Three rifles to cover all Uk game and vermin on a budget

[jall55]

.22 rf
.204 or 22/250
.270
sorted

 

[south-nofolk-stalker]

Why 3?

.22 for vermin
270 for everything else

 

[mudman]

Wouldn’t bother with a mid range rifle. Just a rimfire and a deer calibre.

 

[Burger]

I own 22LR, .204 and 6.5
But would say for ammo availability to go with 22LR, .223 and .308

 

[25 Sharps]

Been thinking about people new to rifle shooting or who are working to a budget and want to know which three calibres to choose. Here’s my pick:

Rabbits and general vermin:

.22 rf if sound level is important. You can pick up a good used cz bolt action with scope and mod for £200. I have had a few and all shot very well. Ammo is still way cheaper than centre fire or the other rim fires and with a good moderator/suppressor they are very quiet and give you the chance to shoot several rabbits before they work out what’s going on.

If sound isn’t important then .17 hmr doubles your effective range but roughly trebles your ammo cost. Again a used cz is a good buy with scope and mod for £300 and they really shoot.

Varmints (long range rabbits, foxes and other legal small quarry).

.222 REM used rifles are an incredible bargain and can be found way cheaper than the slightly more powerful .223. Accurate .222 Rem bolt actions appear frequently at around the £300 mark if unthreaded and for £450 or so threaded with a mod. I would be tempted to buy an unthreaded rifle, because you avoid moderator rot, where the mod was left on too long and the bore and crown is pitted. A decent threading job by a gunsmith is about £80. Less if you wave ten pound notes at them.
Ammo is also less expensive than virtually any other comparable centre fire and is often discounted. The .222 was originally a bench rest round and they are usually very accurate. On a still day you will lose nothing to a .223 out to nearly 300 yards because you will probably outshoot it with your .222.

Deer and Up

.308 every time. It’s a lovely round to shoot and within everyone’s capabilities to shoot well and there are so many around you will have plenty to choose from. You see perfectly good Parker Hales and BSAs around for £150 in .308. There are a lot of decent czs about too in .308 for not much money. If it was in 6.5 creedmore, the same rifle would be £500 and you would have to wipe the jizz off it before you could use it.

By the way, I don’t sell CZ rifles and only own one in .17 Hornet at the moment. They are just incredibly good value for money used and generally shoot very well

Those are my thoughts - would like to hear yours.

This thread got done about 6 months ago.

.223
.280
300 PRC

But why 3?? Actual current line up for field contitioned rifles

.22 FAC air
.22LR (bolt, semi, lever)
.22WMR (bolt, semi)
.223
.357
25-45
.243
6.5x55 (CZ )
.308 (CZ )
7.5x55
.280
45-70

300 PRC soon to replace the .308.

3 rifles would just be boring!

 

[cowboyo82]

17 hmr (cz)
223 (howa)
308 (sako)
Although I am contemplating swapping the 223 or maybe adding a 243 to cover fox/deer

 

[User00047]

.22 LR
.243 Winchester
.300 H+H magnum

 

[skinnywhitetrash]

This thread got done about 6 months ago.

.223
.280
300 PRC

But why 3?? Actual current line up for field contitioned rifles

.22 FAC air
.22LR (bolt, semi, lever)
.22WMR (bolt, semi)
.223
.357
25-45
.243
6.5x55 (CZ )
.308 (CZ )
7.5x55
.280
45-70

300 PRC soon to replace the .308.

3 rifles would just be boring!

300 PRC!!! This pleases me.

 

[leej]

.22
22-250
.308
Boring? - maybe but I love em!
And not had a single complaint from anything I've pointed them at.

ATB
Lee

 

[lochty]

7mm 08 and a swarovski 8 x 50 scope. Kills everything I need it to.

 

[jfr_1991]

If I could only ever have two rifles

22 hornet
7x57

I do like my .270 though, too.

 

[provarmint]

.22rf
Fast twist 6br
300nm (not really budget)

 

[scoby270]

223.
270.
That's what's in the cabinet.

No need for 3 really, but wanting 3 or more is a different matter.
S

 

[Overlay]

22 WMR pretty quiet brilliant on rabbits and short range foxes

222. No recoil long range rabbits foxes and muntjac

# 243 good all round foxing and deer caliber

Nice little set up from rabbits - foxes - deer

#. If your. Deer are reds or fallow. - consider a 6.5 swede real good variable ammo available for this caliber

 

[welshwarrior]

.22 LR
222 or 223
Any CF 243 or bigger they all do the job if you can shoot it my choice 308 or 30/06

 

[slowly slowly]

.22LR
22-250
.308
Perfect for it all ( in my opinion )

 

[oxfordshirestalker]

.22lr
.222rem
6.5x55

 

[Mungo]

A lot of variations of 22Lr, .22 centrefire and medium deer cartridge here.

I go through a 2-3 year cycle, where I have a .22Lr and a 6.5 or similar. Then decide I really need a .222. Get one. Love it. Then discover that it almost never comes out because I always reach for the 6.5. Sell it. Repeat.

I’m about to enter the ‘sell it’ phase once more…

 

[Overlay]

Good logical solution

 

[Mack243]

Personal preference of .17HMR over .22LR ballistically, but this thread is budget based. So you’re right regarding the triple price of ammo.

Vortex Podcast just released a great video on the versatility of the 308. Also the fact it has been around for years means you’ll pick up a cheap second hand rifle.
.223 is also very versatile and can be used for varmint right up to PRS.

6.5PRC is an epic round, but very little second-hand options. Also factory ammo options are limited

17HMR
223
308