Calibre for small deer

[sy247]

I think for the moment I am tempted to stick with the .270 and experiement will bullet weight and shot placement. I think I could spend a lot of money on another rifle, glass etc and not end up with a signficantly better outcome.

 

[DamaDaz]

Ah ok will try 150gr from my 308. TY for info

Good choice

 

[Mungo]

Ah ok will try 150gr from my 308. TY for info

I found the standard Federal Powershok (blue box) really reliable on fallow and roe, and they didn’t make too much mess, though it’s quite a soft bullet.

Federal Fusion are a harder bullet again, and produce clean carcasses, though be ready for the odd runner.

Even cleaner are some of the copper bullets. Fox 130gr is very good indeed for leaving nice neat carcasses.

 

[Jagged77]

The Virtus Osprey 125 gr has performed well from my .308 on Roe and CWD. Much less damage than 130gr TGK (lead) from my .260 but travelling faster.

The .308 is a great and versatile chambering - lob heavies or load fast and light.

 

[6pt-sika]

Where I am based there are Fallow/Sika and a few munty, ranges no more than 200m.
As for conditions ranges from forested area to open field.

If I were in your place I have a trio I’d use . The Mannlicher Schoenauer stutzens in 6.5x54 MS and 7x57 with the third being a Remington 700 5R fluted HB in 260 REM suppressed with a 6-24x and an 10 ounce trigger .

 

[Siggy]

I use a 6.5x55 it’s okay on the CWD. muntjac I just shoulder shoot and waste the front end - better having just the back end than green soup. The advantage is I’m not under gunned on the reds and fallow.

 

[Tazz]

Presume you mean 243 ?

No I mean 223 ideal for CWD and Muntys, accurate flat and fast with 50-55 gr rounds

 

[HonestJohn]

I might need another .257roberts on a Mauser action again in my life.. probably the best and most pleasant 100-120g small-med deer cartridge I’ve used.

 

[Scipio]

I might need another .257roberts on a Mauser action again in my life.. probably the best and most pleasant 100-120g small-med deer cartridge I’ve used.

I feel ya' need for the quarter bob amico mio, i really do. - if i may suggest an alternative, maybe looking for a mauser actioned 6.5x57 or 6.5x55 could also be a good idea. The 264 is, very close to the quarter bob in caliber size after all, there are more bullet options available (especially if you reload), AND, in the case of x57, it was a pretty popular european hunting cartridge back when mauser 98 actions were being used for sporters. So i could imagine a good few of them are gettable for quite decent prices, given the lacking popularity of the caliber these days. If you do reload that could be an idea to pursue

 

[DaveNeal]

The Virtus Osprey 125 gr has performed well from my .308 on Roe and CWD. Much less damage than 130gr TGK (lead) from my .260 but travelling faster.

The .308 is a great and versatile chambering - lob heavies or load fast and light.

our perms are 'unfortunately' very muntjac with the occasional fallow. when hitting a munt, we loose the entire front - but then I'm shooting 105gr. hows the meat loss on say the CWD with the 125 - do you still lose a shoulder or is the front jelly or mostly usable ( shot location obviously being the key ).

coz I'm thinking of getting a .223 just for the munts

ta

 

[Jagged77]

our perms are 'unfortunately' very muntjac with the occasional fallow. when hitting a munt, we loose the entire front - but then I'm shooting 105gr. hows the meat loss on say the CWD with the 125 - do you still lose a shoulder or is the front jelly or mostly usable ( shot location obviously being the key ).

coz I'm thinking of getting a .223 just for the munts

ta

They still cause damage but one shoulder intact the other 70% usable - depends on the usual I guess (shot placement / distance / angle). Everything’s a trade off but I like them and will stick with them. I also use the Yew Tree 148’s out of a .300WM - very flat shooting!

 

[Loki]

Hi

Scrolling through the post, seems to me the .270W covers all that the UK offers and a substantial amount of other larger game found off-shore if want to go travelling.

Smaller deer i.e. Muntjac and Water Deer - why not another favourite of yesteryear - the .222Rem? Light, minimal recoil, flat shooting within most capabilities, so great 'tool' for Muntjac, Fox and North of Hadrian's Wall Roe too..................

L

 

[angusb1]

It's a shame we can't shoot roe with a 223 in England. Would be ideal for a lot of places where you see fox, muntjac and roe

 

[Donkey Basher]

308W - big & slow does less damage than lighter & faster 243W, I sold my 243W because it was making too much mess. It was a 1:8 twist which also has a bearing on carcass damage - the faster a lighter bullet is spinning the greater the damage it tends to do. My landowner has commented several times this season on the damage my 6.5x47 is doing “making some very big holes” - I’m using Sierra Prohunter 120gn doing about 2700fps but in a 1:8 twist barrel.

 

[ahb]

if you reload 6mm BR super accurate 31 grains of powder 90 grain bullet at 2900 FPS

 

[Sitka]

If your priority is to minimise meat damage, then something slow with a hard bullet will be best. But this will produce runners, especially with sika.

.308 is a good compromise, because it creates a reasonably big hole, but with a 150gr bullet from a 20” barrel, won’t be going very fast.

I use RWS Classic ID .308 150gr (almost entirely on Roe), I still get a fist sized exit hole on a heart/lung shot, whether 40meters or 140meters from target, unless between the ribs on both sides (which is rare). I don't self-load (avoiding that rabbit hole) and stick to RWS (as the Sauer seems to like them)....would a heavier bullet make much difference, has anyone experience of a heavier RWS round off the shelf?

 

[geoshot]

I use RWS Classic ID .308 150gr (almost entirely on Roe), I still get a fist sized exit hole on a heart/lung shot, whether 40meters or 140meters from target, unless between the ribs on both sides (which is rare). I don't self-load (avoiding that rabbit hole) and stick to RWS (as the Sauer seems to like them)....would a heavier bullet make much difference, has anyone experience of a heavier RWS round off the shelf?

I used to use RWS Evolution in my 30-06 and found it to be very good
I'm sure they load the same bullet in .308, it's 184 grains though - maybe too heavy?

 

[Jodie5864]

I use .243. i find it good for smaller deer like roe. With Norma 100gr soft point bullets

 

[Nimrod1960]

If I am on a Munty only outing I love my old Sako A1 in .222 with 55SP.

Great little round, flat as and drops them with minimum damage.

 

[jthyttin]

I use RWS Classic ID .308 150gr (almost entirely on Roe), I still get a fist sized exit hole on a heart/lung shot, whether 40meters or 140meters from target, unless between the ribs on both sides (which is rare). I don't self-load (avoiding that rabbit hole) and stick to RWS (as the Sauer seems to like them)....would a heavier bullet make much difference, has anyone experience of a heavier RWS round off the shelf?

I'd rather try other 150gr offerings, leaning bit towards controlled expansion. Maybe Federal Fusion, no personal experience but over the years I've heard good things about them including smaller species like roe (and calves/kids about the size of mature roe). They're still somewhat reasonable price, and maybe a pleasant surprise for you if used to RWS prices...