Is there an ‘ideal’ deer caliber?

[Deermanagement]

Six Five Creedmoor

And that comes from a hardcore .243 fan for UK deer. Forget your 308's and 30-06's, don't need that. In a couple of years, maybe it'll be a 6mm Creedmoor or 22 Creedmoor

You just need a sweet shooting rifle with a good bullet

Unless of course you're a crap shot that can't hold 2" in field conditions, so then maybe go for a cannon

Hope that doesn't upset anyone with a cannon, you maybe a good shot and already have one, but the OP was "ideal calibre"

 

[Deermanagement]

Btw.... still use a .270 now and again but it is a bit OTT for lowland stalking.

 

[6pt-sika]

stop watching American crap they have been dreaming about going shooting more than once a year for fifty years that i know off they will all kill deer efficiently try and keep to some sort of professional ethics we are hunters or deer stalkers not wanna be sf deer snipers blowing legs off animals

I suggest you make reference to your own exploits govna . As to what American hunters/shooters do it sounds as if you’re a bit jealouse . If it weren’t for our country you most likely would have a hell of a lot harder time finding ammunition or components if you reload . Snipers really and an American killing a deer at 300 or so yards from a box blind is so much different then one of you limies shooting a deer at 250 meters from a high seat or off a bipod in the heather . I always knew Brit’s had a certain amount of crap with them , but being a hypocrite I hadn’t considered until I read your Shyte post .

 

[6pt-sika]

Wow.

You are basing this on personal knowledge of a range of people, or just making **** up?

I think he was to long at the local pub drank to much and his knickers got in a twist .

 

[Scipio]

Please lads, we're better than this. Let's get things back on track.

It’s an impossible task to decide as deer stalking is so varied in the UK, from CWD and muntys out of a highseat darn sarf to culling stags on the hill in the highlands.

Certain calibres stand out as do it all, 6.5cm or swede, and .308 being the most glaringly obvious.

But….is copper going to change this? Most accept that solid copper bullets like the TTSX or Blade need velocity more than pure horsepower, smaller weight bullets being able to punch through the largest deer….so are the higher velocity type rounds going to take precedence? A .270 using 110g TTSX looks pretty sensible, 6.5 PRC…possibly smaller magnums like 7mm RM?

Food for thought.

Hello mate, very good point, and indeed it is .-)

The copper bullet tech seems to be developing year in and year out at the moment. Frangible non lead bullet designs are becoming more of a common sight these days, , and the non frangible ones seems to be achieving more reliable opening and expansion even below 2200 fps.
So things are/have maybe already changed a bit regarding how us hunters need to approach the use of copper for good clean kills

This said, i'll maybe spin your question in a slightly different direction and ask, "is non frangible non lead bullets actually kicking most cartridges up a notch speed and killing wise vs when we are using lead ?
Because as one goes down in weight with the non frangible non lead bullets a 308/7x57s class cartridge is suddenly spitting out deer suited bullets at 3100-3200 fps. So basically speeds that used to be 270s/7x64s territory. Meanwhile a 270 can now spit similarly deer suited bullets at magnum speeds, at close to 3400 fps.
So yep, food for thought indeed.

 

[Overlay]

For while now i’ve been thinking of using just 1 calibre that will take lead or copper if needs be

My thoughts are on a 260 that will handle lead and when it comes copper

Middle of the road on calibre and the one I shot was a no recoil and very very accurate rifle
Certainly worth a look

 

[HonestJohn]

For while now i’ve been thinking of using just 1 calibre that will take lead or copper if needs be

My thoughts are on a 260 that will handle lead and when it comes copper

Middle of the road on calibre and the one I shot was a no recoil and very very accurate rifle
Certainly worth a look

I am becoming a bit of a fan of the 25-06 as an all rounder for the U.K. 117g lead and 100g copper. 85g for fox. 3000fps up to 3400 depending on bullet choice. Flat, hits hard, and if you order in bulk, ammo is available with quality ammo such as the fed. 85g with ballistic tip noslers, or 117g hornady eldx precision. One might need to reload 100g copper in TTSX though

