RIFLE CALIBRE HAVE I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE?

[on-point 0]

as everyone else has said, and i've seen - there are a lot of rifles and bullets that have been shown to work on a great range of deer species. if ou are confident with your rifle and ammo, know its limitations and can shoot where you are aiming a .308 will be alright (doesn't if you butterfly the munty's head in the process). i would have gone .270 but thats just me i like it, i have a nice (in my opinion) one and at the end ot the day its has been shown to do the job over the range of stuff that we're talking about. having said that have been out with a bloke who has had the same range but off his .22 rimfire and a lamp.

0n-point

[redthunder 0]

30-06 or 300 win mag are the best deer calibre

[Tulkinghorn 0]

Be careful, there's some slightly misleading views here - a heavy bullet does less damage, not more to the carcass. Bullet choice is also vital, don't go for anything too light or frangible - slow and heavy has the best.

 

I use .30-06 for almost all of my stalking normally with 150gn or 165gn bullets. I shoot muntjac and roe much of the time and fallow/reds when I'm "on tour". Never had a problem with carcass damage, just make sure the shot is placed well. Don't be tempted to go down to a 110gn bullet in a .30 calibre. I tried it and didn't try it again!

 

With a .308 bullet (same bullets for all of the .30 calibre cartridges) you are creating a good size hole on entry and exit - all the more chance for the beast to bleed out quickly and humanely.

 

So - my summary is a big heavy bullet placed well wins every time and won't upset the game dealer.

[Deker 3,453]

Lots of views and everyones experiences are different...that's why there ISN'T a best Deer calibre!

 

A .243 will do the job 100% and some of the ballistic heads are brilliant...but do a lot of meat damage, they stop very well though as they tend to impart all their energy, unlike some of the heavier calibres that "can" easily pass right through!

 

..and as regards bigger being better..."Bullshit"...first Scottish stalk I did many, many years ago a minimum of .308 was allowed...and when I enquired what the dogs were for I was told it was to track the injured deer....."known them to run a mile with a .308 hole in them" I was told....

 

It's all about where you put the shot...not the size of the cannon!!

[Guest remmy]

whos right and whos wrong, you could go on all day about it, i dont give a hoot what cal it is its all down to bullet placement, put it in the right place and its going down, shot reds for over twenty years with a 243 and had no problems with it , shoot within your capabilities and you wont have any problems, just my pennys worth. remmy.

[Tulkinghorn 0]

Deker, Remmy

 

Couldn't agree more with your comments on shot placement - as I said earlier:

 

...just make sure the shot is placed well...

 

I'm not disputing that small calibres are perfectly adquate for all UK deer, but my point is why not place a bigger bullet well and improve the odds even more?

 

Tulkinghorn.

[lord buckland 0]

ask for all of them. I started stalking in 1995 and didn't know what calibre to get so i asked for a 30/06, 308, 270 and 243 and was granted all of them. Then when i wanted to shoot foxes too they let me have a 22/250, 223, 222. i have just asked for a rifle for rabbits and hares and they have let me have a 22 hornet, 22WMR and 22LR . why limit yourself ask for them and get them. I have four rifles for africa too. I got a 32 pistol last time for finishing off road traffic deer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi again guys after quite a few stalks and a number of kills i have made the decision to put in a variation on my section 1 firearms certificate for a large bore rifle, I have tought about it long and hard and my conclusion was that if i bought a 243 then i would end up wanting to shoot big reds too and it would not be as quite as effective as a 308 so on applying for my variation i have chosen a 308 with the train of thought that if i were to use it on smaller deer like roe doe's etc then i can use a lower grain bullett trying to reduce any as much damage on impact, i know there will be more damage than a 243 but its also the impact im looking for too, am i right in my train of thought or should i tear it up and go for the 243?

 

any comments and suggestions would be well appreciated guys cheers ,

[Deker 3,453]

Deker, Remmy

 

Couldn't agree more with your comments on shot placement - as I said earlier:

 

...just make sure the shot is placed well...

 

I'm not disputing that small calibres are perfectly adquate for all UK deer, but my point is why not place a bigger bullet well and improve the odds even more?

 

Tulkinghorn.

