Which calibre for reds/ sika?

sambo

Member
Hi, I am in the process in puting in for a variation and i just dont know which calibre to put down for reds and sika? .6.5/.270/308

Sam
 
Sam,

Your question will of course ignite the usual furore of opinion, based on peoples personal preference and experience. All will do the job, so at the end of the day, it will come down to your personal preference. You may want to think about ease of getting ammo, or reloading if that is your bag - but overall it will come down to what rifle is available that you feel most comfortable with. If you're like me, you will have a nag until you get what you want.

You will find that many Picts on here favour the 270 for the bigger beastie - and I am with them on that.

HTH

E t R
 
Of the 3 I am a 270 fan nothing wrong with the 308 I used to use one too, but the old 270 just seems to flatten them, if you are talking 6.5X55 I have seen it lacking on big reds, in fairness others on here swear by it. Not sure if you are a reloader or not but 7X64, 7X57 and 30-06 are other calibres to conceder if you come across a rifle in any of these that is at the right price and fits you.

ATB

Tahr

 
Yeap, 270/ 30.06 ; both been around since the early 1900's and still popular for a very good reason.
 
Any accurate deer legal calibre you like the look of... so take your pick from the three you list. Gun fit/feel/price important.
 
Oooohhh I can just imagine the fur and feathers starting to fly on this one :cool:

This has been asked many times before, in various guises, and the obvious answer is that all will kill the deer with a correctly placed shot. But I think the oft overlooked point in this question is one of confidence. There are stalkers on many estates who use the .243 for all their estate work and who would not want anything larger calibre wise. It is proven to do the job!

But for those of us who might only stalk occassionally, what calibre would we feel more confident with if suddenly faced with a stag of a lifetime? Personally I think that, given an equally accurate rifle, I would rather have a .308 than my 6.5x55.

If I was to be shooting on the open hill at big stags I think the 7mm Rem Mag would take some beating, but would really carry little advantage over the .270 except at very long range. Both are inclined to affect the recoil sensitive among us, at least according to myth and legend. But the continentals regualrly use the 7x64 which can be loaded to very nearly Rem-Mag levels and it is very similar in performance to the .270.

Best advice, is to find a rifle that fits you, and that you like the look of, buy it and practise with it as much as possible. As for calibre, anything from 6.5 upwards will do the job given it has the right projectile in it. I do not happen to believe that there is any magic calibre.

Simon
 
Pick what represents a good deal to you, that's nice, fits well, and shoots well. Also consider what ammo your local RFD stocks, or if reloading, what bullets you would like to have access to, etc.

I personally picked .308 because I felt it would complement my .243 nicely, it's not too hungry for powder, and bullets and reloading information is available a plenty. Also, brass is about half the price of other calibres. You'll find more ballistic data on .308 then any other calibre, IMHO. I also felt that if I am travelling to different parts of the UK for stalking trips, and need to top up on ammo from a local RDF, there is a much better chance of getting .308 than some other more exotic calibres.

just my opinion of course
 
I also would go for the .308 known for being a very accurate round plenty of knock down power and if you reload probably the cheapest round to reload and practice with, plenty of choice as most gun makers offer it in their line up for good reason and pleny of second hand ones always around, if you intend to fit a moderator the recoil is very much tamed, good luck with you purchase/variation.
 
.270 every time. My .270 (RIP) droped everything with out a hitch from muntis to reds. Althought I never got a chance at a sika. I am in the process of obtaining another one.
 
having used both 6.5x55 and .270 on big lowland reds i can honestly say there is bugger all in it !

but if i was consistantly shooting over the 200m mark , out of the 2 then i would favour the .270 .

i know for a fact monkeyspanker off this site has walloped most if not all his lowland reds this last winter and prob the winter before that , with his 25-06 so really it does come down the the block behind the stock .
 
All my stalking is for sika, i have both a 6.5 and a 25-06, of the two id definatley go for the 25-06 with 100grain, it flattens them.


wicklow202
 
Hi, I am in the process in puting in for a variation and i just dont know which calibre to put down for reds and sika? .6.5/.270/308

Sam

I have all three of them and put the 6.5X55 at the bottom of the pile.
Being a life-time re-loader I have found ingredients for the 6.5mm to be limited in choice and scarce.
My principal stalking rifle is my .270 which I purchased in 1994 when the calibre ceiling in Southern Ireland was raised from certain .22cfs to .270 , however for a re-loader the .30 calibres are the best choice due to easy availability of various bullets etc.

HWH.
 
I'd go for 308. A friend of mine switched from 30-06 to 6.5x55 when we came back to UK from Germany, and while he really did rate the cartridge, he was the first to admit it didn't drop anything as quickly as his 30-06. Personally, not being a big chap (5'8" and 13 stone. Yes, that's a bit under height for my weight!) I find the 30-06 and 270 a bit punishing for recoil. I manage 308 much better, and having used one for the last 14 years I find it to be an excellent calibre; mine has accounted for wild boar, plains game and more munties and roe than I can count.
I've also reloaded for it since day one, and can honestly say that it's difficult to load a round that shoots badly.
 
Hi, I am in the process in puting in for a variation and i just dont know which calibre to put down for reds and sika? .6.5/.270/308

Sam

None of them and not because they are no good!
I prefer the 7mm-08 the ballistic twin to the .270 as it has less recoil, a short action and is generally a more compact rifle. It's flatter and holds it's ballistics better than the .308 and 6,5x55. The 7mm-08 is easier to shoot well with than the calibers mentioned and I shoot everything with it from Muntjac to Reds.
The deer won't know the difference, only you will, so try them all and pick the one you are most comfortable with.
Don't worry about any of the calibers mentioned they are ALL perfectly good for what you want.
 
If you like the ballistic coefficient 6.5 but fancy the .270 performance why not try the 6.5X284? Shot everything with my 6.5 and .308. Deer don't know what caliber your using so choose something you like.
 
i use a 308 shoot munty up too 20 stone red plenty of factory ammo my stalking partner shoots a 7x64 there is a lack of factory ammo and what there is v.expensive .as said many times the cals you are considering are all good take your pick good hunting .
 
I also think the 7-08 is the most balanced deer hunting round which has about the
same power as a 270 but out of a shorter barrel, shorter action and all together lighter.
then again...for big animals a 30-06 with 180gr is hard to beat.

edi
 
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