dadioles Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 I have .22lr and .17hmr, many years experience and an open ticket. My licence is up for renewal and this seems like a good opportunity to apply for a centrefire. The centrefire will be for longer range fox (maybe 200 yards) and muntjac. The main motivation is muntjac as they are a big problem in this area. I do not have any ambition to shoot larger deer. I do not intend to 'home load'. I like the idea of reasonably flat shooting. Price of ammunition needs to be taken into account as I enjoy shooting paper. Accuracy is very important to me. What would be an ideal calibre? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 6mm/.243 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bali Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 243 good or .223 cheaper ammo if you are not reloading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 (edited) .243 very nice capable calibre with lots of off the shelf ammo to choose between. Edited May 3, 2014 by scolopax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMcC Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 If it is only fox and Muntjac you are going to shoot then the .222 is the way to go. Ammo, particularly PPU, is cheap and shoots very well in my Remy .222 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 .243 it's the best dual purpose caliber out there, muntjac are pretty tough little critters at times and it gives more leeway for error. As a fox caliber again it's very very good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliesims Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 +1 for the .243, then you also have the option to take larger deer species without then having to do another variation and sell a .223 at a loss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 243 I'd suggest... So much so I pick up a tikka T3 in 243 as soon as the police check the cabinets at the new house next week... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 I have .22lr and .17hmr, many years experience and an open ticket. My licence is up for renewal and this seems like a good opportunity to apply for a centrefire. The centrefire will be for longer range fox (maybe 200 yards) and muntjac. The main motivation is muntjac as they are a big problem in this area. I do not have any ambition to shoot larger deer. I do not intend to 'home load'. I like the idea of reasonably flat shooting. Price of ammunition needs to be taken into account as I enjoy shooting paper. Accuracy is very important to me. What would be an ideal calibre? .243 will cover all what you need to do...200 yards is B&B for that calibre. Putting restriction's on cost of factory ammo will be the only thing for the .243 and a paper target, this will make you buy a smaller calibre. You never know what is around the corner, if you have that many MJ and do well with them, an invite to shoot a larger deer may come up...!! I use factory rounds in my rifle to great effect as they match my 700. I was surprised to not see in your list of questions on what scope? There has to be a trade off in your quest and to achieve it then the paper punching will be it... My rem 700 was £600 and the scope ( Kahles) £900 to give you and example of cost... Stepping in to the world of centre fire can open the second hand door quite well as people do chop and change at there cost... TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOXHUNTER1 Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 .243 also, its a great round. Will do everything you require of it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennym Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 already said by others but .243 i have just got my variation, on my application letter i said i wanted one rifle for fox, target shooting over 1000 yards and deer in the future without having to swap & change, the FEO must of thought this was reasonable and made good scene, because it went through within a week, like you i had rim fire but this was my first center fire. good luck with your variation, Ken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steyrman Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 +1 .243 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 .223 offers a wide ammo choice, availability and sensible prices, 200 yards is easy on everything, (I have dealt with a Roe at nearly 230 yards with one). I have heard it suggested that Muntjac is hard to stop, rubbish, they fall down easy, even with light loads if you put it in the right place, and they taste great too! .243 is not required, all be it all deer legal, and in my opinion is the best Loooooong range fox calibre available. 22-250 not mentioned yet, don't bother, if you are going there move half a step up and get a .243. .222 accurate and sweet but..... So, .223! My response is based on the fact that I run a .223, .243, and .308 (and a whole load of rimfires etc.), but everyone will have an opinion based on their own land/circumstances/etc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennym Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 can't argue with Dekers, but the .243 will do it all with room to grow, if unlike him we cant have a gun room full and choose the perfect gun for each ocassion, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 can't argue with Dekers, but the .243 will do it all with room to grow, if unlike him we cant have a gun room full and choose the perfect gun for each ocassion, lol Totally agree, and I would have said .243 as well but he made it clear he had no desires on bigger deer! So...... .223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Must be Herts muntjac dekers but I have had or been out to a fair few that went a reasonable distance, shot with up to a 308 obviously heart lung shots but none bad shots. I had one I wondered if I'd missed not long ago the way it set off and the lack of a thump, 20 yards away in the thickest hedge possible I really could have walked away but put the dog down for a look and she knew straight away. .243 just gives you the edge over the .22cf's foxing it will kill with any decent strike which is useful when they are facing away from you or you have to take one on the move Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Totally agree, and I would have said .243 as well but he made it clear he had no desires on bigger deer! So...... .223 Just how big are these foxes and muntjac in Cambridge!? 223. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangey Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 223 for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 I say .243 win as you will likely be faced with at least a Roe or fallow opportunity one day.Think you have an all deer permission and you see a roe that needs culling If its totally never going to happen .222 rem up as I have seen Reds dropped with this (it was actually the issued rifle for gov. cullers in NZ) also seen a stack of Roe dropped cleanly with them in Scotland advantage of a .222 or .223 are lighter , less recoil, easier to moderate and a lot longer barrel life. The only proviso in all this is a steady hand, a good eye and good ethics as regards placement. If you haven't got this sort of discipline get the biggest gun they will let you have. Killing is mostly about placement when you looking at a 50 grain bullet an 1000 ft lb 200 yards is not long range an experienced shot used to placing the shot or passing up the chance could get the job done with the .22 hornet if it was legal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulboy1957 Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 I have .243 and .222,always use the .222 for muntjac,CWD and fox,more than enough gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Having shot muntjac with my 6.5 and .223 I reach for the .223 everytime, it almost seems the perfect calibre for them I just don't get the tough and hard to kill comments people make, the only thing they are is a lot smaller and easier to miss, maybe that's what they actually mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 could get the job done with the .22 hornet if it was legal Ludicrous isn't it? Failing to step down from the roe rated calibre to something perfectly capable for the two 'dinkies' is downright stupid. Anyone who thinks that a 50 grain bullet packing some 850 ft/lbs at the muzzle - or even a tad less - is ineffective is simply ballistically ignorant, misguided or has an hidden agenda - probably the same people who decided on the badger cull calibre requisites. This from someone who no longer has any interest in stalking and therefore having no axe to grind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 If you live south Cambridgeshire you not far away you could pop over to me and have a go with my .222 and someone else close has a .243 they could bring over and try both Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtaylor Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Very nice offer from Colin. I've got a .243 shoot roe, fox and muntjac when I go down to Cambridge. Perfect calibre for all these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1979 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 .243 if there's any possibility that you might come across larger deer, like roe. But .223 is more then capable, depending on what your land is like, .223 my be more suitable for foxing at night. Atb Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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