First Deer Calibre Rifle

[njc110381]

It's very hard to point someone towards a specific calibre or cartridge, especially someone new to deer stalking. Questions like how well do you tolerate recoil? Do you plan to stalk mainly woodland, open ground or a mix of both? What species is likely to be on your hit list most regularly, and which are less likely?

To break down my way of judging it...

The bigger the animal, the bigger the hole. The bigger it is, the more blood it has in it and the more it has to lose before it'll pass out and die. Taken to the extreme though, there's no point using a .50bmg round and shooting the deer in the arse because you're flinching so much you can't even see the deer when you pull the trigger. You need to be able to handle the gun and shoot it well. A red stag shot in the heart with a .243 will die faster than the same deer shot in the guts with a .300 Win Mag.

The closer you'll be shooting it, the slower you want that bullet to exit the muzzle. Fast impact speeds = bruised meat. The animal won't be any more dead if you vaporise its shoulder, so why waste meat? But go too slow and trajectory starts to get hard to allow for at longer ranges.

To find something that will do a perfect job on everything is a lot to ask. If I was looking for a one gun all rounder for the UK to include boar too it would be a 7mm or .30, and not a magnum. If you want something with a vast choice of rifles and ammunition, the .308 does it. It's not what I'd buy but that's not because it isn't capable, it's just a bit boring. I have one, it's great, but it's boing!

 

[Hook'N'Bullet]

It would be with a lighter bullet and more significant charge…that’s a fairly sedate load…

Puts a fair hole in things though!

ah yeah, only pulling your leg

 

[norcan]

It's very hard to point someone towards a specific calibre or cartridge, especially someone new to deer stalking. Questions like how well do you tolerate recoil? Do you plan to stalk mainly woodland, open ground or a mix of both? What species is likely to be on your hit list most regularly, and which are less likely?

To break down my way of judging it...

The bigger the animal, the bigger the hole. The bigger it is, the more blood it has in it and the more it has to lose before it'll pass out and die. Taken to the extreme though, there's no point using a .50bmg round and shooting the deer in the arse because you're flinching so much you can't even see the deer when you pull the trigger. You need to be able to handle the gun and shoot it well. A red stag shot in the heart with a .243 will die faster than the same deer shot in the guts with a .300 Win Mag.

The closer you'll be shooting it, the slower you want that bullet to exit the muzzle. Fast impact speeds = bruised meat. The animal won't be any more dead if you vaporise its shoulder, so why waste meat? But go too slow and trajectory starts to get hard to allow for at longer ranges.

To find something that will do a perfect job on everything is a lot to ask. If I was looking for a one gun all rounder for the UK to include boar too it would be a 7mm or .30, and not a magnum. If you want something with a vast choice of rifles and ammunition, the .308 does it. It's not what I'd buy but that's not because it isn't capable, it's just a bit boring. I have one, it's great, but it's boing!

These are all very good points. The only thing I might add is that everything also applies at least as much to the 6.5; you get a reasonable muzzle velocity that's unlikely to mangle an animal at close range, just with somewhat less recoil and a more-efficient bullet that retains its energy to longer distances with less drift, plus there's a great selection of rifles and cartridges for it too.

For boar, the .308's 15%-ish extra power at the muzzle is an advantage, but I'd lean toward the 6.5 in a do-everything rifle for everything else. Besides, starting off with the smaller calibre leaves a great excuse to get a handy boar-specific rifle later on.

But as you said, it's difficult to give a recommendation without knowing about the user and the intended uses. And then there's the whole issue of which sort of optic to put on it, which to me is more important than the small differences at hunting distances these cartridges have.

 

[25 Sharps]

And 7x64 Brenneke better then both of these cheap American knockoffs...





..

I mean, on a par with the .280 yes, better ? Nah.

And I have shot them all!

 

[norcan]

I mean, on a par with the .280 yes, better ? Nah.

And I have shot them all!

So you agree the 280Rem is just a useless copy of a cartridge developed 40 years prior...just like 270Win





.

 

[25 Sharps]

So you agree the 280Rem is just a useless copy of a cartridge developed 40 years prior...just like 270Win





.

Only if the cartridge it is copying is useless?

 

[Smellydog]

284 Winchester anyone?

 

[TringSaint]

Hi

I am putting in for my first deer legal calibre.

I was thinking of going 308 or maybe even 270 but then I see plenty of posts about 6.5CM....

Is there a better one to pick with the incoming lead ban? I tried to search but it returns almost every thread on here. I have no experience of any of these calibres so I am starting from scratch.

