seisobs Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 I am seriously considering applying for a variation on my firearms certificate ( Currently have an open certificate for a .22LR) I would like to get into stalking Roe deer and am considering a .243. Also I am applying for the DSC level 1 course prior to my variation request ( I know the DSC level 1 qualification is not required for the variation but I know my Firearms officer has been asking people if the have it when they apply) Can anyone give me advice on if a .243 is a suitable rifle for this purpose. many thanks Jake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 (edited) I am seriously considering applying for a variation on my firearms certificate ( Currently have an open certificate for a .22LR) I would like to get into stalking Roe deer and am considering a .243. Also I am applying for the DSC level 1 course prior to my variation request ( I know the DSC level 1 qualification is not required for the variation but I know my Firearms officer has been asking people if the have it when they apply) Can anyone give me advice on if a .243 is a suitable rifle for this purpose. many thanks Jake. Though you might find this unhelpful, but because the very reason you are asking this question shows that you do not know enough to go out stalking. 243. is the legal minium for Roe, Sika, Red and Fallow in England. a .22 centerfire with a muzzle velocity of over 1000fps is the minium for Chiniese and Muntjac. There are ALOT of good books on this subject, I would recommend going out and buying yourself one before you start the DSC1 (not that you won't learn it all in the DSC, but every little helps). Edited April 1, 2009 by Bleeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moses Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 I am seriously considering applying for a variation on my firearms certificate ( Currently have an open certificate for a .22LR) I would like to get into stalking Roe deer and am considering a .243. Also I am applying for the DSC level 1 course prior to my variation request ( I know the DSC level 1 qualification is not required for the variation but I know my Firearms officer has been asking people if the have it when they apply) Can anyone give me advice on if a .243 is a suitable rifle for this purpose. many thanks Jake. A rifle of .240 is the legal minimum for shooting Deer in the England. A .243 is an excellent calibre capable of taking all uk Deer species. Doing your dsc1 is all well and good but, practical experience of shooting deer and everything that happens after the shot is most important. I would book yourself some guided cull stalking with someone local and see how you like it. All the best Moses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 I have also just got a variation for a 243 mate Haven't bought one yet mind cos I got my raf selection centre in a few weeks lol! Now if your looking for a specific rifle then almost all brand's will be good enough for stalking Unless your doing serious target shooting and need the gun to put all bullets touching it isn't that much of a big deal! It's all down to how much you want to spend mate Tikka's are very good rifle, very widely used and well recommended. My mate has one in 243 that he uses for stalking and foxing, very nice gun Sako is also very good guns (Although they come out of the same factory as the Tikka) so some say they are the same gun for more money. Then the CZ's are supposed tp be very good guns Nice budget rifle that's a work horse Any brand you buy should be able to shoot about a 1.5-2.5" group, that should be enough to drop a deer no problem The thing you want to look at the most is the scope Buy a very good one! You can't hit it if you can't see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignoel Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 i got myself on to the 243 scene for fox/deer recently and bought myself a remi 7 with a 17.1/2 inch barrel a t8 mod and now a s & b scope but what a difference the glass makes. my old scope was good but not as clear. very good now thou 13 foxes and 2 roe and 4 fallow will vouch for it .noel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 A Howa .243 will see you right, come threaded for mod, so no additional cost to get done and proofed, Typical Jap gun uses the best bits from others, i.e Sako plate etc. Takes small grain for Fox right up to 100 grain for Reds, good all round Fox/deer calibre and was recommended to me by quite a few Stalkers as well as my FEO. If Stalking alone is what you want then 6.5x55 or .270 or .308, but won't get one of these round our way unless DSC 1/2 or book regular guided stalking. All the best. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scout Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I use a howa 1500 in .243 with T8 mod. I've only used it on Roe, Fallow and Fox and they have been nice clean take downs. On paper i'm getting 0.75" groups at 125 metres, so the rifle is more accurate than me. A lot of good for the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Get a .243 for Roe-although they do accept a 22 Centrefire for Roe in Scotland.But as i said go for a .243 just in case you go for a bigger form of deer in the near future.ATB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I have been looking at those Howa 1500's in the Hogue stocks, anyone's opinions of them ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubix Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Read what's on the Deer Commision Scotland best practice web site, that's very good. A 243 is fine, I use it for Roe. Don't bother with a 223 unless you know you'll only be going after Roe in scotland. You'll learn much from asking on the various forums. A few trips out with a stalker to watch, and a few dvd's are all you need. Some stalkers will have you believe it is a black art but it's not. Takes years to develop your stalking skills, but once you eyeball the deer and ahve permission to shoot the rest isn't hard. 1. See deer. 2. Id deer. 3. Safe shot? 4. Shoot deer. 5. Follow deer. 6. Find deer. 7. Clean deer. 8. If it is healthy - Eat deer. I find cooking between 7+8 helps enormously, as does checking it's dead between 6+7. Wonder what they did before dvd's and the internet eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Could not agree more with the above post. Deer stalking is no black art. I have found the hardest part of entering the deer stalking world is actually finding somwhere to go deer stalking. Once you have ground to go on the most difficult part of the process is behind you. To open another can of worms, have you considered a 6.5x55? Just a bit more oompth if you get an opportunity to go for Fallow or Reds yet still perfectly acceptable as a foxing calibre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 That's a cracking bit of advice from Cubix. Get a .243 Win for roe. FWIW, having owned both, I preferred the flat-shooting nature of the .243 to the 6.5x55. Someone's also bound to wade in with a recommendation of a .25-06, just to complicate things for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Could not agree more with the above post. Deer stalking is no black art. I have found the hardest part of entering the deer stalking world is actually finding somwhere to go deer stalking. Once you have ground to go on the most difficult part of the process is behind you. To open another can of worms, have you considered a 6.5x55? Just a bit more oompth if you get an opportunity to go for Fallow or Reds yet still perfectly acceptable as a foxing calibre. not wanting to hijack the thread but that is absolutely the case, ive been trying since the middle of last year and haven't even had a sniff of anywhere to go stalking, ive even taken to creeing up on deer when out pigeon shooting or walking the dog, i can now regularly get to within 70-80 yds and then only be able to blow rasberrys at them, mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonno243 Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I am seriously considering applying for a variation on my firearms certificate ( Currently have an open certificate for a .22LR) I would like to get into stalking Roe deer and am considering a .243. Also I am applying for the DSC level 1 course prior to my variation request ( I know the DSC level 1 qualification is not required for the variation but I know my Firearms officer has been asking people if the have it when they apply) Can anyone give me advice on if a .243 is a suitable rifle for this purpose. many thanks Jake. Good call mate, I am an unabashed admirer of the calibre. I am due back on the beach next thursday / friday. I will be getting torn into various bits and pieces on the estate from the start of the following week, but I will happily make some time to take you out with the Steyr and let you bang away at a few targets if you fancy shooting one and you can see what you think from there? As an aside, I am good mates with someone that runs DSC courses in Scotland and also runs a stalking agency. I will give you the lowdown when I see you. ATB mate, safe trip back from Thailand. Jonno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seisobs Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Gentlemen, thanks very much for the info. Johnno, please PM me when you are home mate. many thanks Jake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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