.243 0r .308 ??

[flytie 1]

I have two mates that I stalk with regularly, one uses a .243 the other a .308, both accurate at the ranges you are likely to shoot deer (the .308 more so for long range, a lot of target shooters use it for 1000yds). If you want the best all rounder (according to George Wallace of Sporting Gun) use a .308, it will do Boar to muntys with little meat damage. Moderated they are pussycats to shoot. If mainly foxing with occassional deer, use the .243, but be prepared for carcass damage/taint. .243 is often called the "dog gun" in southern africa, because what you hit with it is only fit for the dog!

 

Strangely both mates are now talking of buying a .270.

 

If you talk to real Stalkers, the guys who do it for a living, you will rarely find them under gunned. I bought my 6.5x55 from Macleods of Tain, and talking with them they sell mainly .270's and .308's to the local stalkers.

 

Neck shooting is not a practise normally recommended by the BASC or BDS, but .243 hollowpoints do work well for it, if thats your bag.

 

ft

[SNAP SHOT 194]

Neck shooting is not a practise normally recommended by the BASC or BDS,

 

 

yes. thats correct, but if you can place the bullet where it needs to go on the neck there is minimal damage to meat, and the animal is dead instantly, or within seconds

 

Its knowing your limits......

 

choose the wrong bullet with any calibre and meat damage is going to be a problem,

 

Snap.

[arveyboy 0]

I have two mates that I stalk with regularly, one uses a .243 the other a .308, both accurate at the ranges you are likely to shoot deer (the .308 more so for long range, a lot of target shooters use it for 1000yds). If you want the best all rounder (according to George Wallace of Sporting Gun) use a .308, it will do Boar to muntys with little meat damage. Moderated they are pussycats to shoot. If mainly foxing with occassional deer, use the .243, but be prepared for carcass damage/taint. .243 is often called the "dog gun" in southern africa, because what you hit with it is only fit for the dog!

 

Strangely both mates are now talking of buying a .270.

 

If you talk to real Stalkers, the guys who do it for a living, you will rarely find them under gunned. I bought my 6.5x55 from Macleods of Tain, and talking with them they sell mainly .270's and .308's to the local stalkers.

 

Neck shooting is not a practise normally recommended by the BASC or BDS, but .243 hollowpoints do work well for it, if thats your bag.

 

ft

 

i'd hasten to disagree. i think im right in saying that stalkers in Scotland used to use a .22 hornet to shoot red deer until it was made illegal. a point to consider, "its not what you use its how you use it" (i like reassuring myself )

 

ATB Jack

[flytie 1]

I have two mates that I stalk with regularly, one uses a .243 the other a .308, both accurate at the ranges you are likely to shoot deer (the .308 more so for long range, a lot of target shooters use it for 1000yds). If you want the best all rounder (according to George Wallace of Sporting Gun) use a .308, it will do Boar to muntys with little meat damage. Moderated they are pussycats to shoot. If mainly foxing with occassional deer, use the .243, but be prepared for carcass damage/taint. .243 is often called the "dog gun" in southern africa, because what you hit with it is only fit for the dog!

 

Strangely both mates are now talking of buying a .270.

 

If you talk to real Stalkers, the guys who do it for a living, you will rarely find them under gunned. I bought my 6.5x55 from Macleods of Tain, and talking with them they sell mainly .270's and .308's to the local stalkers.

 

Neck shooting is not a practise normally recommended by the BASC or BDS, but .243 hollowpoints do work well for it, if thats your bag.

 

ft

 

i'd hasten to disagree. i think im right in saying that stalkers in Scotland used to use a .22 hornet to shoot red deer until it was made illegal. a point to consider, "its not what you use its how you use it" (i like reassuring myself )

 

ATB Jack

At a 1000yds? Yep, i've heard those stories too.