If there is any good threads you could link me too for some more reading then I would appreciate that.

Cheers

Andy

308 does everything but can be a bit loopy. 243 is explosive and very accurate but lead free ammo makes it questionable and may not drop bigger deer as well as a larger round.
6.5x55 great mid choice - not as cool as the 6.5CM but it does the job beautifully and you can load it from 110-150gn so it can be used on anything in the uk and won’t smash your shoulder.
Also consider if you are planning to use it on a range - having fmj stuff to chuck down the range will make it much cheaper if you do go paper punching.
Reality is they will all do a job so pick something that will cover as many bases as you need.

 

[njc110381]

These are all very good points. The only thing I might add is that everything also applies at least as much to the 6.5; you get a reasonable muzzle velocity that's unlikely to mangle an animal at close range, just with somewhat less recoil and a more-efficient bullet that retains its energy to longer distances with less drift, plus there's a great selection of rifles and cartridges for it too.

For boar, the .308's 15%-ish extra power at the muzzle is an advantage, but I'd lean toward the 6.5 in a do-everything rifle for everything else. Besides, starting off with the smaller calibre leaves a great excuse to get a handy boar-specific rifle later on.

But as you said, it's difficult to give a recommendation without knowing about the user and the intended uses. And then there's the whole issue of which sort of optic to put on it, which to me is more important than the small differences at hunting distances these cartridges have.

Depending on the force, some will be more rigid with their .270 and above guidance for boar. The Creedmoor will do it for sure, but a .30 is a true all rounder. With the larger deer species that extra bullet diameter will help too.

Where I am, shooting mainly munties, roe and fallow, the 6.5 is perfect. But I have a bigger gun to cover large deer/boar/elephants.

 

[Greenknight88]

I agree, but you stated that 270 would be overkill for muntjac, in which case so would every other calibre so far discussed in this thread.
Why 270 specifically?

All I'm getting at is that if munty was his sole quarry then people could say right then a 222 or 223 in there opinion is plenty for that particular job which could potentially be lighter, cheaper, less recoil etc..where if he has going for reds then that would eliminate the above said calibers straight away..

 

[VSS]

All I'm getting at is that if munty was his sole quarry then people could say right then a 222 or 223 in there opinion is plenty for that particular job which could potentially be lighter, cheaper, less recoil etc..where if he has going for reds then that would eliminate the above said calibers straight away..

Yes.

 

[Andilicious]

All I'm getting at is that if munty was his sole quarry then people could say right then a 222 or 223 in there opinion is plenty for that particular job which could potentially be lighter, cheaper, less recoil etc..where if he has going for reds then that would eliminate the above said calibers straight away..

I already own a 223 for foxes and should I go specifically targeting the smaller species then I would take that.
I shot a friends 243 last night on a bit of a zero session and that was a nice round to shoot. He uses it for foxes more than anything so was checking zero on the thermal.

I think I’m swaying towards the 6.5CM after more reading! It’s a difficult one I must admit. I just think the CM will be a bit more universal and suitable for some target shooting as well if the need ever arises….

 

[VSS]

I already own a 223 for foxes and should I go specifically targeting the smaller species then I would take that.
I shot a friends 243 last night on a bit of a zero session and that was a nice round to shoot. He uses it for foxes more than anything so was checking zero on the thermal.

I think I’m swaying towards the 6.5CM after more reading! It’s a difficult one I must admit. I just think the CM will be a bit more universal and suitable for some target shooting as well if the need ever arises….

243 is a lovely round to shoot. I would happily have stuck with the 243 for all my stalking forever, but I lost a bit of confidence in the round when a couple of fallow bucks didn't die as quick as they should have. The fault was entirely mine (poor shot placement), but it took a change of calibre to get my confidence back. I've now fallen back in love with my 243, and use it for all my park culling.
If you've tried one, and found that you like it, then that's as good a reason as any to buy one. Don't disregard it because it's "small".

 

[StephenToast]

This happens to me EVERY single time I take my .223 for a walk - no munties to be seen just every other large deer species in the northern hemisphere! I shoot in mainly woodland less than 50m mostly probably average around 20m and when I have the .308 there are munties everywhere they’re pretty much climbing the bl00dy trees but when you shoot them with a .308 at that range it’s 50:50 whether the green stuff appears - I’ve stopped shooting munties with the .308 because of this (and they know it!) however I do love the .308 and have come up with a cunning plan to change the stock on my .308 so it looks like the .223 in an effort to confuse all the deer and give me half a chance of getting one of them.

Sub 50m? Just shoot them in the head.