Rifle for Oryx

[DR505]

I will be applying for an Oryx tag next year (New Mexico). From those I've talked to, they are pretty stout beasts. A friend put four .308's into one (all good hits) before the guide brought it down with an 8mm mag.

Assuming I get drawn (once in a lifetime) I was planning on bringing a Remington 673 Guide Rifle in .350 Remington Magnum. I shoot 250 grain Nosler Partitions at a shade over 2500 fps. That load is great elk medicine and I haven't had one take more than a few steps after being hit. Do you think that will suffice?

Or is this a good excuse to get a .375 Ruger?

 

[browningguy]

Oryx is a big animal, but all you really need is something in the .308 or 30-06 class with a good bullet. Typical whitetail bullets might not make it deep enough, particularly if you hit them on the shoulder bone. I've shot one with my 7x57 with a 173 gr. SPCE bullet and it has no problems with penetration. I think a .308 with a Barnes TSX bullet or 165-180 Partition would be good medicine and would not hesitate to use one.

 

[peyton]

I agree, it is not the caliber but the quality of bullet that determines sucess, plus shot placement!!! Now you did not mention where you live or what you normally hunt. That info will help us.

 

[peyton]

If you want a honker rifle for moose, bear, elk, go with 338 win mag or 375 h&h.Ammo is everywhere, but these overdo it when I am hunting 100 lb whitetail.

 

[gga357]

While I was going to school in Las Cruces I worked with 2 guys from the area who each took an oryx and both used 30-06. If I ever get drawn I will do the same. High quality bullets will get the job done.

Now on the other hand an excuse for a new gun is another story all together. So if you WANT a new Ruger .375 then that is the minimum that you need for your hunt.

 

[browningguy]

But now that I think about it.

A .375 Ruger would be better, I think you should get one. Tell your wife/significant other you put it to a vote and 97.3% voted "take enough gun", so the .375 it is.

 

[Slamfire]

At White Sands I was able to spend hours talking to a professional hunting guide.

He had lots of clients whom he took on Oryx hunts. The well heeled ones were just trying their newest wonder cannon. The guide would try to get them to use his 308 Winchester. There were a couple of reasons for this. The first, and most important, were these guys were actually intimidated by their wonder cannons and had bad flinches. If the client hit the Oryx, it would be in a bad spot and would result in a day of tracking. So, if he could get them to use the 308, and he always got them up close, they were more likely to hit the spot.

If I recall correctly, he had his clients, regardless of rifle, shoot the Oryx though the shoulders. To break the shoulder bones and anchor the Oryx.

I asked about one shot kills, and his reply was these animals were too tough, and you had to break them down.

I forget the bullet choices, but I think he wanted bone breaking penetration in these animals.

He did have one picture where a 50 caliber tore the shoulder off a Oryx. I assume that was a one shot kill.

I would think something like a 35 Whelen with its combination of heavy bullet and low recoil would be something that would work well.

 

[Big_E]

Well I have never hunted an Oryx, but now I plan to in the future. I would think a .30-06 with a 220 grain would be perfect. This is just based off of reading about oryx hunting though.

 

[cat9x]

I took one 40" (scimitar oryx) here in south Texas in February this year. 308 caliber power range is fine, just use a good heavy bullet. I was hunting with a Browning BAR in .308 loaded with Federal 180gr. Barnes MRX bullets. First shot was full frontal, the oryx bucked like crazy and ran about 5 yards and went down. Got back up again and ran another 20 yards before going down. He was basically done for (and completely incapacitated) but to be on the safe side I put one more through him broadside behind the shoulder. That Barnes MRX bullet passed completely through the oryx as it slumped over.

308Win, 30-06 are both very adequate, just use the appropriate bullet. If you want pictuers of my oryx, PM me, it did pretty good SCI.