Which calibre to change too?

[Ludders]

So at the moment I’m shooting a 243 with 100g Sierra prohunters.
Most of my stalking is muntjac and roe, but once a year I shoot red hinds in Scotland. Nothing I shoot in England goes into the game dealer so I’m still using lead. The reds in Scotland will need to be shot with copper.
If I’m going to change calibre what would everyone recommend??. If I change calibre I will move over to copper for all my stalking, to try and future proof my shooting.

Hopefully nothing that’s going to smash little muntjac to bits
.
I will be reloading my own ammunition.

Thanks in advance
James

 

[VSS]

You may not need to change calibre, but if you do then get a 270, of course

 

[Jon P]

.308 or 30-06, lots of ammunition choices especially for the .308

 

[HarryHunting16]

I had a similar predicament and ended up going with a 308

 

[Feugh]

Have you got the option of keeping your first rifle and getting a second? I suspect that a 308 or 30-06 would make a mess of muntjac, although it might not be as bad with copper.

I went through this process recently and looked carefully at 6.5x55, 6.5 Creedmor, 270, 308 and 30-06. In reality there isn't too much difference between them, especially the last two (some people will strongly disagree with that last statement, but unless you're going to shoot deer at long ranges then all of them will do what you need). Plenty copper options for the 308 and 30-06 at >100gn. The recoil is manageable for all and I don't find them at all uncomfortable. It might be worth looking at the rifle that you want first and seeing if it is chambered in the calibres that you're looking at. I suspect that the 308 (being a short action) is more available than the all of the others apart from the Creedmor.

 

[Island]

I'll bet you penny-to-a-pound that most of what you will get in response to this query is a list of people vociferously recommending the particular chambering that they shoot, along with a selection of reasons as to why it is the "best chambering ever"...

Realistically, pick something you fancy and go for it.

Don't discount a fast twist 6mm. My own choice was for 6XC but I have a friend shooting a semi-custom .243 with a 7.5 twist tube and it is terrifyingly accurate. There is nothing in the UK that a 6mm will not kill, despite what some will tell you.

Overall my preferrence for an all-rounder is a 7mm. I have a 7x64 that I load with 130gr mono-metal bullets and it has taken everything from <10kg roe followers to >100kg stags. It is a very underrated chambering here in the UK which I find surprising as it is basically everything that the .270 is trying so hard to be...

 

[gixer1]

Any 6.5 or .30 cal will do everything you need - I have shot smaller deer species with .30 cal and it’s more about bullet choice than the chambering.

They will all shoot relatively light bullets flat trajectory and will also shoot out to 1000 yards if you needed to plink…

Have a look at the shelves of the local RFD and see what bullets they stock most of and go from there.

Regards,
Gixer

 

[Thomas Gordon]

243 - 100gr copper ammo available at Edinburgh rifles. Used it, tried and tested all good

 

[User00040]

So at the moment I’m shooting a 243 with 100g Sierra prohunters.
Most of my stalking is muntjac and roe, but once a year I shoot red hinds in Scotland. Nothing I shoot in England goes into the game dealer so I’m still using lead. The reds in Scotland will need to be shot with copper.
If I’m going to change calibre what would everyone recommend??. If I change calibre I will move over to copper for all my stalking, to try and future proof my shooting.

Hopefully nothing that’s going to smash little muntjac to bits
.
I will be reloading my own ammunition.

Thanks in advance
James

How often/soon are you coming North?

Law is being changed to allow 80 grain copper bullets to be used on the larger species, so you'll be fine.

 

[stubear]

Personally I’d say .270, .308 or one of the 6.5s - the swede if you like the history, the creed if you can stand the jokes!

I feel I can say that with first hand experience having just got a variation for a 6.5 creedmoor myself

I would have recommended .25-06 but ammo availability is starting to become an issue annoyingly….

 

[Stalker62]

No need to change your calibre.

If you are home loading, then there are several options open to you for non-lead in .243.

Herewith is mine.



As usual - the home loader caveat applies.

I worked this load up, for my rifle.

