Frenchieboy Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 I've just had a phone call from my Firearms Office in Preston and I am over the moon with what they have told me! They rang to tell me that I had had three more land checks done and that they had gone through and been approved without any problems. (I didn't expect any problems to be honest as I had already discussed them with my FEO). The thing that has really made my day is that they have been cleared for up to .270, not bad as I was only asking for up to .243 for the deer control of the Roe and Fallows on the land. Just to add to that the young lady that I spoke to also said that if I wanted to I should start the ball rolling towards getting my FAC opened for my centerfire rifle by getting a couple of letters of reference from the farmers who I shoot with. This is already in hand and I have 3 ready to give references. This is all part of my plans to head for applying for a .243 (Or similar) for Deer shooting as I was told by my FEO that in his opinion I would not have any problems with it once I had my full open certificate - He even went as far as to say that i might like to consider something a little larger than a .243. (I already have a promise of an extra letter of reference from a Friearms Safety Officer and Instructor with the T.A.) Am I a happy little bunny? You tell me? (Talking about bunnies, I think I will go and celebrate by ruining a few rabbits day with my 17HMR now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 now you have the big dilema, one gun or two. I went down the one gun route with .243 for all as its cheaper and simpler and realistically would I take my .223 out if I had a .243 and the simple answer is no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted October 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 You are of course too right there Al4x. This has been nagging in the back of my mind for a while now. If I want another rifle I will have to but a bigger gun cabinet to start with anyway - Not a bad idea you might say but you don't know me - If I have the space in a cabinet I am going to want to fill it which is something that might not go down too well with the wife! Realistically I am tempted to go straight for a 1 for 1 swap, trading my Bruno .222 for a reasonable.243 which could be used for fox as well, even if it is regarded by a few as a bit of overkill! The dilemma comes if I listen to what my FEO was saying about the fact that i might want to think about a larger caliber as I have been offered the opportunity to go out regularly on deer culls with a client/friend! My FEO knows this chap and says that because of this and the fact that there will be a strong possibility of some pretty hefty Red Stags involved I could or ought to be thinking about something more that a .243 but the problem will come about if I get something larger and find that I can not get it authorised for fox! Oh well, I surpose that I will have to do some deep thinking over the next few months. I am not planning on "taking the plunge" till after Christmas so there is no rush! Not to worry though, we will get there in the end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 That's great news Frencie! It sounds like your shooting world is opening up for you nicely which is really good to hear. I like to watch your videos and you seem a pretty safe and respectable shot. Regarding the calibres you could do a lot worse than 6.5x55. It's still inside the guideline size for Foxes but as it can throw bullets that are 50% heavier than the .243 it penetrates a lot better on the bigger animals. I've witnessed one make soup of the heart of a Red Stag and not a small one at that, yet the recoil isn't all that bad as it's still a relatively small round from a Deer point of view. The damage it causes isn't too bad as it's not stupidly fast with the 140ish grain bullets yet with an 85grn Speer TNT it will vapourise a Fox like your .222 will a Rabbit! With the lighter TNT type bullets the risk of ricochet compared to the Deer bullets is minimal too which is nice to know. All you would need to do for regular use is zero with these and then also zero with some heavier controlled expansion type bullets, noting the windage and elevation clicks on the scope between the two you can easily change between them. Just keep the gun set up with the most common used round and change it if/when you need to. You can shoot Foxes with 140's but as I said above they do bounce a lot more easily than the fragmenting varmint bullets. As you can't use the varmint bullets on Deer without completely destroying the carcass it makes sense for a pest controller like yourself to use two bullets. You'll need to learn two trajectories but at respectable Deer ranges they wont be that different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted October 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 Some great information there about the 6.5X55 which coincidentally is a caliber that my FEO did suggest that I might give some serious thought to! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 If you do frenchie I'd keep the .222 for foxing, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted October 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 If you do frenchie I'd keep the .222 for foxing, I was expecting that reply al4x mate! If I do (Which to be honest I would very much like to, I would certainly have to buy a larger cabinet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiss.tony Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 top man bet your over the moon i wood be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted October 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 I think "Over the moon" is a bit of an understatement Tony mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 The 6.5 isn't that far off a .243 if you use light bullets. I got by with mine for both Deer and Fox for some time and it worked very well for me. I only sold it because I wanted a change and I'm still not sure it was a good decision?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 Keep the triple 2 for the foxs and get a 308, extremely versitile calibre. I dont have a 270 but a mate has and they do make a bit of noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 Just a thought but when land is cleared is it cleared for energy or calibre? .270 has more grunt than a .308 so the .308 may be acceptable? If it were me I would stick with a smaller calibre for both. 6.5x55, .260 Rem or .25-06 would all do the deed on Foxes and Deer and all fall within guideline limits for both. If the ground isn't flat then just slam the Foxes with a Deer bullet because it will do the job well enough. Load with something like a 120grn Nosler BT and not much is going to walk away from it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorfolkPoacher Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 i had a similar thing recently mate, i really wanted a .270, but instead decided upon a .243 for mostly fox and small deer use, i am also granted .308 for larger deer and boar. for me realistically i shoot 99% foxes and 1% deer so minimal recoil, flat trajectory and good accuracy were the key factors. thousands of .243 owners cant be wrong. i was considering a 6.5x55 but found the cost of the rifles a little more expensive. there are loads of calibres to choose from, and deciding is part of the fun. .260rem also looks a good contender. just my piece, atb dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonk Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 Excellent news, well done Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted October 28, 2010 Report Share Posted October 28, 2010 As a newcomer to the forum I can only say I am totally green but I can imagine how you feel. