-ben- Posted March 21, 2016 Report Share Posted March 21, 2016 Ive been given the go ahead for a new rifle a deer specific rifle ive got a 243 but thats being used for mainly foxing so i now have a excuse to get a new rifle i was thinking something along the lines of 308 or maybe 30-06 maybe something a little different not that hard to come buy as i dont reload yet. It will be for anything from roe up to reds. And the possibility in the future to take it for a go on the wild boar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheasant Feeder Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 My first dedicated stalking rifle was a .308 based on the same quarry list as you, Roe-Red-Boar. There might be a better rifle for this, or one thats more suited to that, but as one guy said to me "there's nothing that walks in this country that a .308 won't sit on its ****". Ammo is readily available in a selection of bullet weights. Recoil is not too excessive. Mines zero'd an inch high at 100m so will shoot within a 4" circle out to beyond 200m its basically a point and shoot at woodland ranges. A .308 will do what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Flashheart Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 Absolutely nothing wrong with either of those calibres, they'll certainly knock down anything that the UK has to offer. Worth looking at 6.5x55mm as well. Go "heavy for calibre" with 140gr ammo, and you'll have a softer recoiling rifle that you can also shoot boar with under AOLQ. Not as much factory ammo available as the .308 (probably more than .30-6 though), but either speak to your RFD and they'll order in, or look at reloading. I use HPS-TR to reload all my ammo for me - 6.5x55mm 140gr SST and .308 165gr SST - for around £1/round and at that price it's not only cheaper, but more accurate than any factory ammo I've used. Much like Pheasant Feeder, I have mine zero'd 2" high at 100yds, and have PBR of 240yds in the x55 and 250yds in the .308... "Range/Squeeze/Drop". Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 308 will do all you need easy to find ammo etc 30-06 will do all you need etc For deer anything over 243 will work fine just pick what you fancy. Everyone says their choice is best, for me 308 or 30/06 is hard in GB as you have a 243. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-ben- Posted March 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 I brought the 243 off yourself and has not missed a beat i think im going to go for the 308 as for ammo availability Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 .308 is good ammo from vertualy anywhere, or .270 a more interesting cal in my opinion. or sticking with a short action what about a . 708 . 3006 is a nice powerfull round but if you want to go up there why not do it with the ballistics of a 7mm and get a 7mm rem mag this is what i did and love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 I brought the 243 off yourself and has not missed a beat i think im going to go for the 308 as for ammo availability Glad your enjoying the 243. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 Of course for deer you don't need more than a 243 but for boar I should gun up, not that a well placed shot won't drop them just you might have to take a less settled aimed shot. Just look out for the military calibre rule - I am not sure how much it applies now but 30-06 and 308 couldn't be taken into some European nations Having been there in the past with this myself and shot various bigger things for deer - I should go for something bigger than a 30 cal 375 h&h etc if your going to gun up might as well gun up eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 You will always get loads of different answers to this one, if you want an uninteresting calibre that will do what you want get a .308 If you are looking for something different there is a whole range of calibres out there, I would look at something like a 7-08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddler Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 Worth looking at 6.5x55mm as well. Go "heavy for calibre" with 140gr ammo, and you'll have a softer recoiling rifle that you can also shoot boar with under AOLQ. Not as much factory ammo available as the .308 (probably more than .30-06 though), but either speak to your RFD and they'll order in, or look at reloading. +1 on 6.5x55 -1 on the above comment in red. The design of the 6.5x55 cartridge was based from its inception/adoption around the 140gr bullet - so how is that "heavy for calibre"?? The smaller 6.5 options (Grendel & Creedmoor) & the .260 Remington do tend to use the 123gr bullet as default, but not the 6.5x55 LOTS more factory ammo in 6.5x55 on my trips to Sweden than .308 - with 30-06 also being more common there. Moose, innit!