You will of course, (if you so choose to do so), work up your own load for your own rifle.

 

[Ludders]

That’s interested, I won’t be back in Scotland till January 2023 now so maybe the 243 has a bit of life left in it yet

How often/soon are you coming North?

Law is being changed to allow 80 grain copper bullets to be used on the larger species, so you'll be fine.

 

[Brave Echo Niner]

How often/soon are you coming North?

Law is being changed to allow 80 grain copper bullets to be used on the larger species, so you'll be fine.

Has there been any word yet as to when this is likely? Last I had read it was still just a recommendation?


To the OP I would just change to a 6.5, it'll give you more versatility in what bullets you can use and most if not all will be 100 grain plus. If you're handloading a 6.5x47L is a sweet calibre that's very easy to get incredible accuracy with.

Ben

 

[TringSaint]

So at the moment I’m shooting a 243 with 100g Sierra prohunters.
Most of my stalking is muntjac and roe, but once a year I shoot red hinds in Scotland. Nothing I shoot in England goes into the game dealer so I’m still using lead. The reds in Scotland will need to be shot with copper.
If I’m going to change calibre what would everyone recommend??. If I change calibre I will move over to copper for all my stalking, to try and future proof my shooting.

Hopefully nothing that’s going to smash little muntjac to bits
.
I will be reloading my own ammunition.

Thanks in advance
James

If you shoot on a range as well as at deer then a military calibre would be a good shout, so 6.5x55 or 308 as you can get cheap fmj to punch holes onto paper with, and a good range of hunting ammunition for all types of deer.

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

I wanted somthing a little bigger.

Lots of thought went into it and ended up with a 308. I can go into any shop and they have ammo or components for it. There's also lots of rifles and you can pick up good rifles quite cheap as it's not in vouge.

Does what it says on the tin, not overly harsh recoil, accurate and will deal with anything I want. OK its a bit loopy but anything over 150 i just click my zeiss turret to 200m and that's it out to 200m which is my max range.

 

[Long drag]

6.5x55 all day long.
Fire one you love it, ticks all your boxes.
I have a 243 and the 6.5x55 shot a Red stag at 200 m on 1 Sep killed out at 210 kg, dropped like a stone 130g Sako ammo.
Been doing this for longer than I would care to remember.

 

[Ludders]

6.5x55 all day long.
Fire one you love it, ticks all your boxes.
I have a 243 and the 6.5x55 shot a Red stag at 200 m on 1 Sep killed out at 210 kg, dropped like a stone 130g Sako ammo.
Been doing this for longer than I would care to remember.

Thanks pal, my friend has a sako 85 in 6.5x55 which is a pleasure to shoot. So it’s definitely a contender

 

[25 Sharps]

Thanks pal, my friend has a sako 85 in 6.5x55 which is a pleasure to shoot. So it’s definitely a contender

Much as it pains me to say it (I love my 6.5x55) if you don’t reload then go for a 6.5 creedmoor.

Not wishing to start a debate and I own both, but ammunition availability will be better for the creedmoor.

That is unless you are a bargain hunter in which case the popularity of the creedmoor means there are some good deals on secondhand 6.5x55s to be had.

 

[25 Sharps]

If you shoot on a range as well as at deer then a military calibre would be a good shout, so 6.5x55 or 308 as you can get cheap fmj to punch holes onto paper with, and a good range of hunting ammunition for all types of deer.

Other than PPU (whose soft points are just as cheap) where can I get cheap/milsurp 6.5x55 FMJ?

 

[Quarrybank]

Much as it pains me to say it (I love my 6.5x55) if you don’t reload then go for a 6.5 creedmoor.

Not wishing to start a debate and I own both, but ammunition availability will be better for the creedmoor.

That is unless you are a bargain hunter in which case the popularity of the creedmoor means there are some good deals on secondhand 6.5x55s to be had.

I have to agree with 25 S. I have a 6.5 x 55 and love the calibre but finding non lead factory ammo can be a challenge at times. More options for the Creed from what I have seen.