What do hunters use in the UK for deer? You shoot quite a bit of deer and should have a good idea of what works. I assume that the 243 and 308 are most common. What bullets and loads are most common. I guess you don't see so many Ultra Mags in Britain?

PCH: You are right. There are a lot of deer shot in the UK but there are not that many people interested in doing so, which works well for those of us who are interested!

Because the size of the deer varies from a 15lb muntjac to a 400lb red stag the calibre and bullet type/ weight varies considerably. I have both in my wood so go armed with a 6.5x55 or a 8x57 depending on how I feel. Actually my hunting partner shot two stags on Tuesday and expected my help to drag them out, at night, in the pouring rain and through 200 metres of swamp. Most unpleasant.

243 in generally considered the legal minimum and is probably the most popular calibre. 270, 308 and 30 06 are also popular. Some of the European metrics are popular especially 6.5x55 and 7x57. Unless you handload most shooters will buy whatever ammo the shop has in stock.. Usually Winchester, Norma or Federal.

Nobody I know of owns an Ultra Mag. The stalking ethos is similar to Europe in that shots over 100 metres are frowned upon. The idea is to creep in close and use a single well placed bullet. We do not shoot long distance and so the ultra-mags are a disadvantage.

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Regards

Richard

[This message has been edited by Deerdogs (edited 02-22-2002).]

Sounds pretty much like in Sweden if you swap the 243 for the 6,5.

What kind of bullets are prefered? expansion or penetration, high weight retention or shrapnel? Do you have a never ending debate whether the 243 is adequate or not, similar to what we have in Sweden with the 6,5 vs. eveything else?

So you mean you don't need a ultra mag to take a deer .

[This message has been edited by PCH (edited 02-22-2002).]

[This message has been edited by PCH (edited 02-22-2002).]

I've had a 2 week blank so I'm no longer qualified to say what works. Previous to this I never shot a magnum nor a premium (and never intend too in the UK)and I will never fire a monolithic as long as I legaly can

The average shot in my neck of the woods uses a Tikka 243, federal 100gr and a Hungarian Schmidt and Bender 6x42 and never looks back. Nor would I. If I lost everything in a fire tomorrow I would do exactly the same but in 6.5x55.

PCH. I'll echo the replies above. I shoot a .270win - 150gn non premiums - but loaded way down to wring maximum effect out of a sound moderator I have fitted to the barrel. This is legal in the UK and has the benefit of reducing perceived recoil by @ 60% and noise by @80%.

Praying for the day when our laws fall in line with Scotland, and we can use a calibre more suited to our smaller species. I have a Rem model 7 in .223 that is just itching to get out for a walk! :0)

IanF

The use of "silencers" or, actually, suppressors or moderators, is a genuinely civilized thing to do. I've never understood why, in the United States, where we try to muffle cars, chainsaws, and jet planes, we insist on making muffled guns desperately illegal and equate them with gangsters and terrorists. Nonsensical.

What is prefered for Red deer in the Highlands? Is it still the 243??

What shooting distances are the norm here?

PCH.

The friends I know who shoot the hill on a regular basis tend towards either .270 or 25.06. Ranges will vary considerably, I suppose an average of 150m could be taken as the norm.

IanF

Sound like there is not all that much difference in the Way we hunt deer here In New England than in the UK. How bout that. Sounds like your shooting distances are just about the same too. Our White Tail Deer will be a little bigger than your Roe and Smaller that your Reds. But we got Some Moose if you go North a few hours by Car. So you now got a problem with Deer? Gee, we been having that problem here in Connecticut for some good twenty years, and now Turkey has become a problem too. What is a boy to do other than hunt every chance he gets. You know you could do Vactions were you get to see the sights and shoot a couple of Deer for the trip home. Just think, Golf and Rifles, it could be the beginings of the New British Empire. Yea and the moon is made of green cheese. Enjoy your problem, you could end you with some very good hunting for some time.

I was in England and Wales for a vacation and found a gunshop in Bath, England. I spent quite a bit of time there and I am sure made a pest of myself. But the British are so well mannered.

A customer came in and somehow I struck up a conversation with him. I told him that the .358 Winchester with a 180 gr bullet is what puts them down and keeps them down. Bla bla bla..... I shot dozens and dozens of deer with the .358W........

I asked "What do you shoot and how many deer have you killed?" He answered "I shoot a 7mm Mauser and about 750 deer. If I don't find them the dogs will!"

Like I said they were nice to me.

PCH wrote:

"What kind of bullets are prefered? expansion or penetration, high weight retention or shrapnel?"

I'm fairly sure that most go for soft points rather than ballistic tips - if I want venison mince I'll cut it up at home! I've just started reloading for the .243 and am experimenting with 100gn soft points and round noses. I can't help but feel that something less energetic would do the trick on muntjac at less than 100 metres.

"Do you have a never ending debate whether the 243 is adequate or not, similar to what we have in Sweden with the 6,5 vs. eveything else?"

What - some riflemen don't have this debate? Locally the trend is .308 for reds and .243 for smaller species, that and a desire to legally able to use .22 centrefire for muntjac.

"So you mean you don't need a ultra mag to take a deer"

Nope - nor 7mm Rem Mag or .50bmg either!

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tikka 3 barrels