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Deer and Fox Calibre


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im considering getting involved with a deer management project...

 

To that end I'm weighing up a rifle that I can both use for fox and deer...

 

I'm sure your all screaming .243 right now but I'd like something punchy enough to comfortably take fallow.

 

My criteria is...

 

Cheap to reload

Flat shooting to a extent

Can be used on fox safely

Cheap initial out lay.

 

I'm thinking things lik .270, 6.5x55 or even 25.06

 

So in a effort to start a bit on conversation here, what would you buy and why?

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For a cartridge in this general class,reloading costs will all be very similar-and you won't be firing many hundreds a year!

To normal fox/stalking distances,there is very little difference in effective trajectory for most appropriate cartridges (as below).

 

If you want low initial outlay (I assume rifle purchase) then that perhaps means a used rifle.So eg 6.5x47 are unlikely.....there will though be a wide choice in 6.5x55,or 260 rem or 7-08,and that is a pretty good class of deer cartridge,available in quite a range of factory rifles. Add 308,esp for red deer.

Obviously all are a bit heavy for fox,but effective,given safety. Any 'fox' cartridge will be inadequate for larger deer. Make sure the rifle fits your useage (weight etc).

 

gbal

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Hard to beat the 6,5x55. Put a 140gn bullet and nothing in the UK quarry list will walk away from it, flat as anything with a 95gn VMax. Rifles and reloading equipment aplenty, inherently accurate, mild recoiling, long barrel life....need I go on?

 

Best of luck

 

Finman

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I would have thought that the other members of the deer management project could offer you real on the ground advice, maybe even let you try one or two different guns on one of their range days once you get involved. It depends very much upon the ground you're shooting over and how often you'll be shooting different deer species. Although I could if I wanted, I haven't shot anything other than roe deer for more than 20 years.

.308 win has surely got to be on the consideration list, if for no other reason than cheapness and availability of reloading components. Lapua cases are very reasonably priced in 308 and bullets from 110 to 200 + grains are available and despite the difficulties of obtaining components at the moment, you'll always find something that'll work in a 308.

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I had the same dilemma, I looked into the 6.5x47 for its new popularity as a long range cartridge, running together with other 6.5's I discounted the 284 due to excessive barrel wear, and was also put off the 47 due to problems with pressures on primers and possibly my lack of knowledge reloading wise, (only been reloading for about 10 year's) and couldn't do with the issues. So wanting a short action I decided on the 260. Extremely accurate as with all 6.5's. I also shoot 30.06, out of the 2 I would choose the 260 specially if fox was the list of more likely target's. For just Deer then the 30.06.

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I have used my 7-08 as my primary hunting rifle for the past 6 years. I honestly don't think there is a better calibre for UK hunting.

 

My 19" barrel launches a nosler BT 140gr bullet at 2700 fps and hasn't failed me from fox to big reds.

 

Privi Partisan make a 140gr 7-08 round so there is cheap option.

 

You wouldn't go far wrong with a Tikka T3 lite rifle.

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I also shoot a 30-06 for deer and whilst I have a seperate fox rifle you could load the 100 grain ballistic tips and get them moving for a nice flat fox gun.

I think it's the most versatile rifle you can buy.

I have nearly a full box of 110 vmax just taking up space in my safe, just couldn't get them to group. If you dont mind me asking what load do you use in yours ???

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I have used my 7-08 as my primary hunting rifle for the past 6 years. I honestly don't think there is a better calibre for UK hunting.

 

My 19" barrel launches a nosler BT 140gr bullet at 2700 fps and hasn't failed me from fox to big reds.

 

Privi Partisan make a 140gr 7-08 round so there is cheap option.

 

You wouldn't go far wrong with a Tikka T3 lite rifle.

 

In '99 I went shopping for a 7mm-08 and came back with my first 260 Rem. Very little to choose between the two of them. Factory ammo available at a steep price, reloading components widely available.

