Moon_Chopper
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Going on first antelope hunt. Is this caliber sufficient out to 400 yards? The only other rifle I have is a 300wsm - a bit much for antelope I believe. Appreciate feed back.
257 Roberts & Antelope
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Zeke
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A 257 Roberts is certainly enough and it shoots down right flat to 400 yards (well not really) with 100 grain bullets.
If you sight it in about 3" high at 100 yds it will be about on at 300 and about a foot low at 400 yds.
You can get by with a bullet of fairly fragile construction since pronghorns are not very large.
Have fun,
Zeke
If you sight it in about 3" high at 100 yds it will be about on at 300 and about a foot low at 400 yds.
You can get by with a bullet of fairly fragile construction since pronghorns are not very large.
Have fun,
Zeke
greatwestern
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^Excellent advice...MPBR sight-in is highly underemployed, yet provides quite a bit more hold-on 'reach' to those not using turrets or graduated reticles
And heck, I'd take ol' Bob just for the nostalgia/romance factor
Good Luck!
And heck, I'd take ol' Bob just for the nostalgia/romance factor
Good Luck!
littlebighorn
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LAST EDITED ON Jul-19-12 AT 08:30PM (MST)[p]Hard to argue with the above advice, especially coming from some pretty respected MM posters, but I am bored so I will also chime in.
When my son was 12, I let him cut his hunting teeth on a great antelope buck with a Roberts(Bob as GW called it). That buck didn't know he was punched with a little 100g Nosler over a larger pill.
I bought that Roberts, way back when Jack O'Connor was singing it's praises as a fine little caliber. My 257 shoots "lights out" .5 MOA groups and it is hard to not like it.
So if you like it, or love it like I do mine, take it and use it out to 400.
But, if the wind is blowing, like it often does on the prairies , then be prepared to also pack the 300WSM with heavier wind medicine.
When my son was 12, I let him cut his hunting teeth on a great antelope buck with a Roberts(Bob as GW called it). That buck didn't know he was punched with a little 100g Nosler over a larger pill.
I bought that Roberts, way back when Jack O'Connor was singing it's praises as a fine little caliber. My 257 shoots "lights out" .5 MOA groups and it is hard to not like it.
So if you like it, or love it like I do mine, take it and use it out to 400.
But, if the wind is blowing, like it often does on the prairies , then be prepared to also pack the 300WSM with heavier wind medicine.
greatwestern
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Yes indeed, I believe the finest 'all around' big game cartridge for NA to be the .300 win mag and its derivatives with appropriate loads...done right, the .300 family (including shorties) can do it all very well
That said, I started on centerfires with a Bob when I was eight, so I'm fond of it anyway, and the round is absolutely suited to antelope...a fine pair! I've always wished to hunt goats with the Bob, but alas! the only tags I've ever drawn have been for smokepoles and stick chuckers eh!
That said, I started on centerfires with a Bob when I was eight, so I'm fond of it anyway, and the round is absolutely suited to antelope...a fine pair! I've always wished to hunt goats with the Bob, but alas! the only tags I've ever drawn have been for smokepoles and stick chuckers eh!
Zeke
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LAST EDITED ON Jul-20-12 AT 09:45AM (MST)[p]I love my Bob Ackley I.
It's hard to argue against a little gem with all the critters taken with a two-bit bore.
I also agree that the 30 cal mags, in few variants, are my all time favorites for big game.
It's hard to pick the wrong rifle for a pronghorn hunt.
Zeke
It's hard to argue against a little gem with all the critters taken with a two-bit bore.
I also agree that the 30 cal mags, in few variants, are my all time favorites for big game.
It's hard to pick the wrong rifle for a pronghorn hunt.
Zeke
sageadvice
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I agree with most, the .257 Roberts and Antelope are like bread and butter, they go perfect together. Just make sure that you avoid the green box, round nose bullets put out by Remington as they lose a lot of energy extremely quickly and severely limit effective range . Most any other loading from 90-120 grain bullets should work fine but if i were looking for a near optimal loading, i'd go with these, 117 gr SST @ 2945 FPS, for both Deer and lopes!
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/18...roberts-p-117-grain-sst-box-of-20?cm_vc=Sub_1
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/18...roberts-p-117-grain-sst-box-of-20?cm_vc=Sub_1
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
I took my first antelope with my 30-06 and since I have used a 30 Remington,50 cal muzzleloader with round ball and 243 Winchester.So with my personal results either of the rifle cal. you have will do fine.I would lean towards the Roberts just because of the history .
Phantom Hunter
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I have used my wife's .257 Ackley on antelope with excellent results. Took a goat at 300 yards. During practice I routinely
made shots at around 350 yards. I would suggest 100 gr bullets at a minimum and 115-120 grain preferred since they will carry velocity further. As suggested sight-in so as to be dead on about 300 yards and then practice the longer shots. A gallon anti-freeze or oil jug in about the height of a lope from back to brisket and about as wide as the kill zone. Fill these with water and shoot them at long distance. A hit will be easy to see. Fun summer time practice. Good Luck
made shots at around 350 yards. I would suggest 100 gr bullets at a minimum and 115-120 grain preferred since they will carry velocity further. As suggested sight-in so as to be dead on about 300 yards and then practice the longer shots. A gallon anti-freeze or oil jug in about the height of a lope from back to brisket and about as wide as the kill zone. Fill these with water and shoot them at long distance. A hit will be easy to see. Fun summer time practice. Good Luck
