Antelope.....who likes what?
 

Thinking my 300 win mag may be a touch on the large side...:s4:

Id like a caliber I could hunt a varitey with (coyotes etc..)....Im thinking 22-250, 223, 25-06 or 243?? What about a 17 remington?

shooter

recently picked up a .243win in a lightweight setup specifically for antelope and yotes.

Ideal would be anything from .243win to .270win IMO

+1 on anything between .243 and .270

One advantage is when the wind starts blowing out on the prairie you have an advantage with the 300. I used a 338 a few years back and loaded it with a Barnes solid for minimal expansion. Worked fine for me. The larger caliber does not meen you will destroy meat and it will actually expand less on thin skinned smaller game (using the right bullet) ad opposed to a 243-270 loaded with a bullet such as the ballistic tip.

Good luck!

If you're thinking about hunting antelope in CO., you'll have to remove the .22 calibers from the list as they don't meet the state requirement for minumum caliber for big game hunting.
I like the .243 and this year I shot my antelope with my .243 wssm. AR. One shot, BANG flop!

Put a bullet from your 300 Win. mag through the ribs and you won't loose any meat. Unless you're just looking for a reason for a new gun, the one you have now will work out to any distance that you can shoot accurately!

I hunt antelope every year, have for decades. See them all the time and live where they are very abundant.
Go figure I use a .300 Win mag. Hacks thru the constant wind quite well and since I plan on killing them what difference does it make if I use a .243 or the .300. Generally I would shoot them thru and thru ribs and never lose any meat.

Tr ...ya beat me to it.

Just by a hair Steve!!

I used a 300WM this year because that's what I have (antelope were only a bonus during an elk hunt). It worked fine, yes the size is not needed. If I were to set up a gun specifically for antelope it would be a 243AI twisted for 115 DTACs. All the ballistics of the 300WM without the recoil.

243 would be great. I don't think you could use a 17 in most states. I've used Rem7mm way to much gun unless you load it way down.

I agree, any of those will work just fine. The .260 is my pick

IMHO the 25-06 can't be beat for lopes, yotes, and varmits.

Never guess I thought about the wind....thanks for the heads up on that deal..I have a chance to hunt Idaho next year so Im trying to get my stuff together early.

I shot both my antelope with my .338WM this year. Plan was to let the wife shoot first and asthe goats move out to a farter distance if they presented a shot I would take one, as luck would have it I shot both of mine 100 yards or less. So to say your .300WM is too big I disagree...I had no meat loss.

But in reality I think a 243, 25.06 or even a .270 would be a great choice!

Shot mine this year with a .257 Wby Mag that I bought and setup specifically for hunting antelope, wearing a 6-24x50 scope with a mil dot reticle. Setup worked perfectly, although the scope is on the heavy side.

Any cartridge .243 up should work. I agree with the comments about the wind. It seems like it is always blowing out on the plains. Check state regs for minimum caliber requirements.

removed by RD