What calibre to replace all with?

rabbit assassin

well lads,

I've just received a new permission which will allow me to get back into deer stalking. At the moment I have 6 rifles and 3 shotguns, I know its an awful lot So I want to sell 1 shotgun and my .204, .223, .22-250 and my .243 (I'll be keeping my .22lr and .17hmr) So I just want to end up with 5 in the house in total.

I had the .243 and .22-250 for deer but luckily I was allowed keep them for foxes after I stopped shooting deer some years ago. I want to replace my current rifles with 1 calibre rifle that has more than enough power to kill deer cleanly and yet is cheap enough to do a few nights foxing a week. I like the .243 but I just always restricted the range of my shots especially on larger deer. Ive been offered an old 7mm-08 for good money but Ive no idea what price the ammo is. Ive had a few shots and shes deadly accurate. I know lads will say you can take a large red stag at 300 yards if you are a confident shot and have proper placement. I am a confident shot but have still had some deer run up to 50 or 60 yards after getting a vital shot, even a neck shot.

And I kinda just want a change

Any recommendations on what to go for?

ormondprop

Maybe a 270 or 25-06, lots of ammo choice for a 270

kildare.17hmr

270 or 308?

If it was me id keep the 223 and sell the 22 or hmr instead. You said you will use the new gun for foxes too so dont know why ya would need the 2 rimfires. Id keep 1 rimfire for bunnies, 223 for foxes and the new gun for deer and i think you would have the best of everything then

dev110

.25-06 or .308

Mr.Flibble

rabbit assassin wrote: »

I want to replace my current rifles with 1 calibre rifle that has more than enough power to kill deer cleanly and yet is cheap enough...

.308

rabbit assassin

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

270 or 308?

If it was me id keep the 223 and sell the 22 or hmr instead. You said you will use the new gun for foxes too so dont know why ya would need the 2 rimfires. Id keep 1 rimfire for bunnies, 223 for foxes and the new gun for deer and i think you would have the best of everything then

Most of the guns I own have a lot of sentimental value.All the shotguns have been passed down, the .22lr is very old and was my grandfathers. The .17hmr is my own personal favourite so I will never sell it. As for the rest of the rifles - .223 and .204 there isnt a massive difference, .22-250 and .240 arent massively different either and theres no point me keeping them all.

Cass

I'd ditch a shotgun (least used one)and the .204, 22-250 & .243. Keep the rimfires (you seem to want to anyway), and the .223.

For an all rounder in terms of versatility, ammo availability, accessories, re-sale value, etc go for a .308.

For a personal favorite go for the 6.5x55. Excellent caliber, good selection of ammo, decent re-sale, etc.

For a "novel" caliber a 25-06 or 7mm08. Ammo may not be as available as other calibers, but that shouldn't be a major issue.

If you want a really good caliber you might consider a "wildcat" or not as common caliber. Such as 6XC or 6.5x47. Really flat shooting, good round, and deer legal. However with factory ammo being little to non-existent reloading may be needed and as that's not an option i'd stick with the trusty .308.

If you managed to sell three rifles, and a shotgun it would leave you with enough cash to pick pretty much any caliber, factory or custom, with all the bells and whistles.

Alan 1990

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

270 or 308?

If it was me id keep the 223 and sell the 22 or hmr instead. You said you will use the new gun for foxes too so dont know why ya would need the 2 rimfires. Id keep 1 rimfire for bunnies, 223 for foxes and the new gun for deer and i think you would have the best of everything then

Great advice there, I'd do the very same, keep the .223 and sell the 17HMR.
I'd go with the 270 Myself.
Would love to know the reasons you gave the super for needing such callibres rabbit like the .22 and 17hmr. I handed in my .223 application a few weeks ago and the guard told me the super might have a problem with me owning 2 rifles, one is a .22 and the other is .223 (if I get the license that is) I couldn't understand the problem at all.

ormondprop

.22 for plinking and vermin
.17 for vermin and close range foxes
.25-06/.270/.308 for long range foxes and everything else
And your shotguns for whatever you want

Seems like a cabinet that can cover everything

deerhunter1

rabbit assassin wrote: »

well lads,

I've just received a new permission which will allow me to get back into deer stalking. At the moment I have 6 rifles and 3 shotguns, I know its an awful lot So I want to sell 1 shotgun and my .204, .223, .22-250 and my .243 (I'll be keeping my .22lr and .17hmr) So I just want to end up with 5 in the house in total.

