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I’m taking my 16yr old hunting in WY next year for deer and antelope. I hear all the rave about the 6.5cm. What’s y’alls thought on the 6.5? He currently shoots a 30-30 for deer hunting in AL. and the shots are never more than 100 yards. Thought I’d purchase a “new” caliber for his hunt. I use a 25-06 for distance hunting and love it.
Thanks for your advice.
"If I couldn't laugh I would go insane." JB
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It will do great... get him out practicing with it and you'll have nothing to worry about...
Public landowner...
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It is not magic, but it will work.. So does about 30 other similar calibers!!!
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Campfire Savant
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Granddaughter shoots mine(now hers) really well. She barely weighs a hundred pounds. I bet he likes shooting it!
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Campfire 'Bwana
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My thoughts on the 6.5 Creedmoor?
Good elk cartridge, as well as lesser game.
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
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I would say the 270 Winchester if I had to recommend one.
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My .257 Roberts is my favorite rifle and has taken a lot of antelope with Barnes 100g TTSX and Nosler 110g AB. Daughters and nephews love it as well and have used it to take antelope. The .257 Roberts was gently used when I acquired it in 2004 and has served very well.
These days I would purchase a 6.5CM instead and without a second thought as it has similar recoil to my +P Roberts loads with better downrange ballistics. It is an excellent choice for your son and antelope. As has been pointed out above, it is also good for deer and elk at typical ranges.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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NO! No, no, no, no, no. There is no way in Hell that I am going to recommend a 6.5 CM for antelope! NO!!!
I belong on eroding granite, among the pines.
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That is about as good as you can get. The rifle will recoil very little, shoots great with factory ammo and kills way beyond what its ballistics say that it should. Buy Hornady factory ammo and go hunt. Get him shooting out to 300 yards, just to be sure that he can score. That cartridge in whatever rifle you choose, will serve him well for as long as he wants.
Put a decent scope on it. Optics are more important than the rifle, usually.
You did not "seen" anything, you "saw" it.
A "creek" has water in it, a "crick" is what you get in your neck.
Liberals with guns are nothing but hypocrites.
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That is about as good as you can get. The rifle will recoil very little, shoots great with factory ammo and kills way beyond what its ballistics say that it should. Buy Hornady factory ammo and go hunt. Get him shooting out to 300 yards, just to be sure that he can score. That cartridge in whatever rifle you choose, will serve him well for as long as he wants.
Put a decent scope on it. Optics are more important than the rifle, usually. I agree with your first paragraph and with getting a 'decent' scope. Not so much with "Optics are more important than the rifle, usually." A great scope won't make an inaccurate rifle more accurate and I've found cheap scopes to be adequate for every shot I've taken at game (487 yards max). Had a $39 (I overpaid at a gunsmith) Bushnell Sportview 3-9x with crappy light transmission on my 7mm RM for 20 years. Never liked it but it took a beating and never failed me, either. Lots of decent scopes for under $200. Most of my rifles have Burris 3-9x Fullfield II scopes with Ballistic Plex reticle. You can get them for about $180 online.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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NO! No, no, no, no, no. There is no way in Hell that I am going to recommend a 6.5 CM for antelope! NO!!! This ought to be interesting... Popcorn anyone?
There are 2 rules to success:
1. Never tell everything that you know.
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Campfire Ranger
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That is about as good as you can get. The rifle will recoil very little, shoots great with factory ammo and kills way beyond what its ballistics say that it should. Buy Hornady factory ammo and go hunt. Get him shooting out to 300 yards, just to be sure that he can score. That cartridge in whatever rifle you choose, will serve him well for as long as he wants.
Put a decent scope on it. Optics are more important than the rifle, usually. I agree with your first paragraph and with getting a 'decent' scope. Not so much with "Optics are more important than the rifle, usually." A great scope won't make an inaccurate rifle more accurate and I've found cheap scopes to be adequate for every shot I've taken at game (487 yards max). Had a $39 (I overpaid at a gunsmith) Bushnell Sportview 3-9x with crappy light transmission on my 7mm RM for 20 years. Never liked it but it took a beating and never failed me, either. Lots of decent scopes for under $200. Most of my rifles have Burris 3-9x Fullfield II scopes with Ballistic Plex reticle. You can get them for about $180 online. I would counsel against buying a good rifle and then handicapping your son by putting inferior optics on it. As an experienced hunter and shooter, you have an advantage over a young man who is just getting into hunting. I will agree with your Burris Fullfield II with. the BP reticle however. It's good glass and very reasonably priced.
There are 2 rules to success:
1. Never tell everything that you know.
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Why not let him practice and use your 25-06. A 100 grain bullet at 3,300 fps having about 12 ft-lbs of recoil is a great mule deer pronghorn rig.
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I agree with the other posters saying the 6.5 Creedmoor would be a good choice. So would other rounds, like the 243 Winchester. Can you borrow some rifles from friends for your son to shoot before you buy? Do you handload? If you do, you can load ammo for a number of chamberings to suit a young shooter. If you don't handload, the 6.5 Creedmoor is even more attractive as there are lots of accurate ammo choices.
