I am going to use my 7 Mag for my White Sands Oryx hunt. This is a very accurate custom built rife with a 6.5x20 Leupold.

I will use either the 140 TSX at 3300 fps or 160 at 3100 TSX.

I am going for the heart shot, which is through the front leg.

Which weight would be best?

Thanks!

which ever shoots best from your rifle both will work great...and Congrats on drawing a tag post pic's for us!

Either will do you just fine, I've shot elk with both out of my 7 Mashburn Super. I'd go with the one that shot the best out of my rig.

Lucky dog you are for having that tag!

Dober

My vote goes to the 160... If your rifle shoots it well...once in a lifetime tag......either will work though...

ingwe

Either or... Which ever shoots the best. I used 225 Hornady's, took him in front of the hind quarter, exited between the opposite shoulder and brisket @ 410 yards..

The rifle itself ought to work fine if the bullet strikes correctly.

I shot my gemsbok (oryx, in some languages) at 90 yards, in the brush. Don't believe a 6.5-20 scope would have been a very good idea. What is the reason for having a long-range varmint scope on a big game rifle -- just out of curiosity?

YMMV, of course...

Dennis

I've only taken one in Africa but they are strong, tough as well as beautiful, worthy animals; I'd vote for the 160-grain TSX but placement is a' priori one in these animals and can be a bit confusing because of their shape. I used a 270-gr TSX out of a .375, the first of which hit a mite too far back because of another intervening animal and though he was down, he wasn't quite out and required a finisher. Still makes me feel badly.

To follow your point, I shot mine with a 250 gr Woodleigh out of my 35 Whelen. It carries a 2-7 Leupold, and I can't imagine needing a more powerful scope to hit one. Mine weighed 575 lbs, according to their hanging scale, and you do have to shoot further forward than North American game -- they are built differently.

Dennis

Because I am a regular Smallbore and Highpower Silhouette shooter the 6.5x20 is just a regular tool for me:-)=

Went with my buddy in Feb to Rhodes Canyon. He used a 280AI with a 150gr Nosler Partition. Shot his oryx at 380yds. Bullet was under hide on far side.
John

Ever shoot anything running through brush at 39 yards with a target bench scope...?

Hunting, at least the way I encounter it, bears no relationship whatsoever to shooting targets off a bench.

YMMV, of course...

Dennis

I'm betting with the preasure and open space on the range she won't be shooting at 39 yds...long shot is more than likely....not that I could like hunting with a 6x20 scope

People ought to go hunting with whatever they feel good about...I'm just fairly sure some things work better than others. But if someone wants to pick something I don't want...it's just dandy, and I'm not arguing. Just suggesting... ...

Dennis

Reba,
I can't speak from personal experience, but one of our family friends did the once in a lifetime hunt using a 7 mag and came home with his bull thinking that the 7 mag was alot of overkill for an oryx out on the range.
A neighbor of ours took his in a off range depredation hunt with a 308 win...and he didn't need a second shot.
The only common demonator between the two of them is that they didn't use a premium bullet. Their opinion was just getting through the first shoulder blade, destroying the heart and lung area and who cares if it came out the other shoulder.

Me thinks Oryx are tuffer than you give them credit

Well, that's probably very true considering that the on range population of New Mexico Oryx is 20 miles west of my front door, but then again if I could ever get a once in a life time tag, I would just use my old 3006 to take one. Nothing fancy, just dang good shot placement (accuracy over speed any day). A cup and core hornady interlock me thinks will do the job just fine.

A buddy took his Oryx with my reload of 63 gr's RL 22 in a Rem 700 22" 30/06, 165 gr Accubond, 3078 fps. Animal was taken at 180 yards with a broadside shoulder shot. THe bullet penetrated both shoulders and came to rest just under the offside hide. Retained bullet weight was 60% of original with a flattened top and 3/4" expanded diameter.

The animal wobbled for 35 yards, paused and dropped. I thought the critter weighed in around 600 lbs or so I was told. Mule Deer corrected me saying they ususally ran about 400 or so.

I'd also say to use the one that is most accurate in your rifle. Placed right. both will easily kill a gemsbok.

