What is your favorite sheep caliber?

Mthuntinfool · Apr 12, 2017

Figured I would get some people fired up with this topic

Since I have the feeling this is going to be my year to draw a tag (gotta stay positive) what are some of the experienced HT sheep hunters here on favorite cartridges?

I know this is the same debate as favorite cartridge for elk/deer/moose etc. but I will ask it anyway.

6mm Remington · Apr 12, 2017

My buddy used a 6mm Remington on his ram quite a few years ago and it worked just fine. It's my year to draw as well as this is year number 39 in a row for moose and sheep without being drawn!! I have my 6mm Remington, my .280 AI I had custom built, and my 30-06. I think I'll use my .280 AI since it's the newest of the lot to my stable. I'll use either a 140 gr. Partition or a 140 gr. Accubond and I expect it will work just fine! I shot a nice cow elk with it two falls ago with one shot at 450 yards!! It has a 4.5-14x40mm Leupold with the B&C reticle and the rifle is built on a Model 70 controlled round feed action. Love that thing and the .280 Remington and .280 AI are two of the best all around cartridges out there!

What were you thinking about using?? Best of luck in the draws!

Gunner46 · Apr 12, 2017

Never hunted them, but from what I've read, they can be nasty buggers. Dangerous too. Known to attack their pursuers, if wounded or not, and deadly with those massive head helmets! I'd take a 416 Rigby as a minimum.

Oh Snap, Wait a sec, the Alaska F&G website states a 7mm/08 is good to go.

Disregard the previous statement........

noharleyyet · Apr 12, 2017

The Weaver built 6.5 Creedmoor Oak and Dink will be sending my way would work for me.

mtmuley · Apr 12, 2017

Haven"t hunted them. Yet. But when Montana sends me my tag, a ram will be on the wrong end of a 200 grain Accubond outta my RUM. mtmuley

Schaaf · Apr 12, 2017

noharleyyet said:
The Weaver built 6.5 Creedmoor Oak and Dink will be sending my way would work for me.

Hipster

The Hedgehog · Apr 12, 2017

mtmuley said:
Haven"t hunted them. Yet. But when Montana sends me my tag, a ram will be on the wrong end of a 200 grain Accubond outta my RUM. mtmuley

you need to start shooting the hornady 208s

Bambistew · Apr 12, 2017

The 308win, 300wsm, 325wsm, 7mm have all seemed to work. Sheep can take a bullet about as well as a deer.

Maybe this is the year of the muzzle loader?

AlaskaHunter · Apr 12, 2017

.243 for youth hunts

I use a .270 for sheep/caribou 130gr Barnes TSX and a .300 H & H for moose (180gr nozler partition or TSX).

My hunting partner who has hunted sheep in Alaska since the 1970s uses the .300 H & H for everything from sheep on up to interior grizzlies. He knows that rifle well...

grandejuan · Apr 12, 2017

I use a .270 Weatherby Mag with 140 grain bullets which have included Nosler Partitons and Win Failsafe bullets. I have been on 6 sheep hunts 3 of which I drew (AZ resident Desert and Rocky tags and a NR Colorado Rocky tag, two Stone's sheep in BC and an Alaskan Dall's sheep), so it can happen. I used the partitions and fail safes because in AK and BC the possibility of Grizzly was always there and they both are accurate. GJ

KClark · Apr 12, 2017

6mm Remington said:
My buddy used a 6mm Remington on his ram quite a few years ago and it worked just fine.

I used to know a guy in GF that shot a bedded ram with a 6mm and hit it in the nose, it stayed put for another shot to finish it off.

The only ram I have witnessed take a bullet was shot with a .280, it was a 180 class big horn and instant bang flop.

BigHornRam · Apr 13, 2017

I've used a 30-06 and a 7-08. Both worked fine. 7-08 weighs a lot less. Last year I packed my bow while unlimited hunting. Not sure what I want to hunt with this year.

noharleyyet · Apr 13, 2017

Schaaf said:
Hipster

I'll ream it to a 6.5 RUM with a Venturi shoulder.....

Steve O · Apr 13, 2017

Used a heavy factory M70 in .270 Win for my Yukon Fannin. Jazzed up a M700 Ti in .270 Win for the next backpack sheep hunt I do. Would love to have a classic O'Connor style M70 in .270 to do the Desert but that and the bighorn will probably end up with a light and rugged all around 300 mag of some kind as the versatility will be comforting on those once in a lifetime hunts.

Gr8bawana · Apr 13, 2017

I think this will be my year for a NV bighorn too because I feel it in my bones, same as the last 13 years. I will use the same 7RM with 150 grain Core-Lokts I have been using on antelope, deer and elk since 1980.

Lawnboy · Apr 13, 2017

Bambistew said:
Sheep can take a bullet about as well as a deer.

Maybe this is the year of the muzzle loader?

This^^^^^^

My brother has been packing his bow lately. I think a muzzle loader would be a great challenge as well. I never considered that.

Mthuntinfool · Apr 13, 2017

I have a Hawkens .50 that my grandfather gave me that I thought would be awesome to use, and I also have a .257 Rob that was built for me that I love, so those would likely be my picks. But if I draw I could always use it as an excuse to buy a new rifle!

3855WIN · Apr 13, 2017

On my one and only sheep hunt, I killed with my 257 WBY Ultralight. I really like that rifle.

ShootsManyBullets · Apr 13, 2017

I need a tag first.

jmgraham1986 · Apr 15, 2017

On my one and only sheep, I used a .50 cal flintlock with a .490 round ball and a .15 patch!

It was only a Ewe tag.

What is your favorite sheep caliber?

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