Deer/ Boar calibre

[Harry136]

Hi, hoping to get my Sect 1 FAC at the back end of next year. Main things I will be using it for will be All UK deer species, maybe foreign ones (if i'm lucky!) and boar. I've got my heart set on buying a Browning X-bolt eclipse Varmint. What would be the best all round calibre to get, .243, 6.5 or .308?

[Dougy]

308.

 

That's it then get your deposit on.

[Vince Green]

make sure you ask for .308/7.62

[Harry136]

Happy days, as long as the land is clear, will i have any problems getting a .308/ 7.62 and a .22 for my first FAC? I have been shooting since I was 12. My force is West Yorkshire.

[neil w]

.270 they can be bought at the right money. Mine cost £140, and really accurate. Doe's the same job as one costing £1,000 or more.

[Harry136]

Yeah, but the rifle i want only comes in certain calibres

[Dougy]

make sure you ask for .308/7.62

7.62 x 51

 

Or just plain simple 308

 

Just ask for a 30 cal take your choice then.

 

er no mention of 270,

[fortune]

Hi, hoping to get my Sect 1 FAC at the back end of next year.

If it is your first fac I can imagine the feo going blue and foaming at the mouth. You might find it hard to get them to agree for the big stuff although there is no reason why not.

 

I've got my heart set on buying a Browning X-bolt eclipse Varmint.

 

 

Why is that then? Varmint dont exactly match deer species.

Edited September 15, 2016 by fortune

[TONY R]

The eclipse varmint is not abailable in big enough chamberings >22250 is the bigest.

But the eclipse hunter is and its similat rifle with the thumbhole layout.

I would go with the long range hunter i could not be doing with a thumbhole for stalkingmyself but each to his own, you will save some money on the long range hunter too.

Right what chambering ?

Myself i would go with a 7mm rem mag. or .708 if they are upset because its your first.

Edited September 15, 2016 by TONY R

[Lloyd90]

The eclipse varmint is not abailable in big enough chamberings >22250 is the bigest.

But the eclipse hunter is and its similat rifle with the thumbhole layout.

I would go with the long range hunter i could not be doing with a thumbhole for stalkingmyself but each to his own, you will save some money on the long range hunter too.

Right what chambering ?

Myself i would go with a 7mm rem mag. or .708 if they are upset because its your first.

.708 ? What's that like a anti tank rifle ? Hehe!

[Walker570]

308 Winchester without a doubt. Acceptable known calibre to the FEOs, will do what the label says. I have 20 odd sets of wild boar tusks on the wall in front of me and they are only the ones I have shot worth saving the trophies from. The smaller ones are not hard to kill, but for a medium to large male(boar) you need something which will punch through the solid layers and meat on the shoulder area otherwise they will likely come over and give you a good sucking. The last one I shot was a Silver Medal boar and when we went to load it on the carrier I thought it was screwed to the ground. I had put a 250gr Barnes TTSX in and out of the boiler room and it was still alive and kicking when we walked up requiring a finishing shot. This emphasises another point, use an adequate bullet, if not a TTSX then Nosler Partition/Accubond or similar.

The 6.5x55 will also do the job and is a calibre dear to my heart but I have pointed you to 308Win because that is what these FEOs accept normally as 'the' calibre. Don't mention the military equivalent. Keep it simple. If your thinking of experiencing some shooting over on the Continent then pm me and I will give you details of the man to speak with in Slovenia. Cheaper to fly there out of Stansted even though easyjet charge more for the rifle than they do for you. I'm out in November and return is £150 inc speedy boarding selection of seats and my rifle. I can't drive to Southern Scotland for that.

[TONY R]

.708 ? What's that like a anti tank rifle ? Hehe!

.708 its just a necked down .308 one of the most overlooked deer rounds in this country.

[Vince Green]

your certificate should come back with .308/7.62 automatically but its always worth being able to buy the cheaper ammo from time to time for range days or sighting in.

[Walker570]

.708 its just a necked down .308 one of the most overlooked deer rounds in this country.

Designation is actually 7-08 otherwise it does indicate a seriously large calibre of almost 3/4 inch :-) The 7-08 is a very nice deer calibre but for a first time shooter and actually hoping to roll a boar over then the 308Winchester is by far the better choice of the two and the 7-08 is not available in the rifle he wishes to buy.

For just deer the 7-08 is an excellent choice.

[TONY R]

Designation is actually 7-08 otherwise it does indicate a seriously large calibre of almost 3/4 inch :-) The 7-08 is a very nice deer calibre but for a first time shooter and actually hoping to roll a boar over then the 308Winchester is by far the better choice of the two and the 7-08 is not available in the rifle he wishes to buy.

For just deer the 7-08 is an excellent choice.