 

ft

[arveyboy 0]

since when was this about stalking deer at 1000 yards. you mentioned that target shooters use a .308 to 1000yds, fair enough thats certainly true. what you also said was that the real stalkers who do it for a living never go under-gunned. as far as .22 hornet goes thats the smallest centrefire calibre and these Scottish Ghillies were doing it for a living so my simple point was that the original true stalkers were using small calibres indeed. you're never under-gunned, just under-capable

[Mr_Logic 5]

The 22 Hornet was used for stalking, although I think roe rather than red. Due to low recoil, mainly. If you look at 22 Hornet factory cartridges, most of them are 45gr softpoint, and trust me that don't expand quick, it's not a varmint load! Faced with a roe deer and a different law, I would happily knock them over with body shots out to 150 yards.

 

I can shoot well enough to do that, and personally have no issue with such shots by people who know what they're doing.

 

Now...

 

243 vs 308.

 

Well I shoot a 308, but that's because I bought it as a toy and decided I preferred the rifle to my 243. 243 is the calibre I would choose for the job in question. It is one of the only true varmint/deer calibres, which is to say it happily does both tasks.

 

As has been said, bullet selection is important though.

[SNAP SHOT 194]

you're never under-gunned, just under-capable

 

 

 

very good comment mate.....

 

 

but its down to what We can do personally,

 

And because people buy stalking and the keepers see the kinda shots some people are they have no option but to up the calibre to make sure the shot is a deadly one if it doesn't hit the desired target area.....

 

hence the 6.5, .270, and .308 preference

 

 

snap.

[dwighet 1]

Take a look at the 7mm08 it can push a 120gn vmax at 3100 fps...very flat shooter out to 300.

here is a good read about the 7mm08 on deer..http://www.huntthenorth.com/Theperfectrifle.html

[dwighet 1]

take a look at the 7mm08..its a good flat shooter..Pushing a 120gn bt at 3100fps. here is a good read on it.

Visit My Website

[lxx73 0]

Take a look at the 7mm08 it can push a 120gn vmax at 3100 fps...very flat shooter out to 300.

here is a good read about the 7mm08 on deer..http://www.huntthenorth.com/Theperfectrifle.html

 

Expect a long wait, I was told 6-12 months before delivery. Now opting to buy .308.

[nightstalkeruk 0]

I've got a Blaser R93 Camo pro short barrel in .308 (shooting 125gr Nosler) shoot it with a Jet-Z mod this thing shoots like a dream. stalking you can't beat it ....

 

grouping wise take a look at this link .. http://www.blaser-uk.com/blasergroupingfeature.html

 

NS

[elvolcan 0]

I want to buy either a .243 or a .308 for deer stalking and for long range target shooting.

 

How would the .243 perform at target shooting at over 600m ? Compared to the .308?

 

Also is the .308 significantly more difficult to obtain than the .243?

 

Thanks

[Mr_Logic 5]

With the right load, the 243 will outperform the 308 at target shooting. One thing to note though, a deer stalking rifle and a target rifle are pretty different beasts, unless you are prepared to lug your target rifle out in the field.

[danebrewer10 6]

I want to buy either a .243 or a .308 for deer stalking and for long range target shooting.

 

How would the .243 perform at target shooting at over 600m ? Compared to the .308?

 

Also is the .308 significantly more difficult to obtain than the .243?

 

Thanks

 

the .243 is faster but i think will be blown around more as it is a lighter bullet, as for a dual purpose rifle, you don't really want to be lugging 9 lbs+ of rifle and scope around the field all day so get something lighter check the Kimber model 84M Longmaster Classic- walnut stock, blued action and a medium/heavy stainless barrel, looks really sexy..... just over 7lbs with nothing on it, the action is a purpose designed short action reciever not a shortened long action one so it's really trim, plus the heavier barrel will give you that extra stiffness for target shooting..... check it out!- if you have a valid reason for wanting the .308 over the .243 (which you have) i can't really see you having a problem getting a variation for a .308.....

[mj robson 8]

Add another vote to the .243 list.

 

Mark.