only reason I have the Winchester model 88 in .243 is it was offered to me after a friend of the family's husband died. I got it for a very fair price and I've always wanted a model 88. On the plus side also I haven't seen very many of them in that caliber, most I see up for sale are in .308 Win. And no, I'm not tryin to raise a stink or hurt anybodys feelings on here about the smaller rifle calibers, I've just never had much use for them. Heck, I think I'm the only guy left on the planet that doesn't have a AR-15 or a variant of it. Never seen much use for one of those either....


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## Newcub (May 26, 2010)

jayzbird said:


> Nope, no .25/06 in my arsenal. Don't do any varmint hunting so never really interested in the lighter calibers. Only reason I have the Winchester model 88 in .243 is it was offered to me after a friend of the family's husband died. I got it for a very fair price and I've always wanted a model 88. On the plus side also I haven't seen very many of them in that caliber, most I see up for sale are in .308 Win. And no, I'm not tryin to raise a stink or hurt anybodys feelings on here about the smaller rifle calibers, I've just never had much use for them. Heck, I think I'm the only guy left on the planet that doesn't have a AR-15 or a variant of it. Never seen much use for one of those either....


I Don't have one in the ar platform either. I feel the same way about not having one. So your not the only one.


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## inland44 (Dec 1, 2008)

Not a big fan of the AR platform for hunting either. It would put too much of a "Call of Duty" Special Ops feel in the hunt, not my cup of tea but to each his own. 

Also sorry about my prevous post got the Ruger 77 and Browning A-bolt mixed up. I would still go with the .270WSM. As others have said all of the rifles and rounds listed are excellent choices for "speed goat" sized game. Its always best to use what you are most comfortable with.


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## 8iowa (Jan 28, 2008)

Many Western hunters and guides consider the 25-06 the quintensential pronghorn rifle. With loads of 100 to 115 grains, the 25-06 will shoot just as flat as most of the magnums, and with a lot less recoil. It's also a good longer range round for mule deer.

The 25-06 is a very reloadable cartridge. There are a great many bullets to select from, and powders ranging from the 4350's up to 7828 and H1000 give good results. The only caveat here is that a 24" barrel should be considered the minimum for good performance. My Ruger #1, with a 26" barrel takes full advantage of this fine cartridge.

For those who take their rifles & loading even more seriously, the 25-06 AI (Ackley improved) ups the performance even more, very close to that of the 257 Weatherby Mag.


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## nesquik (Mar 4, 2011)

ME? im a handgun guy call me crazy but i will say yes your right Hahaha.


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