Favorite sheep medicine

[Snyd]

For a rifle cartridge. I suppose if I were hunting with a guide that was packing a larger caliber in case of a Brownie, I'd probably get a nice, light 243. I killed lots of deer and antelope with one in MT years ago. I think it'd be good sheep medicine with a 100gr. Nosler. But, since I'm a resident sheep hunter I pack a 325wsm shooting 200gr Accubonds at 2950fps. Makes for a light gun (7lbs) with the short action Kimber with ballistics of the Ol' Remington 8mm Magnum in case ol brownie comes along univited.

 

[BRobertson]

Love the pistol kills that's awesome..

Thank you,

Of course there were a few trips that I did not take a ram which a person has to accept along with the limitations of a handgun!

Bob

 

[BRobertson]

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

Thank you,

I am trying to get some of my hunting photos converted to digital so I can post them, or at least have someone post them for me. I can then
do a short story or two. I recently got a digital camera for future hunts ( my wife calls me a dinosaur).

No, I don't use any optics (so far), I still love my open sighted revolvers. I am now using several Freedom Arms handguns.

I have an 8 1/2" Octagon .44 mag on order, that will become my primary hunting gun, Freedom Arms has a backlog of more than a
year!! Even though the owners are good friends I still have to wait!!

I hope it will be done by my planned spring Peninsula brown bear hunt, but I will probably use my 7 1/2" .44 Freedom if not.

Bob

 

[BRobertson]

I know it is hard to leave the rifle behind!!
I have seen it a lot over the years, with archery and handgun hunters, they take their rifle along " in case they can't get close enough" !!

I think a person has a different mindset if they have that fallback!! Human nature I suppose!

I am not criticizing, merely passing on some theories!!!

I really enjoyed your story about your Brooks Range trip!! My first ram was a well broomed guy from the Brooks in the early 70s.

Bob

I am very sorry to the OP to have taken this off course

 

[Snyd]

I know it is hard to leave the rifle behind!!
I have seen it a lot over the years, with archery and handgun hunters, they take their rifle along " in case they can't get close enough" !!

I think a person has a different mindset if they have that fallback!! Human nature I suppose!

I am not criticizing, merely passing on some theories!!!

I really enjoyed your story about your Brooks Range trip!! My first ram was a well broomed guy from the Brooks in the early 70s.

Bob

I am very sorry to the OP to have taken this off course

I don't think you've taken the thread off course. Your "favorite sheep medicine" is a wheel gun. A guy doesn't run into many wheel gun/straight case sheep hunters. Contenders shooting rifle cartridges maybe, or Texas, "fenced in " hunts. but not many pistol/straight case cartridges. I did meet a guy who shot a Dall ram Fair Chase DIY here in Alaska with a Contender 357 Herret but that's still a bottle neck case. I've seen a pic on the bragging board at Sportsmans Warehouse here in Fairbanks of a guy with a nice ram holding what looked like a Freedom Arms wheel gun with a hi-viz front sight. Was that you by chance?

My scope is only 2x. With a wrist rest I'm good on a 9" target out to 100-117yds. Other field positions I'm good to about 50-75. My 54 year old eyes do like the scope. But, I do have a new moose/bear hunting handgun being built. 500L Bisley w/5.5 octagon barrel. I've been waiting over a year for it. That will not have optics.

I might try another handgun sheep hunt but if I pack the rifle the wheel gun stays home and vise-versa. In the back of my mind I'd like to do a solo handgun sheep hunt at some point. If I draw TMA this year though I'll be packing the Kimber 325!

 

[BRobertson]

I know what you mean on the eyes, I'm 62 in a couple of weeks!!

The photo is not me, I'm not sure who it would be?

Sounds like a nice .500L, they are amazingly accurate!! I had one of John Linebaugh's first ones that he built in the mid 80s. A friend has it now.

I also put in for TMA!! I would like to get another nice ram before I get too old to crawl up the mountain.
I measured a huge ram from TMA that went into B&C, back when I was a measurer for them in the 80s. He was taken by one of the eye surgeons in Anchorage.
Around that same time, I measured a ram from the Alaska Range that beat mine, which at the time was the handgun record in SCI.
The guy had seen mine in one of the Sheep Foundation Shows and got interested in handgun hunting!!
That was really neat!! Always good to have more interest in handgun hunting!!

Bob

 

[60x]

I know it is hard to leave the rifle behind!!
I have seen it a lot over the years, with archery and handgun hunters, they take their rifle along " in case they can't get close enough" !!

I think a person has a different mindset if they have that fallback!! Human nature I suppose!

I am not criticizing, merely passing on some theories!!!

I really enjoyed your story about your Brooks Range trip!! My first ram was a well broomed guy from the Brooks in the early 70s.

Bob

I am very sorry to the OP to have taken this off course

I too have seen exactly what you speak of. Never had a hadgun hunter but several bow hunters and I always try to tell them to leave the gun behind if they truely want a bow kill. No shame either way of course but with the gun available it just makes the switch that much easier especially after a long climb in sheep country..

