.243 for rabbits

[needsy]

I have just read this months sporting rifle & saw this in one article

" I have recently updated my .243 to a RPA Hunter with a thumb-hole stock and JET_Z moderator which is capable of taking out rabbits to 600 yards".

Any views on this, I would think it takes some scope & shooting ability to hit a rabbit at 600yards.

 

[sikamalc]

Must have bloody good eyesight to see a Rabbit at 600yds, perhaps he is on a diet of carrots
Expensive Rabbits as well shooting them with a 243

 

[MJ75]

I have just read this months sporting rifle & saw this in one article

" I have recently updated my .243 to a RPA Hunter with a thumb-hole stock and JET_Z moderator which is capable of taking out rabbits to 600 yards".

Any views on this, I would think it takes some scope & shooting ability to hit a rabbit at 600yards.

My local fires arms licensing authority will not allow me to have rabbits (Vermin and groundgame) on my .243 as the home office guidelines specify that nothing more than a .22 hornet is required.

Maybe I should have said, yes but they'll be at 600 yards....

 

[paul k]

I've shot at rabbit and pigeon targets at over 600 mtrs but I was in a comfortable prone position using 59grn loads from a well fettled metal moderated ASI 22-250 "sniper" rifle off a bipod and that had been adjusted for cross wind from ballistics tables and with an accurate range finder. The rifle weighed over 18lbs which helped a lot.

With all this kit and preparation I was able to make a "killing" shot but would not be comfortable taking shots at wild rabbits at this range with "field" kit.

I also made two killing shots on a fox target with the same kit at 740 metres and that's a bloody long way off, but the highlight of the outing was knocking the heads off dandelions at 150 mtrs with a .17HR - a fantastic little round.

The guy I was with said that the crows up there had got used to the effective range of a .22LR but hadn't yet worked out that he was a danger to them at over 200 mtrs with the .17HR and to prove the point he picked out a crow sititng in a tree well over 200 metres away just watching us, I think it was quite surprised to receive a round just a few moments later!!

 

[poddle]

Shooting crows in trees at 200 meters suggests that was very little backstop.

At least if he was underneath the tree the bullet would stop before returning to earth

I use my HMR for crows, but normally wait till they are on the ground

 

[paul k]

Shooting crows in trees at 200 meters suggests that was very little backstop.

At least if he was underneath the tree the bullet would stop before returning to earth

I use my HMR for crows, but normally wait till they are on the ground

In most situations you would be right but this was in the Welsh hills and there was a hillside behind the tree.

 

[Alycidon]

I have been shown groups shot on paper of an inch at 400 yards and four inches at 725 yards. Heavyweight rifle, in 20BR caliber, specialist scope, military spec rangefinder. ballistic programme, turret rest etc etc.

Throw enough bucks at it and you can reach out there but you simply cant do it with a factory rifle and none of the support gear.

A

 

[sikamalc]

Thats fine if you want to hump 15lbs of rifle up hill and down dale just to shoot rabbits, then by the time you have walked up to collect the Rabbits you have shot a few times, that will add a bit more weight then by the time you have finished all of this you can enter for the strongest man in Great Britain title

 

[325wsm]

I have been shown groups shot on paper of an inch at 400 yards and four inches at 725 yards. Heavyweight rifle, in 20BR caliber, specialist scope, military spec rangefinder. ballistic programme, turret rest etc etc.

Throw enough bucks at it and you can reach out there but you simply cant do it with a factory rifle and none of the support gear.

A

I do have to disagree rather.
My standard factory 25WSSM Winchester featherweight is great out to the longer ranges even with factory ammo and all I need to take with me is a friend with a 223 to do the round sighting. Last year in one afternoon and 3 evenings we shot well in excess of 200 hares at ranges normally left for the target boys.

The only concession was to also take a 22-250 to allow the 25 and 223 to cool down.

 

[caleiderscope]

Its all very possible without the heavey rifle, even the Sako 75 Varmint is capable of this and its damn good fun and very addictive!

 

[ezzy6.5]

243 for rabbits

Hi all,
new to the forum so i've been reading all the different topics, when i saw this one it reminded me of a book that i bought a few years ago.
it is called a varmint hunters odesy, it came from sinclair international and i bought it for a bit of bed time reading. anyone interested in hitting small things at rediculus ranges should give it a go. some of the kit they use is unbeleivable considering what they are shooting. they have a chapter on 'ultra long range varminting that starts at 1000M.
Be warned after reading this book you are likely to convince yourself that you absolutely have to have at least a 7mm Rem mag for those hard to stalk rabbits and squirrels.

338/416 anyone.