I would hands down rather have a .44 Mag for shots under 50 yards than a .243 but I was using the comparison more to show that I don't really consider either suitable for wild boar and chose a commonplace cartridge to compare the .44 Mag to.
.44 suitable
- Thread starter mrhim
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I would hands down rather have a .44 Mag for shots under 50 yards than a .243 but I was using the comparison more to show that I don't really consider either suitable for wild boar and chose a commonplace cartridge to compare the .44 Mag to.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
Gosh no! It was a "park deer" rifle. It does after all produce full house .357 Magnum ballistics of a 140 grain bullet at well over 1,200 fps. The Sherwood was originally advertised as being ideal for the purpose "park deer" as it didn't have "the danger of the Highland stalker's weapon".
I can't find the Westley's advert that uses those words but BSA's exact copy the .300 Extra Long did sell itself as below:
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I understood what you meant, Jim, but so many people here hunt with .243 Win and have not experience with the .44 Magnum, that they might not realize there is more to it than foot-lbs of kinetic energy. And a .44 Magnum is great for smaller hogs. But sooner or later, a boar hunter is going to run into Mr. Big, and wish they had a bigger thunderstick in hand.
When I got my .444, I was in Hog Heaven.
When I got my .444, I was in Hog Heaven.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
Here's one of Westley's adverts for their .298 Minex. Not the particular, Sherwood, advert I wanted. But nevertheless references its use for deer:
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Interesting! In Henry Sharp's 'Modern Sporting Gunnery' (1906) the .300 Minex/Sherwood is suggested as useful for fallow and black buck as well as stags up to 231lbs; and a few unsolicited testimonials describe its use for chetal stags, black bears, bighorn and caribou (the last at 220yds). All with 140gr at 1450fps.
There's a fair bit of discussion of using Mauser pistols for deer too, though; and I think about this time His Royal and Imperial Highness Wilhelm II was using a Luger Carbine for a fair bit of his sporting shooting. He found it convenient because of his left arm problem, they say.
I think I'd still pick the 6.5x54, though!
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kennyc
Well-Known Member
I was scanning through an old book at the weekend, and came upon a page where the author was reminiscing about an aquaintance who was a well known shot who managed to take 7 Roe with 7 shots in one outing, all with a .22lr semi auto ! how times have changed!
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
The book. Escritt? Rifleman and Pistolman?
kennyc
Well-Known Member
I think it was The Sporting Rifle and its use in Britain by Henry Tegner, it was one of many in IanF's collection and caught my eye whilst listening to the tiles dancing in the wind Saturday night
I think it was The Sporting Rifle and its use in Britain by Henry Tegner, it was one of many in IanF's collection and caught my eye whilst listening to the tiles dancing in the wind Saturday night
You're right - it is published 1962. Captain James Brander Dunbar of Pitgaveny, Moray was the sportsman in question. He also refers to an Invernessshire stalker who used .22LR for his hind cull (and he surely wasn't the only one), but did this by stalking in to 50yds and neck-shooting: 'I have known him kill five hind out of a herd with five consecutive shots, and every one killed clean.'
Tegner goes on, though:
'But such feats as these should certainly not be attempted by the beginner, or average rifleman, for the risk of wounding is far too great. It is to avoid the loss of a wounded beast that demands that a suitable rifle, shooting the the correct type of ammunition, should always be used. There is now sufficient literature, and there are enough experienced hunters in this country, so that anyone who wishes to hunt game with a rifle can have the neccessary instruction, provided he has the sense to search for it. There is no excuse whatsoever for a man today to go out after live game equipped with the wrong kind of rifle and inadequate ammuntion.'
In an earlier (and broadly not dissimilar) book, 'The Sporting Rifle'of 1951, Tegner first airs the stories above, but also adds:
'On hinds, I myself have used a Jeffrey .255 rook and rabbit rifle. This, of course, is more powerful than a .22 but it is not a high velocity rifle. I killed 18 hinds in five days' stalking with it. Other rifles of a similar type are the Greener .310 and the Westley Richards 'Sherwood' .300.'
It is telling, perhaps, that this bit did not appear in the later book (at least, not as far as I can tell). Tegner is quite emphatic about using enough rifle and the right sort of bullet. He also has stern words against shotguns casually and inappropriately deployed against deer.
Interesting stuff.
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Capreolus257
Well-Known Member
Someone here use the 44 mag in the Ruger semi-auto about it I am not very favourable although one of the biggest boar(130-140kg) I have seen in the last years was killed by a 44 mag bullet.
For me if you are serious hunter let it in the gun cabinet and use a normal rifle because using 44 mag you will increase enormously the risk of wounding the boar and the risks for the dog because a big male boar wounded is often a big trouble for the dogs health.
For me if you are serious hunter let it in the gun cabinet and use a normal rifle because using 44 mag you will increase enormously the risk of wounding the boar and the risks for the dog because a big male boar wounded is often a big trouble for the dogs health.
ileso
Well-Known Member
Capreolus257
Well-Known Member
There is an exception to this text, it speaks about shooting to quite animals the story change when you have to shoot animal during a driven hunt
Capreolus257
Well-Known Member
In my opion 270, 7 , 300, 338 magnum are too fast and they required longer barrel who aren't so good to shoot to a moving target
Ok, that's 4, from 25 different calibres, but I think it's also what you're used to, and what an individual gets on with. My Portuguese friend uses a Browning Bar in 300 win mag, and I know the 7mm magnums are popular too.
That said, I agree, in as much as I use a 9.3 x 62, & 9.3 x 74R, with 18.5, & 20" barrels, respectively.
Capreolus257
Well-Known Member
9,3x74R one love
For the rest double in 9,3x74r and other thing 9,3x62 or 30-06
For the rest double in 9,3x74r and other thing 9,3x62 or 30-06
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