NRA Endowment Life Member, G.O.A supporter
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Campfire 'Bwana
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If you don't handload, the 6.5 Creedmoor is even more attractive as there are lots of accurate ammo choices. IMO, 6.5 Creed is a no brainer for the non-handloader... DF
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Campfire Oracle
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A .25/06 with a 100 grain bullet is antelope medicine that cannot be beat,IMO.
Life Member SCI
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Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell
Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard
Ken
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Campfire 'Bwana
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A .25/06 with a 100 grain bullet is antelope medicine that cannot be beat,IMO. For sure, hard to beat for the reloader. I'd still go CM, limited to off the shelf rifle and ammo. BUT, you do need a LOT more power for those huge NM Jackwabbits...  DF
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I would counsel against buying a good rifle and then handicapping your son by putting inferior optics on it. As an experienced hunter and shooter, you have an advantage over a young man who is just getting into hunting. I will agree with your Burris Fullfield II with. the BP reticle however. It's good glass and very reasonably priced.
Agreed in the 'inferior' scopes. Have purchased a few with good rifle attached. Replaced them immediately. Put one of them (a Bushnell Sportview) on my pellet gun. It works OK there. Have sold or trashed the others. That said, I'll pass on the high-end scopes. Diminishing returns and all that, at least for my needs.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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A .25/06 with a 100 grain bullet is antelope medicine that cannot be beat,IMO. After shooting over 40 antelope with just the 243 and the 25-06 I decided 100 grain bullets in a 25-06 is to much of a good thing. I like eating antelope most of all and a lot of bloodshot meat isn't at all needed. Step up to 117 &120 gr bullets and less blood shot meat. Better yet 95-105 gr .243's at 2900-3100 fps is easier on the carcass. I hardly ever take anything but a double lung ribcage shot on them. I don't hunt in a crowd and the 25 -100 yds they go after a double lung shot bothers nothing. Yeah the Swede ,the Creed and 260 would be good choices to. MB
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
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From all I have gleaned about the 6.5 Creedmoor, it’s probably a perfect cartridge for speed goats. They aren’t hard to kill, just hit ‘em in the vitals. Not tough as larger deer and elk. Good hunting! Happy Trails
Life Member NRA, RMEF, American Legion, MAGA. Not necessarily in that order.
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After shooting over 40 antelope with just the 243 and the 25-06 I decided 100 grain bullets in a 25-06 is to much of a good thing.
Maybe aim a little lower?
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At 16 years old, I'd be trying to have him figure out what he thinks he wants for a gun to keep for life. Then get that and let him hunt.
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Campfire Oracle
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A .25/06 with a 100 grain bullet is antelope medicine that cannot be beat,IMO. For sure, hard to beat for the reloader. I'd still go CM, limited to off the shelf rifle and ammo. BUT, you do need a LOT more power for those huge NM Jackwabbits... DF He just needs to find one factory load that will shot well in his .25/06 and he is in business. I counted 7 factory loads that feature a 100 grain bullet and I am sure one of those will shoot good enough in his rifle.  Our NM jackwabbits are a whole different ballgame. 
Life Member SCI
Life Member DSC
Member New Mexico Shooting Sports Association
Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell
Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard
Ken
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I’m taking my 16yr old hunting in WY next year for deer and antelope. I hear all the rave about the 6.5cm. What’s y’alls thought on the 6.5? He currently shoots a 30-30 for deer hunting in AL. and the shots are never more than 100 yards. Thought I’d purchase a “new” caliber for his hunt. I use a 25-06 for distance hunting and love it.
Thanks for your advice. As posted above the 6.5mm CM is a no brainer for a new hunter. Ammo selection is great and will only get better and he will never outgrow the round.
John Burns
I have all the sources.
They can't stop the signal.
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Thanks all!
I do have the ability and all the equipment to reload I just don’t always have the time. That’s another craft I’d like for my son to learn and enjoy. I’m pretty set on the 6.5cm so he’ll have a nice rifle for hunting and if he decides to shoot long distance silhouettes it should work well also. He really enjoys the outdoors hunting, fishing and shooting!
"If I couldn't laugh I would go insane." JB
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Thanks all!
I do have the ability and all the equipment to reload I just don’t always have the time. That’s another craft I’d like for my son to learn and enjoy. I’m pretty set on the 6.5cm so he’ll have a nice rifle for hunting and if he decides to shoot long distance silhouettes it should work well also. He really enjoys the outdoors hunting, fishing and shooting! As posted already, excellent round that he’ll not out grow. I’m a seasoned reloader and have been amazed how accurate factory ammo is. I have to work to beat it. DF
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NO! No, no, no, no, no. There is no way.......that I am going to recommend a 6.5 CM for antelope! NO!!! 
