Revolver Pronghorn

[sixshot]

A 5 am alarm clock should be against the law at my age but I rolled out & within a few minutes was headed out to try my luck at bagging a doe Pronghorn with a six gun. I had decided on 2 main guns for this hunt & the 357 Maximum (scoped) would be back up. I took a deer & an Antelope with it last year so wanted to use something else & wanted it to be with iron sights if possible. I've taken many Antelope over the years but only one other one with iron sights, that was with an old 3 screw 41 magnum.
Last night I practiced for a couple of hours shooting at my Bill Fowler swinging steel target with my Bisley 45 Colt using the old trusted 260 gr Keith & 18.5 grs of 2400. I've taken many, many animals with this load including elk. The other gun I shot last night was my 8 shot Ruger 327 Magnum using the 135 gr HP Ferminator bullet that is powder coated & sized .313". My powder of choice is 13 grs of H110 & this combo shoots terrific in my Blackhawk.
When I arrived at my hunting spot I noticed no tree's had grown over night, in fact there are no tree's anywhere, it's like you're on the moon. If you want tree's in this area you will have to take your own. I had very little hope of getting close enough to get a shot with either iron sighted six gun but still that was my plan for the day. I had left my 4 wheeler & trailer there from Thursday when I shot the muley doe so I unloaded it & slowly started cruising across many thousands of acres of wide open prairie type terrain.
I could see 12-13 Antelope about a mile away at the edge of a Alfalfa field, they might as well of been in Rhode Island! Even if I had some one with me you can't drive Antelope, they are like driving cats! Deer or elk you can push towards a partner sometimes if everything is just right but not with Antelope. Anyway I drive of kind at an angle towards them & then veer off into some Sagebrush. They are watching me but holding their ground so far. I keep going real slow so the engine doesn't make much noise. I don't think they can see me but they can hear the 4 wheeler.
At about 700-800 yds I slip off the 4 wheeler & put on my knee pads & elbow pads, if you hunt Antelope they are as important as your gun, at least for me. I've got real tender knees from football in college, I can't crawl on my knees without some padding. I even used them in Africa.
So now I have to make a choice on guns, I know the scoped 357 Maximum is going & then I decide to take the 327 Magnum. I've never killed anything big with it but this Ferminator 135 gr HP is a real long shanked bullet that should work on deer/antelope size game with broadside shots....I think.
Then I got a little lucky, I found a low spot that just might help me get close but it was so dang hot the sweat was really making my eyes burn. I get to about 150 yds & take a peek with the binoculars & I can see a doe & a fawn & the doe has laid down which means all of them have settled down & are just resting. I work over behind some kind of a large rock pile that someone has piled up years ago. Don't know why they did but there are 4-5 of them in a quarter mile area & I'm sneaking in behind one of them.
When I get there I have to take my hat & glasses off & wipe my face & head off, I'm burning up. I also take off the 357 Maximum because it's in my Barranti NWH shoulder rig & there's no way I can do my Thompson Super Special belly crawl wearing a shoulder rig. So now I'm down to the 327 magnum & somewhere on the other side of the rock pile around a football field away (I think are about a dozen antelope. I took 2 readings with my range finder but it really doesn't help, things are about to get pretty crazy.
I'm doing my best to belly crawl through some pretty big rocks & gain a little elevation without being seen & I have to wipe my eyes & face again, I'm dying. I ease part of my day pack up very slowy & it already has my little piece of leather thrown over it & I slowly take my first peek in about 30 minutes. About 5 of them are slowly walking somewhat in my direction but I can't remember which old fence post I ranged & I've always had a terrible time judging distance on Antelope.
The front one stops but the second one actually offers me the best shot, she turns broadside. I hold a little bit above center thinking it's over 100 yds & start tightening up my focus on that front sight, I'm not thinking trigger, just front sight. The gun goes off & she rocks hard & stumbles, does a half turn & goes down, **** did I just do it?
This caliber is flat & fast & her legs buckled just like Fermin's when he shoots my heavy loads, yippee, I nailed her through both lungs, almost too high because I actually helped it a bit. Turns out it was 73 yds instead of 100+.
In the photo's in the second picture you can see the rock pile I shot from. I field dressed her & hurried back to my truck where I packed her with 2 bags of ice & headed home, very happy. The knife is my Bill Snow blade that several friends gave me including one very fussy ice cream soda gent. It reads, DICK THOMPSON....THE MEAT HAMMER

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Dick

[knifemaker]

Did not happen unless we see the photos!

[richhodg66]

Wow, I'm impressed! Nice work and nice gun.

[Tom_in_AZ]

Awesome story!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[megasupermagnum]

It's good to see somebody use one of these guns as they should be. They are a huge leap above other 32 calibers. It's looking like my 327 federal will be going out with me deer hunting. I'm still undecided on what bullet I will use, they all shoot so well. I've got a 120 grain SWC that shoots great, and when cast of 20-1 expands just the right amount. It's got a nice big flat nose too. I've also got a 150 grain bullet with just a hair smaller flat nose, but should penetrate deeper even with expansion. I could also try the 150 grain as a hollow point, which should provide about the same performance as that 135 grain you used. Did you get a complete pass through?

