What is a great long range rifle for goats

[taylorce1]

250 yards is the general limit for an ethical kill with the 06. It's not that the rifle can't kill at longer distances, it can but beyond 250 yards you're almost trying to lob the round at the target.

A cartridge isn't ethical to use on game once you start having to correct for trajectory? Am I understanding your statement correctly? If I am correct it sounds like you're talking about maximum point blank range or MPBR.

How about we look at MPBR for the .30-06 and 6.5-300? At maximum point blank range the 6.5-300 Weatherby shooting a 140 grain bullet only has an average of 66 +/- yards more range than a 30-06 shooting a 168 grain bullet on a 10" diameter kill zone. To use your term after 66 more yards you're having to "lob" those 6.5 bullets in as well, because you can't get there without a trajectory correction.

A 168 grain Nosler ABLR with an average muzzle velocity of 2800 FPS will give a MPBR trajectory on a 10" target of 343 yards at sea level. The 6.5-300 Weatherby with a 142 grain Nosler ABLR with an average muzzle velocity of 3300 FPS gets us to 409 yards at sea level on the same size target. Yes I found data that pushes the 140 grain bullets to 3400 FPS and I also had a data that would do over 2900 FPS with the 168 grain, but 2800 and 3400 FPS seemed to be a pretty average across many sources.

I understand your preference and belief in the 6.5-300, but when we look at the numbers neither cartridge is a magical fix for long range hunting. However, I'll put my money on familiarity and confidence in a rifle and shooter using it when it comes to that critical moment of breaking that trigger with a big game animal in your sights. I've spent a lot of time and money looking for my perfect combo of rifle and cartridge, and I've come to realize that I'd have been better off and money ahead if I had just stuck with my .270 Win all along. The .270 while not perfect is certainly capable for 90% of my hunting situations, that's why I suggested the OP stick with his 06.

 

[LineStretcher]

A cartridge isn't ethical to use on game once you start having to correct for trajectory? Am I understanding your statement correctly? If I am correct it sounds like you're talking about maximum point blank range or MPBR.

How about we look at MPBR for the .30-06 and 6.5-300? At maximum point blank range the 6.5-300 Weatherby shooting a 140 grain bullet only has an average of 66 +/- yards more range than a 30-06 shooting a 168 grain bullet on a 10" diameter kill zone. To use your term after 66 more yards you're having to "lob" those 6.5 bullets in as well, because you can't get there without a trajectory correction.

A 168 grain Nosler ABLR with an average muzzle velocity of 2800 FPS will give a MPBR trajectory on a 10" target of 343 yards at sea level. The 6.5-300 Weatherby with a 142 grain Nosler ABLR with an average muzzle velocity of 3300 FPS gets us to 409 yards at sea level on the same size target. Yes I found data that pushes the 140 grain bullets to 3400 FPS and I also had a data that would do over 2900 FPS with the 168 grain, but 2800 and 3400 FPS seemed to be a pretty average across many sources.

I understand your preference and belief in the 6.5-300, but when we look at the numbers neither cartridge is a magical fix for long range hunting. However, I'll put my money on familiarity and confidence in a rifle and shooter using it when it comes to that critical moment of breaking that trigger with a big game animal in your sights. I've spent a lot of time and money looking for my perfect combo of rifle and cartridge, and I've come to realize that I'd have been better off and money ahead if I had just stuck with my .270 Win all along. The .270 while not perfect is certainly capable for 90% of my hunting situations, that's why I suggested the OP stick with his 06.

No, you missed the point completely. Experience, not bean counter statistics, determine what's ethical and what's not.

 

[andrew.wojtkow20]

Well here is what I would recommend a Tikka T3x Forester in either 6.5 Creedmoor or in 308 both rounds are lethal at long range. There is also a new scope that came out the Vortex Diamond Back Tactical. It is awesome because it is 6-24-50 and it is really clear glass and it’s only 400 dollars. It also has range turret adjustments so that way you don’t have to sight in for 800 yards every time. And then you have all this for about 1200 dollars with a scope gun rings and a mount. But either way good luck getting some goats

 

[big al hunter]

. The title of this thread clearly said Goats and I'm assuming he means Big Horn Sheep that are often referred to as Mountain Goats and not the farmers goats in the pen next door

Nope. Mountain goats and big horn sheep are 2 totally different species. But they inhabit much of the same terrain. Google search for pictures.

While the cartridge is a fairly important part of the hunt, I would say the best reason for a new rifle is to get a light weight package to carry up the mountain. I don't want to lug 10 lbs of rifle if I can get a 6 pound rifle that is accurate enough. I would be looking for a bolt action, skeleton stock, in something like 7-08 or 270 win .

 

[Ben Dover]

Your .30-06 is all you need.

If you're just looking to buy another rifle, take a hard look at the .25-06, 270 Win. 6.5 CM etc.

Personally, I would avoid the big overbore belchfire magnums like the plague.

 

[taylorce1]

No, you missed the point completely. Experience, not bean counter statistics, determine what's ethical and what's not.

No I don't think I missed the point, I'm pretty sure your using words like ethical thinking no one can disagree with that. You're also claiming many of us don't have experience hunting, and of using "bean counter statistics". I totally disagree with you on the range that a .30-06 is good for, and in my experience cartridges like the 6.5-Weatherby, .270 Weatherby, .300 Win Mag, or .300 WSM you've mentioned have very little to due with hunting success. Pre-hunt preparation, and effort put into the actual hunt are much better insurance for a successful hunt than any cartridge or rifle you can choose. In my experience the rifle/cartridge you choose matters very little in the end as long as you've done the preparation and put in the effort.