Which calibre has taken the most deer?

[Beagle boy]

Good morning guys
I was talking to friend of mine the other night and we were asking which calibre has taken the most deer in the uk over the years.
My guess would be a 22lr ( I’d guess most poachers would use these ), or a maybe 303/308
He seems to think a .243
What you would lot guess?

 

[jcampbellsmith]

I think that you need to edit the list and add 270 Win.

Regards

JCS

 

[Beagle boy]

Just added it
If anyone has any more options I’ll add them in
Cheers Rob

 

[VSS]

I think it would be .243 (or maybe .270 due to it's popularity in Scotland, and the fact it was previously the FC standard issue).
But prior to the deer act it was probably a .22 of some sort.
.308 has to be right up there in recent years, since that's the current forestry issue.

 

[Beagle boy]

I always wandered how many would have been shot with a 303 in the early 1900’s late 1800’s
But I would agree in modern times, .243 is very popular

 

[8x57]

Beagle boy you really should rephrase your question.
Are you really asking which cartridge or which calibre?
Are you asking about just in the U.K. or worldwide?

Worldwide I would put my money on .30 calibre in all it's various guises. e.g. .308win .30-06 .300win mag .30-30 and the various 7.62mm cartridges etc. etc.

 

[Beagle boy]

Beagle boy you really should rephrase your question.
Are you really asking which cartridge or which calibre?
Are you asking about just in the U.K. or worldwide?

Uk at the minute, but I think world wide would be really interesting

 

[Tim.243]

Uk at the minute, but I think world wide would be really interesting

.243
and the least is the gay creed
Edit waiting for any desk jockeys to chime in.

 

[cjm1066]

UK or worldwide?

 

[Heym SR20]

it very much depends on whether its the UK or Worldwide and over what time frame.

Go back 20 to 30 years I would have said the 270, as it was the main cartridge used in the Highlands and by the Forestry Commission.

Over all time in the UK the 303 reigned supreme for many decades.

However the 243 accounts for 25% plus of firearms held and with increase in deer numbers down South and its widespread use in Scotland I suspect this accounts for many deer shot. I suspect not more than all others combined, but still a significant percentage.

 

[timbrayford]

given the length of time that it has been around I'd guess .303, certainly as far as the UK is concerned?

 

[markj1]

Do people not use 7.62x51 or .308"?

 

[Dave_45]

Scotland

The 243 and 270 have laid 100s of thousands of deer to rest quite capably.


The 6.5 Creedmoor, like it or not , has added to those numbers in the last decade

 

[8x57]

it very much depends on whether its the UK or Worldwide and over what time frame.

Go back 20 to 30 years I would have said the 270, as it was the main cartridge used in the Highlands and by the Forestry Commission.

Over all time in the UK the 303 reigned supreme for many decades.

However the 243 accounts for 25% plus of firearms held and with increase in deer numbers down South and its widespread use in Scotland I suspect this accounts for many deer shot. I suspect not more than all others combined, but still a significant percentage.

In agreement with most of this but just wondering where you get the figure of "25% of firearms held" from?
Would you like to expand on that.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Good morning guys
I was talking to friend of mine the other night and we were asking which calibre has taken the most deer in the uk over the years.
My guess would be a 22lr ( I’d guess most poachers would use these ), or a maybe 303/308
He seems to think a .243
What you would lot guess?

I also think you need to change 6.5 Creedmoor to man bun gun

 

[8x57]

Beagle boy I think you need to alter the question to -

In your opinion which cartridge has taken the most deer in the U.K. since yyyy?

It will only ever be a personal opinion as nobody has any real statistics.

 

[Heym SR20]

In agreement with most of this but just wondering where you get the figure of "25% of firearms held" from?
Would you like to expand on that.

I think the recent BASC article on the 243 mentioned that number.

Edit : just looked at the article - it mentions that 60,000 stalkers use the 243. There are about 150,000 FAC Holders. A reasonable proportion of those will be target shooters who don’t stalk, so 243 is used by a very significant proportion of deer stalkers. Appreciate that many FAC holders will have more than one centre fire rifle, equally many FAC holders will be non FAC holders.

 

[Nickb]

. 243 of course

 

[Koenig]

Probably 30–30 if counting the US.

 

[Nickb]

Probably 30–30 if counting the US.

Poll is UK