Desert bighorn hunt - the great rifle debate

[jblam]

Hello all - I have a desert big horn hunt coming up in November and went out to the range over the weekend to get some practice. I spent most of the drive time with a friend debating rifle selection.

The options I have (or have access to) are:
6.5 creed (ultra light)
6.5 x 284 (heavy)
6.5 prc (midweight)
30-06 (light)
7 prc (ultra light)
300 win mag (heavy)

I’d love to roll with the 6.5 creed or 30-06, but am open to opinions. Really hoping to keep shots sub 400. Opinions??

 

[ReddingArcher]

Get a 1955 model 70 in 270 and a luepold vx5. The finger of god.

In all seriousness, I’d use either the creed or the prc. And good luck on the hunt! Make sure you let us know how it goes.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Whichever gun you want to make these special memories with. Sometimes it comes down to more than pure ballistics.

 

[Steve O]

Obviously all those would do the job. I’d lean away from heavy and ultralight. I’m going next February and am almost sure I’m going to take a single shot .308 with a 6X scope…cuz that’s what pulls at my heartstrings.

 

[Wrongside]

My sheep rifle is an ultra lite 6.5CM. Really it’s my everything rifle. So I’d lean toward that option, as long as you shoot it well.

 

[chizelhead]

Obviously all those would do the job. I’d lean away from heavy and ultralight. I’m going next February and am almost sure I’m going to take a single shot .308 with a 6X scope…cuz that’s what pulls at my heartstrings.

K95?

 

[waspocrew]

Whichever you fell most confident in - I’d be leaning 6.5 PRC. Why? Because that’s what I’m taking for Dall in Canada this August haha.

 

[jblam]

I was surprised how similar the energy profiles are between a 30-06 and a 6.5 prc at 500 yards. Seems like most hunters get within 300 yards (??).

Ironically my aforementioned buddy is also doing dall this fall and is emotionally committed to 6.5 prc, great minds think alike!

 

[Bigred323]

My guide recommended a flat shooting rifle. He recommended 7 mag, 300 win mag, or 338 (a little overkill) lol. I went the 7 mag on mine.

 

[cuerro viejo]

What ever you shoot best. Personally I’d go the lightest weight but most deserts hunts aren’t that terribly difficult hikes.

once you kill your desert and walk up to it you will be like oh I could of used a 223. They aren’t huge animals and are basically all organ/guts.

After a 7prc and 6.5 Saum on sheep my current sheep rifle is 6 cm

 

[kybuck1]

My guide recommended a flat shooting rifle. He recommended 7 mag, 300 win mag, or 338 (a little overkill) lol. I went the 7 mag on mine.

Guides will almost always recommend the bigger caliber for obvious reasons. Sheep aren't real tough animals, in my experience, to kill. Similar to or less than a whitetail. I'll be taking a 6.5 prc personally. Any of those you have listed will do the job so I'd lean toward the one I have the most confidence out to 5-600 yds and plan on killing one at less than 300.

 

[Joshk358]

I have no opinion on what caliber to take, just wishing you good luck on your hunt! Can't wait to hear about it!

 

[Blockcaver]

Killed my desert ram in NV DIY in the Mormon Mts with my bow. I'd take your light Creedmoor or mid-weight 6.5 PRC. But I'm a bowhunter. Sheep, especially the "small" desert sheep are typically the easiest animal to kill (die the easiest) of anything in North America. They might look robust and hardy but they aren't.

 

[Seeknelk]

Sheep are basically always looking for a way to get dead. Fairly feeble critters...I'd just shoot whatever I could hit with and was light enough. The 6.5 CM is more than enough IF you shoot it well and often in new terrain/wind.

 

[glock233]

If you’re committed to a sub 400 yard range, there’s no reason to use anything but the 6.5 CM if you shoot it well. Or get your hands on a 22 Creed, 6 ARC, or 223 Rokslide special.

The 6.5 PRC is a candidate too depending on weight and recoil. But I doubt it.

All the larger calibers give you is long range, higher weight, and higher recoil.

 

[Dawg In Montana]

Whichever one you shout the best…if all else is equal, I’d use the 6.5 PRC. You don’t need anything as large as the 7PRC or 300WM but they will work.

 

[omicron1792]

Looking at a sheep hunt in next few years. I would choose the 6.5prc. Being mid weight it seems to be a perfect middle ground.

I used the 140gr tipped fusion on my elk and it dropped him like a hammer. I think the 153gr tmk looks awesome too. I see that UM is loading them now.

 

[One300wsm]

I took my Desert Sheep at 685 yards “DRT” with a 6.5 RPM 22” barrel 156 Bergers 2975 fps in a HNT 26 Arca folding stock.

 

[omicron1792]

Hello all - I have a desert big horn hunt coming up in November and went out to the range over the weekend to get some practice. I spent most of the drive time with a friend debating rifle selection.

The options I have (or have access to) are:
6.5 creed (ultra light)
6.5 x 284 (heavy)
6.5 prc (midweight)
30-06 (light)
7 prc (ultra light)
300 win mag (heavy)

I’d love to roll with the 6.5 creed or 30-06, but am open to opinions. Really hoping to keep shots sub 400. Opinions??

Are you using a suppressor or in Mexico or somewhere you can’t use them?

 

[tstowater]

I'll add my 2 cents. Worth what you paid for it. I used a 7 PRC last year on a Colorado Rocky mountain bighorn. Did I need that much gun? The answer would be no. The right bullet and placement is more important than bigger. I went the route I did because I developed the most confidence in that particular gun vs the rest that I was playing with including 6.5CM and 6.5-300 Weatherby. The MPBR of the 7 PRC was better than the 6.5 CM by a decent amount and I was expecting a longer shot (up to 600 yards). I wanted to dial as little as possible.

If I was you and reasonably expecting 300 yards or less, I would be focusing on the 6.5 CM unless you wanted to use something else. Find the right load and get some trigger time, preferably in a bunch of different shooting positions. You never know what you are going to need to use until you get ready to shoot. Good luck with your hunt. Sort of slightly jealous. Just need a Desert to finish my Slam.