Just Because I Can Should I ?

[Alsone 789]

That kind of affects your choice - for rabbits it's got to be .22LR or .17HMR simply because of the ammo costs involved in shooting large numbers. I'm presuming he has large numbers from his comments!

 

For deer - Munjac or CWD + Fox, any of the above Centrefires except the Hornet or .204.

 

For Roe or medium to large deer + fox, you either:

 

1. Buy 2 CF rifles - 1 of the above .22 Cf's for fox + a dedicated deer rifle such as .308 or .30-06 OR

 

2. Buy a .243 as an all round gun (legal for all UK deer + fox) OR

 

3. Try and get a dedicated deer calibre such as .308 or .30-06 granted on AOLQ and use that for also fox, although many deer calibres don't have varmint bullets available and so pass through on fox may be an issue due to the power and jacketing. You may also struggle with a grant of this is the FEO thinks your primary use if fox.

Edited July 8, 2015 by Alsone

[Bigad 136]

The land is passed for up to 308 I currently only have Rimfire on closed ticket so I now have reason for Center Fire. Now it's got deer on there plus fox round pheasant pens I want one caliber for both really

[shropshire dan 467]

I'm in same situation and selling my .22-250 and replacing it with a .243

[charlie caller 3,654]

Well went to get the paper work signed up last night and farmer drove us round land pointing out the boundaries 2nd field in 5 deer running round he said if you can get them you can have them as long as you get them f#cking rabbits

In that case a .243 or .25-06 will be perfect, similar rounds but the .25-06 has a bit more punch and can fire a heavier bullet, either one will be great on deer/fox, happy hunting

[Deker 3,478]

If you have a NEED for a bigger calibre then apply for it, regardless of what the land is cleared for its a waste of time/money getting a calibre you don't need!

 

I have .243 and .308, main use of the .308 is Boar and target, the .243 gets more use, but then again my .223 probably gets more use than the .243.

 

[Deker 3,478]

That kind of affects your choice - for rabbits it's got to be .22LR or .17HMR simply because of the ammo costs involved in shooting large numbers. I'm presuming he has large numbers from his comments!

 

For deer - Munjac or CWD + Fox, any of the above Centrefires except the Hornet or .204.

 

For Roe or medium to large deer + fox, you either:

 

1. Buy 2 CF rifles - 1 of the above .22 Cf's for fox + a dedicated deer rifle such as .308 or .30-06 OR

 

2. Buy a .243 as an all round gun (legal for all UK deer + fox) OR

 

3. Try and get a dedicated deer calibre such as .308 or .30-06 granted on AOLQ and use that for also fox, although many deer calibres don't have varmint bullets available and so pass through on fox may be an issue due to the power and jacketing. You may also struggle with a grant of this is the FEO thinks your primary use if fox.

 

ADJECTIVE

adjective: dedicated

1. devoted to a task or purpose:
2. exclusively allocated to or intended for a particular purpose:

Why do people insist on using this term, there are very few dedicated rifles out there, and why on earth impose your own restrictions when applying for/using a rifle.

On top of which you leave yourself wide open for criticism over your chosen dedicated calibres!

[Deker 3,478]

 

 

I think people read to much into ballistics charts and believe because one calibre shoots marginally flatter to 250m, its better... But ballistics charts don't give you the feel of recoil, the decibel reading or the cost of more powder....

 

One thing I can say for a sure is you wont shoot any more foxes, or any foxes at longer distances with either the 250 or the swift! You will just make a louder bang doing it!!

 

I always chuckle when I see recoil given as a reason for not buying a more powerful .224 calibre.

 

For god's sake a .22-250 it's a 55gr bullet driven by around 35gr of powder.

 

A 12g shotgun drives 493gr of lead (32 grams) by around 25gr of powder producing noticeabley more kick and yet an average pigeon shooter or clay pigeon shooter will think nothing of firing -100 rounds, or more, in a morning (2-3hour period) compared to rifle shooters who may fire 2 or 3 rounds in a day!! I mean come on, recoil really?