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
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I think a 6mm Remington or .243 Win. are both enough for a kid shooting goats and muleys. And you can get a Rem. 700 ADL Synthetic at Academy for under $400. put a Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40 on it and you've got all he can shoot. or shop around on Gun Broker and some of the other sights and you can find it cheaper. I bought four VX-3i 3.-10X40s and paid anywhere from $265-$319.And remember with Leupold scopes you have a life time warranty. I think you can find a rifle used for $300.00 or under.
Last edited by Filaman; 01/30/19.
What goes up must come down, what goes around comes around, there's no free lunch. Trump's comin' back, get over it!
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I think a 6mm Remington or .243 Win. are both enough for a kid shooting goats and muleys. And you can get a Rem. 700 ADL Synthetic at Academy for under $400. put a Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40 on it and you've got all he can shoot. or shop around on Gun Broker and some of the other sights and you can find it cheaper. I bought four VX-3i 3.-10X40s and paid anywhere from $265-$319.And remember with Leupold scopes you have a life time warranty. I think you can find a rifle used for $300.00 or under. Uh oh, the voice of reason. We can’t tolerate that type of input here. Welcome to the Fire.
Last edited by Reloder28; 01/30/19.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
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Don't overlook the 6mm Creedmoor..... it is twisted right.
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Have numerous 6.5 s
Succumbed to pressure and picked up a tikka ctr in 6.5 cm
For antelope in 2018
Shot great . 400 plus yards boom 10 yards and down in 40 mph winds
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Don't overlook the 6mm Creedmoor..... it is twisted right. Mike, What’s your favorite 6CM load? DF
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That is about as good as you can get. The rifle will recoil very little, shoots great with factory ammo and kills way beyond what its ballistics say that it should. Buy Hornady factory ammo and go hunt. Get him shooting out to 300 yards, just to be sure that he can score. That cartridge in whatever rifle you choose, will serve him well for as long as he wants.
Put a decent scope on it. Optics are more important than the rifle, usually. I agree with your first paragraph and with getting a 'decent' scope. Not so much with "Optics are more important than the rifle, usually." A great scope won't make an inaccurate rifle more accurate and I've found cheap scopes to be adequate for every shot I've taken at game (487 yards max). Had a $39 (I overpaid at a gunsmith) Bushnell Sportview 3-9x with crappy light transmission on my 7mm RM for 20 years. Never liked it but it took a beating and never failed me, either. Lots of decent scopes for under $200. Most of my rifles have Burris 3-9x Fullfield II scopes with Ballistic Plex reticle. You can get them for about $180 online. True, but I have seen very few inexpensive rifles that will not shoot well enough to hunt with. That was my point. An expensive rifle and dog scope is useless, whereas, a cheap rifle and decent scope is a winner.
You did not "seen" anything, you "saw" it.
A "creek" has water in it, a "crick" is what you get in your neck.
Liberals with guns are nothing but hypocrites.
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If the son shows that he really likes hunting, then get him a quality rifle and a quality scope. No "throwaway" rifles/scope combos, etc. I have seen plenty of "very good", quality rifles out there. I even find excellent , well made "older rifles" ( my latest is a 1980 Mod 700 Classic, looks brand new) on gunbroker, etc. If girls/video games have a greater influence, then get him a Savage scope/combo and enjoy just being with him.
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Buy the young man a 6.5 CM of his own and a decent scope, he will be thanking you for it 50 years from now.
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad."
----------------------------------------------
"Jimmy, some of it's magic,
Some of it's tragic,
But I had a good life all the way."
(Jimmy Buffett)
SotG
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My .257 Roberts is my favorite rifle and has taken a lot of antelope with Barnes 100g TTSX and Nosler 110g AB. Daughters and nephews love it as well and have used it to take antelope. The .257 Roberts was gently used when I acquired it in 2004 and has served very well.
These days I would purchase a 6.5CM instead and without a second thought as it has similar recoil to my +P Roberts loads with better downrange ballistics. It is an excellent choice for your son and antelope. As has been pointed out above, it is also good for deer and elk at typical ranges. Me, too. I'm a life-long .257 fan and have a solid stockpile of bullets 'n' brass. I don't need both, but if I were to find my .257 stolen, I'd replace it with a 6.5CM in a heartbeat. Tom
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
Here be dragons ...
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I would suggest, right now, if you haven't already, get him a good 17 HMR rimfire with a decent scope. Have him practice a lot and shoot varmints,etc. sniping squirrels, etc will really help develop his skill set. Aim small, miss small works just as well for a 50yd squirrel as a 300yd pronghorn! It will also work swell in a prairie dog town if you can swing a trip in early summer. the great thing about prairie dogs and antelope is the boy "will see a lot of animals"! That is so very important for a youngster. We old guys sit around and day dream and we can sit on a ridge all day ( well, a big part of the day!) but a kid "needs" action. Good luck to you pard!
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That is about as good as you can get. The rifle will recoil very little, shoots great with factory ammo and kills way beyond what its ballistics say that it should. Buy Hornady factory ammo and go hunt. Get him shooting out to 300 yards, just to be sure that he can score. That cartridge in whatever rifle you choose, will serve him well for as long as he wants.
