Pronghorn/Mule Deer rifle

[Guy Miner]

Steven (and anyone else interested) I'm thinking of my .25/06 with a 6x Leuopld and 115 Nosler Partitions as my primary rifle, with either the .308 Win/Rem 700 or the .300 WSM/Model 70 as an alternate rifle for our hunt.

Figure I'm going to be about 1,000 miles drive from home, so bringing a second rifle seems like a good idea.

Your thoughts? The only reservation I have about the .308 & .300 WSM is that they're both heavier rifles. Very accurate, but a little slow to bring into action compared to a standard weight sporter rifle like the 700 CDL. The .25/06 has been my go-to mule deer rifle for the past six or seven years and has taken a half-dozen mule deer at this point. The .308 is the rifle I shoot the most, and the best.

Also, likely the .204 Ruger for prairie dogs after... :grin: My son might donate his .17 HMR to that effort as well.

I'd think the .25/06 as primary, backed by the one of the .30's, and the .204 for P-Dogs ought to be a good combo. No - I don't intend to buy a new rifle for the hunt, nor do I intend to hunt mule deer & pronghorn with my .375, Pop! :mrgreen:

Thoughts? Guy

 

[bullet]

I think you are right about bringing a second rifle for back up. The 300WSM will give you the reach if you have to use it and the 25-06 ought to be perfect for the prong horn. Good luck on your hunt, sounds like you are excited about the hunt.

 

[onesonek]

The lighter rifle certainly makes for a better spot & stalk rig. And fwiw, I always take a back up. Heavier or not, taking one of the .30's is wise. Imho, it's hard to beat the .25-06 for combination Antelope/Deer rig, for the primary.
The only difference for me, is I more often hunt with the Encore pistol. But, I do bring the furniture, and extra rifle barrel just in case. Well, and a PD or varmint barrel as well. The 3 will fits nicely into a double shotgun case, with the buttstock and extra forend.
My backups are .30's as well, either the .308 or 30-06, with the primary pistol barrel being the 6.5x57 AI.

Best of luck to you Guy,,,,,, wish I was going!!!

 

[BK]

Guy, don't you have a sporter-weight .30-06, scoped with a 6x36? Why not use that one for a backup?

 

[Guy Miner]

Yup - I've got that old M1917 .30-06 too. Can't see why it wouldn't work as well. Always has.

 

[DrMike]

The 25-06 is an excellent choice for the game you're after. There is nothing wrong with the cartridge choice of a 308, a 30-06 or a 300 WSM, either. Of course, if weight is a concern, this would be a great opportunity to put a new stock on one of your rifles, or even look for a good used rifle that would meet your criteria for the hunt. A light rifle that seems to float to the shoulder, aligning itself with the eye would be a great find.

 

[SJB358]

Yeah, it is hard to see any flaws in your set up Guy. I can't imagine you will be caught up with a shot you can't handle with any of your set ups. Scotty

 

[6mm Remington]

Guy when and where will you be antelope hunting? I'm assuming next year??

Your 25-06 with those wonderful Partitions will work great for you. That 25-06 is "THE" antelope and mule deer cartridge elite! :grin: (Well maybe right after the 6mm :mrgreen: ) I think it's very smart to take a back-up especially since you are going so far from home. You never know how those Gremlins are going to mess things up!

Any of the rifles you mentioned, the 308, 300 WSM, or the 30-06 would make a great back-up or even a primary for you. Hard to argue with that sweet looking CDL though! As experienced a rifleman as you are Guy I don't think that a " little slow to bring into action" should be a factor. Out in the wide open country it sounds like you are hunting you would be fine in my opinion. Now a mule deer you could jump at close range, depending on the terrain, but I think you are fine. My buddy Don hunts with a Remington 700 Varmint in 6mm Remington for deer and antelope a lot, as well as his Winchester Classic Sporter in 300 WSM, and I use my heavy old Ruger #1B's out there and for everything for that matter.

I know you are as RADD addicted as I am, and something that I have done that's kind of fun on hunts like this is to use your 25-06 for the antelope, and use the 308 or 300 WSM for mule deer. That way your rifles aren't becoming jealous of each other! :mrgreen:

Good luck on your hunt Guy!

David

 

[Oldtrader3]

Maybe a .270? If you have one? That should be the ultimate pronghorn caliber and is what I have used with 130 Partitions.

 

[Guest]

Guy, I think you're kind of looking at a "filet mignon or lobster" sort of question. Any way you choose, you're going to like the results!

