What load for antelope?

duckhunt

duckhunt

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Hopefully I will be drawing my antelope tag next year. I'm not much of a rifle guy so was wondering what would be a good load for antelope. I would like to get the rifle out and put a few rounds through it over the winter months. I will be shooting a howa 30 06.
 
There are tons of '06 big game loads, and all will work for antelope if they shoot well in your rifle. Antelope are thin skinned, light boned, and easily put down with a well placed shot (and poorly placed shots at times too). Ranges can vary greatly and sometimes the circumstances dictate longer shots, so accuracy and practice matter more than the exact bullet. Personally I shoot 165gr Accubonds for everything out of my 308, but wouldn't hesitate to shoot a corelokt/PowerPoint/other non-premium loads all the way through premiums.

What do you shoot in it now? And does your rifle shot them well?
 
When I got the rifle from my buddy he just handed me a hand full of rounds with it. I don't even know what they were. I took it out in the yard and popped a few off but nothing at any distance. This is my first rifle so I have a lot of learning to do.
 
Gotcha, if it were me I would probably buy a box or two of cheap ammo and set up a target and rest of some kind and just shoot it so you get more familiar with it and go from there. Any questions you have can be answered on here so post them up as you have them.
 
I've shot several deer with 150 Grain Federal Sierra Game Kings and they've worked great. They are the most accurate bullets I've found for my 30-06 They'd work well for antelope as well. Good luck- hope you find some ammo that your gun likes.
 
If you aren't looking to reload, I think the Federal Fusion is about as good as you can get for an economical load. If you don't mind spending a bit more, a Nosler Ballistic Tip or Accubond will serve you well.

For antelope anything that you can shoot accurately and have practice with will work fine. Even if that means a basic cup/core bullet like a coreloct.
 
My buddy and I shot our first pronghorns this yr. Both with an 06 and the Nosler trophy grade 165gr Accubonds. One was around 200 yds, one was was at about 325yds. Both were one shot, clean kills. Those were the first 2 animals that Ive seen shot with 165 accubonds, but it was sure convincing. Ive had good success with the 165 federal fusions on whitetails also. I personally think with their smallish size whatever your rifle shoots well will do the trick.
 
I'll second the above comments about the Federal Fusion. My brother and I both hunt with 270s and my wife uses a 7mm08. We've gotten numerous speed goats with the fusions at ranges up to 400 yards. For us, it has been a well performing and accurate bullet. We've taken deer and elk with it too- I use a 130gr cuz I like the flatter trajectory.
 
I'd use a bullet that has a decent ballistic coefficient. The Nosler ballistic tips and Accubonds that were already suggested are good choices. Weight doesn't really matter. I'd probably go with 150's just for the lighter recoil but the most important thing is to shoot whatever shoots the best groups in your rifle. I definitely would not recommend core Lokts or any other cheap bullet. Not that they won't work but you might as well use a bullet that will give you good performance out to extended ranges.

This year I used handloaded 180 grain Sierra Pro Hunters out of my Weatherby Vanguard 30/06 and they worked well on two doe antelope. I only went with that bullet because it's what I already had and I knew they were accurate. I was getting 3 inch groups at 350 yards.
 
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Another Federal Fusion fan here. Great ammo regardless of price. Will routinely shoot 1/2 inch groups @100 yards out of my T3 (165g, 30-06). Dropped 2 goats this year with 1 shot each. The buck died in his bed with a neck shot and the yearling buck walked maybe 10 yards and tipped over with a double lung. Also dropped my bull and wt buck with 1 shot, double lung on each. Antelope can be pretty damn tough with a poorly placed shot but will drop pretty quick with a well placed shot (as will all critters I suppose).
 
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There is a lot of good ammo out there, now. Realize that antelope are not hard to kill. Get a 150, or 165-grain bullet that shoots well and go hunt. You do not need bonded bullets etc., that are real expensive. I would start with cheap, soft-point ammo and work from there. Try Hornady American Whitetail ammo for sure, as it is probably one of the best deals going.

You have a great caliber and lots of choices to have fun with.
 
Hornady ELD-X in the precision hunter ammo. Ballistic coefficient is critical to longer shots and minimizing wind drift and it has a bullet that opens up pretty well.
 
Going through my gun cabinet I just found a box of Remington core locked 150 grain. Going to go out and give them a try. Starting at 50 yards then go from there.
 
At 50 I'm about 4 inches high and right. Looking through the scope the reticles don't look square. Getting the tool kit out to hopefully straighten the scope. After that starting over.
 
Those 150's would work just fine but I lean towards the 165 gr. in my own 30-06 and use it to hunt everything from coyotes to elk. I use either a 165 gr. Accubond or Partition and have shot antelope, deer, and elk with both of those bullets. They work very well and work just fine on the larger game such as elk. That's what I would suggest and just let your rifle decide which one it shoots the best.

David
 
Moved the scope and put 3 rounds down range. At 50 I'm dead on consistent. I know it's going to change with longer range.. Going to stretch it out to 100 on another day. Hopefully the pattern holds. Just some up or down adjustment.
 
I am going to echo the Federal Fusion suggestions. I roll my own but have a few loaners and have found for economy and performance the Fusions are real hard to beat. So buy a box and see how they run in your rig.
 
I can't think of an expanding bullet above 125gr in .30 caliber that I wouldn't shoot a pronghorn with. Find what your gun shoots well and then practice with that.
 
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