Put a decent scope on it. Optics are more important than the rifle, usually. I agree with your first paragraph and with getting a 'decent' scope. Not so much with "Optics are more important than the rifle, usually." A great scope won't make an inaccurate rifle more accurate and I've found cheap scopes to be adequate for every shot I've taken at game (487 yards max). Had a $39 (I overpaid at a gunsmith) Bushnell Sportview 3-9x with crappy light transmission on my 7mm RM for 20 years. Never liked it but it took a beating and never failed me, either. Lots of decent scopes for under $200. Most of my rifles have Burris 3-9x Fullfield II scopes with Ballistic Plex reticle. You can get them for about $180 online. True, but I have seen very few inexpensive rifles that will not shoot well enough to hunt with. That was my point. An expensive rifle and dog scope is useless, whereas, a cheap rifle and decent scope is a winner. I'll agree a rifle with a broken scope that won't hold zero isn't worth much as a combo. Just had a Burris FF-II 3-9x replaced by Burris as unfixable. Even then the rifle was holding 2-1/2 MOA, which is good enough for most hunting situations. Had a rifle that shot bug holes until it started shooting patterns (sold it), SIL had a rifle that wouldn't feed reliably (repaired), I had another that decided not to eject (repaired) and hunted with a guy who, at the end of the hunt, informed us his safety wasn't working so he kept his finger "off the trigger" (never hunted with him again). GIve me a reliable and reasonably accurate firearm and just about any scope that holds zero and I'll make it work. Guess that's a long-winded way of saying "I have seen very few inexpensive scopes that will not work well enough to hunt with." Granted, long range shooting has different requirements, but that applies to both rifle and scope.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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speed goats die easy 6.5Creedmoor will be fine or any other cartridge ,we used to shoot speed goats with a 17 Remington and 223`s, if you can only afford one rifle i would just buy a 223 Remington my reason ammo is cheap,little recoil ,that cartridge is a better varmint fun gun ,your son will use it more. there are a lot of deer shot with 223 every year,i know guys that have shot many-many deer with the 223, sharp shooters that control deer populations in cities at night mostly that`s all they use is a 223.buy a Savage bolt rifle good price range,but buy a decent scope like a leupold.
Last edited by pete53; 01/31/19.
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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When I took the opportunity to hunt antelope my son and I both shot nearly identical Remington Model 7 rifles in 7MM08. The shots were taken at distance between 225 and 265 yards and within a few minutes of each other. Both were scored in the mid 70's and both were instant kills. The 7MM08 has long been my go-to rifle for whitetail (and a few other things).
Since then I have taken several good whitetails, a few pigs, coyotes and a 32" 200+ pound Axis with the 6.5 Creedmoor. None of those animals put up any fight after the shot.
Pick the right bullet and it will most definitely do the job.
I'm shoot4fun on Accurate Shooter Forum and you can see my feedback there.
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Campfire Outfitter
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speed goats die easy 6.5Creedmoor will be fine or any other cartridge ,we used to shoot speed goats with a 17 Remington and 223`s, if you can only afford one rifle i would just buy a 223 Remington my reason ammo is cheap,little recoil ,that cartridge is a better varmint fun gun ,your son will use it more. there are a lot of deer shot with 223 every year,i know guys that have shot many-many deer with the 223, sharp shooters that control deer populations in cities at night mostly that`s all they use is a 223.buy a Savage bolt rifle good price range,but buy a decent scope like a leupold. How many antelope and deer do you shoot with 1 shot and done from 300-500 yds with the 223? The Creed will do that, will your 223 with that cheap ammo? Just asking , bamagun1 said he wanted the gun to serve well and son to not out grow it. If one limits the kids shots to 250 yds and under how does his ability grow with that? He is a kid ,do you expect him to pole vault into a stunt shooter status? Just asking no need to run up you bp, I asked objective questions. MB
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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My .257 Roberts is my favorite rifle and has taken a lot of antelope with Barnes 100g TTSX and Nosler 110g AB. Daughters and nephews love it as well and have used it to take antelope. The .257 Roberts was gently used when I acquired it in 2004 and has served very well.
These days I would purchase a 6.5CM instead and without a second thought as it has similar recoil to my +P Roberts loads with better downrange ballistics. It is an excellent choice for your son and antelope. As has been pointed out above, it is also good for deer and elk at typical ranges. Me, too. I'm a life-long .257 fan and have a solid stockpile of bullets 'n' brass. I don't need both, but if I were to find my .257 stolen, I'd replace it with a 6.5CM in a heartbeat. Tom Yep, I have both, like both. If starting over, it would be the Creed, hands down, expecially if I wasn't a handloader. Even a long time handloader could get a tad lazy, pick up a few boxes of excellent factory ammo, make his WT/pronghorn season and never look back. DF
Last edited by Dirtfarmer; 02/01/19.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I’m taking my 16yr old hunting in WY next year for deer and antelope. I hear all the rave about the 6.5cm. What’s y’alls thought on the 6.5? He currently shoots a 30-30 for deer hunting in AL. and the shots are never more than 100 yards. Thought I’d purchase a “new” caliber for his hunt. I use a 25-06 for distance hunting and love it.