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Flashheart Posted March 24, 2016 Report Share Posted March 24, 2016 +1 on 6.5x55 -1 on the above comment in red. The design of the 6.5x55 cartridge was based from its inception/adoption around the 140gr bullet - so how is that "heavy for calibre"?? The smaller 6.5 options (Grendel & Creedmoor) & the .260 Remington do tend to use the 123gr bullet as default, but not the 6.5x55 LOTS more factory ammo in 6.5x55 on my trips to Sweden than .308 - with 30-06 also being more common there. Moose, innit!! 140gr comment is based on how many folks use 120gr in x55 nowadays as MV seems to be de rigeur rather than energy. I just prefer heavy and slow PS thanks for adding 0 in .30-06 - doh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratty1 Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 270 for me, cracking round and tge recoil is nothing like people make it out to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalahari Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 .275 Rigby (aka 7 x 57) a real classic and a bit of history, 7 x 64 better in my opinion than a 270, 30-06 also a classic. I do wonder about this "can't get ammunition stuff" I find that if you talk nicely to your RFD they will get stuff in and also it doesn't seem rocket science to plan ahead and keep a little bit in stock. Yours grumpily, David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 .275 Rigby (aka 7 x 57) a real classic and a bit of history, 7 x 64 better in my opinion than a 270, 30-06 also a classic. I do wonder about this "can't get ammunition stuff" I find that if you talk nicely to your RFD they will get stuff in and also it doesn't seem rocket science to plan ahead and keep a little bit in stock. Yours grumpily, David. As a lover of random chamberings I'm happy to help people if their nearby many ask me to "hold" ammo they pay for in advance until they have space to put it on their ticket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 .275 Rigby (aka 7 x 57) a real classic and a bit of history, 7 x 64 better in my opinion than a 270, 30-06 also a classic. I do wonder about this "can't get ammunition stuff" I find that if you talk nicely to your RFD they will get stuff in and also it doesn't seem rocket science to plan ahead and keep a little bit in stock. Yours grumpily, David. I love this caliber and use the little Rigby as my main deer gun..... but don't really suggest it for others as it is so old....... The 7.08 is just about the same now in terms of performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 275 Rigby is a sweet little round 7x64 (European 270) is a good round smoother in my experience than a 270 but capable and factory ammo is knocking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benthejockey Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 I've got 308 on my ticket. I had the 243 but I mainly use that for making big holes in foxes. I've shot a few deer with it but I really got a yen for something meatier and then the brother in law offered me a bit of stalking up in Scotland to shoot the big reds with some of his ghillies so I put in for the 308. Write a good letter explaining why you want it and your FEO should give you what you want. I compared roe and fallow to big heavy Suffolk sheep and reds to cows, you'd use a bigger calibre to put a cow down as opposed to a sheep. Got my eye on a second hand steyr in the gun shop by me when I get some pennies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted April 6, 2016 Report Share Posted April 6, 2016 I have 2 mates who shoot a lot of deer. One has a 6.5 x 47 and the other has just purchased a 6.5/.284. Both are custom rifles and both guys shoot out to 350 metres +. I have shot a few sika with the 6.5 x 47 and it is a fine calibre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted April 6, 2016 Report Share Posted April 6, 2016 I've just got my variation for a 308 as a deer rifle. But I also do a fair bit of target shooting, and 308 is probably pretty universally stocked, so no problems finding it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 I run .223, .243 and .308. They do everything I need, Pest Control/Stalking/Boar/Target! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrol Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 .222, 50 grn. 243, 100 grn 6.5x55,120 through to 165 grn . .308 120 grn through to 165 grn All soft point, all complete the job famously, I shoot all these calibers, for deer stalking the 6.5. Or .308 , both are fantastic accurate rounds Whatever suits you in what you wish to achieve is the one to go for, the all rounder and bullet weight variance is the .308. I go to this over the 6.5 when out on fallow bucks or bigger just in casey it will drop anything in this non euro state. ( lol) Good luck Patrol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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