What are the most popular calibers for hunting chamois in the Alps? I am especially interested in what Swiss and Austrian hunters use. Thanks.

Often what is popular is dictated by what is legal. E.g. Germany requires a minimum caliber of 6.5mm, so the 6.5x57 is very popular in that country. In Austria, a lot of chamois are shot with .243 Win, 6.5x57 or the 6.5x68 (which everybody raves about - it is about as fast as some of the lighter Weatherby calibers or a .264 Win Mag, say).

In many cantons in Switzerland, there is a minimum caliber requirement of 7mm, so calibers like the the 7x64 are very popular. The 7x64 being the Central European .30-06, it is naturally also very popular in other countries. Calibers like the .30-06, 7mm Rem Mag and 8x68S are also used a lot. The oddball caliber in Switzerland is the 10.3x60R - the minimum caliber legal in the canton of Graubuenden. Lots of chamois shot with that old mortar every year...

There are just so many calibers used for chamois, any list is bound to leave out quite a few.
- mike

9.3,

Ditto in Spain. 6.5x57, 243, 6.5x68, 6.5x65, 270, 7x64, 300 Win, 270 Wby, 308, but number one is probably the 30-06.

quote:

Originally posted by 9.3 rifleman:
I am especially interested in what Swiss and Austrian hunters use. Thanks.

I hunt in canton Valais where, as MHO says, the minimum caliber allowed is 7mm and it is mandatory to use single shot rifles as well.
Bolt action with magazine must be modified to single shot.
So single shot break action (kipplauf) are a popular choice in 7x65r, .30R Blaser and rimless and not traditional caliber (for kiplauf) such as 7rm, 308, 300win and 300weat.
Consider that during the 14 days long chamois season it's possible to hunt also red stags (roaring)and shooting distances are pretty long.

weidmannsheil

g.j.

quote:

Originally posted by mho:
The oddball caliber in Switzerland is the 10.3x60R - the minimum caliber legal in the canton of Graubuenden. Lots of chamois shot with that old mortar every year...

Not meaning to hijack, but just why is this the requirement? What is the justification? Thanks.

Historical, I guess... Some people claim it is meant to stop hunters shooting at distances too far beyond what's legal (some Swiss mountain cantons limit shots to 200 m). We can hope Collani joins the discussion, he is a great fan of the 10.3, builds bullets for it, and shoots it with amazing accuracy for such a big bore.
- mike

quote:

Originally posted by mho:
The oddball caliber in Switzerland is the 10.3x60R - the minimum caliber legal in the canton of Graubuenden.

Caliber yes, cartridge no.
My 10,35x47R and the almost equally old Swiss 10,4x42R would also be licit.

Carcano

That is probably correct. I think the minimum requirement is specified in terms of bullet (or bore?) diameter. The 10.3x60R happens to be close to the smallest cartridge that will meet the minimum requirements (and still be commercially available?). Cartridges with bigger bore diameters qualify as well - some people have taken to shoot .416 Rem Mags... Nothing wrong with being armed for those DG chamois charges, I guess...

Anyway, once Collani joins the discussion, he will set us all right. The 10.3x60R and hunting in Graubuenden are some of his favourite subjects.
- mike

@all

mike – thanks for the introduction.

Now, in Graubuenden the most used cartridge is the 10,3x60R aka 450/400 2 1/8 Inches Black Powder Express. Please refer to this link as well…:
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3621043/m/675107281
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=5...=929105342#929105342

This webpage shows the history of the cartridge 10,3X60R:
http://www.gian-marchet.ch/Patrone-Main-d.htm
http://www.gian-marchet.ch/Patrone-Herkunft-d.htm

Please copy all the here mentioned link into http://world.altavista.com/babelfish/tr and translate it from German to English…!

This web page shows the history of the cartridge 10,4x38R Rim fire, called Vetterli, then the 10,4x42R Center fire, called Hunting cartridge N° 101, and even some cartridges 10,4x47 for Hunting purpose as well…
http://www.gian-marchet.ch/Patrone-Vetterli-d.htm

Some of our hunters are using the .416 Rem. Magnum but the power of this cartridge is causing a lot of meat damage to our rough mountain chamois! For a big red stag (approx. 300lbs) it would be appropriate enough.

