Filling a new FAC

[WalkedUp]

I have been asked to assist my good friend, an estate manager, to complete his FAC. He’s a very experienced game shot. He shot his first ever pheasant under my tutelage and last year his estate released 165,000. He’s godfather to my youngest and his wife is godmother to my middle son. Anyway, he’s asked me to decide what to apply for and what rifles to buy. Money is no object. It is an ideal commission.

The sensible part of me says .22 Long Rifle, .243 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield. However there surely has to be room for a .223 Remington or 22-250 Remington, and a .270 Winchester or .308 Winchester, plus a .17 HMR. He has shot in Africa but is not keen to return. The new estate he’s putting together is going to cater substantially for Americans. That list hasn’t even considered makes, my gut would be Tikka for the vermin and SAKO for deer. Budget may stretch to a custom or Blaser straight pull. Hmmmm.

Any thoughts on a suite of firearms for FAC grant? Cheshire is the authority, he has 10,000s acres of permissions already. Hopefully if I can put together a good list of rifles and get them sorted then I’ll be able to tag along on a few outings.

 

[Eric the Red]

Acres is one thing, species another in the 'good reason' pot. I'd start with the type of shooting he wants to do and then fit any application to those. I suspect first grant will not want lots of calibres, so I'd stick to three if I could.
22LR - small vermin, some 22C/F for fox etc and then a sensible deer legal calibre - although perhaps move to something like a 6.5CM in case he fancies doing something longer range.

The other consideration is ammunition availability (including Copper) as he probably won't want to move straight to reloading.

 

[VSS]

My go-to selection is 22lr, .243 & .270 and I have no intention of changing, but if I was starting all over again with the increased experience I have now I think it might have been 22lr, .22-250 & .30-06

(But I'd still have wanted a .270, just for fun! )

 

[Fabnosh]

This one will run and run lol

Assuming these are for personal use and not to build a few as estate rifles, then I’d go with:

.22lr - bunnies and small stuff
.223 - foxes and similar
.308 - everything else

All common calibres so easy to find ammo for. Quality of the rifles will be a function of budget and preference.

FN

 

[Messy11]

This one will run and run lol

Assuming these are for personal use and not to build a few as estate rifles, then I’d go with:

.22lr - bunnies and small stuff
.223 - foxes and similar
.308 - everything else

All common calibres so easy to find ammo for. Quality of the rifles will be a function of budget and preference.

FN

This, but 6.5CM for "everything else"
Blaser R8 with relevant barrels/ actions etc to do the lot!
(or Tikka T1X/ T3X Super varmints if on budget)
Zeiss/ Swaro / Leica glass atop (depending what works best for his eyes). L-4a reticles. 3-15 (ish) x56

Just my onions.

 

[WalkedUp]

Acres is one thing, species another in the 'good reason' pot.

I will have booked stalking for him, but I imagine his new estate have plenty of fallow… the apple by which I’m tempted . Certainly foxes and below will be justified.

Agreed about reloading, he will very much be dabbling in rifles. His passion is pedigree livestock, from chickens to pigs, goats and sheep… so time is limited.

Good point about the optics and moderators! I hadn’t even thought.

 

[Messy11]

I will have booked stalking for him, but I imagine his new estate have plenty of fallow… the apple by which I’m tempted . Certainly foxes and below will be justified.

Agreed about reloading, he will very much be dabbling in rifles. His passion is pedigree livestock, from chickens to pigs, goats and sheep… so time is limited.

Good point about the optics and moderators! I hadn’t even thought.

Mods - personally I like ASE Utra SL5i - very effective / quiet while being small and light, so don't unbalance rifle too much. Again, very budget dependent. Don't think you'd go too far wrong with the set ups described variously above.

 

[Donkey Basher]

This one will run and run lol

Assuming these are for personal use and not to build a few as estate rifles, then I’d go with:

.22lr - bunnies and small stuff
.223 - foxes and similar
.308 - everything else

All common calibres so easy to find ammo for. Quality of the rifles will be a function of budget and preference.

FN

This ^

Simple enough to demonstrate good reason based on quarry - could add a .17HMR, or swap .223 for a .222 or .22-250 for foxes, equally could swap .308 for .270 or 6.5x55 etc for deer. But the principle is identifies the intended quarry then justify the rifle to shoot 8t with.

Once FAC is granted then variations can be submitted for alterations and/or additional firearms.

