Favorite sheep medicine

[60x]

I've seen dall sheep tip over to many different caliber/bullets out there and my personal favorite has always been a mark 5 300 weatherby with an ultralight stock. Still not a light gun by sheep standards but I love it. Recently I've been pondering a new mountain gun and been getting hung up on what caliber I want. Thought I would pose a question to all you sheep hunters

What is your favorite caliber and bullet weight. Do you like a light bullet or heavier to buck the wind. Not interested in type of bullets cause my opinion is all quality bullets do the job... Thanks for readin
Dave

 

[luke moffat]

I have only seen 7 sheep fall over so my experience is limited for certain. 2 were from a 7 mag, 2 were from a 308 win, and 2 were from a 280 Rem (not AI), and 1 from a 325 WSM.. This year I'll be going back to the 308 win with a heavy for caliber (185-200) for the better BC and cause they'd be better grizz medicine as well for my wife. And I'll be trying out 196 grainers at .525 BC in my 325 WSM while still keeping some more "skookum" 200 grainers in my pack for other encounters

 

[frans]

I used to carry a 9 1/2 lb Tikka in 300 win mag, with 180 grain bullets. It killed my first ram quite dead.

I'm now carrying a Sako A7 in 270 win with 130 grs bullets, that weighs considerably less, that has killed a handful of big bodied Alberta mule deer and my second ram. If there were any ballistic advantage to the heavier .308 cal bullets, I'd readily trade it for the lighter package.

Most of my shooting in the field has been under 200 yards, so the wind question has never really been an issue. The few times I had to reach out further it probably wasn't blowing very hard. My inexperience with wind come back to haunt me one day, or maybe I can get closer...

Frans

 

[60x]

I have only seen 7 sheep fall over so my experience is limited for certain. 2 were from a 7 mag, 2 were from a 308 win, and 2 were from a 280 Rem (not AI), and 1 from a 325 WSM.. This year I'll be going back to the 308 win with a heavy for caliber (185-200) for the better BC and cause they'd be better grizz medicine as well for my wife. And I'll be trying out 196 grainers at .525 BC in my 325 WSM while still keeping some more "skookum" 200 grainers in my pack for other encounters

Thanks Luke. I actually give you or at least partially blame you for my wanting of a new mountain gun. I keep seeing that pic of that dang gun of yours on a scale...

 

[luke moffat]

Which one are you referring to?


325 WSM 5 pounds 13 oz scoped:


Or 308 Win 5 pounds 8 oz scoped:

 

[60x]

Which one are you referring to?


325 WSM 5 pounds 13 oz scoped:


Or 308 Win 5 pounds 8 oz scoped:

Damn you Luke Moffat.... .

They sure are impressive!

 

[Bambistew]

I bought a Montana in 308 last winter. Love the weight and it seems to have enough punch on the other end. It killed two rams and a brown bear last fall. Shooting 165s... Three sheep before that were shot with a 300WSM out of a Rem 700, and one with a M70 in 325wsm. I'm really liking the "toy" gun I and plan on packing it for a long time. I contemplated the 7-08 over the 308 for months, and after looking for over 2 months I bought the first one I found... it happened to be in 308.

 

[60x]

thanks for the replies guys...

Frans I was eyeing a 270 in weatherby for a while but I have recently been leaning towards a bigger bullet. I have also been eying a custom 280AI but its used and some reading on it(this gun in paticular) leads me to believe it doesnt shoot the bigger bullets well but not sure of the rumors. Not really sure why my the 280 AI just sounds cool...lol
7mm was another I looked at.. I must say Bambistew between you and Luke I will certainly have to look at a 308 and 325WSM. They were never really on my list..
My other issue is I am a lefty so it narrows the choices however I decided since this will be mainly a non dangerous game gun I may consider a RH gun, that and my son who is 4 now is a right hander so the gun will be his some day...thats how Im gonna approach my wife with it anyway....... she will see right through it of coures but worth a try..

 

[ramhunter]

257 Wby with a 115gr Berger...280AI ranks pretty high too!...I've killed sheep with a 300 Wby, 257 Wby, 7mm Rem Mag, 280AI, 25-284,and a 264 win mag...they all work very well...grin

 

[RedStag]

300WSM for sheep hunting in grizzly country, but im looking more and more at a 260 a.i., more than enough for sheep out to 400yds with a heavy for caliber bullet.