Thanks for your advice. Buy one, not based on the "hype" that surrounds it, but more so on some of these guys' personal experience as a judge as to how well it performs. I would not hesitate to buy a 6.5 creedmoor for an antelope hunt.
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Buy another .25-06.. One kind of ammo, and it shoots flat enough to take antelope to 400 yards without turrets..
Molon Labe
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Buy another .25-06.. One kind of ammo, and it shoots flat enough to take antelope to 400 yards without turrets.. My 240 Wby with 100 gr. NPT's will shoot half MOA at 400 yds. and pretty flat. Probably wouldn't need to do much twisting, but it has a turret scope. And, it's spilled some speed goat blood. I still like the Creed. I'd put a turret scope on one and never look back. DF
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Campfire Tracker
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I've shot them with .280AI/150NBT; 300WM/180NBT; 6.5/284/125PT & 120NBT; and the 6mm/284/90gr NBT. I think the 6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent choice, myself. From what I've seen of it, out here, it has become "like a Modern .257 Roberts" in the way it is used. Varmints to elk with targets thrown in too.
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Campfire Outfitter
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6.5 CM would be an excellent choice for antelope. For me the 6.5 CM does what the .308 does with a little less recoil.
A true sportsman counts his achievements in proportion to the effort involved and fairness of the sport. - S. Pope
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Campfire Outfitter
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Buy another .25-06.. One kind of ammo, and it shoots flat enough to take antelope to 400 yards without turrets.. One kind of ammo - maybe. There is no guarantee the two will shoot the same ammo equally well. Two of the .30-06 rifles I have have long-throated chambers. The third had to go to the gunsmith to have the throat lengthened so I could shoot identical handloads in all three. A 25-06 is what I intended to buy when I sold my shot-out Savage .22-250. Was literally leaving the gun show to go to Sportsman's Warehouse to but the .25-06 when I bumped into a guy carrying a like-new .257 Roberts with a Leupold M8-4x scope in the rings. Could not pass it up at $400 out the door and it has been my favorite rifle ever since (15 years). If it were to do over, I'd be looking at a 6.5CM or 6.5 PRC for the wider and heavier bullet and factory ammo selection. Comparing a a .25-06/115g BT @ 3170fps (Nosler data) to a 6.5CM with a 143g ELD-X @ 2983fps (Hodgdon data) the 6.5 CM has about 9" more drop at 600, with about 60fps less velocity, 140fpe more energy and 2" lest drift.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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Campfire Ranger
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The two .25-06's may not shoot ammo equally well, but it would be close enough... You could use two different loads, and they still could serve either gun in a pinch..
Molon Labe
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A large antelope buck might go 120lbs. They are easily taken with 24,25,& 6.5 light weight bullets. A rib cage shot is highly recommend. A hit thru the shoulder or ham can be very destructive to their fragile skeletal frame. . Any 6.5 will handle antelope to elk with the right bullet. You won't go wrong with a 6.5 as it gives you the versatility of much heavier game. Any 6.5 bullet from 85 to say 130 gr will give a flat trajectory over realistic ranges. And for sure mild recoil.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Hitting one is more of a challenge than killing one, IMO.
They pretty easy to kill...
DF
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You could always use a 28 Nosler ![[Linked Image]](https://i.postimg.cc/TYpdHJk1/antelope-shot.jpg)
My dog is a member of the "Turd Like Clan"
Covert Trail Cameras are JUNK
3 Time Dinkathon Champion #DinkGOAT
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Yeah. How can a goat be too dead?
DF
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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Depends on how much of it you want to eat.
Personally, I really like pronghorn meat, so tend to use somewhat less gun, and "harder" bullets, than some other hunters.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Depends on how much of it you want to eat.
Personally, I really like pronghorn meat, so tend to use somewhat less gun, and "harder" bullets, than some other hunters. Yeah, I agree. Some of these yayhoos thinking basket ball sized exit wounds are great. If it was just about shooting them and killing them and leaving them lay, then yeah who cares. I used to do the same thing to jackrabbits, but I never ate those...
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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The meat is good. Some call’em “stink goats”, but if the meat is handled right it’s really good.
I remember one NM hunt, we passed by a couple pronghorns hanging from an old front end loader tractor as we entered our ranch. We hunted, killed a couple of goats, had them on ice within half hour. As we left that ranch, those animals were still hanging in nearly 100* weather.
Now, I can guarantee those were stink goats. Our’s weren’t.
DF
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Campfire Tracker
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Hog don reloading site shows the 143 at 2795 FPS not 2983 as stated above. I just looked because I did not believe that velocity. Ed k
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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The meat is good. Some call’em “stink goats”, but if the meat is handled right it’s really good.
