Deer Stalking Rifle

Alpha Delta

Hi,

I'm looking for my first deer rifle. Have a shotgun for a while now and permissions lined up, course done and ready to apply.

Budget is around €1,500 for rifle and scope.

I'm looking for recommendations, second hand or new if there is value to be had.

I'm based in Roscommon but willing to travel within reason for a good deal.

keith s

Definitely value in 2nd hand, as long as it was looked after. Try get a few shots to see how it groups.

243 is a great calibre in my opinion.

Howa rifles seem to be a great rifle and some places will do a great deal for the budget you have, scope, mod, bipod, bag.....

Whatever rifle you do choose, keep in mind what you will be doing with it.

Varmint for example are generally heavy barrel. So too, would most target rifles, so keep in mind the overall weight of the rifle (including bipod, mod...).

Wildhunter.ie are based in Athlone, might be worth popping in to for a chat and a look see, get an idea on how some rifles fit and feel.

ejg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058317753/for-sale-rem-700-243-with-new-pse

This is a quality rifle put together very well. New barrel, new carbon fibre ultra lightweight stock with shark skin surface. Fantastic lightweight hunting rifle. Pica rail fitted for scope. We would have two cheaper used scopes available and a used Hausken moderator if wanted. Might be slightly above your budget overall but will be worth it from the get go.

edi

TheEngineer1

I'd go bigger than .243 to be honest. The .243 is a good dual use use round for deer and foxes but if you want a proper dedicated deer rifle I'd be inclined to say go for 6.5x55 or 6.5 Creedmoor as a minimum. Ideally I would be pushing a beginner stalker into a larger calibre again such as a .270 Win, .308 Win, or a .30-06. No point in limiting yourself with the .243.

The extra knockdown power provides that extra bit of reassurance. The .243 will kill deer as good as any catridge out there, but the extra oomph from the larger calibres is the difference between your deer dropping dead on the spot and your deer running 30 yards down a steep embankment before expiring on a miserable November morning! Not only that, but if eventually the lead ammo ban becomes law across the whole country and the deer legal bullet weight is raised in line with our peers in the UK and Europe, then you may struggle to get non-toxic ammo of sufficient weight that is of suitably high muzzle energy as to be deer-legal. The larger calibres are future proof in this regard and will likely retain better value should you choose to sell the rifle later on down the line.

Rescueme0007

The old advice is to spend more on the optics than the rifle (as modern rifles are generally very good) I would support the notion of second hand, in good condition. I would also suggest the 6.5X55SE or its modern equivalent 6.5CM. Very mild recoil, accurate and readily available. More than adequate for our deer species. See what's available in your local gun shops, handle them and see what feels right. Best of luck in your search, hope you find a peach!

Gman2021

Could get some good deals in wild hunter in athlone. They had a post on their Facebook that they’re knocking €300 off most new guns as they closed the Galway shop and have a massive stock now.

Alternatively, Dave Mulvihill in Ballymahon has a great stock and is a sound man to deal with. Bought a secondhand .243 off him before for cheap money, scope and silencer included and hasn’t given me a seconds trouble. Know a lot of lads who have had good dealings with him over the years

Alpha Delta

Hi again lads,

I actually got sorted since. Got a great deal on a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 off one of the lads here on the forums, and ended up dealing with David Mulvihill like ye have mentioned too.

Thanks a million for all the advice and offers.

Flack11

sorry for hijacking post but just wondering do you still have mod for sale, and if so what tread is it? I’m looking for a mod 5/8UNF if it suited I’d be interested, cheers