I had the .243 and .22-250 for deer but luckily I was allowed keep them for foxes after I stopped shooting deer some years ago. I want to replace my current rifles with 1 calibre rifle that has more than enough power to kill deer cleanly and yet is cheap enough to do a few nights foxing a week. I like the .243 but I just always restricted the range of my shots especially on larger deer. Ive been offered an old 7mm-08 for good money but Ive no idea what price the ammo is. Ive had a few shots and shes deadly accurate. I know lads will say you can take a large red stag at 300 yards if you are a confident shot and have proper placement. I am a confident shot but have still had some deer run up to 50 or 60 yards after getting a vital shot, even a neck shot.

And I kinda just want a change

Any recommendations on what to go for?

308 308 wide variety of ammo and good price range:):D

rabbit assassin

Thanks for all the advice lads its really appreciated, I think its looking like Ill be heading for a .308

whydave

Go retro get a Lee Enfield .303 British ( So many different types, all for good money)
Also cheap to feed
David

deerhunter1

:

rabbit assassin wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice lads its really appreciated, I think its looking like Ill be heading for a .308

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

It wasn't me!

I'd go .25-06 for what you're describing. Run 117gr soft points for everything. Flat shooting, plenty of poke and if you're using the Federal soft points, not terribly expensive to shoot. €125 per hundred from John Lambert last I got them. Going to be buying more over the summer. I'd make sure to get at least a 24" barrel though or you're going to lose a lot of velocity in a cartridge with that sort of capacity to bore size ratio. If you want it to be seriously flat shooting, Federal loads an 85gr ballistic tip to 3550 fps you could use for foxing. That's seriously, seriously flat. In fact, zeroed at 250 yards, that's an inch and a half high at a hundred, doesn't go beyond two inches high at 150, which is about right for foxing, and only two and a half inches low at 300. A foot low at 400. You want a fox killing laser, that's the job for it. And, as I say, you can then load up 117gr rounds for deer, which are still plenty flat shooting but deliver a nice solid thump, and it's a very light recoiling round. I definitely think it's perfect for you.

rabbit assassin

I've been offered a beautiful secondhand 7mm 08 for €450 but I havent a notion on what the ammo will cost.

On one side Id love a .308 because ammo seems easy to get and plenty of choice, yet isnt it a bit of an over kill for foxes (if there is such a thing for foxes ) yet I wouldnt say no to a .270

deerhunter1

rabbit assassin wrote: »

I've been offered a beautiful secondhand 7mm 08 for €450 but I havent a notion on what the ammo will cost.

On one side Id love a .308 because ammo seems easy to get and plenty of choice, yet isnt it a bit of an over kill for foxes (if there is such a thing for foxes ) yet I wouldnt say no to a .270

there is no such thing as "too much gun";) there is only one kind of dead:rolleyes:

ormondprop

Visit a few dealers and look at as many 270's 25-06 and 308's and similar calibres, then pick the gun you like most regardless of calibre as they will nearly all do the same job

virminhunter

.25-06 shoots an 85gr ballistic tip as flat as a 32gr .204ruger and kicks its arse as far as wind drift is concerned.

rabbit assassin

what kinda price would a lad be paying for a box of .25-06 ? and how available is it?

It wasn't me!

Pretty widely available, though selection might be limited, just like everything else really. Your best bet is always to buy about a hundred at a time, better value and you can order it in before you run out, make sure you're always looked after. As to prices, I think for the 85gr ballistic tips, they're about €35 a box if you're getting a hundred rounds or more. The 117gr soft points were €125 per hundred last time I got them. I'd really recommend that you think about it as a dual purpose cartridge. You can also get the 100gr ballistic tips and use them on everything but I'd go with the 85s and then the 117s.