Since I am the OP no worries on taking the thread off course,as Snyd said that is your favorite medicine so post away!.. I think your accomplishments with the hand gun are awesome. I just dont see it much.. I would love to hunt sheep with a handgun one day and now that I dont guide I just may... Thank for sharing


Dave

 

[60x]

SO I have narrowed my new medicine down to a few..
first is a ultralight weatherby in left hand and likely a 257wby
second option would be a right hand kimber mountain ascent in 280AI or possiblt a 325wsm
third option is the most economical and depends on if it sells but a right hand custom weatherby in 280AI
thanks for all the input and lots of great ones out there

 

[Stid2677]

SO I have narrowed my new medicine down to a few..
first is a ultralight weatherby in left hand and likely a 257wby
second option would be a right hand kimber mountain ascent in 280AI or possiblt a 325wsm
third option is the most economical and depends on if it sells but a right hand custom weatherby in 280AI
thanks for all the input and lots of great ones out there

This Weatherby has been speaking to me... If I was looking

http://www.weatherby.com/product/rifles/vanguard_2/backcountry

 

[60x]

dang it Stid...lol that looks like a winner thanks sir

that would make a great rifle for the mountains ans its rh so it would be my sons first rifle...

 

[idig4au]

I like those weatherby ULW with the Mark V actions. You cannot go wrong with that choice. My 300 wby ULW has been my primary sheep gun as of late. I like the performance of 168 gr TTSX at 3400 fps. The 257 wby is a great caliber too. Expensive to shoot, but it's a great flat shooting caliber. The 280AI or 7mm STW have me intrigued. I think those would make excellent mountain guns as well

 

[60x]

I like those weatherby ULW with the Mark V actions. You cannot go wrong with that choice. My 300 wby ULW has been my primary sheep gun as of late. I like the performance of 168 gr TTSX at 3400 fps. The 257 wby is a great caliber too. Expensive to shoot, but it's a great flat shooting caliber. The 280AI or 7mm STW have me intrigued. I think those would make excellent mountain guns as well

Yeah I am pretty much a weatherby guy.. I do not own any other rifles and have a handfull of wby form 300 to 460. My 416 that I used for guideing brown bear is a rareish lefty and I had weatherby customize it with a new accumark stock. I have been seriously considering for a while a 257... here is a few of my addiction including my present sheep gun a 300 markv with a custom stock and my 416

 

[sheepguide]

My favorite sheep pill is x2. My go to sheep gun is my full custom 7mm-08AI built off of a remington model 722 action. It carries a Leupold Vari X-I in 2-7x33mm. It weighs in at 6lbs 11oz with scopes, rings, sling and 4 bullets.

My second sheep rifle and first custom rifle I got build is my .280AI built off a Winchester Pre 64 model 70. It also carries a Leupold Vari X-I in 2-7x33mm. It weighs in at an even 7lbs with scope, rings and sling.

 

[Stid2677]

My favorite sheep pill is x2. My go to sheep gun is my full custom 7mm-08AI built off of a remington model 722 action. It carries a Leupold Vari X-I in 2-7x33mm. It weighs in at 6lbs 11oz with scopes, rings, sling and 4 bullets.

My second sheep rifle and first custom rifle I got build is my .280AI built off a Winchester Pre 64 model 70. It also carries a Leupold Vari X-I in 2-7x33mm. It weighs in at an even 7lbs with scope, rings and sling.

That Winny makes me drool,,,, Sweet rig Sir!!!

 

[60x]

My favorite sheep pill is x2. My go to sheep gun is my full custom 7mm-08AI built off of a remington model 722 action. It carries a Leupold Vari X-I in 2-7x33mm. It weighs in at 6lbs 11oz with scopes, rings, sling and 4 bullets.

My second sheep rifle and first custom rifle I got build is my .280AI built off a Winchester Pre 64 model 70. It also carries a Leupold Vari X-I in 2-7x33mm. It weighs in at an even 7lbs with scope, rings and sling.

That's a pretty spectacular first post!

 

[sheepguide]

Hope I can contribute lots!! Lots of pics to share and a few adventure stories as well!!

 

[Becca]

Hope I can contribute lots!! Lots of pics to share and a few adventure stories as well!!

Awesome! Welcome to Rokslide, look forward to hearing those stories!

 

[Matt W.]

I have a Remington 700 KS Custom SS Mt Rifle in .338 WM. I have two Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36mm scopes, one with the B&C reticule and one with the standard duplex and the M1 Elevation turret. I am debating witch one I prefer. The bare rifle weights 6 3/4lbs

I shoot hand-loaded 225gr Accubonds. I have a light weight .308 (Rem 700 Mt Guide SS) as well, but once you see a brown bear up close and personal you tend to like bigger calibers. The KS rifle weighs just a tad over 7lbs scoped.

 

[hunting1]

The only sheep hunting I can and do is in the desert but if I ever get to go north I will carry the same one or my Rem Ti 30-06 wears an Mcmillan Edge, Leupold VX-2 3-9 with LR Duplex.

Before the Edge but same mountains

 

[Hackleback]

Long ago, before I knew much about guns, I ordered a shotgun from a local that did transfers out of his house. I get a call that the shotgun had arrived, so I make the trip over to his house. In the finished out basement were more rifles and sheep mounts than I had ever seen in one place. Most of the rifles were "sheep guns" and the most common caliber by far was 25-06. I have never warmed up to this caliber, but I do know from personal experience that the 270 and -06 are more than up to the job for sheep and mountain goats.