Woodland stalking rifle and Scope
- Thread starter Robbie45
- Start date
Chris J
Well-Known Member
I think that's a very hard question to answer, but I always favoured my Steyr Scout for close. tight woodland. I'm not sure that the calibre is really relevant. OK so you woun't be taking 600 yard shots in woodland, but in terms of cartridge I wouldn't be thinking any differently to that I'd use on open ground for fallow, munty, roe etc.
Good glass because it can be quite dark and lower mag so target acquisition is easy. After that, something a little shorter perhaps to make standing shots a little easier.
All of this for me would be if I was on foot. If I was in woodland but in a seat or tower, I wouldn't actually give it any special consideration.
Good glass because it can be quite dark and lower mag so target acquisition is easy. After that, something a little shorter perhaps to make standing shots a little easier.
All of this for me would be if I was on foot. If I was in woodland but in a seat or tower, I wouldn't actually give it any special consideration.
Use what rifle you shoot best with. But for blundering about in bushes I think that 8x is really too much. I've shot muntjac at twenty yards and even 4x is too much. A good quality (doesn't have to be Teutonic) 2-7x or 3-9x will cover pretty much all the bases in woodland stalking. There's a big increase in field of view even between 3x and 4x at under fifty yards. A standard duplex works better IMHO than does a post and one that doesn't get bigger as you increase the magnification. It's a bit "bad form" and some frown on it but if you crank the power up to 7x or 9x you can use the 'scope to scan woodland edges for deer too.
Last edited:
Hi
your 243 set up sounds ideal
but personaly if fallow or red was on the
list I would have 6.5x55 ,7x57 or 308 with
a short ish barrel 20-22in with a fixed 6 or 8 power scope
i known 243 will do all uk species and I used one for many
years , but prefer the three above . I would only have another
243 for foxing (50gr Bullets) and for muntjac and roe
but this is only my personal opinion
atb
your 243 set up sounds ideal
but personaly if fallow or red was on the
list I would have 6.5x55 ,7x57 or 308 with
a short ish barrel 20-22in with a fixed 6 or 8 power scope
i known 243 will do all uk species and I used one for many
years , but prefer the three above . I would only have another
243 for foxing (50gr Bullets) and for muntjac and roe
but this is only my personal opinion
atb
Thanks for the advice, I think i'll still stick with the standard scope with a good clarity.
I have encountered varmint bullets breaking up on small branches before hitting the deer it leave a big mess. I imagine that wouldn't be such a problem with heaver bullets...
cheers
I have encountered varmint bullets breaking up on small branches before hitting the deer it leave a big mess. I imagine that wouldn't be such a problem with heaver bullets...
cheers
Chris J
Well-Known Member
Well there's an evening's Googling / You Toob for you. Bullet deflection.
Even .50 BMG gets deflected. It kinda goes without saying whilst we all have off shots now and then, you can't be relying on a heavier bullet to make it through something that's obscuring the target.
Even .50 BMG gets deflected. It kinda goes without saying whilst we all have off shots now and then, you can't be relying on a heavier bullet to make it through something that's obscuring the target.
Yes the bigger bullets will of course deflect but a lot less and depending on the bullet shouldn't break up.
However the lighter caliber hunting bullets on a 22 250 or 243 tend to break up and fragment, even on smaller branch which can certainly cause a lot more meat damage.
However the lighter caliber hunting bullets on a 22 250 or 243 tend to break up and fragment, even on smaller branch which can certainly cause a lot more meat damage.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
I use a break action combination gun with a 1.25-4 x20 scope. Its light, short overall but with a 26" the noise is kept down. Its silent to load and unload, and like a shotgun silent to open and close when you are climbing over trees and fences etc. Mine is a 7mm and tend to use a 139gn soft point bullet at c 2650 fps. I also use it on driven pigs in woods with a 173gn bullet - and I have an insert barrel for the shot barrel so I have two rifle shots, or I can use slugs.
And its accurate and have taken Roe out to 160m.