I agree thats why my primary choice was a 7mm rem mag i put the .708 i just but the point there out of habit call it what you will .284s are where i think the action is 30 calibres need a heavier bullet to match 7mms and one reason i would run one on this game than a .308 any day.

[Dekers]

Soon as you mention Boar then .308+ in my book, but I'm not easy with one rifle for all your deer as well, but if it has to be JUST ONE, then .308!

 

And I would not be looking at a Varmint barrel either, but that's up to you!

[Walker570]

Soon as you mention Boar then .308+ in my book, but I'm not easy with one rifle for all your deer as well, but if it has to be JUST ONE, then .308!

 

And I would not be looking at a Varmint barrel either, but that's up to you!

PLUS 1.

[TONY R]

!68 grain accubond LR 63.5 grains of vit N560 at 3120 FPS will kill any wild bor that ever walked , and do it with authority.

Nothings walking away from this even moose never mind boar.

i would use the 168 LR to guarantee expenssion at the closer range i would expect to shoot boar.

Accubonds are ideal but even humble corlocts do the job at 3200fps.

The .308 will need a 200 grain plus bullet to have the same sectional density as the 168 in the 7mm rem mag, and the 308 will be between 600 and 700fps slower thats significant.

And even if you take the 300 WSM as a comparison its still 250 to 300 FPS faster than that round and 300WSM is often quoted as a rifle for boar.

You need a 300 win mag in a 30 cal to achieve the same velocity and and bullets SD as a 7mm rem mag.

I would chose a 6.5 55 with its longer SD than a .308 for deer or boar or moose. the Long bullets on big game are what make the 6.5 ahead of its game.

Boring old 150 corlokt at 7mm rem mag.

Edited September 16, 2016 by TONY R

[Bewsher500]

Main things I will be using it for will be All UK deer species, maybe foreign ones (if i'm lucky!) and boar.

. What would be the best all round calibre to get, .243, 6.5 or .308?

 

there is only one there that you should be using on a boar IMO

light and fast is not an option for pigs

 

308, 270, 7mm08, 30-06, 280 all good choices

anything that will throw minimum 150gr

[dodeer]

.30-06 is probably the most versatile calibre you will ever get.

From 110g -220g bullets and can be used for anything.

[TONY R]

.30-06 is probably the most versatile calibre you will ever get.

From 110g -220g bullets and can be used for anything.

Its not been labeled the all world 06 for nothing and its streets ahead of the loby .308 and what i would chose in a std non magnum 30 calibre.

And remember its the parent round of a whole stream of 06 variants from the welen to the .2506 .270 W .280 rem and last but not least 6.5 06. its an awesome round.

[Harry136]

The thing is i wil only be getting the one rifle and i want the Browning x bolt eclipse varmint, which only goes up to .308

[TONY R]

I never saw it in 308? But even if it is and i read it wrong the Eclipse hunter is similar thumbhole etc to the varm int, and its any number of calibers.

If they do them in the rounds you specify i would go 6.5 credmore before i would go 308, about the only saving grace i see in the .308 is you can get ammo any place i reload exclusively so its of no consequence, to me and as such it has zero appeal to me.

They work no doubt about it just like many people live in high rise flats but i have zero desire to run out and buy one.

If you can get the 6.5 get one its got good SD and they work on deer you can go 120 grain for foxing there are i think 80 grains and the havier bullets 150s will be ideal for boar good performance.

Edited September 18, 2016 by TONY R

[Walker570]

The chap wants that rifle and it only comes in 308 and small varmint calibres, so 308 it is. Put a 165/175 quality bullet (TTSX, Accubond etc.) grain 30 cal bullet out of a 308 Win barrel in the boiler room of a boar and it will do the job adequately. Shot so many with a 308 lost count. Had a lady shoot one with my 308Win in Texas and it took about ten steps and died. She did as she was told, waited patiently for it to stand right and put the 150grain Federal right on the button. It took four of us to load it. My two calibres today which I go to, are a Thompson/Center Encore in 375JDJ usually with a 250gr TTSX when stalking or sitting and a Bettinsoli Double O/U in 8x57JRS with 160gr TTSX for driven. Have not lost one yet.

Edited September 18, 2016 by Walker570

[iain]

Hi, hoping to get my Sect 1 FAC at the back end of next year. Main things I will be using it for will be All UK deer species, maybe foreign ones (if i'm lucky!) and boar. I've got my heart set on buying a Browning X-bolt eclipse Varmint. What would be the best all round calibre to get, .243, 6.5 or .308?

Sorry to put a damper on the XBolt. Browning have hit us with a 30% increase in prices. So unless you're very lucky it will cost a lot more. Been told it's down to brexit but smells of profiteering to me. BTW .308 will do the job.