Which calibre to change too?

[TringSaint]

Exactly this.

Moderated rifle that fits you will be very hard to tell apart from a .243

I have a rem700 SPS in 308 with 26” heavy barrel.
Originally I stuck it into an AICS chassis and popped a featherweight ‘cast iron’ T8 on the end and it was like a 22RF as mentioned above.

Since deciding to use it for stalking I put the rifle on a crash diet - gone went the T8, AICS chassis, huge MTC scope and 10” of barrel, and in came an MDT oryx, Rudolph scope and for mod.
Weight reduction was about 3 tonnes!

But in terms of recoil, it’s hardly any different. Given I am a big lump (6 foot and 18 stone of ex rugby player) but still would be happy to shoot all day long.

In fact I barely notice any recoil from anything other than a 12g with 42g loads!

 

[Bowland blades]

I've got a .308 F Class rifle with a mod, its like firing a .22 LR.

I've fired an iron sighted .308 unmoderated target rifle that didn't fit me particuarly well. That was unpleasant.

All depends on the weight of the rifle, the fit and whether it is moderated.

It actually depends on the weight of the bullet , its speed and the weight of the gun. 140 grain 6.5 mm and a 140 grain 308 in the same rifle will be even .. The mod adds weight and slows the blast reducing recoil in both cases . The 140 6.5 mm has a lot higher BC but thats another story

 

[25 Sharps]

Ended as I can’t be bothered to argue with a …t!!

Don’t hide behind the dots buddy, throw insults away, sure sign you’ve lost a debate.

In future just say what you mean rather than something different to what you intended….

 

[Griggo06]

I think I'm going to get a .223 for exactly this reason.

 

[Ludders]

I’ve spoken with firearms licensing today regarding my FAC variation all good no issues, but I put down 6.5mm rifle. Apparently I need to be more calibre specific..

Just putting on the tin hat

I went 6.5mm Creedmoor!!

 

[25 Sharps]

I’ve spoken with firearms licensing today regarding my FAC variation all good no issues, but I put down 6.5mm rifle. Apparently I need to be more calibre specific..

Just putting on the tin hat

I went 6.5mm Creedmoor!!

Sounds entirely sensible, I’m sure you won’t regret it

 

[JTO]

I’ve spoken with firearms licensing today regarding my FAC variation all good no issues, but I put down 6.5mm rifle. Apparently I need to be more calibre specific..

Just putting on the tin hat

I went 6.5mm Creedmoor!!

On my last renewal I asked, for, and got, a .284/7mm so that I could have a choice of calibres/chambers.
I had a 7mm-08 in mind but ended up with another .284W.

 

[shakey jake]

I’ve spoken with firearms licensing today regarding my FAC variation all good no issues, but I put down 6.5mm rifle. Apparently I need to be more calibre specific..

Just putting on the tin hat

I went 6.5mm Creedmoor!!

id ask what they mean by calibre? 6.5bis the calibre, Creedmoor is a chambering.they should get it right

 

[Sonicdmb73]

I’ve spoken with firearms licensing today regarding my FAC variation all good no issues, but I put down 6.5mm rifle. Apparently I need to be more calibre specific..

Just putting on the tin hat

I went 6.5mm Creedmoor!!

My pedantry would probably lead me to ask the same question.

id ask what they mean by calibre? 6.5bis the calibre, Creedmoor is a chambering.they should get it right

 

[RJD]

I’ve spoken with firearms licensing today regarding my FAC variation all good no issues, but I put down 6.5mm rifle. Apparently I need to be more calibre specific..

Just putting on the tin hat

I went 6.5mm Creedmoor!!

Weirdly same happened to me, having seen caliber rather than chamber I put down 6.5 and .30 as I was fussed creedmore vs prc and 308 vs 30/06 depending on what rifles were best priced. The firearms manger (who was amazingly helpful) corrected me and I’ve ended up with creedmore and 30/06

 

[Twodogs]

Whilst the application is for a calibre, not a chambering, it is understandable why some FLO may be wanting some clarification, I can’t think many would be to happy if any of us acquired a 30-378 Weatherby magnum (if you can even get them over here) On a .30 calibre grant.