And being a combination I have a 16 bore shotgun barrel for when the deer don't turn up, but pigeons or ducks, or I spook a fox at close range or I need to shoot squirrels out of trees. Mostly I keep it as a combination. In woodland you only get one shot.
And its accurate and have taken Roe out to 160m.
And being a combination I have a 16 bore shotgun barrel for when the deer don't turn up, but pigeons or ducks, or I spook a fox at close range or I need to shoot squirrels out of trees. Mostly I keep it as a combination. In woodland you only get one shot.
Last edited:
A combination gun is good, because you have a quick second shot with a slug, where that is legal. I have a Leupold 2.5x20mm in claw mounts on my 8x57JRS / 16 gauge.
A single shot makes for a shorter rifle, while still keeping a long enough barrel. A Ruger No.1A in 7x57mm is a good all-around rifle. I had one, sold to a friend, now have .280 Rem.
I also have a Winchester M70 Compact in 7mm-08, with a Burris 1.25-5x22mm scope. This is a handy rig that is quick on target, and has reach for long shots.
A Browning BLR in 7mm-08 or .308 Win is just as short as my M70, and faster second shot. I have a 2-7x35mm Burris on it, but a 1.25-4x24 with German #1 would be even better for quick shots. Or a tactical 1-4x24mm illuminated like a Bushnell BTR-1.
All these rifles except the M70 Compact, and other stalking rifles - like the FR-8 Mauser - have iron sights. The scopes are in quick release mounts which return to zero. Some are open sights, some a Lyman 57 aperture sight which removes with a push button and returns to zero. Good iron sights on a rifle which fits you and the clothing are the light, slim, easiest to carry, fast to aim, and all you need out to 100 yards offhand, with a little practice. My scopes are accessories, secondary sights.
A single shot makes for a shorter rifle, while still keeping a long enough barrel. A Ruger No.1A in 7x57mm is a good all-around rifle. I had one, sold to a friend, now have .280 Rem.
I also have a Winchester M70 Compact in 7mm-08, with a Burris 1.25-5x22mm scope. This is a handy rig that is quick on target, and has reach for long shots.
A Browning BLR in 7mm-08 or .308 Win is just as short as my M70, and faster second shot. I have a 2-7x35mm Burris on it, but a 1.25-4x24 with German #1 would be even better for quick shots. Or a tactical 1-4x24mm illuminated like a Bushnell BTR-1.
All these rifles except the M70 Compact, and other stalking rifles - like the FR-8 Mauser - have iron sights. The scopes are in quick release mounts which return to zero. Some are open sights, some a Lyman 57 aperture sight which removes with a push button and returns to zero. Good iron sights on a rifle which fits you and the clothing are the light, slim, easiest to carry, fast to aim, and all you need out to 100 yards offhand, with a little practice. My scopes are accessories, secondary sights.
Last edited:
Sorry, I’ve got to ask, but what you doing shooting deer with a varmint bullets?
Penyard
Well-Known Member
They’re not varmint bullets.
243 isn't ideal in my opinion, too fast and excessive meat damage at close ranges. I'd say 308 with short barrel and mod. I'd also be interested in 30-30 or 7.62x39 as a pure woodland gun but not shot these myself. Also 8x50 is terrible for woodland stalking - speaking from experience and now use a variable which is usually set to 4x when in woods
2130martin
Well-Known Member
I have a Sako Carbonlight in .308.
Swarovski Z6i 1.7-10x42.
Hausken moderator.
Nice lightweight quick pointing rifle,just meed to practice my freehand shooting.
Swarovski Z6i 1.7-10x42.
Hausken moderator.
Nice lightweight quick pointing rifle,just meed to practice my freehand shooting.
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
I have an old Savage 219 ( Google ) break action single shot in 30/30 with an older Weaver 1.5 to 4 X scope on it . It's one of my favorite rifles . It's nothing fancy , agricultural would be a good description , but it's a great heavy cover rifle . It's a poor mans Kipplauf lol . I load up low velocity cast bullets and use it for Snow Shoe Hares just for fun as well . I doubt you'd run into many in your neck of the woods though .
AB
Similar threads
