Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska rifle for Dall Sheep

Whatever you take, you need a helium filed stock, I suggest shoulder straps for yourself a large balloon with just enough helium to keep you "Light on your feet" would be a big plus.

Reloader28
???
Sorry, I dont't get it.

3sixbits
...You bet!

If it weren't for that dern 24 hour no fly rule, I would have told you, fill it up so your feet don't touch the ground. If you score, just rig the sheep up with the balloon and let fly. when he floats to where you want him, let fly and shoot the balloon.

Or just tie a string on to your wrist and walk him out like you did when you were a kid at the circus.

I have a sheep trip set up this August (49th) birthday with Blackstone Outfitters in the Yukon. I have the "perfect Dall rifle, ie NULA .30-06; yet, I really want to take a single shot that's a little heavier, a Dakota 10 in .270 or 7mmRemMag (I seem to have one of each). I've obsessed with the legs/lungs in the last few years to the point of nutty (Personal trainer/marathons, etc). So I guess I'll have a shoot off with available ammo/reloads to see what shoots the best. This is my third Dall trip so the only thing I've got to spice it up is what to shoot with. I've even considered the bow, but I'm just not that guy.
Don

God invented magazine rifles because it was supposed to be an improvement. But single shots are fine if you are organized and things go the way they are supposed to

I would never tell a guy not to follow his heart, but I would tell him to be prepared for the consequences whether it's rifles or women.

If you've got it figured out, go for it.

I don't remember what scope you had on the Blaser, but if it's very big, I'd dump it, too.

As someone once said 'If you are going to carry more than 1 round of ammo in the field it might as well be in the magazine'

toltecgriz:
I do quite a lot of hunting with my single shot, but not in $$$ once-in-a-lifetime hunts.
When I was younger I took my 6.5x65R to the Tien Shan Mts. and shot to very big ibexes but I don't think I would do it again.
I have not got it figured out, why ask otherwise?
It is just that I feel tempted by the idea of dropping one of those magnificent animals with just one well cared for shot.
I think it really adds to the mistique of hunting, not as much as a bow hunter would feel, but something like that.
My head says otherwise and I am intelligent (?) enough of seeking advise from your experience as there is simply no substitute for that.
Regards,
BBerg

nb: the Blaser wears a Swaro 4-12x50 and weighs < 7lbs with neopren sling and three cartridges

Seems to me one can drop an animal with ONE WELL PLACED shot from a repeater also. The only difference being that said hunter might be able to get in a second shot quicker if first WELL PLACED shot wasn't as well placed as thought or to stop one from doing a header off a cliff.

YMMV

Hell, just bring one round of ammo with you, that way you won't be tempted.

I would vote for #1. It will do it all, and with reasonable recoil, at any sane (and possibly not so sane) ranges. If you are concerned with wind drift in the 708, load up some Nosler 150gr E-tips. Pretty impressive BC's on that bullet.

Oh, and best of luck on a dream hunt.

no worries here on 7-08 being enough gun. even should the rare ill tempered griz with cubs show up in the wrong place. actually had a sow and cub walk right thru camp one year but she was a good girl, i.e. a runner not a fighter.

don't know what your Rifles Inc, weighs, but my guess it's the lightest weight rig you have, can't fathom putting that heavy piece of glass upon it, but it ain't my money. just know RI and NULA are renowned for puttin together a lt. wt. package.


sure the Kimber works, but if the RI is lighter (once you swap out the Hubble) it would get the nod from me provided the recoil from that caliber in a lt. wt. don't make you do the nasty behind the scope.

if you don't want to bother with alla that, take your Kimber.


my thoughts is if you spend the loot for a true lt. wt. then sheep and goat hunts is what they were designed for.

docdb, how can you leave a Dakota 10 in .270 at home on a sheep hunt? The thing is when you stop and take a breather you can just look at it.

BBerg, I might be the only one here and I sure wouldn't want you to do something I would if you weren't inclined to in the first place but the K95 is made for hunts like this man with one caveat being the weather. But a good product like Renaissance (made in Europe?) is what I use and it's very protective of both wood and metal in harsh conditions.

Most times when you're sucking wind, it's pretty tough to concentrate on much of anything.

BB

"Having it figured out" wasn't a slam. It means if you know how you will compensate for the "handicap" of a SS in any given situation. I was assuming you have toted a rifle up a few mountains as you apparently have.

I seem to recall that bit of wisdom. Must be from a smart bastid.

Your question is easy for me. I'd take rifle #4. Why?? Because it might come down to one chance that is not exactly what you have in mind. I'd rather have more than enough gun than no quite enough!! I'm no expert by any means but on my 1st sheep hunt I carried a Rem 700 Stainless in 300 RUM in a McMillan BDL stock.
Nothing lightweight about it. I'd guess it was pushin 10-11 lbs all up with ammo. I had a moose and griz tag and ended up taking a moose along with a fine dall ram. My sheep was taken at about 250 yards. Easy shot for nearly any big game round. But it may have been a one shot deal because I was completly spent when I pulled the trigger and I'm not sure I could have climbed that mountain again. I don't think I could have gotten any closer either so if I had been presented with a 450 yard shot I had the gun to do it.


My 2nd sheep hunt I had learned much from my first. I carried a lot less of everything!! My rifle was a Mark Bansner rifle built on a 700 in 300 Weatherby that all up went about 8 lbs. Lightweight but very powerful. I killed my stone ram at 365 yards and he was going farther away and up when I pulled the trigger. I was damn glad I had that rifle with its reach and power when it came down to crunch time.


One thing I would do with your rifle #4 is change the scope to something lighter like a Leupold 4.5x14x40 or a Zeiss 4.5x14x44. Hope my 2 cents is helpful. Send us some pics when you get back and enjoy the hunt. 163bc

If you can swing the coins, go for the Merkel or Blaser single shot. Being able to break it down and back it is very good. Short is good. Light is good. And these rifles really shoot well.
The 7x65R is just like a .280 Remington.

That said, my current mountain rifle is a T3 Lite in .30-06, for a whole lot less money, and I don't have to worry about scratching it up. I also have .270 Steyr Mannlicher carbine for roaming the Appalachians

You don't know how long I can take to suck wind.

Take #1 Good cartridge mild recoil, good combo for extreme angle shots that can happen hunting Rams.

Your Kimber Montana was built for this type of hunt and is the ideal weapon to carry in nasty Alaskan weather. I wouldn't worry about bears, the 7mm-08 will kill any interior bear plus your guide will be carrying a rifle as well. Don't even tnink twice about it, the Montana was born for this type of thing.