 

[Mungo]

For while now i’ve been thinking of using just 1 calibre that will take lead or copper if needs be

My thoughts are on a 260 that will handle lead and when it comes copper

Middle of the road on calibre and the one I shot was a no recoil and very very accurate rifle
Certainly worth a look

I think you meant to say 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[Heym SR20]

I am becoming a bit of a fan of the 25-06 as an all rounder for the U.K. 117g lead and 100g copper. 85g for fox. 3000fps up to 3400 depending on bullet choice. Flat, hits hard, and if you order in bulk, ammo is available with quality ammo such as the fed. 85g with ballistic tip noslers, or 117g hornady eldx precision. One might need to reload 100g copper in TTSX though

I started stalking with an estate Sako TRGS in 25-06 in the highlands in the mid 90’s with a 6 or possibly 10x42 S&B scope. It was point and shoot out to nearly 300 yards. It’s a superb cartridge.

 

[Scipio]

I am becoming a bit of a fan of the 25-06 as an all rounder for the U.K. 117g lead and 100g copper. 85g for fox. 3000fps up to 3400 depending on bullet choice. Flat, hits hard, and if you order in bulk, ammo is available with quality ammo such as the fed. 85g with ballistic tip noslers, or 117g hornady eldx precision. One might need to reload 100g copper in TTSX though

Hello mate .) Yep, if one is hunting often on the hill, or in the mountains, maybe with a kipplauf, that or the 7x65 r or maybe the 6.5 prc or 6.5-284 seem super choices indeed.
The x65 r for tradition and for the likely easier extraction in a kipplauf would maybe be my preference, but yep, for mountain shooting muflon, chamois or deer those would be very nice all, i think. .-)
If i was primarily stalking in mixed forrest, meadow and open land i might for a 7x57 (if i reloaded), a 308 (yes, boring to some but effecient and super pratical) or a 6.5 creed or, being a scandi with german origins myself a 6.5x57 or 55.

but again, every cartridge does something particularly well, so the optimal cartridge for stalking x, really is quite personal and depends on a specific set of needs and preferences . .-)

 

[Essexsussex]

Jumping on this thread as it seems it is watched by 7mm rem mag fans.
What would the best twist rate be for 7mm rem mag to manage copper, if starting from scratch? Does the traditional 9.5 still do the job?

 

[Leec6.5]

Yes, 7x57

Amen

 

[Leec6.5]

I’ve chased the holy grail of calibres for years and years, not counting the man bun guns and the fecking 308

My retirement rifle is 7x57 and absolute classic and the the most pleasant rifle I’ve shot yet, at present I own 2 but I’ll be donating 1 to a friends son once he gets his ticket.

 

[Scipio]

I’ve chased the holy grail of calibres for years and years, not counting the man bun guns and the fecking 308

My retirement rifle is 7x57 and absolute classic and the the most pleasant rifle I’ve shot yet, at present I own 2 but I’ll be donating 1 to a friends son once he gets his ticket.

A very nice idea and gesture imo.

 

[Woodlander]

I’ve been reading good things about the 7mm PRC. 175gr bullets travelling at 3000fps

 

[tarponhead]

Six Five Creedmoor

And that comes from a hardcore .243 fan for UK deer. Forget your 308's and 30-06's, don't need that. In a couple of years, maybe it'll be a 6mm Creedmoor or 22 Creedmoor

You just need a sweet shooting rifle with a good bullet

Unless of course you're a crap shot that can't hold 2" in field conditions, so then maybe go for a cannon

Hope that doesn't upset anyone with a cannon, you maybe a good shot and already have one, but the OP was "ideal calibre"

My dad was a good shot with a 155mm - he was pretty decent with a 105mm as well as an IG at Larkhill. Self-gralloching round if it hit a deer.

 

[Klenchblaize]

I'll just leave this here:

K

 

[purdeydog]

No