DR6.5

I got federal 117 grain off john lambert 25 a box, 40 euro for 85 and 100 grain ballistic tip federals, would recommend the 85 grain, savage round in the 25-06.

Never had any trouble getting ammo.


dr6.5

rabbit assassin

Sound lads Ill be in this week for a look !

I'll be bringing a few of the guns in to see what price I can get for them so hopefully they will cover the cost of a new one

Mauser 308

Guys just wondering how does the 25-06 compare to the 243? Anyone have any experence? cheers

It wasn't me!

Mauser 308 wrote: »

Guys just wondering how does the 25-06 compare to the 243? Anyone have any experence? cheers

Shoots heavier bullets and shoots the same weights about 250 fps faster. Little bit more recoil, good bit more noise, but nothing unmanageable. In terms of on-game performance, I'd be more interested in it for the 115-120gr bullets but there's a certain charm in that viciously flat trajectory with those 85s, and the scary velocities. That's the sort of speed you get with a 40gr bullet from a .223!

patsat

The 85 grain ballistic tip for the 25-06 are an awesome round! If they were more suitable for shooting deer (slower expanding) I'd be buying a couple of hundred of them straight away!

Once my rifle is back i'll be trying out a few loads more suitable for deer but really wish I could stick with the 85 grain!:cool:

I've had a .270 and now a .25-06 and would choose either of them over a .308, For a hunting round both are superior for game in Ireland, and don't mind all that ammo choice talk I've never went into a dealer that didnt have a choice of 25-0 or .270!

The Big Fella

Why dont you just keep the .243? If I was you Id ask to fire a .270 before I buy. A light barreled .270 might not be as pleasant to fire as you think.:D:D

deerhunter1

The Big Fella wrote: »

Why dont you just keep the .243? If I was you Id ask to fire a .270 before I buy. A light barreled .270 might not be as pleasant to fire as you think.:D:D

Correct good advice

Glensman

The Big Fella wrote: »

Why dont you just keep the .243? If I was you Id ask to fire a .270 before I buy. A light barreled .270 might not be as pleasant to fire as you think.:D:D

My Howa 1500 has a sporter barrel and a lightweight stock.

It's not one bit pleasant to fire.

It wasn't me!

Lads, not being funny, but it's a .270 win, not a .458 mag. Let's not go nuts. It's a mild cartridge. Yes, it kicks, but no worse than a .308 really. It's not going to hurt you.

Glensman

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Lads, not being funny, but it's a .270 win, not a .458 mag. Let's not go nuts. It's a mild cartridge. Yes, it kicks, but no worse than a .308 really. It's not going to hurt you.

It's by no means mild.
I found that from a prone position, unless it was Ideal I didn't have enough eye relief so the scope gave me a kiss above the eye.

It was find if you had a real good grip- but this isn't always possible.

It wasn't me!

Glensman wrote: »

It's by no means mild.
I found that from a prone position, unless it was Ideal I didn't have enough eye relief so the scope gave me a kiss above the eye.

It was find if you had a real good grip- but this isn't always possible.

Sounds like your stock is way too short or something, because it's certainly an easy enough cartridge to shoot in my opinion. Plenty easier than the likes of a .30-06, which is something most people can shoot perfectly well.

The Big Fella

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Lads, not being funny, but it's a .270 win, not a .458 mag. Let's not go nuts. It's a mild cartridge. Yes, it kicks, but no worse than a .308 really. It's not going to hurt you.

Well you would have to fire a .458 mag to be comparing it to .270.:rolleyes: I wouldnt be so quick to say a .270 is a ''mild'' cartrige as lads could be going out and buying them with that advice thinking the recoil is the same as a .243 and dont get me started on the noise of the thing!:eek:

It wasn't me!