 

I hear and accept what you say but there is a lot more to consider....and when it comes to bigger ...How big and who is the arbiter of what is satisfactory, why stop at .308...lets keep moving up so we can be more and more confident of a kill!!

 

As I have said I don't believe there is a best calibre....and "big" is NOT always better, you have not explored the many different heads and effects, a 58g Ballistic tip .243 will stop any deer, but it is often frowned on as it can do so much meat damage, but I can guarantee he will not stroll around for a while as he "may" with a .308 hole clean through him!

 

But again, it's what works for you, I tend to prefer the trajectory and ease of use of a lightweight gun and .223, .243 ammo, I find I can place them well at pretty long ranges. Many factors come into play with deer and calibre......Roe or Red (Medium/large size dog or small horse equivalent), backstops, areas, weather, shooters experience/ability, etc, etc. Bigger calibres often have more grunt but a bigger arc, so there is a lot more to consider than just the calibre, swings and roundabouts!

 

This debate will go on forever and we will all have a different view born out of different experiences and circumstances! If it works for you crack on!!!

Edited September 13, 2008 by Deker

[Deker 3,453]

ask for all of them. I started stalking in 1995 and didn't know what calibre to get so i asked for a 30/06, 308, 270 and 243 and was granted all of them. Then when i wanted to shoot foxes too they let me have a 22/250, 223, 222. i have just asked for a rifle for rabbits and hares and they have let me have a 22 hornet, 22WMR and 22LR . why limit yourself ask for them and get them. I have four rifles for africa too. I got a 32 pistol last time for finishing off road traffic deer.

 

 

 

 

Dear Lord Buckland

 

Can you please tell me who you have your insurance with for ..... I got a 32 pistol last time for finishing off road traffic deer. .... and how much did it cost???

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Capreolus 0]

All the deer calibres I have seen mentioned in this thread will do the job perfectly if you put the bullet in the right place, and I am fairly certain that the deer doesn't care much about what you use either.

It's all about which one you feel most confident with and which one you can shoot most accurately.

If you are recoil or blast sensitive then go towards the .243.

If you plan to hunt on the continent then go for the .270 (some governments dont like military calibres)

If you live near a full-bore range get a .308 (because you will be out practicing with lots of cheap ammo)

Choose the one you can shoot best

[sauer 2]

hiya guys

 

.25-06 what i have and i love it!!!!! mutts nutts

 

good all rounder

 

 

 

sauer

[Vegeta 0]

The republic of Ireland is an odd place. The minumum caliber for deer here is .22/250 and for a long time for a few people that is all the gardai would grant a license for, so you were stuck using it.

 

They shot and dropped reds with them.

 

Does that mean I'd advise folk to go out using a .22/250 to shoot big rutting stags. HELL NO, but it is worth noting.

 

Different strokes for different folks, my advice to someone shooting on large expanses of open ground where longer shots may be necessary would be completely different to someone shooting on the edge of a wood waiting for deer to come out.

 

Different jobs need different tools.

Edited September 16, 2008 by Vegeta

[jamie g 17]

if i where to have a deer rifle i would have the 6.5x55. good choice of bullets, nice to shoot so im told not to heavy on recoil and pretty flat shooting with a load of different type bullets for them from light to heavy.

[tikka2506 3]

Hi, I have shot hundreds of roe and some red, stags and hinds, with a .243. It will kill them all with proper bullet placement, but can cause massive carcass damage. I currently use three different rifles, one in 7mm rem mag, one in 22/250 and the other in .25/06. All ballistics (killing factors) depend on bullet type, weight and placement. Your .308 is a good choice, but again you need the right bullet at the right speed in the right place, as with ANY caliber.

[gonehunting 0]

Iaggree with most post here.POI counts SNAP SHOT is right

 

i know 222 will take a red stag easy ,if you shoot it in the foot then it will run on lol.

 

Lordbuck land who ever he is,aint a stalker anti i think 3006/308 are all .30 cal why do you need 2 .30cals and why do your local police force grant you all of the cals you said?

 

Mr lordbuck land do your research we can smellbullshit miles away like fox piss in a winters moring!

 

Ps my lord buckland i shot a mouse with a .50BMG with an depeleated uraimium head at 1650 yards.

Edited September 17, 2008 by gonehunting