I've shot 3 gemsbok on two hunts in South Africa:
I shot my first gemsbok with a 140 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. About a 100 yd shot, the bull ran about 30 yds and piled up dead in a bush.
I shot my second gemsbok with a 270 gr TSX from my .375 RUM. It was about a 150 yd shot, and he died where he stood.
My third gemsbok was also shot with a 270 gr TSX from my .375 RUM. It was a 348 yd shot, and he ran about 30 yds and fell dead.

Last January, two friends and I went to West Texas to hunt exotics.
I shot a Scimitar horned oryx with a 168 gr TSX bullet from my .300 Weatherby. About a 100 yd shot, and he fell over back wards, dead.
One of my friends also shot a Scimitar oryx. He used his .22-250 with a 55 gr factory soft point bullet. About a 50 yd shot, the oryx ran about 10 yds and fell dead. The landowner thought he was shooting a 7mm mag. He didn't believe it was a .22-250 until we showed him the case.

Put your TSX just above the point of the shoulder, and you'll have your oryx.

160gr is my vote.

For White Sands or Rhodes Canyon oryx, I'd definitely be prepared for a shot beyond 300 yards and even further...

Ive shot Oryx with a number of rifle/bullet combos from .303 British ( ) up to .375 H&H...they all worked. What seemed to work best was a .30-06 and a .300 Win Mag with well constructed bullets...kinda why I leaned my earlier answer to the OP towards the 7 mag and 160 gr. bullets. Pretty sure bet.....We were shooting 165s in the .30 cals....except the .303, it was a 180....

That 7 mag and scope combo the OP mentioned oughta be fine, especially as he is familiar with the scope through long use..

Ingwe

Ok then, I'll take the 30-30 for those 39 yard running shots though the brush;-)=

Thanks, it was very helpful.

The heavier 7 mag bullet would be probably be the one to choose if the rifle likes it and it's accurate. Right now in typical springtime SW US fashion it's a shade breezy at 25 mph and gusts 10 over that at my place. Down in the basin it's no doubt the same, just more sand blowing around. If your set up for long range and it looks like those are the only shots you will get, the heavier bullet might take on the wind alittle better. If it turns out to be a close shot or the wind isn't a factor then it won't really matter either way.
Above all Reba....The best of Luck to You on this hunt and let us know how you do.
Eric

I shot both of my Oryx off range with a 30-06. The first one was shot at 100 yds. through both shoulders with 180 Gr. Hornady. The second one was shot at 75 yds. in the neck with a 180 Accobond.

Good luck on your hunt, they are alot of fun to hunt.

Reba,

Shot mine at about 100 yards with my .308 and a 180 grain Partition. Dropped in its tracks and bullet found under hide on far side.

Shoot me a PM if you are hunting Rhodes Canyon and I can get you a copy of the "official" hunt map they don't give out until you get there.

I will be hunting the Stallion Range March of 2011.

Reba

Well, can't say for New Mexico oryx, but for African Oryx, shoot the heaviest bullet your gun can accurately handle. Hittem right, they fold up like a wet rag. Hittem wrong, well....just sayin

maddog

What ever you use aim low .And have fun.

As jef270 said low and I'll add forward. I drew the white sands tag 5 yrs ago and my buddy shot his tight behind the shoulder but still missed the lungs. It took 2 more shots to finish the deal. Your scope is on the higher mag range but should work well for most of the unit as the oryx we were hunting ran to a open area so the could see a long way. So long range shots were needed for the oryx we hunted.
I used a 7mm weaterby with 175 partitions and my friend used a 300 dakota with 180 tsx. Both worked fine but those oryx are tough and neither was very impressed with the knockdown power of our guns. But both eventually gave up. Enjoy your hunt. Dean

I don't think a 7mag is overkill at all. I went on one hunt- as a guide a few years ago. The hunter brought two rifles; a 25-06 loaded with TSX and a 7mag loaded with Federal factory low-shok loads.

Against my advice, he opted for the 7mm. He shot his bull at 40 yds and then had to shoot it NINE more times. He would run out and we would hand him more ammo. It was pathetic.

I would much prefer a premium bullet out of a magnum. If you opt for a 308 using 180s, a regular bullet would probably be just fine.

In the 7mm with TSXs I would use the 140 or 160s interchangeably, there will be no real issue with either. I would ditch the powerful scope though- it is a VERY short hunt and you take what you get. Most animals were running or in brush that we saw.