Calibre decision for deer

[Big Mat]

I use .308, I'm happy with how it performs with regards to meat damage on the smaller species,  I dare say if I had a .243 or .25 06 or 6.5x55 or 7x57 or .338wsm, the deer would still be dead.

 

Personal choice, all the calibers will kill

[Lloyd90]

2 hours ago, Robertt said:

Should have mentioned the .22/250 was used in Rep of Ireland when then max calibre for deer was a non military .22 centrefire.

.22/250 and 5.6 x 57 were the common one's and neck shots only at sensible distances were the order of the day.

Stayed with an Irish friend recently who’s family farm an area on the West coast. 

Walked into his cattle barn and he had one of the biggest set of Red Deer antlers I’ve seen: 

Asked him what he shot it with, 223 rem, no problem at under 200 yards apparently.

pretty sure NZ do similar with fallow and big deer going for neck and head.  

[Stonepark]

The law (in Scotland) certainly requires the dropping of the 2450ftsec requirement as this prevents a whole host of heavy bullet, medium velocity calibres being used (and also subsonics).

[Walker570]

8 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

Stayed with an Irish friend recently who’s family farm an area on the West coast. 

Walked into his cattle barn and he had one of the biggest set of Red Deer antlers I’ve seen: 

Asked him what he shot it with, 223 rem, no problem at under 200 yards apparently.

pretty sure NZ do similar with fallow and big deer going for neck and head.  

I wonder how many run around with the bottom jaw hanging off but no body admits to that do they?   Oh no, it never happens does it?  Well I have put a number down which I have come across over the years and not a pretty sight.

[Lloyd90]

3 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

I wonder how many run around with the bottom jaw hanging off but no body admits to that do they?   Oh no, it never happens does it?  Well I have put a number down which I have come across over the years and not a pretty sight.

 

Who said it never happens? Point is the smaller calibres are capable in the right hands. 

 

The fact a 243 is a bigger calibre doesn't stop people from taking silly shots does it? Is it any better for someone to pull a shot with a 308 and blow a jaw off? I know that the 222 up in Scotland is perfectly legal and considered one of the best Roe calibres for the job. 

 

Just for info, the red stag antlers I saw belonged to a massive stag, who was reportedly shot in the boiler room with the 223 and didn't make more than a few steps.

I can only report back what I've been told ... 

[ClemFandango]

8 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

 

Who said it never happens? Point is the smaller calibres are capable in the right hands. 

 

The fact a 243 is a bigger calibre doesn't stop people from taking silly shots does it? Is it any better for someone to pull a shot with a 308 and blow a jaw off? I know that the 222 up in Scotland is perfectly legal and considered one of the best Roe calibres for the job. 

 

Just for info, the red stag antlers I saw belonged to a massive stag, who was reportedly shot in the boiler room with the 223 and didn't make more than a few steps.

I can only report back what I've been told ... 

I've blown a jaw off with a .308. You are quite correct, it wasn't any better than if I had done it with a smaller or larger calibre. 

I caught up with it two days later and put it out of it's misery. **** feeling to know you have caused that much suffering. 

 

Back to the OP. Dekers mentioned boar. One reason you might consider a larger calibre is that you might get invited/fancy shooting a wild boar. In that case the minimum calubre recommended by DEFRA is .270. 

[Dekers]

14 hours ago, Walker570 said:

I wonder how many run around with the bottom jaw hanging off but no body admits to that do they?   Oh no, it never happens does it?  Well I have put a number down which I have come across over the years and not a pretty sight.

 

It doesn't matter how big the calibre if you shoot it in the jaw.

 

Edited April 10, 2019 by Dekers

[Raja Clavata]

I have 243 and 308, if I was starting out and looking for only one I’d probably go with a 6.5x55

[Vince Green]

52 minutes ago, Dekers said:

 

It doesn't matter how big the calibre if you shoot in in the jaw.

 

Deer season in America there are deer walking round in the woods with every sort of injury imaginable. Some really horrible, its not about the calibre of the rifle its all about the calibre of the hunter.

[Longstrider]

I would say .270 Win. Not only a true 'stop 'em in their tracks' calibre but also fairly un-fashionable so you can pick up a damned good quality second hand rifle for a song.

Never had a red with mine, but would have no hesitation in taking the shot if it was offered. Every other species I've pointed it at has fallen over very quickly indeed. Lot's of 'Estate rifles' on the Scottish estates either were or are .270's and there has to be something to learn from that surely ?

[alan123shooting]

I use 30-06 on Muntjac, a 123 grain head, no more damage than 80 grain .243  just move up to 150- 175 for the reds or have one of each .243 and a 30-06

[walt1980]

Well I went for a .243 that I found locally, changed scope and set it all up and went out yesterday on a field I’d seen Roe on a few times in the last week. Was just about to pack up when a nice buck walked out about 90 yds away, dropped him and was pretty happy! As I stood up a doe walked out behind him, but with a broken leg, didn’t put any weight on it and I could see it was bent and swollen. It walked about for a bit, and I decided to put that out of its misery as well. 