[Idaho Mule]

Nice job. I have never killed (or even hunted) an antelope, hope to someday. I have killed a few white tail deer with the 32-20 though, Winchester 1892 and Marlin 1894. The 32's are under rated by the un- initiated. JW

[Brad Cayton]

Congratulations! That's just dandy. Great story and I enjoyed the tale.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Back in `72 I was told by a fella in Gillette at a gun store to mix ground `lope with pork sausage and make this mix into a log shape and freeze till ready to cut off pieces and fry it up with eggs for a breakfast. I did and went 50/50 on the 2 meats mixing. I really missed that `sausage` when it was all gone till the next `lope hunt.Robert

[RPRNY]

Congrats and a great story!

[sixshot]

That recipe sounds good. I've had a lot of really good Antelope meat, especially the one's living in irrigated fields most of their lives. I cut out the back straps & then usually make jerky out of most of the rest. I have a really good brine recipe I've worked out using Dr. Pepper, several spices & ground Jalapeno. Can't make it fast enough.

Dick

[robinsroost]

Congratulations sixshot, both for a successful hunt and a well told narrative. I am intrigued by the .327 magnum but unfortunately it is not legal to hunt with in Indiana, except for small game. Keep yer powder dry...….....robin

[Beerd]

:mrgreen: Come on now, you don't really expect us to believe you killed something with that little bitty pop gun, do you?
Why, the caliber don't even start with a 4! :kidding:

[Jeff Michel]

Wonderful tale, thanks for sharing.

[megasupermagnum]

I got out for another good day of shooting the GP100 5". It looks like Blue dot was most accurate with the 150 grain bullet. It seems like I still have room to go up in Blue dot, but the highest I ran today was 1075 fps. AA #9 I got up to 1275 fps, best accuracy at 1120 fps, H110 1300 fps and reasonably accurate. I did not check 4227 for speed, but the max of 11.5 grains turned in a decent group, lower charges were not that good.

It's not a 357 magnum, but it's not far behind.

I assume this was a complete pass through since you did not show the bullet?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Sweet shot! I've never had antelope, but wouldn't turn it down!

[sixshot]

For the most part what a gun is capable of depends on cylinder capacity, that & using the correct powder. I think in every caliber you can "over bullet" any gun. Just my opinion buy I think maybe a 150 gr bullet might be too much for the 327 because the bullet takes up too much powder space. This long shanked 135 bullet which actually is a little heavier than that has a lot of bullet out of the case making it too long for many 327's. I'm running somewhere over 1400 fps in my 8 shot Blackhawk with great accuracy.
Speaking of Blue Dot, and again this is just my opinion because I've never used it & never will & that's because I've read a few times, once by Freedom Arms that Blue Dot should not be used in the 41 magnum. What does that have to do with the 327, nothing, but if Freedom Arms is saying it can give pressure spikes in some calibers I'm sure I can find another powder without the worry of using it. Again, this is just my opinion & I know some people like Blue Dot, I won't use it.
No matter what any of you use, the 327 is a dandy cartridge & yes I did get complete penetration with my load. Good hunting to all.

Dick

[megasupermagnum]

For your purposes, it sounds like the flatter shooting, the better. I won't get a shot over 40 yards, so it doesn't matter to me. My 150 grain bullet actually has a longer nose than your sledgehammer. That mold wasn't for sale at the time, so I drew this one and had Accurate make it. It's no different than shooting 300 grain in 44 magnum. 1100 fps isn't slow in my book.

As for blue dot, it's bad name has kept so many from trying it. A lot of people wouldn't believe it, but Blue dot is actually a mild mannered powder. It's no different than Unique or 2400, except it provides velocities much closer to 2400 with accuracy better than both. The one and only time I've seen Unique beat out Blue dot was in 9mm, and that includes rifles. I won't say throw the warnings to the wind, but Blue dot is also one of the best 41 mag powders made.

Anyway, I won't waste any more of your thread. Great Job, if I haven't already said so.

[If1Hitu]

Congratulations,sweet looking revolver,thanks for sharing your story.:drinks:

[fivegunner]

Great Story, Thank you for posting it. :Fire::Fire:

[sixshot]

I agree, if you're only shooting 40-50 yds that 150 gr slug should work just fine. Wow, if that nose is longer than the Ferminator bullet you must almost be touching the forcing cone, my bullets are right out there in my Blackhawk cylinder. Anyway, like I said on the Blue Dot, it could be fantastic, I've never used it. I only live 45 minutes from freedom Arms & I've heard their warning several times about not using it in the 41 magnums because of pressure spikes. That got my attention, they have pressure testing equipment, I don't. Good luck with that heavy bullet this fall, hope you whack something with it. Post a photo if you can.

Dick

[Thumbcocker]

A pronghorn with an iron sighted six gun is a bucket list item of mine.

[Steppenwolf]

Congrats and great shooting.

[SSGOldfart]

Wow Awesome

[mick27]

Bravo, Dick!!

[waksupi]

I've got a few with revolvers over the years. I kind of suspect they really aren't dead though, since I didn't use a mangalum rifle and shoot them at a thousand yards.
Good going!

[9.3X62AL]

A pronghorn with an iron sighted six gun is a bucket list item of mine.

That is some fine shooting, Sixshot! Your narrative is VERY WELL PRESENTED. A fine read.

[GLynn41]

you are a great shot and an great teller of tales -- good on you

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Fantastic!

There are extremely few hunters who have the honor of saying that they have killed an antelope with an iron sighted sixgun. Especially after a stalk and not just a target of opportunity.

Great story, pics, gear, etc. You are the ONLY person I have personally ever known to have taken an antelope or Muley with a 327 mag.

[TCLouis]

Yet another great write up and when your sixgun barks it most always seems there is something edible lying dead on the ground.