I remember one NM hunt, we passed by a couple pronghorns hanging from an old front end loader tractor as we entered our ranch. We hunted, killed a couple of goats, had them on ice within half hour. As we left that ranch, those animals were still hanging in nearly 100* weather.
Now, I can guarantee those were stink goats. Our’s weren’t.
DF I thought yuck also but it's fabulous I like it better than venison Antelope Sirloin Tips with peppers,onions and mushrooms with Sherry Reduction over Basmati Rice ![[Linked Image]](https://i.postimg.cc/8k9094YX/antelope-tips.jpg) Chicken Fried Antelope with Sawmill Gravy and Biscuit ![[Linked Image]](https://i.postimg.cc/d0wXn0fq/Chicken-Fried-Antelope-with-Sawmill-Gravy-and-Biscuit.jpg)
My dog is a member of the "Turd Like Clan"
Covert Trail Cameras are JUNK
3 Time Dinkathon Champion #DinkGOAT
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I agree, better than venison, more like elk than deer.
DF
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The meat is good. Some call’em “stink goats”, but if the meat is handled right it’s really good.
I remember one NM hunt, we passed by a couple pronghorns hanging from an old front end loader tractor as we entered our ranch. We hunted, killed a couple of goats, had them on ice within half hour. As we left that ranch, those animals were still hanging in nearly 100* weather.
Now, I can guarantee those were stink goats. Our’s weren’t.
DF I thought yuck also but it's fabulous I like it better than venison Antelope Sirloin Tips with peppers,onions and mushrooms with Sherry Reduction over Basmati Rice Chicken Fried Antelope with Sawmill Gravy and Biscuit That looks great! We love antelope. My wife would give away elk, before antelope. I have never had any that was not tender. We had a roast a couple days ago. It went into the Instant Pot with a bit of boullion, onion and pepper. It was as good as it gets. By the way, ALL wild meat is venison, not just deer.
You did not "seen" anything, you "saw" it.
A "creek" has water in it, a "crick" is what you get in your neck.
Liberals with guns are nothing but hypocrites.
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Campfire Ranger
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true on the venison I like antelope better than whitetail
My dog is a member of the "Turd Like Clan"
Covert Trail Cameras are JUNK
3 Time Dinkathon Champion #DinkGOAT
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Campfire Outfitter
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The meat is good. Some call’em “stink goats”, but if the meat is handled right it’s really good.
I remember one NM hunt, we passed by a couple pronghorns hanging from an old front end loader tractor as we entered our ranch. We hunted, killed a couple of goats, had them on ice within half hour. As we left that ranch, those animals were still hanging in nearly 100* weather.
Now, I can guarantee those were stink goats. Our’s weren’t.
DF Taking care of the meat is important, regardless of the animal. Like you, we get the goats on ice ASAP. Like you, we often have them on ice within half an hour of the shot. When we get elk or deer down we get them gutted and quartered as quickly as possible. I've had to leave the meat out overnight several times but cold night temps eliminated any issues with meat quality. A few years back we were hunting antelope and saw an outfitter camp with about 7-8 animals on the ground. One guy was gutting and skinning and there was no help in sight. We think they may have been out shooting more. Another time we pulled into a CWD check station and the dually ahead of us had 3-4 elk stacked in the back. I assume they were gutted but the hides were still on. I wouldn't have wanted any part of those animals.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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When it's hot, like NM in Sept, you don't get as much time as some obviously think..
Really cold is a lot more forgiving.
DF
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OP
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Cooling animals after the kill, especially antelope, was one of the things I remember learning while taking a hunter safety course in WY. Lots of different things to be learned from different animals, to state to state hunting rules. I’m glad I attended the course out west. We don’t worry too much about grizzly and high altitude sickness in Alabama. Hunter safety is way more than wearing orange!
"If I couldn't laugh I would go insane." JB
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Cooling animals after the kill, especially antelope, was one of the things I remember learning while taking a hunter safety course in WY. Lots of different things to be learned from different animals, to state to state hunting rules. I’m glad I attended the course out west. We don’t worry too much about grizzly and high altitude sickness in Alabama. Hunter safety is way more than wearing orange! Good points. I don't know it it's the hot weather or if those goats are more sensitive to spoil, but that combo is pure poison to those who don't pay attention to details. Common sense and attention to details go a long way in life, hunting no exception... DF
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Antelope Sirloin Tips with peppers,onions and mushrooms with Sherry Reduction over Basmati Rice Looks tasty, but that rice needs some gravy. 
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Depends on how much of it you want to eat.
Personally, I really like pronghorn meat, so tend to use somewhat less gun, and "harder" bullets, than some other hunters. This.
"The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that lightening ain't distributed right." - Mark Twain
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Depends on how much of it you want to eat.