A very happy farmer with a freezer full of venison and I was pretty chuffed as well! (Although I’d forgotten that aroma when they’re gralloched! 🤢) 

[ClemFandango]

Result. 

Well done, hopefully the first of many more. 

Good decision on the doe as well btw. 

[Harry136]

Hi

I've shot Reds with a 100grain Lapua in .243, dropped on the spot and the shot was taken at 250m.

[walt1980]

5 hours ago, Harry136 said:

Hi

I've shot Reds with a 100grain Lapua in .243, dropped on the spot and the shot was taken at 250m.

As I’m not that familiar with it yet, I wouldn’t dare to make a shot that far, although I don’t doubt the guns capability. Have shot it at targets now out to 200 but when it’s a live deer it makes it slightly different! 

[Lloyd90]

17 hours ago, walt1980 said:

As I’m not that familiar with it yet, I wouldn’t dare to make a shot that far, although I don’t doubt the guns capability. Have shot it at targets now out to 200 but when it’s a live deer it makes it slightly different! 

1” high at 100 yards is often the zero of choice giving a zero around the 200 yard.

Probably not a whole lot of drop on that extra 50 yards. 

 

If youve for a good shooting position AND PRACTICED then you should be ok to that range 👍🏻 

[Walker570]

Trouble is they don't stand still like a piece of paper.

[Dekers]

9 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

1” high at 100 yards is often the zero of choice giving a zero around the 200 yard.

Probably not a whole lot of drop on that extra 50 yards. 

 

If youve for a good shooting position AND PRACTICED then you should be ok to that range 👍🏻 

Each to their own but I never get this malarkey of 1" high at 100 is around zero at 200 and drop between 200-250 is PROBABLY not a whole lot!

If you can shoot at 200 and want a 200 zero then zero at 200 and practice until you find the drop at 250.

Every barrel and every ammo will perform differently, and there is a very wide spread of weights and types of 243, each will give different results.

When I'm lobbing any type of ammo down range I don't do about or probably, I know as exactly as possible what its going to do!

 

[oowee]

8 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Trouble is they don't stand still like a piece of paper.

This ^^^^ Shooting off sticks sometimes not in the best position all adds variables. When I squeeze I want to be very certain it's going down.

33 minutes ago, Dekers said:

Each to their own but I never get this malarkey of 1" high at 100 is around zero at 200 and drop between 200-250 is PROBABLY not a whole lot!

If you can shoot at 200 and want a 200 zero then zero at 200 and practice until you find the drop at 250.

Every barrel and every ammo will perform differently, and there is a very wide spread of weights and types of 243, each will give different results.

When I'm lobbing any type of ammo down range I don't do about or probably, I know as exactly as possible what its going to do!

 

I just don't get this either but its almost folk lore type guidance.  

[Lloyd90]

1 hour ago, Dekers said:

Each to their own but I never get this malarkey of 1" high at 100 is around zero at 200 and drop between 200-250 is PROBABLY not a whole lot!

If you can shoot at 200 and want a 200 zero then zero at 200 and practice until you find the drop at 250.

Every barrel and every ammo will perform differently, and there is a very wide spread of weights and types of 243, each will give different results.

When I'm lobbing any type of ammo down range I don't do about or probably, I know as exactly as possible what its going to do!

 

That’s why I emphasised the practices part it capitals 👍🏻, it means it’s not a theoretical 200 zero... it means you’ve been out and practiced consistently at targets set up at the ranges you want to shoot. 

 

If you regularly practice at 200, 300 and 400 and can hit small targets again and again then you should know how your rifle shoots. 

[bluesj]

7 minutes ago, oowee said:

 

I just don't get this either but its almost folk lore type guidance.  

Me neither. I zero my rifles to get the flattest trajectory over the distances I shoot. I know if I do my bit and aim at the centre of the kill zone on a deer a 95gr bullet should hit the kill zone from 0 to 200 yard and 0 to 300 yards on a fox with a 55 gr bullet with my 243. My 308 should be no more that 1/2 inch low from 0 to 75 yards on open sights and should be no more than an inch low between 0 and 150 yards with the scope on 

[Walker570]

Have zeroed all my deer/big game rifles 1 1/2 high at 100 for the last 40yrs.  Shot deer/wild boar where I could almost pet them , antelope and tahr out to 500yrds (300H&H).  

My 257 Wildcat round shoots 100grain at 3200fps and at 100 zeroed at 1.5 high it puts me a touch high at 200 and as near 6 inches low at 300 that the deer will not notice the difference.

Only on two occasions have I ever considered shooting over 200yrds, in the USA on pronghorn and in New Zealand on tahr.   Even in my days on the Scottish hillsides, the sport was seeing just how close you could get.

[ClemFandango]

On 26/04/2019 at 18:00, walt1980 said:

As I’m not that familiar with it yet, I wouldn’t dare to make a shot that far, although I don’t doubt the guns capability. Have shot it at targets now out to 200 but when it’s a live deer it makes it slightly different! 

Wise decision. Whatever you do. Whatever "advice" you read on here or take from other shooters the biggest thing is being confident in your ability while understanding your limitations.

You obviously have a sensible head on your shoulders and are making the right decisions, everything else will fall into place the more you do.