opinions in choice of new calibre

nico243

Active Member
Hi Gents,
Although I consider myself fairly well versed in firearms, especially rifles and calibres (I should be its my job;)) I just wondered what the opinions were of you other stalkers and learned gentlemen were?
I have had and used .243win for donkeys years and used .308win on and off for about as long (with .243win being my main-stay rifle) I'm looking for something a little bigger, although now having pretty much decided to go with a 7mm-08rem, my other choices in the running were/are another .308win (although I do fancy a change), .30-06spr or maybe 6.5x55
I use .222 for foxes and if going out exclusively for Munties, and .243 for Roe and Fallow, I will be keeping the .243 Ruger no#1 as it is an excellent round and the rifle was built for me by a friend and is very accurate with its 1/8" twist barrel, but I now am looking towards a larger .cal turn bolt/magazine rifle.

what are you guys using apart from .243, what are your recommendations ?
I hasten to add I am looking for advice from people that have or use said calibres and not "My mate has a .ujimaflip cal....."

I should of also mentioned what ever I do get I will homeload for so availability of factory fodder and/or chioce isn't important really.
 
Have a 6.5, just selling it and am going to use a .308. If i could afford to keep the 6.5 I would as it is a very good round. I will fill the slot again at some time with either a .260 or a 6.5x55. But I am very happy with the .308. It will do just about anything.

There was a very nice .270 WSM for sale on here a while back which would be very different.

Simon
 
Hi Nico, i have been using 30-06 for about 5 years now. It is the sweetest thing to shoot and i have taken African game, Red Hinds in Scotland at all ranges,i even use it for woodland stalking of Roe. The great thing is that you can load it for almost anything you want to hunt and in any terrian.

My mate uses his for all of the above plus driven Boar.

Tusker
 
I have a .223 &.308 but want a 260 and a 20tac and a 7mm rem mag and a etc etc etc + more time to shoot them.

In reallity you have all you need and so do i, just stop reading magazines and forums and save yourself the heartache. :D

Thats what i try to tell myself anyway. :coat:
 
My main stalking rifle for the past 15years was a .270 and in the meantime I have also used/owned .243, .25-06, 7x57, .308 and .30-06 (and few others when hunting abroad). They all work well, but the .270 was the best all-round choice for me. I recently sold the .270 though and have gone with a short-barrelled 6.5x47 with a moderator as most of my stalking is now muntjac, roe and fallow; and have added a longer barrelled .30-06 without moderator which will work fine for the hill and also boar abroad.
 
Hi Buddy

need to get on the does with me mate, we need to make the phone call at some point to the main man ??

anyhoo, you are spoiling for trouble with the question, as your spoilt for choice at the moment ;). i am so happy with my 308 that i have for sale i just wish i could keep it.(you should know you where there with me the night i shot a 5 round ragged hole with it)

so my choice would be a 308 and thats what im doing bud, just need to move the heavy lefty and get myself a lighter rifle,

PS: im stalking on friday morning, so are we up for some foxing this weekend.

pps: you still have not been to the new house for a cup of ta yet :(

speak later

bob.
 
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I stalk Roe, Fallow, Munties with the odd trip up to Scotland and some boar abroad.

I have used .243 .270 .308 and a 300 win mag. I am currently looking at changing my rifle.

If it was just me shooting I would happily take a .243 for most of my UK work. As I guide a lot and quite a lot of the time they are beginners or not very experienced people I would prefer something with a bit more punch. My trip to Scotland this year saw us take 3 stags in the week using a .243, but all of the guys were not very experienced and every single animal required a follow up shot. I know a .243 will bring most things down with a good engine room shot but with people are not very experienced you need a bit of margin for error.

.270 is the devils calibre :stir:

.308 is my current rifle and it has done everything I have asked of it. It drops large fallow on the spot and does not vaporise the munties.

300 win mag, I use on driven shoots. On my last one I took 14 animals a mix of red and wild boar. The gun did not fail me at all.

So I currently have a variation in for a new .308 (I want a prettier gun) going to get a 300 win mag barrel. I also added a .17 HMR to keep the MET busy.

I am pretty simple to please with my rifles, the ammo has to be easily found and it has to shoot a sub 1 inch group at 100 meters. I don't mind punching paper but I don't see the fascination with being able to clover 3 shots etc, my stalking rifle is a tool to humanly dispatch dear. If I want to punch paper I would get a target rifle.
 
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I used to have a 30-06 I did like it alot but swopped it for a .308, and still kind of miss it however .308 will do everything the 30-06 can do. I did have a .243 win and chopped it in and to be honest I'm no missing it. Have a look at the 6.5x55 nice soft shooting round, slightly more powerful than the .243win.

From a reloading perspective, .308 is designed with the 150 grain bullet in mind, it also uses less powder the the 30-06 and the 308 is supposibly more accurate(??), there is also a lot of choice bullet head and component wise.
 
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