 

Regards

 

JCS

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In '99 I went shopping for a 7mm-08 and came back with my first 260 Rem. Very little to choose between the two of them. Factory ammo available at a steep price, reloading components widely available.

 

Regards

 

JCS

.260 is going to be my next purchase but privi don't make ammunition for it. With nothing cheap available I wouldn't suggest it as a sole stalking calibre. I hate loosing expensive brass in the grass.

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It depends on how far you are looking to go with the whole project and what tickles you as a rifle combo.

Any cartridge from 6.5x47L upwards will impose enough energy for fallow/reds, and are more than accurate enough for fox.

 

6.5x55 can be bought cheap enough as a factory chambered rifle, and easy enough to buy factory rounds, loads of great reloading info. to get you shooting.

 

The 270 I love in hills, and again dead simple to reload for (ballpark of 58gr of H4831sc approx) and loads of factory ammo again. The 270 is a bit more punchy compared to the 6.5x55 or 6.5x47L.

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Trust me the 25/06 is the way for you it a big 22,250 with a good punch to it. It is flat shooting so good at night I have done a lot of night shooting of deer etc under license etc & it takes no prisoners. I sold mine on for a 6,5x47 I do like it but will have another 25/06 as soon as I can.

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i put a lot of rounds through a 25-06 over the last 5 years and loved it, as said by vmax its like a big 22-250 lol ,i put 75gvmax through it at a sensible 3450 fps for foxes and 100 and 117g for deer ALL grouped within .3moa if i did my bit ,its a greedy round to load for but the number of rounds you fire at live game are relatively few

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25-06 is a necked down 30-06,as is the 270.It goes all the way back to the 1920 Niedner wildcat,pretty much identically derived.

It is currently popular for reds, though quite what it offers different from the 270 isn't very obvious.Neither are mild in recoil,but have very good performance,as hill red cartridges.

( 22/250 comparison is a tad misleading -relative recoil factors are 1.73 for 25-06,and .90 for 22/250,which is the 250 savage necked down. Muzzle energies are around 1700ft lb for 22/250 but up to 2500 ft lb for the 25-06,which is indeed "quite a bit more punch"!). Desirable,of course.

 

gbal

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I would have a word with your FLO as some forces dislike giving larger calibers suitable for deer for fox but some are quite sensible and happy to give permission for both

Now i know its not how its supposed to be and we should all get 'for any legal quarry' stipulated on our FAC but the reallity is this is not the case

So have a chat and see what your force are happy to allow and if you dont agree with their ideas then if your a member of BASC or SASC or similar let them fight on your behalf

I would recomend anything 6.5 caliber would be suitable but the 6.5 x 47 can be a little fussy with the larger weight bullets and primer issues

 

my deer caliber for the last 10yrs has been 308 but considering a 260 as a change when funds permit

 

Ian

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You need 2 rifles, one shooting fox bullets, one shooting deer bullets. Try and do it with 1 rifle and you be compromising some of the time and wont be at the top of your game! Change one of your .222's for a (insert any deer calibre), choose a bullet to cause the amount of damage you want, and crack on. You need about a 120gn bullet to cause enough damage to a fallow to get it on the deck quickly with body shots at normal stalking ranges, without wasting too much meat.

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Cheers guys,

 

Good conversation around the merits and it's good to see what everyone prefers.

 

I'm going out with a mate this evening he has a .300 win mag and swears by it for accuracy and flat shooting.

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That would definitely do the job on anything it hits in tbe uk, including those species in the local zoo. Whether flo will grant it for fox may be just a minor problem, not sure how much they have changed. I can see you beng tempted ;-)

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I have nearly a full box of 110 vmax just taking up space in my safe, just couldn't get them to group. If you dont mind me asking what load do you use in yours ???

Will look it up and get back to you.

 

Off-road Garry's keeper pal has one too.

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Will look it up and get back to you.

Off-road Garry's keeper pal has one too.

I load him 125sst's over 53gn n135 in a t3 vamint 24" 30-06. Its his estate rifle for letting clients shoot fallow with. Does the job, too much on roe and munty though.

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