Caliber Recommendation for 600 Yard Sheep Rifle

I worked with an Alaskan guide who told me a 300 W.M. was his choice with a good scope and those bikini covers for it to seal out the environment. This guy was a paramedic who had a grizz on casters, wolves, black bear, Dall sheep, etc. Greg Purdy was his name.This was 20 years ago. Today my buddy has a Christensen arms Ridgeline 26inch carbon fiber barrel in 300 W.M. that is an excellent shooter out to 1200 yards. With a nice scope, (his is a NF 5-37? I think) and load it would be my choice. With a lot of practice from different positions on different tests with rain, wind, etc. Maybe even do some short bursts of running or push ups before. Just as important, be in good physical condition. Like said many times before, never rely on someone else to protect you. Especially someone you don't know very, very well.
Goodluck be safe and shoot straight.
 
Kentuckywindage said:
I worked with an Alaskan guide who told me a 300 W.M. was his choice with a good scope and those bikini covers for it to seal out the environment. This guy was a paramedic who had a grizz on casters, wolves, black bear, Dall sheep, etc. Greg Purdy was his name.This was 20 years ago. Today my buddy has a Christensen arms Ridgeline 26inch carbon fiber barrel in 300 W.M. that is an excellent shooter out to 1200 yards. With a nice scope, (his is a NF 5-37? I think) and load it would be my choice. With a lot of practice from different positions on different tests with rain, wind, etc. Maybe even do some short bursts of running or push ups before. Just as important, be in good physical condition. Like said many times before, never rely on someone else to protect you. Especially someone you don't know very, very well.
Goodluck be safe and shoot straight.
Click to expand...
If you can't trust a guide(s) on a $50,000 sheep shoot who can you trust? Those guys probably live in that basin for 4 months in a row and know every bear in 100km by name. It's not like the op will be unarmed in the case of a bear encounter(incredibly unlikely)
 
For 50,000 I would like a bear included.
With the exchange rate it's like 75k Aussie dollars. I'm not hunting either but good luck with the hunt.
Seriously I would really like to hunt a bear and everything else but DG fascinate me and a bear would look great as a rug.
I as lso find it fascinating that sheep are so highly prized and become an obsession for sheep hunters. I say that as Australia does not have true wild sheep and most sheep are managed as herds for wool and meat. I've worked them a bit so I see them in a different way and think a sheep hunt might be pretty tough going but that's what drives you and adds the expense I guess.

Andrew Massi said:
If you can't trust a guide(s) on a $50,000 sheep shoot who can you trust? Those guys probably live in that basin for 4 months in a row and know every bear in 100km by name. It's not like the op will be unarmed in the case of a bear encounter(incredibly unlikely)
Click to expand...
 
CBH Australia said:
For 50,000 I would like a bear included.
With the exchange rate it's like 75k Aussie dollars. I'm not hunting either but good luck with the hunt.
Seriously I would really like to hunt a bear and everything else but DG fascinate me and a bear would look great as a rug.
I as lso find it fascinating that sheep are so highly prized and become an obsession for sheep hunters. I say that as Australia does not have true wild sheep and most sheep are managed as herds for wool and meat. I've worked them a bit so I see them in a different way and think a sheep hunt might be pretty tough going but that's what drives you and adds the expense I guess.
Click to expand...
Man for 50k usd I'd like the entire flora and fauna of the Yukon included+ taxidermy + travel and then a check for $30k for my troubles.
Sheep hunting is a status symbol for most, excluding Alaskans who have somewhat regular access to hunting sheep/mtn goats. You can buy 3/4s of the grand slam if you throw enough money at it.
 
Andrew Massi said:
If you can't trust a guide(s) on a $50,000 sheep shoot who can you trust? Those guys probably live in that basin for 4 months in a row and know every bear in 100km by name. It's not like the op will be unarmed in the case of a bear encounter(incredibly unlikely)
Click to expand...
It's your prerogative if it's your hunt. I will just say this in the law of the jungle, if something bad can happen it usually does at the most inappropriate times. Becoming a dinner or the wife being a dinner because I didn't have "enough", (whatever that is for said environment) protection, because Ithought paying someone who doesn't carry a gun in grizzly territory would sacrifice themselves for me or my wife..........
Their life, them giving it willingly, because of money I paid for a guide service I know the guide will be without a firearm. 🤣😂🤣
 
gillettehunter said:
Given your parameters I'd go with a .300 WM or a 7mm. Sheep are thin skinned and fairly easy to kill. The bigger calibers/bullets will buck the wind better. Let the guide worry about the bear. For Stone sheep a bear is pretty low on my worry list. Personally I'd take my 7 SAUM.
Bruce
Click to expand...

Agreed, 7 saum on a medium action. 22" barrel if no Supressor.
 
Who are you hunting with in BC? I regularly go to BC for spring black bear have seen literally hundreds of Grizzly over the past 20 years there. I personally know two of the top stone sheep guides in BC. I generally hunt the same place/guide for the last 10+ years. I know you said the guide your going with doesnt carry a rifle so I know it isnt the two guides I know. One of them carries a lever 375 Win all the time and the other a 45/70 guide gun.

An earlier post said guides live there 4 month or so and know about all the bears and that is completely true. The two guides I know that is the source of 90% of their annual income. They guide spring black bear as well but that is pennies on the dollar compared to stone sheep hunts.

Ive shot lots of black bears and used several different calibers but I still always go on the premise of what if I run into a Grizz with a bad attitude. I would start my rifle selection for your hunt on something 30cal or better. Definitely on the lighter side for sure. Sheep are not hard to kill at all but big bears are especially in a scenario we all hope to never encounter. I have a hi-tek custom 340 WTBY that shoots 212gr hammers into little tiny groups it weighs just under 8 1/2 lbs ready to hunt. That would be my choice if I was to ever go on a stone sheep hunt.

I would pack ammo as well as mail up same ammo a few months ahead.

Air Canada as of a few years ago will charge you extra for a rifle case and also I freeze my meat and bring it home on plane and they charged me 150 (US) for my gun each way and same for each cooler box on the way home. Just FYI.

I know you have a lot of money invested in this hunt, dont let the bears deter you in any way you will likely see them but for as many times as I have been around them we never had a issue (knocking on wood here). A little prep and planning like you are doing now will ease your mind and improve your overall trip.

Have fun and shoot a whopper. I look forward to seeing a post all about your success on the hunt...
 
A guide not carrying a rifle,and paying customers going with him?, that's not happening!. 270 WSM and up Partitions or A/Frames ,Or a new rifle 338 w/mag in a tikka ss/synthetic,sure everyone has their favorites and that's 😎. Nice your Wife's going she can wear a 10mm/Glock in a chest harness ,☺️, have fun be Safe and pick the right guide ,lots of Great answers Cheers 🥳.
 

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