Antelope rifle?

[Don McDowell]

Wonder if a 500 gr patched bullet from a 45 2.3 sharps would bounce off an antelope at 125 yds?
Nope.
Didn't recover the bullet either. He was quartering into me, the bullet struck just at the point of the near shoulder and exited dead center of the offside. He whirled and ran full tilt for about 30 yds and folded in a pile.

[jkbrea]

Very nice. Spent a day antelope hunting a couple weeks ago. They sure are fun to hunt.

[jnyork]

Attaboy!!

Whatchagot all that ammo for, only takes one shot!!

[J Miller]

Don,

Good hunt! I dare say to recover that bullet you'd have to dig half way through those hills behind the antelope.

What was the load, half a cup of 2F black?

Joe

[Don McDowell]

I absolutely love to hunt these buggers when you can do it right. On foot, and not figuring to do any long range sniping.

Joe not quite that much powder. 80 grs of Goex 1f..

[Don McDowell]

JNY. I've been told I'm just an internet rifleman so I figure I better carry a few extries. Besides all that deer and elk seasons are open , and I just so happen to have valid licenses in my pocket.

[vancelw]

JNY. I've been told I'm just an internet rifleman so I figure I better carry a few extries. Besides all that deer and elk seasons are open , and I just so happen to have valid licenses in my pocket.

AAAARRRRGGGHHH! Quit posting these pictures Don! It's almost 5 weeks before I can get up there to deer hunt and antelope season will be over the week before. It's hard enough to concentrate at work already.

I had a friend tell me about his experiences hunting antelope with a flintlock. He said follow through was very important I can imagine.

(Nice goat. I was just kidding about the posting pictures. "More, Please" - Oliver Twist)

[Don McDowell]

Vance goat chasin with a flintlock is just about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on..
I've torched off ol Klatch on a sure thing kill at 75 yds and watched as the dumb bunny antelope ran in place about 3 ft off the ground and the ball passed under him. lil buggers got that good eyesight and will out jump the flash in the pan.

[jnyork]

I was successful on pronghorns for over 20 years with a muzzlestuffer, most often a flinter. Have quit hunting now, sure do miss it. Still like to go for prairie dogs if I can find 'em, most places in my part of the state still show very slow recovery from the plague epidemic of several years ago. Here's my last pronghorn:

[Don McDowell]

JNY what I like about hunting with this old stuff is it's hunting. It's not sitting somewhere with a plasticstocked lazer rangefinder scope, with dials to set the bullet drop , and sniping stuff off a 1/4 mile or more away.
You get a chance to actually get off your duf and get up close and personal.

Good job with the long rifle.

[BigSky56]

Good shooting Don, those speed goats make for some fine eating. danny

[Don McDowell]

Thanks Danny. I don't really care much about eating them , except for they do make the best of biggame jerky, and I really like the summer sausage, polish, salami etc made from them.

[cowboykell]

Don - I'm taking my Ballard Model 9 Union Hill in 32-40 to Mark M's ranch at Baker tomorrow. I thought you might be jumping the gun on goats because Montana season doesn't start until Sat.....then I remembered you're shooting Wyo. goats.

[jnyork]

JNY what I like about hunting with this old stuff is it's hunting. It's not sitting somewhere with a plasticstocked lazer rangefinder scope, with dials to set the bullet drop , and sniping stuff off a 1/4 mile or more away.
You get a chance to actually get off your duf and get up close and personal.

Good job with the long rifle.

My thoughts exactly, Don. Thanks for the compliment. JN

[rjohns94]

well done to you both. Going to have to do that one day. JOE, You have any hunts for these goats in your bag of tricks? I"m thinking flintlock!

[awp101]

.45/2.3...is that a .45-90?

[kimwcook]

Good job, Don. I've packed my Shiloh 2.1 around the Cascades a bit and still haven't poked a hole in anything. I'm envious.

[cowboykell]

45 x 2.1 is 45-70, 45 x 2.4 is 45-90....what is a 2.3 ?

[Don McDowell]

45 2.3 is but one reason why spending the extra 4-500 for a Big Timber built rifle is worth the extra money spent.
The barrel is marked 45-70,but the chamber lacks .1 of chambering a 45-90. So I have to trim 2.4 brass to 2.3 (actually cut it back to 2.25)

[Hobie]

Too cool. Love the photos too guys.

[Don McDowell]

I just realized I didn't get a picture of his rack head on. It's the cutest thing, it's perfectly formed like a b&c would be , but it's just teenytiny.

[Griff]

Congrats Don. That looks like it would be fun. One reason I've lusted after an 1885 in .32-40. And hunting IS more fun when you can see and smell the game!

[Don McDowell]

It was fun when he sorta busted me. He got a glimpse of me and was already alerted because I bounced a pair of coyotes into him (good thing I was carrying the 243 or such or the antelope hunt would of ended without seeing any goats, but 2?maybe dead coyotes). Anyways I was sitting in a little washout hole below his line of sight and listening to him snort and blow, and just hoping he'ld come into view where he did.... It was a great hunt.

[RIHMFIRE]

Attaboys is right...great going guys!

I have always wanted to go out west and do that....

congrats!

[Don McDowell]

Rim you can do a do it yourself antelope hunt on the cheap, if you just wait until after the drawing . You can get the additional doe/fawn tags for under 50$ each and in some areas you can get 4 or more. Camp out , do your own cooking , and hunt public land and your cost won't be much more than licenses and gas.

[HillbillyGadget]

I moved to N.E. Wyoming in August, so I had to buy the non-resident doe/fawn tag. I sure is fun hunting, I haven't seen a doe on public land yet, but I have seen bucks.