If it were me, I'd thoroughly consider the -06 as a good backup, if only due to the sporter configuration versus the heavier barrel/stock configurations of your 308 and 300WSM. But, then again, you do shoot the 308 well, don't you. And, suddenly we're back to lobster v. filet again.

Sounds like a great hunt you've got planned. I'm starting to try to plan a 2013 hunt in WY myself. Thinking I'd like to drive out, if only to see the country in between, and visit with every Nosler forum member along the way, like Scotty did! Enjoy the hunt. I know I don't have to tell you to take good pictures!

 

[Kodiak]

I have a .257 Weatherby.

Now I can stop looking for the "perfect" antelope/mule deer rifle?

And just when it was gettin' to be fun :grin: !

Jim

 

[FOTIS]

The 25-06 is an awesome speed goat gun! A back up is always a great idea. Here is my goat gun. 257 Bee. 110 AccuBond qt 3550 fps.

 

[muleman]

Fotis - I thought your speedgoat gun was a .460 Bee! :lol:
Guy - Your logic sounds good to me. The country isn't as steep as your used to so the extra weight shouldn't matter. I used a hot rodded 6-284 for my antelope this year worked great. Don't forget the range finder. I found using a scope with a BDC reticle very helpful as would a scope for dialing the range.

Scott

 

[bullet]

Now that is a goat gun, one flat shooting cartridge in a good Mark V NICE

 

[JD338]

Guy,

Your 700 CDL 25-06 is just about perfect for speed goats and mule deer.
The 300 WSM loaded up with a 180 gr AB would give you good speed and high BC for bucking the wind.

JD338

 

[gerry]

Guy your 25/06 would be an awesome gun to use out there, any of your others you mentioned could back you up nicely.

 

[nomosendero]

Guy, that combo sounds good.

I always take a backup rifle, too much can happen.

We have 5 different 25-06's in our group now, well actually 2 including mine are 25-06AI Sendero's. We have been to WY on 7 trips now & buy a bunch of Doe tags, both Mule Deer & Antelope & then take a nice Antelope Buck each & sometimes a Mule Deer Buck. We use other calibers some, but the 25-06 has done at least half of the work & has been the primary rifles the most. I have seen 25-30 Antelope & 15 or so Mule Deer taken with the round & not once was it found lacking. We have taken more Whitetail Deer in AR with them than I would care to count.

The 30's are seldom a wrong choice for a backup & they are my choice for backup on alot of hunts, but for WY MD & Antelope I have brought a 270 for that purpose for the last few hunts. One year I used the 270 as the primary with 140 Accubonds, it did great.

We did not go this year, we hope to go next year & I want to take my 264WM Number 1, likely with 120 BT's running at about 3500-3550FPS, should be one of the best.

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[cloverleaf]

Guy,
Hide your licsence plate, take your 25-06, and you'll fit right in with 2/3rds of th guys standing in line to buy ammo at Walmart in Gillette :shock: (this is of course assuming that you forgot your Nosler reloads on the kitchen counter back in WA). Take the rifle you have the most faith in, that 308 with the cold bore "cloverleaf" comes to mind. IF somthing really goes south with your '-06 your self confidence will appreciate the shot in the arm of the old 308. Now I'm a nostalgic sorta fella so taking your Dads Weatherby would be somthin' Id think about 8).
Seriously, ANY of the rifles you are talking about will work great. Its about the nut behind the trigger, and you've way more experience shooting at range than most. Ive seen pictures of the country you shoot in so you know the wind is the factor. Dont over think it, Ive shot over the back of more antelope.......
Honestly, Id spend some time reading about how to judge antelope. An inch or two is the difference between an average and a good antelope and another inch can make a trophy. At a couple hundred yards that can be tough to tell. Jack O'Connor's "Hunting Big Game" has some good guidelines for how to judge 'em.
Ya dont want to spend all that money come home with an immature goat. Well, thats OK too as long as you have fun. :grin:
Jeessh, sorry I sound like your mother..... You know all this but its a fun topic. CL

Then again, I have a friend back home who regularly shoots his Goat with a 300 WSM and he's got several rifles to choose from.....

 

[Oldtrader3]

The last time that I went goat (pronghorn) hunting, I used a .250 Savage with 100 grain Nosler Partition handloads. I killed a goat and a mule deer with it at about 250 yards, one shot each.

 

[cloverleaf]

ME TOO! What trader said +1! Well only one goat..... (with a BT @ 264 yds) Maybe we gotta set Guy up with a 250... :lol: :lol: Maybe I should just bring out the back-up rifle..... CL