Personally, I really like pronghorn meat, so tend to use somewhat less gun, and "harder" bullets, than some other hunters. This. Seems to me a pronghorn carcass isn't as tough as WT, etc. IME, it doesn't take a lot to tear one up. So, less may be best. They're harder to hit than kill. I ruined a cape with a 140 gr. SST out of my 6.5-284 at 385 yds.. Blew out a huge exit hole. Just another reason I shut down SST's, although I hear the newer ones aren't as bad. DF
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New Member
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I would definitely recommend the 6.5 CM. I bought mine at the Wanenmacher's gun show in Tulsa about 7 or 8 years ago if I remember correctly. I went there looking for the best deal I could find on a Remington Mountain Rifle or a Kimber Montana, but couldn't pass up the Ruger M77 Hawkeye I found. Beautiful walnut stock, 26" factory blued barrel and a red butt pad. I've taken it on 2 different pronghorn hunts and sealed the deal both times using factory Hornady 120 grain GMX ammo.
Basically, what I'm saying is that I feel like he would love having his own hunting rifle in 6.5 CM. Of course, there are other chamberings that will kill as well, but it's hard to argue against it's effectiveness. Tons of factory ammo options and plenty of great bullets for reloading.
God is good, all the time
Woo Pig
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I have taken very good care of every antelope I killed...no hair on the meat, skinned out right away, cooled and straight to the meat locker in town. It is what I call "pretty meat"...good color, etc. I have tried to cook it several different ways, and it stinks, the more you chew it the bigger it gets ( like mutton) I just can't stand it. I get every one cut/wrapped and then I give it away to anyone brave enough to try it. One friend took some of the ground meat from one , made patties and cooked it in a crock pot. That was pretty good...no where near the same zip code as elk...to me. I have met a lot of hunters who like it...but I'm not sure if they wouldn't like coyotee either, ha.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Seems to me a pronghorn carcass isn't as tough as WT, etc. IME, it doesn't take a lot to tear one up. So, less may be best. They're harder to hit than kill.
I ruined a cape with a 140 gr. SST out of my 6.5-284 at 385 yds.. Blew out a huge exit hole. Just another reason I shut down SST's, although I hear the newer ones aren't as bad.
DF
I can think of a way that might not have come from bullet blowup if you really mean a singular hole.
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Campfire Outfitter
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I have taken very good care of every antelope I killed...no hair on the meat, skinned out right away, cooled and straight to the meat locker in town. It is what I call "pretty meat"...good color, etc. I have tried to cook it several different ways, and it stinks, the more you chew it the bigger it gets ( like mutton) I just can't stand it. I get every one cut/wrapped and then I give it away to anyone brave enough to try it. One friend took some of the ground meat from one , made patties and cooked it in a crock pot. That was pretty good...no where near the same zip code as elk...to me. I have met a lot of hunters who like it...but I'm not sure if they wouldn't like coyotee either, ha. We prefer outr antelope to elk by a good margin, and elk much more than deer. SIL won a chili cook-off with antelope met from one of our hunts.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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Antelope is good but pass me the Elk please. Sheep well only the luck or rich get that.
Eat Fish, Wear Grundens, Drink Alaskan.
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I have taken very good care of every antelope I killed...no hair on the meat, skinned out right away, cooled and straight to the meat locker in town. It is what I call "pretty meat"...good color, etc. I have tried to cook it several different ways, and it stinks, the more you chew it the bigger it gets ( like mutton) I just can't stand it. I get every one cut/wrapped and then I give it away to anyone brave enough to try it. One friend took some of the ground meat from one , made patties and cooked it in a crock pot. That was pretty good...no where near the same zip code as elk...to me. I have met a lot of hunters who like it...but I'm not sure if they wouldn't like coyotee either, ha. We prefer outr antelope to elk by a good margin, and elk much more than deer. SIL won a chili cook-off with antelope met from one of our hunts. We have eaten lots of elk, deer and antelope. I will take a properly-handled doe antelope over anything else. Many antelope are ruined by people that do not understand that it is critical, to get antelope meat off of the carcass and cooling as fast as possible. It is just different, for some reason and care is more important, than even with deer and elk. I have never had a bite of antelope-buck, or doe-that was not tender.
You did not "seen" anything, you "saw" it.
A "creek" has water in it, a "crick" is what you get in your neck.
Liberals with guns are nothing but hypocrites.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I have taken very good care of every antelope I killed...no hair on the meat, skinned out right away, cooled and straight to the meat locker in town. It is what I call "pretty meat"...good color, etc. I have tried to cook it several different ways, and it stinks, the more you chew it the bigger it gets ( like mutton) I just can't stand it. I get every one cut/wrapped and then I give it away to anyone brave enough to try it. One friend took some of the ground meat from one , made patties and cooked it in a crock pot. That was pretty good...no where near the same zip code as elk...to me. I have met a lot of hunters who like it...but I'm not sure if they wouldn't like coyotee either, ha. We prefer outr antelope to elk by a good margin, and elk much more than deer. SIL won a chili cook-off with antelope met from one of our hunts. We have eaten lots of elk, deer and antelope. I will take a properly-handled doe antelope over anything else. Many antelope are ruined by people that do not understand that it is critical, to get antelope meat off of the carcass and cooling as fast as possible. It is just different, for some reason and care is more important, than even with deer and elk. I have never had a bite of antelope-buck, or doe-that was not tender. Agree. To me, pronghorn meat is more fragile, more sensitive to handling than other similar game. With nilgai, it's sometimes what they're eating. I'm not that sure about pronghorn diet, if there are some things they eat than affects the meat. All the pronghorns I've killed have been handled right and they eat great. DF
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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Jim Knight,
Over the years I've run into a few other people like you, who absolutely hate the taste of pronghorn meat even when everybody else eating it really likes it. A number of years ago I began to suspect that pronghorn meat contains some chemical that only a few people's taste buds react to--much like cilantro. To most people cilantro tastes fine, but to some people it tastes like soap.