 

Noise is one thing, I can fully understand that some shooters may prefer more stealth, (with proper ear defence no reason to worry about noise otherwise), but I don't see the argument for recoil with a .224 unless your of very slight build, elderly or very young, or firing much bigger calibre - it takes around a .375 H&H Magnum to reach shotgun recoil levels.

 

If you look at recoil tables on Chuckhawks, (as it's the only way of doing it over the internet), then you find a recoil in ft lbs of 4.2 (4 point 2) for a .22-250 compared to 32 ft lbs for a 12g shotgun with a 32gr load. (.223 is 3.2ft lbs for comparison).

 

Hopefully that puts things in perspective!

 

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

 

http://www.chuckhawks.com/shotgun_recoil_table.htm

 

I admit less recoil = more seen down the scope after firing, but that's not the be all and end all.

 

Personally, as I'm a great believer in being humane, I'd rather choose a more powerful calibre knowing it has the extra shocking power to kill if my aim is slighty off, than shoot with something quieter and risk a wounding from a bad shot. Yep you shouldn't make bad shots, but they're inevitable at some point aren't they and I guess that's also why .22-250 and .243 are popular fox rounds. It's personal preference at the end of the day and what floats your boat, stealth or killing power.

 

 

...and that lot Alsone is the difference between reading to much and looking at tables rather than getting out and doing it.

 

If you ever get a FAC and a fullbore you may begin to understand.

[Deker 3,478]

 

Alsone can post YouTube vids but those of use that get out there and put foxy to sleep every day can see it for what it is.the 250 has its place 300yds +it has an advantage over the .223 but sub 300 nah it's all snot and nonsense is it the best over 300yd gun no way so where does that leave us well it's a compromise as all calibres are is it the best for fox no again cause no one calibre is best and no two peoples ground/situation or application is the same

 

Not posted any vids Dan although that is the only way to illustrate things online been as you can't witness live shooting on a forum. Rather than hating, maybe you should respect a differing opinion.

 

I know plenty of people with .22-250 including someone I meet 7 nights a week in the pub who goes Roe Deer Stalking in Scotland with it several times a year. I've also gone on many a walk around with people with both .223 and .22-250. The terminal performance of .22-250 is the best I've seen from any .224 calibre bullet. That's just my opinion and you're free to disagree but personally I think the destructive power is the best I've seen this side of .243, even better in my opinion than the faster Swift.

 

Does that make it the best? Not necessarily, but it would be my choice of the .224's for knock down power.

 

..and yes every calibre is a compromise and personal choice. Some people value trajectory and power whereas others value comfort, low noise or other factors, plus usual range plays a factor in choice.

 

Everyone has a favourite calibre for their own situation.

 

 

Strange as it may seem it's not Lets have a go at Alsone time, but you do make it so easy!

 

If I watched my Granny knitting/or listened to the bloke down the pub telling me how to knit, and promptly went on a knitting forum and gave them my opinion, (when I didn't even own a pair of knitting needles), what do you think the reaction would be?

[Alsone 789]

Well I do shoot Deker, I just don't have an FAC personally.

Edited July 11, 2015 by Alsone

[walshie 2,804]

Play nicely now ladies!

[riflehunter583 58]

Well went to get the paper work signed up last night and farmer drove us round land pointing out the boundaries 2nd field in 5 deer running round he said if you can get them you can have them as long as you get them f#cking rabbits

if I were you I'd buy a survey map £4! and get the farmer to highlight the land you are allowed to shoot on with a marker so you know where you are and know where you stand.

[riflehunter583 58]

how much more accurate is the 222 compared to the 223? is it worth swapping?

i have a bit of a ocd with shooting i like little tight groups and hate a flyer lol

 

any centre fire can be very very accurate. its more to do with the specific rifle, ammo , rest and shooter more so than the cal.