Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska rifle for Dall Sheep

Looking forward to my Aug '10 Dall Sheep hunt... Gun wise, I have four options, and would like to have your sound advise on which I should take and why.

1)Kimber Montana in 7-08 with Leupold 3.5-10x50. It is a light, short, and accurate gun. I am concerned if it might be marginal on long shots in windy conditions
2)Custom 264WM based on an old Sako action with Swaro 4-12x50. Stainless and synthetic. It is accurate and light, but a tad long for my taste.
3)Blaser K95 in 7x65R with Swaro 4-12x50. Is is short, very accurate and light. Stock is a beautiful piece of Turkish walnut, but it breaks in two and carries inside the pack.
4)An ultra light 300WBY built by Lex Webernick of Rifles Inc topped with a Swaro 6-18x50. unnecesarily powerful, but with an edge should the conditions get sour.

Thank you in advance for your comments.

1 or 4. If you pick 4, dump the scope for something more real world.

Pick 1 unless you're one of those guys that has to have that one sheep and fret about it. Long range is overrated in sheep hunting, Ovis poli being an exception.

1 is closest to what I use, except in .270.

First vote goes for the Kimber, thanks "toltecgriz"!

What do you mean by "one of those guys that has to have that one sheep and fret about it", please?

BBerg

Has to do with killing the biggest sheep in North America. If the concept eludes you, so much the better, no sarcasm intended.

I'm in the 4 camp provided you shoot it well. that's a fair amount of snort in a lt. wt. package.


you don't list an addy so don't know if you're an AK rez or not, if being guided I see your options as expanded, your guide will end up toting the heavy load.

if you're a res. and DIYs'er I'd opt lt. wt.


I'm taking a 5.5 lb. 7-08 to the dance this year.

Personally, I say take the .264 and if "long" means 26" barrel, all the better.

CLB

Watched David B. with realtree shoot one with a TC ML on tv lastnight.

1akhunter:
No I am not a resident hunter. I live in Spain. You mention you will be hunting with a 7-08, you are confident it is enough gun? My rifle has a 22in barrel and the best I do with 140gr bullets is 2,850fps.

CLB:
It has a 25in barrel, actually, but the old L61 action is a long one, much longer tham the small Kimber, and the stock's length of pull is another 1/4 or 3/8 longer.

Kaleb:
I am sorry, but who is David B. and what is a TC ML?


So far, one vote for 1, one for 2 and one for 4...

BBerg

These are fun questions to answer and everybody has their angle. Personally, I'd be inclined toward the Kimber (1), and the K95 (3), because I like light-to-carry and I have to admire what I'm carrying too or the hunt just isn't as enjoyable to me; that's just me.

The 7-08 should be sufficient for any 400 yd shot it you do your stuff and I'm a little fuzzy over the 7x54R (280-ish?) but it should be fine assuming you are. The K95 is a piece of art and like you say very portable too but not with that scope in my opinion. I'd go to a high quality, lighter, lower-range variable on that rifle. I think you negate some of the handling characteristics and packing ability of that nice piece with that glass. In fact, for the same reasons I'd not have a 50mm objective glass on the dainty Kimber.

Just my version; good luck on what should be a real adventure.

7-08 well on the other side of 300 yards, 140 TSX, 6x42 Leupold.

If it were a .270 he'd be on his back with four legs up in the air, no doubt.

In the first picture. Second one hadn't loaded yet. Glad to see he finally succumbed.

BB
I would probably dump the 50mm on the Kimber as well. Less is more better in sheep country.

goodnews:
the 7x65R is a balistic twin to the 280Rem. the swaro scope is not a heavy scope, weighing less than 14oz. because in Europe we hunt before sunrise and after sundawn we use scopes with large objectives, for their light gathering abilities. I could use the regular 3.5-10x since I have one at hand.

Sitka Deer:
that is a very impressive photo, thanks very much for sharing.

I guess that is two more votes for the 7-08...

Do you think that it would be wise to carry the K95 broken down and inside the back pack? My concern here would be running unexpectedly into a lifetime trophy with the rifle beyond reach.

Thanks,

BBerg

Rifles 1, 2 & 4 will work just fine. I'd personally choose the .264 or 7mm-08 flavor.

I worked with an old timer who grew up in McCarthy at the copper mine. He had a .264 Winny and swore by it on sheep. Didn't Winchester bill it at the Westerner?



TC = Thompsen Center, a rifle manufacturer. ML = Muzzleloader

I was watching that show too for a little while. Something like 5 or 6 guys in that hunting possey. Seemed to be one cute chick short of the "real deal."

Be well prepared for the shot you'll probably get. Solve other problems as they occur. I would not carry a broken down rifle in a pack in any hunting circumstance I can conceive of.

I'd go with #1, that's damn near the perfect sheep rifle.

I'd be alright if a sheep hunter showed up with either of those. If it were me I'd take #1 or maybe #4. If a hunter showed up with #4 I'd be nervous about his ability to shoot it well. The scopes especially the 6x18 would give me a case of the vapors.

I had a sheep hunter (wyoming bighorn sheep) show up with an unmentioned Muzzleloader. Ended up taking a nice sheep on the first day, but I was pretty nervous about it.

I would not carry the rifle broken down in the pack.

I know muzzle loaders can be very accurate. They have never caught my attention and I have never shot one.
But I'm turning 50 in the next few days and this will be a Dall Sheep hunt in my lifetime, that meaning that I want to, I need to, do my very best.
That means training phisically, practicing a lot shooting from field positions and seeking advise for the best equipment.
BBerg

Just as an aside, worry about the legs and lungs and the rifle will take care of itself.

6 votes for the Kimber
2 for the 264
1 for the k95
2 for the 300WBY

seems like we already have a trend here.

if you have not noticed, my heart is with the Blaser single shot. as you say it would not be wise to carry it broken down in the pack, but what about hooding it with a waterproof rifle cover like the Kifaru when the weather gets too tough?

BBerg

The closer you get to a single shot in 280 the better.