The Big Fella wrote: »

Well you would have to fire a .458 mag to be comparing it to .270.:rolleyes: I wouldnt be so quick to say a .270 is a ''mild'' cartrige as lads could be going out and buying them with that advice thinking the recoil is the same as a .243 and dont get me started on the noise of the thing!:eek:

A .270 is a mild cartridge. I don't think anyone is going to have a problem learning to shoot one. Jesus lads, these are recommended for kids to get into big game shooting in a lot of the rest of the world. The recoil's not the same as a .243 but it's not going to hurt you either. I've a 6.25lb SxS that with game loads kicks a lot harder than any rifle cartridge I've shot, up to and including .300 mags and it doesn't bother me either. A .270 is an absolute kitten compared to the likes of that.

foxer3640

It wasn't me! wrote: »

A .270 is a mild cartridge. I don't think anyone is going to have a problem learning to shoot one. Jesus lads, these are recommended for kids to get into big game shooting in a lot of the rest of the world. The recoil's not the same as a .243 but it's not going to hurt you either. I've a 6.25lb SxS that with game loads kicks a lot harder than any rifle cartridge I've shot, up to and including .300 mags and it doesn't bother me either. A .270 is an absolute kitten compared to the likes of that.

The 270 is not a mild cartridge. My mates 270 in a light hunting rifle kicks every bit as hard as my 300 mag in a heavy tac rifle. I know a couple of lads who cant use the 270 because of bad shoulder etc so to say its a pussy cat is misleading. Just my opinion.

It wasn't me!

foxer3640 wrote: »

The 270 is not a mild cartridge. My mates 270 in a light hunting rifle kicks every bit as hard as my 300 mag in a heavy tac rifle. I know a couple of lads who cant use the 270 because of bad shoulder etc so to say its a pussy cat is misleading. Just my opinion.

Yeah, and a .300 mag in a heavy tactical rifle doesn't kick a whole lot either. It is very much on the mild end of the cartridge spectrum. Frankly I think it's ludicrous to scaremonger about it. It's a light hitting easy to shoot round, like a .308 or a .25-06.

deerhunter1

foxer3640 wrote: »

The 270 is not a mild cartridge. My mates 270 in a light hunting rifle kicks every bit as hard as my 300 mag in a heavy tac rifle. I know a couple of lads who cant use the 270 because of bad shoulder etc so to say its a pussy cat is misleading. Just my opinion.

Agree, I had a Remmy ADL in 270 many years ago, kicked hard, people should try and fire one before purchase

tomcat220t

Not mad on excessive recoil myself but a .270 with a good recoil pad and suppressor would make it a much nicer setup to shoot .

ormondprop

To be fair a .270 does kick a nice bit, especially the one my neighbour had, a remmy mountain model without a mod, it was the first cf rifle i used as a young lad but still managed it fine as i was used to shotguns for years and i have a light sbs, but i can imagine people being put off by it if they are not shotgun shooters or have used other big cal rifles

It wasn't me!

ormondprop wrote: »

To be fair a .270 does kick a nice bit, especially the one my neighbour had, a remmy mountain model without a mod, it was the first cf rifle i used as a young lad but still managed it fine as i was used to shotguns for years and i have a light sbs, but i can imagine people being put off by it if they are not shotgun shooters or have used other big cal rifles

Remington mountain rifle should come to about 7.25 to 7.5lbs scoped. lovely setup. A half decent recoil pad and it's perfectly manageable.

long range shooter

6,5x55 its great on deer.
308 second

tomcat220t

long range shooter wrote: »

6,5x55 its great on deer.
308 second

6.5 is a little slow for deer ,imo.
One of the best rounds for deer in 6.5 is the norma 120gr .High priced ammo when compared to the .270 range of ammo .

Feisar

A mate of mine has an RPA Interceptor in .308 and the recoil used to bug the both of us till he got the adjustable butt plate for it and it's a heavy rifle. I suppose it's all about fit.

long range shooter

tomcat220t wrote: »

6.5 is a little slow for deer ,imo.
One of the best rounds for deer in 6.5 is the norma 120gr .High priced ammo when compared to the .270 range of ammo .

