Best caliber for muntjac, Roe, Fox

[J111]

Got to be a 223 hasn't it?
Shame it's not legal in England for the Roe.

 

[I. Farticus]

Nah, 6.5x55mm with 140gr for everything...

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Personally I prefer 243. Bit more expensive to run but with the amount I shoot the difference is about £20pa.

and I use 95 grain for everything.

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

i use a .243 and have got on with it very well but to be honest i dont think I would have shot any more or less if i would have had any other caliber, the trick in my mind is finding the right type of bullet for deer and fox work and not to get to hung up on the caliber they all work

 

[Triggermortis]

i use a .243 and have got on with it very well but to be honest i dont think I would have shot any more or less if i would have had any other caliber, the trick in my mind is finding the right type of bullet for deer and fox work and not to get to hung up on the caliber they all work

+1 on the bullet oppinion, balistic tips for foxes in the smaller calibres i think makes sense but once you get up to the sort of muzzle energy from a 100gn sp in your 243 i think it makes no difference to the "knock down power" , i use 100gn sp's in my 243 and 130gn sp's in my 270 for everything.

 

[tusker]

I use 85 grn Gamekings in my 243. Fox right up to Reds (Reds in England).
Tusker

 

[Uncle f]

Anything legal that overs them cleanly.

 

[Greener Jim]

44 Magnum for the deer and 223 or 222 for the fox. That way you have roe covered in Scotland by the 22CF, the roe and muntjac in England with the 44, and the 22CF covers fox anywhere.

Plus you'll have something actually relatively interesting....

 

[stubear]

If just shooting just those three species and no likelihood of ever doing anything else then I would go either .243 or 6.5x55. Arguably .243 has more rifles available for sale and better ammo availability, but if you reload that's less of a concern, and if you dont mind shopping around a bit then the rifle availability is moot as well.

If you think you might do larger species or boar at all then .308

 

[Dorsettaff]

On the horns of a dilemma....torn between Tusker and Farticus!

Love the .243 with 85gr Gamekings but have the old Swede set up with 140gr SSTs.....

Between them EVERYTHING falls!

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Look up the cost of factory ammo. It may help. Unless you reload.

 

[Border]

If I lived in the UK I would use my 6BR.
Otherwise 243W gets my vote.

 

[thistledeyke]

Nah, 6.5x55mm with 140gr for everything...

+1

 

[25 Sharps]

Nah, 6.5x55mm with 120gr for everything...

Fixed it or you

 

[J111]

How is the 223 for chest shooting roe and muntjac?

 

[enfieldspares]

6mm Remington. Except mine would not shoot 100 grain bullets at all well. So never got off the zero range and out in the field. it got sold!

 

[ChesterP]

I use the .308 and 150gr SP ammo. Drops Roe with minimal meat damage (MV kept at 2600 fps so less meat damage), pole-axes fox. For me the arguments about "flat trajectory" are utterly meaningless for daytime shooting as I know the drops for my rifle/ammo combo and it's very easy and quick to compensate should that be necessary in the field.

 

[white van man]

How is the 223 for chest shooting roe and muntjac?

If I'm out foxing and there's a chance with the .223 on a Muntie I prefer head shots as I've had runners with chest shots whereas the .243 for chest shots does the job with acceptable meat damage and they don't get up.
Steve.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Nah, 6.5x55mm with 140gr for everything...

A pretty good answer. Regards JCS

 

[The Singing Stalker]

If I'm out foxing and there's a chance with the .223 on a Muntie I prefer head shots as I've had runners with chest shots whereas the .243 for chest shots does the job with acceptable meat damage and they don't get up.
Steve.

I would concur with the above. Especially if using a light bullet. Hence why I now shoot 243 and 95 grain.