which calibre would be most suitable?

terrier1

Well-Known Member
Hi all you experienced stalkers out there, I am looking to get a stalking rifle and I am torn between a 243 or a 308. Please could you give me some advice as to which calibre would be most suitable?would like to cover all deer in UK.
 
IMHO you would be hard pressed to beat the 308 winchester plenty of choice as regards to rifles bullets ect will work well from the small deer to the biggest of woodland stags :thumb:
 
IMHO .270 will fit the bill.

If you put 50 stalkers in a room you would always get a debate on this subject.

Cheers

Ross
 
Got both, if I was only to have one I would go for the .308 it does less meet damage yet puts the animals down faster on average.

Dave
 
I used to have a .243 for stalking. Now I have .243, .308 and 6.5x55.

If I still had just the .243, I would not have shot fewer deer.

For factory-load versatility, I think the choice would have to be .308. I got a .243 to start with because I needed cf mainly for fox.
 
OK, I'll also have a go at the 'suggest a calibre he isn't considering' line....

On second thoughts, I think I'll stick with .308 as my suggestion.
:)
 
.270, covers anything and a huge range of bullets. Nice and flat trajectory as well. My .270 falls within 1 inch on the sme POA from 50m up to 150, only another inch or 2 drop to 200+
 
Hi all you experienced stalkers out there, I am looking to get a stalking rifle and I am torn between a 243 or a 308. Please could you give me some advice as to which calibre would be most suitable?would like to cover all deer in UK.

OK the two cartridges your asking about for normal UK stalking will do everything you need. So my take on this is find the rifle you like the best, fits you the best and come up nicely to the shoulder with sights aligned with your eye without having to move your head and get that one. Actual chambering will not really matter except for licensing..
 
308! first , last and in between! Massive range of bulley weight's, will do anything you will encounter in UK with confidence!.

If you put 2 rifle shooter's in a room thay will debate this one for days!

I have had several calibre's over the year's and it is the 308 that i use more than the rest put together!

ATB Barry
 
I always think this one is simple, the first thing is that both will do the job. The second thing is that, at all reasonable stalking ranges, you can down load the 308 to behave like (actually better than) a 243 with 110 grain bullets but you can't ever load your 243 up to 308 levels with a 150 or 165 grain bullet. With each 308 you buy you get a free 243.

I've never shot a deer and spent time thinking that I wished that I'd made a smaller hole in it but I have spent time after a not so good shot thinking that it was good I'd made as big a hole as possible.

Last season I had two BIG sika stags in the scope, I'm pretty sure both would have made a medal. I didn't shoot either of them as they would have been too heavy for me to extract and I mostly shoot for meat rather than a trophy. Neither presented broadside on shots or came closer than maybe 150 yards. At that distance a neck shot was out and it would have been necessary to shoot through the point of the shoulder on both of them. Had I of taken either shot I'd have been much happier with the 308 and 150 or 165 grain bullets than a 243 with a lighter bullet. Should you ever find yourself in the same position my money says you'll never regret having the bigger rifle with you.
 
Hi all you experienced stalkers out there, I am looking to get a stalking rifle and I am torn between a 243 or a 308. Please could you give me some advice as to which calibre would be most suitable?would like to cover all deer in UK.

Easy solution is to go between the two and get a 7mm-08.

It'll do everything in the UK with ease. Flatter than the .308 with as much punch for less recoil therefore easier and more comfortable to shoot well.
You don't need a huge range of bullets - just one! The 7mm-08 factory range is generally (in the UK) 120g, 139g, 140g and 150g in hollow point, BT's, soft point or Fusion (which are very good). I personally haven't found any ammunition for this caliber that doesn't shoot at least a 3/4" group at 100 yards.

If you want more info on this caliber there have been quite a few threads but if you can't find them just ask.
 
Buy either calibre because truth be told in 6 months time you will be wanting the one you didn't buy........

I am the proud owner of 6mmbr, .243, 7-08, .308 and a .20Tac.

Each one has its use and special place in my heart and I am already planning my next pruchase.
 
go for the 308
Loads of choice on ammo, available just about everywhere.
Hits like a hammer with 150 -180 gr bullets, it's like a death ray with lighter stuff.
Unless you're a wimp you won't notice the recoil.
 
I have a .243 and a .308
Both have taken deer at around the same distance with both deer dropping on the spot.

As previously said ,which ever you buy the other will follow in a few months :)
 
Go with the 308 for all the reasons above.
Plus -308 will be easy to sell secondhand / easy to buy secondhand if that what you are looking for.
-308 ammo is cheap and readily available -unlike 7-08
-if you want to shoot boar or go to Africa for plains game then the 308 is a no brainer

IMHO the 308 is a more flexible choice and provides a much greater margin of error if shot placement was less than perfect.

I shoot a 30-06 but thats another story!

Cheers
OT
 
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