Hornadys 140 gr amax is a better choice.;)

tomcat220t

long range shooter wrote: »

Hornadys 140 gr amax is a better choice.;)

Hornady do a 140gr @ 2735fps .
The 140gr amax ??Is that factory ?

FISMA

rabbit assassin wrote: »

my .243 (I'll be keeping my .22lr and .17hmr) So I just want to end up with 5 in the house in total.
...
Any recommendations on what to go for?

I would consider keeping the 243. Otherwise, I would get the 270.

What's the prices of ammo for these in Ireland?

When it comes down to the basics, I like: 22LR, 12ga, 223, and the 30-06. Covers just about everything I'll ever want to do in the states.

long range shooter

tomcat220t wrote: »

Hornady do a 140gr @ 2735fps .
The 140gr amax ??Is that factory ?

No i am afraid you have to reload then

Grizzly 45

foxer3640 wrote: »

The 270 is not a mild cartridge. My mates 270 in a light hunting rifle kicks every bit as hard as my 300 mag in a heavy tac rifle. I know a couple of lads who cant use the 270 because of bad shoulder etc so to say its a pussy cat is misleading. Just my opinion.

Just on a likkle bit of history.John Garand orginally designed the famous 30.06 Garand M1 of ww2 fame to use the .270 cartridge.Which was going to replace the 30.06 as the US army cartridge of choiuce.This was stymied by then Col.Douglas Mac Auther,as the US had a huge stockpile of 30.06 ammo and it was going to cost a fortune in depression era America to change the rifle and ammo.Garand quickly changed the M1 design to use 30.06 ammo and sold the War Dept on it...

Intrestingly enough and to the revelance of this.There are some US Garand makers/rebuilders who make the M1 in .270 today.
However there are very few who keep it in production,as it is a high pressure round that has a tendency to bust and crack M1 recivers!!

Now,wether that is down to shoddy production of aftermarket recivers,made up of welded together bits or even rebarrelled 30.06 recivers that handle a .308 no problem either ... It shows the .270 lives up to its reputation of a HP round.So some of that energy must be going into the "ouch" factor as well.:pac:

To me the .270 is one of those oddball calibres looking for a solution to a problem,like the 38 super or 40 S&W.Trying to do two jobs of speed and mass delivery,but not really doing either very well,and at a cost per round fired.

tac foley

Glensman wrote: »

It's by no means mild.
I found that from a prone position, unless it was Ideal I didn't have enough eye relief so the scope gave me a kiss above the eye.

In that case, Sir, you might consider moving your scope somewhat.;)

Just sayin'.

tac

mrbrianj

How come hardly anybody suggests 30 06?

I have both 243 and 308. I tried to search out a good 30 06 but just came across a very clean 308 for good money at the time so jumped that way.

30 06 seems like it's a great round, I'd go there before some of its derivatives

German pointer

Glensman wrote: »

It's by no means mild.
I found that from a prone position, unless it was Ideal I didn't have enough eye relief so the scope gave me a kiss above the eye.

It was find if you had a real good grip- but this isn't always possible.

I like my .270 alot but somewhat like yourself if you dont respect it as you fire it, it can give you a kiss. :eek: Scope is fully forward and scope and rifle is a perfect fit to my eye as it hits my shoulder.
But as you say if held right the is nothing better as you know whatever you hit is going down:eek::eek:

patsat

mrbrianj wrote: »

How come hardly anybody suggests 30 06?

I have both 243 and 308. I tried to search out a good 30 06 but just came across a very clean 308 for good money at the time so jumped that way.

30 06 seems like it's a great round, I'd go there before some of its derivatives

30-06 is a great round (all the Americans can't be wrong) but for Ireland I think there no need for it, ie the .270 is more than capable of stopping any animal your will hunt in Ireland.

I choose .270 because of this and loved it! Even with a stock designed for open sights (low comb) and a very high scope I never once felt uncomfortable firing it.

I have since changed to 25-06 because I was wanted to change to a tikka lite but if at the time the dealer had a .270 in T3 I would have bought that