 

[ramhunter]

300WSM for sheep hunting in grizzly country, but im looking more and more at a 260 a.i., more than enough for sheep out to 400yds with a heavy for caliber bullet.

I've heard things about the 260AI, driving Berger 140's....grin

 

[AK Shane]

My mountain rifles very closely mimic Luke's, a Browning Ti 325wsm and a Montana. Although my Montana is a 270wsm and both rifles are topped with 3-9x40 Zeiss Conquest scopes, so I'm slightly heavier. The 325wsm with a 200gr bullet is by far my favorite because it is a more versatile Alaskan rifle in my book. Not to mention less recoil. My partner shot his sheep with it this year, I took a mountain goat with it three years ago and a few animals in between. I don't know that I would push it as a great sheep caliber though, it's definitely overkill.

The benefits of the 308 or 7mm-08 is a short action and lightweight rifle. Both capable of 300+ yard sheep kills. After owning a bunch of hard kicking magnums and wsm calibers, the 308, 7mm-08 or a plain old 270 Rem. look better all the time.

 

[Stid2677]

I tend to lean to the 30 cal side, because bears like sheep too. Last few years it has been either my Model 70 custom or this year a Kimber MA both with Leupold 3x9x40 with CDS, if my load work pans out this fall will be the 280AI topped with a Swaro 4x12x50 BT 4W shooting 150 grain Long Range Accubonds.

 

[60x]

I tend to lean to the 30 cal side, because bears like sheep too. Last few years it has been either my Model 70 custom or this year a Kimber MA both with Leupold 3x9x40 with CDS, if my load work pans out this fall will be the 280AI topped with a Swaro 4x12x50 BT 4W shooting 150 grain Long Range Accubonds.

Stid how do you like your kimber mountain ascent. It is at the top of my list if I can't find a lefty I like
Thanks
Dave

 

[60x]

Stid how do you like your kimber mountain ascent. It is at the top of my list if I can't find a lefty I like
Thanks
Dave

Never mind just read that you like them ...

 

[ericfamilee]

I've witnessed 20 sheep kills taken with everything from the .257 WM to the .375 H&H. The .270 seems to be the most popular. My experience is that Dall sheep are not hard to kill. I have my 13 year old son shooting a .243 which he uses to hunt sheep. I haven't seen a .243 kill a sheep but am very confident it will.

 

[BRobertson]

Both of my sheep were taken with .44 mag revolvers.
The first one, when I was a young feller, was with a S&W mod 29 6 1/2",

The other one , a 40 1/2", was with a 7 1/2" Redhawk.

The hunters I have guided were all using those long barreled rifle things, scopes, and a variety of calibers, up to .338 Win.

I guess we all have to know our limitations!!!

 

[RedStag]

my reasoning for the larger caliber magnum is solely for bears, id be more than confident killing a sheep with 243 and up with good shot placement.
I shot my stone ram from 60 yards last year and the 300wsm did some major damage, luckily it was only a front shoulder lost.
270 seems to make a lot of sense to me, but then I guess the 260 is just a little more cool...

 

[60x]

Both of my sheep were taken with .44 mag revolvers.
The first one, when I was a young feller, was with a S&W mod 29 6 1/2",

The other one , a 40 1/2", was with a 7 1/2" Redhawk.

The hunters I have guided were all using those long barreled rifle things, scopes, and a variety of calibers, up to .338 Win.

I guess we all have to know our limitations!!!

Love the pistol kills that's awesome..

 

[Snyd]

Both of my sheep were taken with .44 mag revolvers.
The first one, when I was a young feller, was with a S&W mod 29 6 1/2",

The other one , a 40 1/2", was with a 7 1/2" Redhawk.

The hunters I have guided were all using those long barreled rifle things, scopes, and a variety of calibers, up to .338 Win.

I guess we all have to know our limitations!!!

Excellent! I'd love to hear more about your handgun sheep hunts. Any optics on your wheel guns? Last year was my first attempt at handgun for sheep. Brooks Range walk in. Couldn't close the gap more than 277yds so my partner took him with the 270 opening day. Didn't see any other legals. I was packing this... 45 Colt SBH Bisley Hunter 2X28 Weaver in a Wyoming Combination Holster. But, truth be told...I'm not so sure I can head into the sheep mtns this year without my Kimber 325wsm