This page shows some of game taken with the 10,3X60R cartridge.
http://www.collani.ch/Europa-Main-d.htm
Please do the translation with the babelfish/tr as well…

Good shooting and good hunting
Collani

Hi Gian,

Wonderful stories this "Jagd in Europa".
I am a Davos afficioandao. Where are You hunting Steinbock?

Hi all,

We froggies are shooting Chamois with a all around rifle. With my limited experience I would say we are very content especially with the 6*62 Freres and the 300 Win Mag.
The 7*64 and the 7 RM are fine. The governement guides will never let us use 9.3-62, 222 RM or 9.3-74R.
As long as we are using a range finder almost every caliber over 22 are suitable.

@jbderunz

Well I’m hunting European Ibex in the area called “Sesvennaâ€! This area is rough but beautiful.
http://www.collani.ch/images/S-charl-1.jpg
http://www.collani.ch/images/S-charl-2.jpg

The small village S-charl is located at the Swiss National Parc, the only once in Switzerland. http://www.nationalpark.ch/
This village is situated in an elevation of 1’800m over Sea level.

This picture shows me at Mount Plazer, which has an altitude of 3’104m.
http://www.collani.ch/images/Piz-Plazer.jpg
There are nice chamois but as I said the area is rough. And with our cartridge 10,3X60R we have to get very close to the chamois (max. 150m)!

Always good shooting and good hunting
Collani

Thanks Gian,

It's clear, it's beyond the Fluela pass when coming from Davos.
No way to have a look in Winter as long as the Flueala Pass is close.
Thanks

There is another possibility to get into the Engadin in winter by car. You can drive to Klosters. There is a Railway-Station called “Vereina-Autoverlad†means Vereina car train.
http://www.rhb.ch/autoverlad/vereina/vereina_main.e.php

“The Flüela Pass remains closed during the winter, left to the snow bunnies and avalanches. That is not your problem, though! The RhB takes you and your car quickly and safely through the Vereina tunnel. Lean back and forget your snow chains. The Vereina car train guarantees safe and certain connections between Klosters and the Lower Engadine in winter.â€

Good shooting and good hunting
Collani

Thanks Collani,

I used die Rhetische Bahn many times, very practical in winter, either to meet my family or to go back to Davos after having skied down the valley down to Klosters or even to Saas.
kind regards

quote:

Originally posted by collani:
There are nice chamois but as I said the area is rough. And with our cartridge 10,3X60R we have to get very close to the chamois (max. 150m)!

It's just the wee difference between hunting and shooting at animated targets.
:-)
Weidmannsheil,
Carcano

While not the European Alps, in the New Zealand you will find many 222Rem's,243Win's,308Win and 270's in the southern Alps.
I have taken a few with the 243 wich worked well, but am keen to hunt them again with my Blaser 'Attache' 6.5x57.

In the former"k.u.k."-monarchy of Austria, the standard gun of the mountain hunters in the Alpes was the Mannlich-Schönauer carbine in 6,5x54 MS, and so thausends over thausends of chamois were (and still are) killed with this little, but efficiente cartridge. And not only chamois were killed with this little thing, a very, very great number of the biggest european red stags in Hungary were killed with it, too. The well known austrian-hungarian hunter, Graf(duke) Esterhazy, had shooted near by thausend (1000) red stags with the MS-cartridge with the long, heavy 160grs roundnosebullet.

quote:

Originally posted by Gamsjager:
I hunt in canton Valais where it is mandatory to use single shot rifles as well.

Why?

quote:

Originally posted by HP Shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by Gamsjager:
I hunt in canton Valais where it is mandatory to use single shot rifles as well.

Why?

The lawmaker aim is to reduce fire potential and force (or educate) Hunters to ponder every shoot.

g.j.

In Europe, the "ONE-SHOT_KILL" is the aim and the rule!!!

If it is of interest, I hunt Chamois here in New Zealand. I have shot 6 this year and about a hundred over my hunting career.
I have used .243, .270, 7.08, 3.08 and more lately I now use a 7mm SAUM.
All have been most adequate to the task.
Shots have been from 30 yards to 375 yards.