What is clear is some do not understand the difference between calibre/chambering and even specification. For example the venerable .303 is actually a .312/“7.92mm bullet.

 

[steve w]

i have moved to 30.06 from .243 and i shoot muntjac using 150 grain federal lead and get very little meat damage much less the .243 .i used 170 grain sako blade copper on red hinds and they worked very well .the 30.06 is my gun of choice now .and i also used in on wild boar in turkey a few weeks ago .

 

[Sonicdmb73]

i have moved to 30.06 from .243 and i shoot muntjac using 150 grain federal lead and get very little meat damage much less the .243 .i used 170 grain sako blade copper on red hinds and they worked very well .the 30.06 is my gun of choice now .and i also used in on wild boar in turkey a few weeks ago .

I you reload you’re probably going to be hard pushed to find a more versatile cartridge.
110gn Varmint bullets to over 200gn ones. You can load something for virtually anything (bar dangerous game) and it will be acceptable to use nearly everywhere you might want to go.

 

[Overlay]

243 - 100gr copper ammo available at Edinburgh rifles. Used it, tried and tested all good

Yep. That’s what I'm using had no problem at all

 

[Sonicdmb73]

243 - 100gr copper ammo available at Edinburgh rifles. Used it, tried and tested all good

Yep. That’s what I'm using had no problem at all

All well and good if you’re local or reload (assuming you can use reloads). Otherwise not a practical solution for many of us.

Don’t get me wrong I loved my 243’s, but they are discriminated against by the legislation.

 

[308tikka]

Weirdly same happened to me, having seen caliber rather than chamber I put down 6.5 and .30 as I was fussed creedmore vs prc and 308 vs 30/06 depending on what rifles were best priced. The firearms manger (who was amazingly helpful) corrected me and I’ve ended up with creedmore and 30/06

To take the pedantry further, you can have a 6.5 barrel / rifle slot, then choose which one. You wont necessarily have the ammo allowance so it may be a moot point.

My FEO was happy for me to have 6.5 and choose chambering closer to time.

What is the important bit, the bullet coming out of the rifle.

 

[TringSaint]

I’ve spoken with firearms licensing today regarding my FAC variation all good no issues, but I put down 6.5mm rifle. Apparently I need to be more calibre specific..

Just putting on the tin hat

I went 6.5mm Creedmoor!!

Noooooooo! Not another one!!

At the end of the day, all bullets will kill coming out of a centrefire rifle, so very little to choose from in that regard.
Then it all boils down to how you want the bullet to fly and the gun to react.

But, it’s all a bit like picking one supercar feature over another - most of us will never be good enough to get close to, let alone reach the limits of the equipment, so we end up being the biggest limiting factor.

So ultimately whatever you pick it will drop deer and do the job you want.

Just don’t start buying the obligatory creedmore hats / t-shirts, etc!!

 

[jmb]

I’d keep the .243 and go to Edinburgh rifles as others have said. The 100gn factory loaded peregrines are accurate enough in my Mannlicher PH with a now shortened 20” barrel.

Not shot any deer with them yet but they group acceptably well. The lead round in the magazine is a 100 gun Sako for comparisonView attachment 291688

Just back from stalking red hinds on Arran
The peregrine 100 grain 243 ammo from Ed at Edinburgh Rifle did the job very well through a Tikka.

 

[ItalianHound]

7x64 my all time favourite. Easy to reload. Accurate and very very effective. Mild recoil...what else!

 

[hybridfiat]

I’ve never shot a 308, what’s recoil like compared to 6.5??

It depends on the rifle too.
I've been belted by one 308 (light and a lot of drop at the comb) and yet the next rifle I shot was gentle in comparison (heavy and a had straight stock).
My personal preference is the 6.5x55.
A really pleasant rifle to shoot and usually super accurate.