First Rifles for kepper

[ad22 1]

Hi all,

 

I have been a trainee keeper and due to circumstance (living at my moms) haven't been able to apply for my shotgun or firearms licence.

I now have a full time job with my own house as a single handed keeper and will be moving in next month,

I was wondering what rifles i should apply for on my FAC since i havent held a shotgun or firearms licence before, I have used shotguns and rimfire rifles under supervision since my early teens and understand gun safety and am very resposible with guns.

 

What i would ideally like to apply for is a .22 rimfire and .222 centrefire.. but since it is my rifle will the police look dimly upon my having a centerfire?

I was thinking maybe if so i could apply for a .22 rimmy and .22 hornet or if that is still to much a .22rimy and .17hmr.. i know a hmr isnt ideal for foxing but i didnt know if the police would prefer me to start with one as my 1st rifle. I have used a .22 and 17hmr alot in the past, but have limited use of centrefire rifles.

 

What do you guys thinks? Any info is much appreciated.

Edited March 17, 2010 by ad22

[waidmann 105]

with a position as " single handed keeper" i would go for versatility above all. a .22lr will definately be needed i would think.

do you have deer to manage? if so i would go for .243 for them and fox(if not then just for fox )

when i was working as a keeper i had an over and under .22 win mag and 20g shotgun which i always took on walk abouts,feeding etc.it accounted for alot of predators,squirrels etc etc.

the .177 hmr or hornet will do you well for crows,rabbit(which the magnum will do too).

a shotgun of course.

 

put in for what you need mate,lots of people get centerfire on first application

 

waidmann

[RicW 67]

Apply for .22lr, .17HMR, .223, .243. Explain why you NEED all these. If you are working as a keeper you really do need all these for different aspects of your job. It would make sense to apply for your SGC coterminous, and you might get long mag shotgun on your FAC if you can demonstrate need to control flocking corvids or pigeons. In your position, you may as well apply for all the calibres you are likely to need. Then stick at least one more on top. If the fuzz can knock you back on one, they'll feel clever and you will get what you wanted in the first place.

 

ATB and I envy you your job!

 

Ric

[adamthomas64 1]

on my first application i was granted a .22lr a .17hmr and a .22 centrefire

[ad22 1]

There are lots of deer a deer park is part of my beat, but the stalking rights are let out to deer stalkers so apparently they dont like you (me) to have a .243.

 

I want to get a semi auto .22 rimmy for my walkabouts, figure if i see a fox i can pop a couple into in quick sucsession to make up for the lack of power, and a .22 hornet or .222 for sitting up the high seats and night time lamping. I like the .17hmr as a long range crow gun, bit violent on bunnys to sell them i have found, not sure i would bother with the .17hmr if they would be happy to give me a centrefire .22, although maybe in the future i would like one, just thinking about money at the moment with so much equipment,dogs and furntiure to get.

 

One of the keepers at the last place i was at had a combo over and under .222/12 bore for walk arounds which he said was a very useful gun.

 

I will apply for my shotgun as a contermonius to, hopefully there will be no trouble, ill be up all night and day waiting for any fox that dares go near any of my birds, i will dog in all day long and take the semi auto .22 with me for when im going around is my plan. I want to make sure i do everything i can to make my first year go great!

 

Can you get semi auto .22 mag or .17hmrs?? Is the .22 mag as accurate as the 17? and how does it compare power wise and cost per bullets?

Thanks for your help!

[SportingShooter 0]

There are lots of deer a deer park is part of my beat, but the stalking rights are let out to deer stalkers so apparently they dont like you (me) to have a .243.

 

I want to get a semi auto .22 rimmy for my walkabouts, figure if i see a fox i can pop a couple into in quick sucsession to make up for the lack of power, and a .22 hornet or .222 for sitting up the high seats and night time lamping. I like the .17hmr as a long range crow gun, bit violent on bunnys to sell them i have found, not sure i would bother with the .17hmr if they would be happy to give me a centrefire .22, although maybe in the future i would like one, just thinking about money at the moment with so much equipment,dogs and furntiure to get.

 

One of the keepers at the last place i was at had a combo over and under .222/12 bore for walk arounds which he said was a very useful gun.

 

I will apply for my shotgun as a contermonius to, hopefully there will be no trouble, ill be up all night and day waiting for any fox that dares go near any of my birds, i will dog in all day long and take the semi auto .22 with me for when im going around is my plan. I want to make sure i do everything i can to make my first year go great!

 

Can you get semi auto .22 mag or .17hmrs?? Is the .22 mag as accurate as the 17? and how does it compare power wise and cost per bullets?

Thanks for your help!

 

 

Couple of things,

 

If you're going to use the .22 Rimmy on Fox just make sure you have the condition on your FAC so that you can shoot Fox with that gun. Also, try and make that first shot count with the .22 as its likely to be your most accurate with a semi auto and getting less and less as you keep firing with the target moving.

