Minimum calibers

[ElevenBravo]

I'm booking a hunt for the Mrs. She wants to get an Axis deer and a 4 Horned Jacob Sheep. I asked the outfitter about minimum calibers for both critters and got a generic-sounding reply that you need a 300 Winmag for both. While I'm sure this guy is trying to maximize chance to kill, I'm detecting a strong aroma of bovine droppings, and a 300 Winmag is not practical for her to shoot.

I imagine any practical deer cartridge will work on Axis but no idea how tough a Jacob sheep is.

 

[mad88minute]

My cousin has a lease in Sonora, lots of axis out there.

Sitting in the stand once he told me he won't shoot an axis with anything under 270. They are bigger, thicker skinned, don't leave blood trail like white tail.

We had a 22-250 and a 270 with us. I believe his wife had a 6.5 Swede.



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[Sasquatch]

Can she handle a .30-06?

 

[Mike_from_Texas]

Axis are no harder to kill than a whitetail. My wife killed hers with her 6.5x47 Lapua at 100’ish yards. It shoveled for about 15 yards before flipping tail over head and was done.

I haven’t shot a Jacobs but they aren’t overly large or tough from what I remember.


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[Lonesome Dove]

22-250
243
257 Roberts
25-06
6.5 creedmoor
7mm 08
7 mm Mauser
30-30
308
22-250 would be minimum the rest would all serve for any hunting in Texas.
Because the guy was a smartass seek hunting elsewhere.

 

[mad88minute]

Wanna borrow my 338 win mag? It's a semi auto

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[ElevenBravo]

Can she handle a .30-06?

She has an -06 with a muzzle brake on it.

 

[Moonpie]

I’d go with a 7mm-08.

 

[Vaquero]

Her pig gun is more than enough.
Your outfitter is lazy.

 

[ElevenBravo]

I’d go with a 7mm-08.

I have an AR-10 in 7-08 with a brake on it that is more accurate than I am. As long as that has enough critter killing power and she doesn't insist on using her 6.5CM, that's an option.

 

[EZ-E]

270, 308, 6.5cm & a few other calibers will work just fine. IMO shot placement is what counts. You shoot just about any critter in the neck & theyll drop. I know alot of hunters are about shooting shoulders & hearts but you end up loosing a lot of meat with a shoulder shot.

Heres what a 130ELD .270 will do to a neck. This doe dropped on the spot.

 

[mad88minute]

270, 308, 6.5cm & a few other calibers will work just fine. IMO shot placement is what counts. You shoot just about any critter in the neck & theyll drop. I know alot of hunters are about shooting shoulders & hearts but you end up loosing a lot of meat with a shoulder shot.

Heres what a 130ELD .270 will do to a neck. This doe dropped on the spot.

View attachment 244200

View attachment 244201

That's one powerful Freaking staple gun!

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[contender buff]

I’ve never shot a axis deer but have killed my share of whitetails. My favorite gun over the years are 30-06 and 22/250. The 22/250 is my go to gun with Nosler 60 grain partition DRT! Very low recoil and a pleasure to shoot.

 

[BuzzinSATX]

I’d think any .243 or bigger would be fine as long as a quality bullet is placed properly.

 

[MTA]

Ive killed alot of axis deer with my 308. Bullet always ends up on the inside of the hide on the side opposite of the entrance wound. Contrast that with whitetails where the exit wound is gnarly and blood trail extensive using the same rifle. They have thick hides but any deer caliber will work as long as you can shoot effectively

That goat will drop dead from just about anything. My wife shot a Texas dall with the same 308 and it died on the spot

These high fence guides always suggest 300 wm because they dont want to track anything, alot of people cant shoot worth a shit so they are hoping that a 300wm to the guts will get it done better than a smaller caliber. Idk its all horseshit. Just take your whitetail caliber of choice with you and dont miss

 

[MTA]

270, 308, 6.5cm & a few other calibers will work just fine. IMO shot placement is what counts. You shoot just about any critter in the neck & theyll drop. I know alot of hunters are about shooting shoulders & hearts but you end up loosing a lot of meat with a shoulder shot.

Heres what a 130ELD .270 will do to a neck. This doe dropped on the spot.

View attachment 244200

View attachment 244201

Are those them lazer beam 270s that you were punching holes through the ar500 plates with? Holy hell

 

[c.tiberius]

Ive killed alot of axis deer with my 308. Bullet always ends up on the inside of the hide on the side opposite of the entrance wound. Contrast that with whitetails where the exit wound is gnarly and blood trail extensive using the same rifle. They have thick hides but any deer caliber will work as long as you can shoot effectively

That goat will drop dead from just about anything. My wife shot a Texas dall with the same 308 and it died on the spot

These high fence guides always suggest 300 wm because they dont want to track anything, alot of people cant shoot worth a shit so they are hoping that a 300wm to the guts will get it done better than a smaller caliber. Idk its all horseshit. Just take your whitetail caliber of choice with you and dont miss

This right here.... killed a few axis with a 308


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[EZ-E]

Are those them lazer beam 270s that you were punching holes through the ar500 plates with? Holy hell

Yes sir, them 130s are going 3050fps ... hot little rounds. But 3/8" AR500 is only rated @ 2850fps. 150gr shoot 2850fps so youd be all good.

 

[EZ-E]

she doesn't insist on using her 6.5CM,

Throw some of these in her 6.5cm & you'll be good to go. They still got over 2000fps @ 500yards

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/6-5-creedmoor-129-gr-sst-superformance#!/

 

[ElevenBravo]

Throw some of these in her 6.5cm & you'll be good to go. They still got over 2000fps @ 500yards

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/6-5-creedmoor-129-gr-sst-superformance#!/

Oh precious, you think there's still ammo on shelves. I handload 143gr ELD-X bullets for her 6.5CM AR. I just had a bad experience with that caliber, she shot a hog with it and it laid down to die. I decided to finish it, blew it's heart out at 10 yards with my 500 S&W lever gun, the bastard got up and charged me. Managed to put one in the spine at 3 feet using the Force.

Probably just a tough hog, but left me wondering if the 6.5 has enough ass.