2 calibres

[LeftHandGuy]

View attachment 372331

I realize that it wouldn't be legal for the larger deer per the various deer acts, but I think in the context of only having two rifles it would be a superb option, with (potentially) reduced hard cast loads for HD, rabbits, foxes and general plinking as a nice side bonus.

Prices on 357 lever carbines over here are crazily inflated, which is a real shame because I would love one.

 

[Shootgun]

.243 and .270

 

[ejg]

Got on really well with 6.5CM and 300wm last season, no reason to change.
edi

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

300 Norma Magnum
And 7mm Norma Magnum…

 

[scrumbag]

I do like my 223 Rem. Fast enough twist to stabilise 65gr bullets and long non-lead bullets.

I do like 7x64

If I want an English legal roe rifle my 257 roberts is great

 

[Rory]

.223 and .308
Both offer a ridiculous amount of variety of bullet weights, types and are more than capable in effect.

 

[Corf30]

.222 and .308

 

[Dunwaters]

You should be able to take whatever quarry presents legally with whatever you’re carrying.
That excludes a lot of suggestions….

 

[Greener Jim]

I realize that it wouldn't be legal for the larger deer per the various deer acts, but I think in the context of only having two rifles it would be a superb option, with (potentially) reduced hard cast loads for HD, rabbits, foxes and general plinking as a nice side bonus.

Prices on 357 lever carbines over here are crazily inflated, which is a real shame because I would love one.

I love mine (12" barrelled Martini). Fancy a new barrel but finding it hard to find something that ticks so many boxes as 38/357.

 

[mikreez]

Yeah, nice and easy really. Easier with lighter bullets to maximise case capacity.

I wonder what would be the effective range of .357 used for small deer ...

 

[LeftHandGuy]

I wonder what would be the effective range of .357 used for small deer ...

Totally dependent on barrel length and the actual load.... I would be very surprised if a factory 158 gn HP load struggled up to and including about 125 yards from a carbine...

 

[LeftHandGuy]

I love mine (12" barrelled Martini). Fancy a new barrel but finding it hard to find something that ticks so many boxes as 38/357.

I have a BSA martini in 32 SPL..TBH I think I would have preferred it in 357 but hey... You might try getting it rebarreled in 30-30 if you're really itchy for something new, or maybe a 7-30 Waters, which could probably allow you to get big dear legal, at least in England, without too much faffing about

 

[stubear]

.25-06 and .300wm - what I’ve got now

 

[Jono 4]

.243 for foxes and small deer
30-06 for other stuff, such a wide range of ammo
These are the two I take from the cabinet the most

 

[bramble basher]

.243 and 6.5x284 for me does everything I need
Bb

 

[GDhunting]

Open hill or woodland for large deer?

 

[25 Sharps]

Yeah, nice and easy really. Easier with lighter bullets to maximise case capacity.

Are you making 1000 ft-lb with a 12” barrel? Mines a 20 and I’m getting 1250 ft-lb with a 110 gr, looking at the data 125 gr is optimum for power.

 

[25 Sharps]

Totally dependent on barrel length and the actual load.... I would be very surprised if a factory 158 gn HP load struggled up to and including about 125 yards from a carbine...

It wouldn’t make small deer legal in 158 gr, especially as most loads are pistol loads as opposed to rifle loads, but even then 158 gr bullets eat up too much powder space.

 

[tusker]

243 and 30-06

 

[Overlay]

22 hornet - rabbits foxes
243 - foxes deer