One of the people I know who hates all antelope meat is Bob Nosler, who simply can't eat it, even from a relatively mild-tasting antelope like a well cared-for young doe.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3 |
Jim Knight,
Over the years I've run into a few other people like you, who absolutely hate the taste of pronghorn meat even when everybody else eating it really likes it. A number of years ago I began to suspect that pronghorn meat contains some chemical that only a few people's taste buds react to--much like cilantro. To most people cilantro tastes fine, but to some people it tastes like soap.
One of the people I know who hates all antelope meat is Bob Nosler, who simply can't eat it, even from a relatively mild-tasting antelope like a well cared-for young doe. Interesting... DF
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,611
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,611 |
It will do great... get him out practicing with it and you'll have nothing to worry about... ^^^this, practice out to 300 if you can but the cartridge will do just fine. I used the 140 ELDM bullet last fall and the buck just fell over at 385...1 shot.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,794 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,794 Likes: 1 |
A .22-250 is wonderful...
Molon Labe
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3 |
A .22-250 is wonderful... 8 twist with 75's or 80's? DF
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,794 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,794 Likes: 1 |
D. I have mostly used 63 gr Sierra's or 64 gr. WW.. The old Sierra 55 gr. HPBT has killed a bunch.. I dont do fast twist.. 1-12 is about as tight as I go..
Molon Labe
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,846
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,846 |
A .22-250 is wonderful... I have a 22-250 now. I haven’t thought about using that. I may just take that also. Thanks
"If I couldn't laugh I would go insane." JB
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 13,948 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 13,948 Likes: 3 |
A .22-250 is wonderful... That's what I'm taking for Antelope.
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,531
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2012
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I've never been prong horn hunting, but judging by their size I would say anything from .224 to .308 caliber would work well with 24s, 25s, and 26s, being about perfect.
However for me, the .270 Winchester would be my first choice simply because I love it.
Last edited by Filaman; 02/16/19.
What goes up must come down, what goes around comes around, there's no free lunch. Trump's comin' back, get over it!
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3 |
Not so hard to kill, sometimes not so easy to hit.
DF
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,736
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,736 |
[quote=Mule Deer]Jim Knight,
Over the years I've run into a few other people like you, who absolutely hate the taste of pronghorn meat even when everybody else eating it really likes it. A number of years ago I began to suspect that pronghorn meat contains some chemical that only a few people's taste buds react to--much like cilantro. To most people cilantro tastes fine, but to some people it tastes like soap.
That's crossed my mind before, as so many out here ( and especially WY) really like the stuff! ha. I love hunting them for sure and its very affordable to draw a doe tag out here. Pretty little things!
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,357
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,357 |
I’ve heard of people just firing the creedless into the air and all the animals within hearing distance of it would just fall dead.
Last edited by Hammer2506; 02/25/19.
Fück Joe byron
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3 |
I’ve heard of people just firing the creedless into the air and all the animals within hearing distance of it would just fall dead. Yep, the Creed is bad azz, for sure... DF
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3 |
I've never been prong horn hunting, but judging by their size I would say anything from .224 to .308 caliber would work well with 24s, 25s, and 26s, being about perfect.
However for me, the .270 Winchester would be my first choice simply because I love it. My hunting bud and I have killed them with .270 (his), 6.5-284 and .240 Wby. All dead, mostly DRT. One was still breathing, moving his head (hit with .270) Guide finished him off with a .22 WMR Ruger revolver. All the rest were DOA when we got to them. Easier to kill than to hit. DF
Last edited by Dirtfarmer; 02/25/19.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,871 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,871 Likes: 5 |
I’ve heard of people just firing the creedless into the air and all the animals within hearing distance of it would just fall dead. Yep, the Creed is bad azz, for sure... DF I've heard of CBHS cases so bad that a mention of the Creedmoor sends the sufferer scurrying to the store for a fresh tube of Preparation H.
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,161 Likes: 3 |
I’ve heard of people just firing the creedless into the air and all the animals within hearing distance of it would just fall dead. Yep, the Creed is bad azz, for sure... DF I've heard of CBHS cases so bad that a mention of the Creedmoor sends the sufferer scurrying to the store for a fresh tube of Preparation H. Maybe acute "butt hurt" syndrome, vs. Chronic?  DF
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