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick miller Posted October 28, 2010 Report Share Posted October 28, 2010 Good news Frenchieboy, in my head I'm chanting .243, .243, .243. There's loads around secondhand and the new price isn't bad on them either, plenty of ammo choice and all I can say is a good friend has recently gone back to a .243 after changing his rifle over to a .270 simply because of the noise and recoil. When I chose my calibre I simply went the majority opinion, so many .243 users can't be that wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu Posted October 28, 2010 Report Share Posted October 28, 2010 Congratulations it is good to hear Preston are on the ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crouch valley Posted October 29, 2010 Report Share Posted October 29, 2010 Well done mate ive got a 270 and its a cracking round mate i home load 130 gr noslers and its spot on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted October 30, 2010 Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 Wouldnt part with my .243 Does everything i want it to from the occasional red, down to mr foxy. Quiet (for a centrefire), very accurate and cheap to run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 30, 2010 Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 Always difficult calibre choices, each has to be considered with opportunity, use, land, finances etc, etc. I have .223, .243 and .308, and I have a use for them all. There is only so much you can do by way of compromise, but if I could only have ONE of these it would be a .243. If I could have any TWO of these it would be the .223 and .308! Frankly, I need all 3! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted October 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 I understand what you are saying but I think that Dekers has hit the nail on the head best by saying; "There is only so much you can do by way of compromise, but if I could only have ONE of these it would be a .243."This is exactly the position that I am in. I am somewhat restricted financially and can not afford to invest in two seperate guns and then there is the storage space - As I said, If I went out and bought a larger cabinet I am the sort of person that would not be happy until the larger cabinet was full to the brim - Something that my long suffering wife would not be best pleases about! As it is I am seriously thinking about a .243 - This would fill "most of my needs" being suitable for Charlie, Roe, Munties (If I ever have the chance) or Reds (To within certain limits). Also, as has been said it is cheap(ish) to feed with plenty of choices of factory ammunition available. I have to admit that I do have my eye on one at the moment and am seroiusly thinking about putting a deposit down on it. I do have someone (My ex-mentor) who knows my .222 very well and has seen just how accurate it is and wants to buy it from me so that would help towards the financing of the .243! While on the subject of my Bruno .222 I have just been out at lunchtime for a zeroing session and managed to put 3 shots (One after the other) in a 20mm disc at a measured 100 yards and was hitting 4 inch discs with no problems at 200 yards using Sako Gamehead 50gr Ammo - Not bad for an old cheap gun and an even older shooter me thinks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted October 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 Well, just as a follow up to my previous post a descision has been made! I have been chatting with the wife and my mate about the sutuation and we are all in agreement on the following. First of all I will talk to my FEO on Monday to make sure that I can get authorised for a .243 for both Fox and Deer. Next, if all is well then I will be phoning the gun shop up that has the .243 that I would like and I will put a deposit on it. I will then put straight in for a .243 to be added to my FAC, which will coincide with me hopefully getting it opened at the same time. (By doing things this way I have the time for my mate to either get the money together for my Bruno .222 or for it to go into storage with a RFD (Who my mate works for anyway) before I finish paying for and get my amended FAC back and have the .243 sent by RFD to the shop where my mate works.) This may sound like a round about way to do it but by doing things this way I will not be without a "Foxing" gun and I will know that the rifle that I am "eyeing up" will be safe with my name on it! The only possible problem might come about if the FEO says that I should get rid of the "Foxing Rifle" before another additional Foxing caliber can be added to my FAC, if this happens then I will just do a straight 1 for 1 swapping the .222 for the .243 and the local foxes will get an easy few weeks without me harrassing them! Well, that's the plan, wish me luck please guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonk Posted October 30, 2010 Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 Fingers crossed !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted October 30, 2010 Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 243 is a sound choice frenchy - you will love it. Mine is mainly a fox gun - but I do take the occasional deer (red/roe) and it's plenty of gun. What rifle are you looking at? I have a tika and wouldn't swap it for anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted October 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 243 is a sound choice frenchy - you will love it. Mine is mainly a fox gun - but I do take the occasional deer (red/roe) and it's plenty of gun. What rifle are you looking at? I have a tika and wouldn't swap it for anything. If I get it the rifle will hopefully have it's duties split to around 70% foxes and 30%deer - A bit awkward I know finding a round that is suitable for both rather than having to keep re-zeroing to change ammunition between deer and foxes, but I am confident that I can work things out in that respect! I am currently looking at one that has been custom built around a P14 Action. It has recently had a new barrel fitted that has been glass bedded along with a few other "tweaks"! It looks good and is the right money, so much so that I need to be able to put a deposit on it before I say too much on an open forum about where it is for fear of losing it. I have a good "feeling" about this rifle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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