FAC upgrade advice - 243

[harrygrey382 1]

At the moment I've got a 22WMR with a space for a 22LR. I shoot at work (I look after horses and grounds amongts other things), mainly for myself but they get to lose a few vermin along the way. It's s 30 acre patch, and my FEO said I'd need to get more experience and/or more land permission to get centrefire. This is the lower end of Norfolk btw. I'm 25 and always been a country boy

 

So 3 months in (ish) I'm getting the bigger-calibre bug. I'm seeing a lot of muntjac and a roe gave me a bit of a shock today. So I've got a couple of questions to put to the (many) experts:

 

1) Permission. I've got in mind a farmer or two to ask, but not sure how to go about it - who's doing who a favour? I'd be shooting foxes rabbits and pigeons at least. When it comes to deer, now who's doing the favour?

 

2)Police. On the whole, do they let you have deer on the ticket without a DSC (can't afford that at the mo)? If not will they grant a 243 for just fox - assuming permission is sufficient? My experience (as the FEO knows) is a year or so cumulative with a RF and I used a 243 a few times for harvesting cattle for meat in Australia (as you do).

I plan on asking a local stalker if I can accompany him a few times to get some experience stalking, and maybe I can get him to mentor me assuming I get a good permission. I hear this makes a big difference, but will it be essential?

 

3) Calibre. I think I want a minimum of 243, and all in all this looks most sensible. Although if I found a 6.5x55 for a good price I'd jump on it, if I could that is... What are the chances of getting a 6.5x55, 270 or 25-06 as your first centrefire? Of course, wouldn't say no to a 30-06 or 308, but I assume this would not happen as a first centrefire and is overkill for what I'd get granted anyway.

 

One more thing to think about for me is I plan on moving to Australia in a couple of years (maybe a bit more) and would like a calibre suitable for there. 243s are VERY popular, as are 30-06 and 308. Prey would be feral goats, pigs foxes and deer, plus maybe putting down the odd cow or horse.

 

Any comments on any of these points greatly appreciated. And sorry for the long post!

[Mr_Logic 5]

30 acres would likely be enough for Hornet IMHO, your FEO might need a word!

 

Regarding your points:

 

1. In theory you're doing the farmer the favour BUT they are letting an armed man on their land so be nice, ask if you can help out. Round here, with roe at least, we are shooting them often as vermin - they are a damaging pest. This is unusual so normally stalking for free is a serious boon, people pay lots of money for shooting deer!

 

2. Depends on FEO, some grant 243 for fox, some don't. Push him a bit, but you'll need a permission with regular 300+ yard shots to really justify it.

 

3. 243 or 25-06 are the varmint/deer calibres really, 243 is what I use and it works.

[harrygrey382 1]

30 acres would likely be enough for Hornet IMHO, your FEO might need a word!

 

Regarding your points:

 

1. In theory you're doing the farmer the favour BUT they are letting an armed man on their land so be nice, ask if you can help out. Round here, with roe at least, we are shooting them often as vermin - they are a damaging pest. This is unusual so normally stalking for free is a serious boon, people pay lots of money for shooting deer!

 

2. Depends on FEO, some grant 243 for fox, some don't. Push him a bit, but you'll need a permission with regular 300+ yard shots to really justify it.

 

3. 243 or 25-06 are the varmint/deer calibres really, 243 is what I use and it works.

thanks logic, i think all i need to do now is pluck up the courage to ask a farmer, or two... I do see a fair few roe about so they may be a problem round here. I guess i could even offer a small amount for a successful stalk, but this wouldn't be very satisfactory.

[harrygrey382 1]

30 acres would likely be enough for Hornet IMHO, your FEO might need a word!

 

Regarding your points:

 

1. In theory you're doing the farmer the favour BUT they are letting an armed man on their land so be nice, ask if you can help out. Round here, with roe at least, we are shooting them often as vermin - they are a damaging pest. This is unusual so normally stalking for free is a serious boon, people pay lots of money for shooting deer!

 

2. Depends on FEO, some grant 243 for fox, some don't. Push him a bit, but you'll need a permission with regular 300+ yard shots to really justify it.

 

3. 243 or 25-06 are the varmint/deer calibres really, 243 is what I use and it works.

thanks logic, i think all i need to do now is pluck up the courage to ask a farmer, or two... I do see a fair few roe about so they may be a problem round here. I guess i could even offer a small amount for a successful stalk, but this wouldn't be very satisfactory.