Favorite Sheep Caliber

[CTobias]

8lbs all scopes up isn’t “too heavy” at all really but after playing with some ultra light setups my Winchester 70EW 30-06 feels like a brick at 8lb 1oz compared to my kimber Montana weighing in at 5lb 11oz

I'd love to buy a new lighter rifle, but it will just have to wait. Especially since I upgraded just about everything in my pack, to include my pack. It was all long over due. I had been using gear I had acquired over the last 10 years and it was not conducive to backpack hunting. It was great for hunting from my boat when I wasn't packing it on my back.

 

[Jimss]

I looked up the weight of the Sako Finnlight and it's around 6.8 lbs not including scope, rings, and sling.

 

[cbeard64]

Like Jimss, my favorite mountain rifle is my Sako Finnlight .300 WSM. I got the .30 caliber because I also had a grizzly tag on my Yukon hunts.
I love everything about that rifle, even the recoil seems mild - especially for such a light rifle.

 

[awildswanger]

You need to consider if a grizzly might be on the list. I used a .308 with 150 grain Accubonds that was set-up with turrets out to 600 yards for my Dall. I had everything ready to go with 200 grain Accubonds out to 300 yards with a few minor adjustments, if a grizzly opportunity presented itself. Be sure to take other game into consideration on your choice of caliber.

Would you have felt confident taking a Grizzly with a .308?

 

[kscowboy01]

Would you have felt confident taking a Grizzly with a .308?

Absolutely. With the 200 grain bullet, I would have no issue using the .308. Not to mention, I shoot this gun very well. I took this gun to Africa on 3 occasions and its performance on my zebra was darn impressive. Took him head on and it ran the whole length of him and was just under the skin in his hind quarters. 125 yard shot. Just because it isn't a hot .300 round doesn't mean it isn't just as lethal.

 

[Old and gray]

Still can’t do better than a 270win with 130 grain bullets.

 

[mtnbiker208]

my rocky 30-06
my dall 270wsm
my stone 270wsm

 

[AK Shane]

I'm a fan of fast and flat for sheep. Something in one of the 270 or 7mm calibers (270 win, 270wsm, 7 mag, 7wsm, 7suam) with a 140 or 150 grain bullet. The 6.5 PRC looks like a good round as well. The new super speed 28 Nosler type rounds don't really interest me.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I'm a fan of fast and flat for sheep. Something in one of the 270 or 7mm calibers (270 win, 270wsm, 7 mag, 7wsm, 7suam) with a 140 or 150 grain bullet. The 6.5 PRC looks like a good round as well. The new super speed 28 Nosler type rounds don't really interest me.

The 6.5prc does seem cool, I'm thinking of buying one since my buddy accidentally picked me up 5 boxes of PRC ammo when I asked him to get ammo for my creedmoor.

I'm on the fence for this year, I love my kimber 308 but my tikka 6.5cm is shooting lights out and with a 3-15 scope its doing a great job out to 500 (about as far as I ever shoot) and still weighs less than 7.5lbs. I dont think I'd be undergunned with the 130g hammer bullets and my rifle zeroed at 200.

 

[LonghairDontcare]

The 6.5prc does seem cool, I'm thinking of buying one since my buddy accidentally picked me up 5 boxes of PRC ammo when I asked him to get ammo for my creedmoor.

I'm on the fence for this year, I love my kimber 308 but my tikka 6.5cm is shooting lights out and with a 3-15 scope its doing a great job out to 500 (about as far as I ever shoot) and still weighs less than 7.5lbs. I dont think I'd be undergunned with the 130g hammer bullets and my rifle zeroed at 200.

I'm in the same boat. I shoot a 6.5cm at the range but would think a 6.5prc would be a better hunting round. Looking at the Tikka's since I can get one in LH. Any reason to go Sako over Tikka?

 

[JBrown1]

I know quite a few guys who live in sheep country who use a 243 Winchester.

