antelope gun

[chucknbach]

+1 for .243 but the .260 or 257 rob will make an antelope just as dead.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington! It's a great varmint and deer/antelope round! I've used it since I first started hunting and it's never let me down. It's fast and flat shooting and won't make a young hunter start flinching. Yes it's light for elk, but I killed a spike bull with it and a 100 gr. Nosler Partition. That speaks volumes for the Partition though too and makes the 6mm appear much larger than it is.

My son uses a 6mm Ruger MKII that we put a Boyds nutmeg wood laminate stock and and had the stock pillar and glass bedded. It really is a great rifle! Good luck with your decision. I feel the 257 Roberts would work nicely, but the 25-06 is also very sweet.
David

 

[chucknbach]

Isn't it great that we have choices?

 

[bumppo]

Really great. And I'm really appreciative of all the contributors--it's fascinating
and very helpful.

 

[chucknbach]

Lets us know what you decide on.

I got a .243 for my daughter for antelope, deer and elk this year.

1. She's small for her age(12), Wanted to get the least amount of recoil and still get the job done.

2. It's what I use for deer, antelope.

3. The rifle I got is small (Ruger compact) so what ever caliber I got it in has more recoil and bang than a regular sized rifle.

Sorry, I don't have any advice to give you on your 2 choices as it would be just speculation but I have no doubt either one would getter done.

 

[winmag]

Ok, so call me odd, but I vote for a .270 or .270wsm. Toofewdaysafield mentioned it, but I find it rather odd we are alone, Hmmmm. Also nothin wrong with the good ol -06. At least with these you have a rifle fully capable of crossing over to an elk rifle at reasonable ranges if its ever needed, but don't have the recoil

 

[chucknbach]

Ok, so call me odd, but I vote for a .270 or .270wsm. Toofewdaysafield mentioned it, but I find it rather odd we are alone, Hmmmm. Also nothin wrong with the good ol -06. At least with these you have a rifle fully capable of crossing over to an elk rifle at reasonable ranges if its ever needed, but don't have the recoil

I don't know about his son but for my daughter a .270 and 30/06 are just out of the question. To get either one in a size gun that would fit her, the recoil would be like shooting a 300 ultra mag, well maybe not but she would probably only shoot it once. Kids tend to not want to shoot with bruised shoulders and half moon scars above their eyes. Also for kids the short actions are more desirable than the long.


I've seen antelope shot with about everything from .243 to .378 weatherby mag anything in between those will kill an antelope just as dead as the others.

Here's a good recoil chart, most were done with 8lb rifles so you'll have to take a leap when figuring what it'll be in a 6 lb rifle with 16" to 20" barrel. RECOIL

 

[winmag]

Well to each Thier own I guess. My cousins & I all started with 270's or -06's depending who's son you were. Sister did the same. Been shootin squirls & coyotes with my 06 since I was 10 yrs old, maybe 5' even & under 100#'s. Im 35 now & 5' 11" & 178# & still love to shoot. Each father or meantor knows his subject best, & does what he figures is right. We never had a lot of $ so we all started with 1 rifle for all seasons. Now a days its a different story Hehe. I like my gun cabnet full of choices

 

[2fewdaysafield]

Choices are GOOD!!!!

 

[freddogs]

I've shot plenty of antelope with my 30-06 but I'm leaving it home this year. I plan to use my 7X30 waters in my contender carbine. I'm taking my 257 Roberts improved with me as a spare. I've really enjoyed shooting it this summer. Seems like no recoil. I built it on a mauser action years ago just to have a wildcat. I've been shooting 100 gr. bullets and they group nice.
All the rifles mentioned are probably good choices. I wouldn't mind a 260 myself.

 

[Doublezranch]

My 10 year old has shot a 7mm-08 for a couple of years now. I bought him a Weatherby for the reason that the youth model comes with 2 stocks. A youth stock and a compact stock. He will be able to shoot it for many years to come. Also, the recoil is extremely managable. Not to mention there are very few animals that he cannot take down with proper bullet selection. My vote, 7mm-08.

 

[bigngreen]

Well when I was 14 I could through a bolt action on auto fire so I would choose the 260 over the 257 since I would expect it to have better barrel life. More rounds down range for fun makes for much better shooting when it's time to fill tags gun)

 

[Dalebow]

you can use a cannon for antelope if you want, but no reason to subject a child to that, your thoughts are on the money, i got my petite wife the 243 and loaded it with 85gr TTSX, she wacked her goat and had fun, she loves to shoot the gun and recoil is mild, it is a youth model marlin X7 for $300, put a $200 burris fullfield on it and it is a tackdriver. I love the gun so much that I bought me the normal size stock one in 243, scoped the same 1/2 guns all day long at 100 yards, cheap, dont mind flying with em and tact drivers.
Any antelope, deer, or black bear in America will fall to a well placed 243.
Do it right and you will have a hunting partner for life.

 

[strombeckj]

My .02 cents is on a 260 rem or a 25-06 and add a break. My friends daughter (small and petite, 17) Knocked down 2 speed goats this weekend in WY with my 6-06. Speer 85gr, BTSP over 56.8grs of H4831SC. 1 shot drops 110 & 325 Yards. She loved the rifle and could handle the recoil all day long. It does have a mini break on it.

Jon