 

[moeggesit]

When you say “estate to cater for Americans” it sound like a business rather than for personal use.

What does he want it for and who will be using it? Once you know that you can start thinking about calibres or numbers.

If you can justify them there is not really any limit.

 

[Pedro]

Yeah, it all depends on what he wants to do with them. What's on this land and what does he need to control or shoot. I guess that he'll have gamekeeper(s) to do a lot of that, although that doesn't stop him having a hand in that and therefore having good reason.

Small vermin, he could have a .22LR. Always good for plinking too. For longer range vermin such as rabbits, a .17hmr. If he wants to help out with fox control then there's a good choice of .22 centrefires he might like. If there's deer, depending on what's there he could have a larger bore rifle to deal with that and again there's a pretty wide choice there too.

Frankly, it's all a down to personal choice when it comes to specific calibres and makes. This thread could go on to multiple pages, the choices are so wide that the combinations are nearly limitless.

 

[Heym SR20]

My advice would be to have a chat with him and really look at the type of rifle shooting he wants to do and go from there. Calibre / cartridge is in many ways secondary to the type of rifle he wants to use.

And I would try and keep in simple. A nice reasonably lightweight rifle with a 2.5-10x42 scope will pretty much do all he wants to do. If its just England use, a lot can be said for the 243, or the 308. 308 is a good all rounder with ammo everywhere and better overseas. Personally I would choose 7x57 or 7x64, just because I like the cartridges and the rifles they are built for.

Given he is Cheshire I would for a really T T Proctor rifle as they were built in Cheshire.

As others have said you always a 22 long rifle, and 222 or 223 is a very nice little rifle for Fox and Muntjac. But a 243 or 7x57 does just as well.

 

[User00056]

I have .22lr, .223, .270, and .308.

The .308 is my dedicated woodland rifle, with the .270 taking the majority of my deer. The .223 is a superb calibre, cheap, accurate, and fairly unfussy when it comes to ammunition.

 

[Eddie P]

22lr, 22-250, and 270 should cover all bases.

 

[hammo]

What a lovely task to tackle! Lots of sensible suggestions already, so hard for me to add much.
.22LR
.204 - although I am forced to admit does not have the flexibility of .223 ie not small deer legal.
8x57 - not as much variety in factory ammo, but mighty capable for anything on four legs.

Sounds like he wont be using hundreds of rounds a year, so could afford to go a little bit 'special'

 

[Jkndy]

My current lineup is a .22LR, .17HMR and 6.5x55. I almost always pick the .17HMR over the .22LR for rabbiting. I think if I applied from scratch right now I'd go .22LR for plinking, practise and occasional vermin, a .223 to fill the roll of the .17HMR (especially if ammo cost was not a concern) and either keep the Swede or go 6.5CM, I am no means an expert on bigger calibres though as I've only ever had a Swede.

 

[Radstorm]

Effectively what calibres to cover all the work on an estate.

As been mentioned what quarry is on the ground but I imagine you will have fallow.
keeping some calibres Americans like makes sense.

Also get calibres you can buy factory ammunition- you buy a quantity of rounds the rifles like and don’t even think of reloading especially if your using the rifle with guests.

.22rf / .223 / 6.5 Creedmoor / 30-06

I would think individual rifles - just get tikka’s
Allows for two people to shoot or allows you to have back up if something goes wrong/ breaks etc.

Simple mounts and simple scopes - I like S&B klassiks with BDC - enough adjustments to get out to 250/300.

You could get one nice fancy rifle for guests like a Rigby - 30-06. Depends how much is charged for outings.

 

[Utectok]

Lots of people mention older cartridges personally I would say 22lr
25 creedmoor and 6.5 creedmoor or and 6.5 prc. Modern calibres and twist rates are just better especially for copper.

 

[WalkedUp]

Lots of people mention older cartridges personally I would say 22lr
25 creedmoor and 6.5 creedmoor or and 6.5 prc. Modern calibres and twist rates are just better especially for copper.

In retrospect I think you are right about me being wedded to traditional calibres. Looking around gun shops recently with an eye to his ticket I realise just how many of the guns are in Creedmoor. His ticket is in (see screenshot of the draft below) but I expect some variation will be necessary. I’m catching up with him tomorrow for his wife’s birthday and so will see how his application is progressing. A chat with the FLO to swap some out.

 

[the prowler]

22lr
17 hmr possibly
223
243
308

 

[Bowland blades]

I am assuming he got granted all ?