 

You can't get semi-auto .22WMRs or .17HMRs in the UK, just .22LR unfortunately. The .17 and .22WMR are likely to be near as accurate as each other for the type of shooting you and I do with the .22WMR carrying that bit more stopping power. As for ammunition my last lot of HMR rounds cost me £13/50 Winchester silvertips, .22WMR I'd imagine would be around the same though I've never owned one.

 

If Deer are pretty much off the menu, then I really can't see a problem with them granting you a .22LR, .17/.22WMR & a .22CF. You can well justify their use, you have a need to control small ground game and larger predators such as the Fox, you have more than enough "Good Reason" there.

 

I've used a combination gun once, was a 16B and a Hornet. Brilliant gun for carrying around as long as you pull the right trigger of course! Only downside being open iron sights for the rifle, but any half way decent rifleman should be able to practice enough with irons to take a Fox sized beast at + yards.

 

SS

 

 

[salukiwhippet 6]

Defintely .22lr, it'll be like your right arm before long! Wouldn't bother with HMR,.22 cf will do all you ask and more. Hornet is a lovely round but you do need to homeload for them to get the best.

 

You can get WMR semi's - ruger used to do one, as did BRNO, and I think the Remy 597 is still imported in WMR.

 

James

[SportingShooter 0]

Defintely .22lr, it'll be like your right arm before long! Wouldn't bother with HMR,.22 cf will do all you ask and more. Hornet is a lovely round but you do need to homeload for them to get the best.

 

You can get WMR semi's - ruger used to do one, as did BRNO, and I think the Remy 597 is still imported in WMR.

 

James

 

Just checked and you're quite right, was always under the impression it was just .22LR. Learn something new everyday

[RicW 67]

Guntrader have a 2/h Marlin

[waidmann 105]

on my combi i had a telescopic sight (6x42) and it was WICKED for cats,foxes etc.

never really shot it over 100m though(the odd crow but not regularly),the .22 mag is capable of further.

 

as suggested above put in for ALL of the calibers you might need(a variation costs £26 where i am) and you have five years to get the guns/rifles together.

 

if getting all together is a problem(as it would be for me and most i'm sure) then i would get a shotgun and hornet/hmr/wmr that will let you manage your bunny and predator populus from the start(which you would need to do).

 

get the house sorted and then look on the dog side of things (a well bred terrier and a hpr/spaniel will start you off well ).

 

how big is the area you have to care for?

i had 1000 hectar(pheasant,roe and hare) right by the house and another 1000(pigs,fallow,roe) of a good friend/mentor where i would help out and enjoyed and "open gun"(german term for "shoot what you like,when you like")

 

i also envy the job you have bud it aint easy to keep them all happy(farmers,guns etc) but worth the effort when things go right

 

waidmann

[jamie g 17]

i would have the bolt action 22lr wouldnt bother with semi auto but thats just me. as for centrefire then 243 does it all.

[Dan Newcombe 58]

Agree with Jamie G

 

.22lr and a .243 will set you right for a dual purpose centre fire. They will clear it for just fox and it does a great job but then you dont need a new rifle if you have to take on some deer work

 

I have a .22-250 and a .243 but getting rid of the .243 in favour of a more dedicated deer cal in 6.5x55

 

Dan

[waidmann 105]

not a fan of the semi auto's either.

if you are after a .22 or .177hmr i'd lokk at the "mossberg plinkster" little guns(perfect for in the truck etc) and are going very cheap brand new. i've seen a few and they are not bad(ba/sa).

 

waidmann

[ad22 1]

The shoot is fairly small, 1200 acres, it was 30,000 acres were i was a trainee, admidtley my beat was only 1100 however. My house is in a good location, on the boundary and located on the track which is the main way in and out for the wood so can see anyone coming or going. Hopefully picking up an adult springer tommorw that is hard mouthed but still good on the whistle for dogging, I have a young cocker also and will be getting a ex-army german shephard in the near future to.

 

So why dont people like semi autos??

I've used bolt actions ,22 and 17 alot and more than once ive wished for a quick back up shot, so why dont people like them? I just thought as a carrying around gun it would be useful to be able to have a quick back up shot incase i encounter a fox. Im aware that it is vital to make your first shot count as if it was your only shot however.

[SportingShooter 0]

Agree with Jamie G

 

.22lr and a .243 will set you right for a dual purpose centre fire. They will clear it for just fox and it does a great job but then you dont need a new rifle if you have to take on some deer work

 

I have a .22-250 and a .243 but getting rid of the .243 in favour of a more dedicated deer cal in 6.5x55

 

Dan

 

Just thinking about that part, not all police forces will, especially to someone who is applying for their first grant. I know of two police forces in just my experiences that won't grant a .243 on first grant just for Fox. No harm in trying as it were.