Some of these guys have been using the 243 going back to the 1970s. None of them feel that more is needed for killing sheep.

As far as bear protection, the people who live in the mountains tend to think that any firearm is adequate.

Anything that you would use on open country deer or antelope would be fine.

 

[AC Kantor]

7mm Rem Mag is my choice. But anything above a 6.5 will do enough.

 

[Murtfree]

I used a 6.5-300 weatherby this year in the Titanium version weighing in at 6.5lbs. I used 140 grain Accubonds and the Sheep never reacted at the first shot and guide thought I missed so I hit him again. after second shot he walked about 20 yards and the guide was saying to shoot again when suddenly the sheep fell. First shot hit a few inches back near liver but completely blew apart with no exit. Second shot did almost the same but was right in the crease and only a few pieces of jacket exited. Muzzle velocity was 3480fps and shot was 410 yards. Internally everything was destroyed and the shock from second shot made the entrance shoulder mostly unusable even though it was never hit. I found some 140 partitions in the event I use this rifle next year but I would like to because it shoots well and is a pleasure to carry

 

[ColeyG]

In my opinion the best rifle for Dall Sheep hunting in AK is the lightest rifle you can find chambered in the smallest caliber that you'd feel comfortable trying to stop a brown bear with.

I've killed sheep with a .30-06, .300wm and 6.5cm and they all died quickly. I've seen a handful of others taken with .280 Ackley and .300WSM. Same end result. Dead right there.

Sheep die fairly quickly with halfway decent shot placement. The far greater concern is the tax collector in the brown suit.

I've been toting around my 6.5cm Mountain Ascent in sheep country for a handful of years and I am constantly worried about being under-gunned in a bear encounter. Bullet choice is another consideration in addition to caliber. I have about 1600 rounds of 6.5 loaded up with 143gr ELDX and I used a custom turret, so I've haven't been inclined to switch to a better bear bullet with that rifle.

I just picked up another Mountain Ascent, this one in .308 with 165gr TTSXs and will likely be toting this combo around in the sheep hills from now on, and hopefully sleeping a bit better as a result.

 

[aoudad]

I've shot aoudad from a bow to a 5.56, to 300WM and all in between.......

My one desert sheep was with a 6.5 PRC. I think for sheep/deer size the 6.5PRC is about one of the best rounds out there.

 

[The Guide]

My BIL and I are approximately 3-5 years out on an Alaskan Dall Sheep hunt. As he's primarily been discussing our hunt with a few different guides, there is a common opinion that a 270 Win is the recommended minimum caliber.

For those of you who have sheep hunting experience and not opinion; what is you favorite sheep caliber and do you feel a 7mm-08 with Barnes TTSX to TSX handloads is adequate?

Thank you.

Since someone bumped a 5 year old thread, did you ever go on your hunt? What did you take and where is your report?

Jay

 

[S-3 ranch]

If was buying a new rifle and grizzly were wearing my mind out a 7PRC would be the first choice
anything from 6.5-284 Norma—— 338 wm is in the sweet spot
I used a .270 win 130gr partition on a few rams all DRT

 

[Hackleback]

Old school go-to's were 25-06 and 270.

For me, 30-06 and 41 mag both worked just fine.

 

[Cactus kid]

8lbs all scopes up isn’t “too heavy” at all really but after playing with some ultra light setups my Winchester 70EW 30-06 feels like a brick at 8lb 1oz compared to my kimber Montana weighing in at 5lb 11oz

I think my "sheep rifle" tipped the scales at 12lbs loaded with a bipod. Heavy is steady!

 

[ColeyG]

If was buying a new rifle and grizzly were wearing my mind out a 7PRC would be the first choice
anything from 6.5-284 Norma—— 338 wm is in the sweet spot
I used a .270 win 130gr partition on a few rams all DRT

That would do the trick. I went with .308 because I had 600-ish pieces of once fired brass and all the components to reload on-hand. If starting from scratch, the 7PRC would be a great choice for one rifle to do it all.