Hi. As my title suggests I have some experience stalking have being out few time with other stalkers over the last few year. I live in an area where fallow deer are plentiful I enjoy the nature aspect, learning about them and there habits and ecology. From the stalking side of it everything form stalking to butchering. I live in the west of Ireland. I have read alot of threads on here and find it a great place for information. I done the deer stalking trying course a few weeks ago. So next step is put a deposit on a rifle and apply for the deer licence. Currently thinking about getting a Mauser m18 pure this is the timber stock version, no real reason for thinking about the timber stock over synthetic other than I like the look of the timber over the synthetic version. Calibre thinking either. 243 or .308 as there is more of a choice of ammo for in my area. Leaning towards the .308 due the possibility of the lead ban in the future. If you have mauser m18 do you like the rifle or use .308 for fallow is it a suitable Calibre?
Newish to stalking
- Thread starter anddon
- Start date
Welcome to the site. Only my opinion' The 308 is an admirable choice as the ammo for it can equal the 243 weight and double if' you should ever need to. You are legal to take All UK species with it, not so the 243.
BC.
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Plenty of people taking the larger species with .243 - the Scots have just dropped the minimum weight for large deer to allow people to continue to shoot large species with copper .243 bullets - so no legal issue to take all quarry in the UK, and there's plenty of power with the cartridge to do the same.
.308 will cover you for everything, there is no issue with .243 and the lead ban unless the laws in Ireland are a lot different to the UK, which I don't believe that they are.
Welcome to the site. I had a go with a Mauser M18 in .308 on the range and it handled well and was accurate - can't go far wrong there. Perhaps have a look at the Wild Deer Association of Ireland - good group of likeminded people and lots of experience and membership will cover your insurance.
Thanks for your replies all the information is appreciated. I'm looking forward to getting a rifle, when licence comes through then getting out to get some venison for the dinner. I'm sure i will have lots more questions then. I'm luck in that I have a few farmers I will be able shoot on. Do you do your own butcher? I will have to hang the deer in a cool shed for the first while but hope to buy a tall fridge when I get setup with everything else.
.243 is legal for all UK deer, and I don’t think that the proposed lead ban will affect that. It's a popular calibre, and ammo is readily available.
.308 will give you a bit more clout on bigger animals, and more margin for error, but good shot placement with a .243 is equally effective. Depends how much error there is in your shooting....
Lots of us on here do our own butchering, and there is loads of good advice to be had with regard to kitting out a space at home for processing carcasses.
Doing the butchery yourself is a fantastic part of the whole "field to fork" process.
Enjoy the journey!
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