That's a good looking rifle. If I hadn't put a deposit down already I might have taken you up on it. Good luck!
Thoughts on a new sheep rifle
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BrentM
Well-Known Member
no sir. 6.5 prc 135. I run 156's at 2900. It's much slower than a 27 nosler but I was thinking you don't need that much rifle for a sheep.
You're probably right. I probably wouldn't ever need that much rifle for sheep. It's a good rig; shoots 3/8 MOA (from the builder). I thought, "this is what I want to go hunt, this is what I want to do", but at the same time for what it costs to build a rifle like this well, I wanted something really versatile. I think with this rifle sheep is my goal, but the rifle should be pretty capable of doing whatever I need it to do.
6.5 is a phenomenal all purpose/general round too.
6.5 is a phenomenal all purpose/general round too.
Sheep are not hard to kill... If you are hunting where big brown guys may try and have you for lunch, it makes a difference. Hunting in NV, a 270 Win or 280 Rem. or 6.5 PRC or 6.5 SAUM is perfect. It just depends on where you hunt. Having confidence in your rifle and cartridge is more important that spending $$$ to drop a few ounces in your rifle. Spend the extra money on quality optics... that is key in finding your Ram... You use your riflescope for 30 seconds... you glass for sheep for HOURS... Put your $$$ on the highest quality optics available. Remember what the old sheep guide said.... "Quality optics don't cost anything or weight anything... cause without them you don't get anything..." Something to think about... :>)
What profile is the barrel? Any photos? I'm doing a Kimber 84m build right now. Hopefully will fill the sheep rifle role. I'm was planning on a little bit heavier barrel but was going to go quite that big at the muzzle.this last winter I had my smith take a 84M and stick a Lilja with heavier contour (.62" at the mzl 23") in a 8 twist 22/250 AI together. With scope and rounds, sling it'll be 7 lbs give or take.
If I was going on a sheep or goat hunt today that's what I'd be toting.
Plenty of cartridge, and enough weight in the barrel for it to settle down on target. Plus, it's not an anvil to carry
littlebighorn
Well-Known Member
I've been fortunate to have gone on 5 sheep hunts of my own and I found that my ideal sheep rifle needed to be south of 8lbs, fully loaded. Since all but one hunt was in griz country I started with a lightweight 300WSM. Then I realized that all my guides were packing big bear guns, which made me think that a smaller caliber would be great. I also obsessed about having to shoot long distances but the longest shot I took was 360 yards, and the other three sheep were shot at 110, 120, and 240 yards.
So my last sheep hunt I took a sweet shooting 6.5 CM and it did the job nicely.
There's plenty of great advice here. I'd just add that every sheep hunt is an adventure! Best of luck.
So my last sheep hunt I took a sweet shooting 6.5 CM and it did the job nicely.
There's plenty of great advice here. I'd just add that every sheep hunt is an adventure! Best of luck.
BrentM
Well-Known Member
completely agree with all purpose and think you have a great set up. This is why I went 6.5 prc vs just a creed or 6mm for predator. I primarily bow hunt deer and elk so a rifle is 2nd on the list. However shooting the 6.5 caliber for years and mainly the 6.5-284 I've come to appreciate the versatility. I'm impressed in how hard they hit at reasonable hunting range. I'd have zero issue hunting elk with it. Is it an ultra long range elk rifle, not even remotely, but I'm over the how far can i kill stuff thought process anyway. Only reason I got into long range hunting was to kill wolves and yotes.
It follows the factory barrel channel to the end of the stock then tapers to .62"@23". Simply wonderful weight forward feel that I like. I want a stock to be no more than 28 ounce, and the barrel to be no less than .6" at the muzzle and have a preference to .62" for 28 cals and smaller. Once I approach 30 cals then .65" at the muzzle is much more to my liking.
Darn good words.........I'd say be in the best possible shape, have great boots and bins. And have a rifle that's 8lbs all up (sling, rounds, scope at most) that you can shoot from any position and hit a pie plate to 500 yards.
BAKPAKR
Well-Known Member
I, too, agree with littlebighorn. It took me three hunts over 21 years to get a sheep. I covered a lot of miles and I carried a different rifle on each hunt. The first hunt was with a 300 WM that was about 9 pounds all up. The next one was with a 9.5 pound 300 RUM.
After the second hunt, I was looking to reduce some (a lot of) weight and I found a first generation Remington 700 Ti in 270 Win. It weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces scoped, but unloaded. It is sub-MOA from the bench but it is difficult for me to shoot from field positions. Although I liked the lack of weight, I decided my search for a sheep rifle needed to go on.
Before my last sheep hunt, I bought a Tikka T3X Superlite in 6.5 Creedmoor. It weighs 7.75 pounds scoped and ready to go. I spent a lot of time shooting it prior to my hunt and I was confident to 600 yards off my pack or trekking poles. I then spent 9 days covering some pretty rugged terrain and ended up connecting on a ram at 417 yards. That was one of my longest shots on an animal.
For me, the 7.5-8 pound range works for balancing carry ability with shoot-ability. Also, instead of lugging around a suppressor, I had a light set of ear plugs around my neck. In most of the sheep country I have been in, I think you would have a much more enjoyable hunt if you shed some weight on your set-up.
After the second hunt, I was looking to reduce some (a lot of) weight and I found a first generation Remington 700 Ti in 270 Win. It weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces scoped, but unloaded. It is sub-MOA from the bench but it is difficult for me to shoot from field positions. Although I liked the lack of weight, I decided my search for a sheep rifle needed to go on.
Before my last sheep hunt, I bought a Tikka T3X Superlite in 6.5 Creedmoor. It weighs 7.75 pounds scoped and ready to go. I spent a lot of time shooting it prior to my hunt and I was confident to 600 yards off my pack or trekking poles. I then spent 9 days covering some pretty rugged terrain and ended up connecting on a ram at 417 yards. That was one of my longest shots on an animal.
For me, the 7.5-8 pound range works for balancing carry ability with shoot-ability. Also, instead of lugging around a suppressor, I had a light set of ear plugs around my neck. In most of the sheep country I have been in, I think you would have a much more enjoyable hunt if you shed some weight on your set-up.
A 7lb rifle isn't going to help you kill anymore sheep vs a 10lb or 12lb rifle. Use what you're comfortable with, that isn't a benchrest rifle, and you should be alright.
Where are you headed sheep hunting?
