.30 cal for deer in the UK

[leslie naylor]

Jeza

Inquire about the Range Officer Association they shoot some interesting stuff at Thetford that would help with the larger calibers usage.

Brown Dog

Enquire if the Artist Rifle Club is still alive at Bisley a lot of interesting chaps who now shoot civvy F class !

[Gerald89]

Aficionado, thanks for that I will look them up.

Thetford was what got me interested in the fcsa. I have since found out that they have stopped shooting there due to some problems with .50cal and .338 getting on.

Brown Dog

I am with you on the combat thing!

Yes bisley makes big sense it is 100ish miles verses 200 miles from me!
I have it in the back of my mind that the basc is linked to the nra in some way allowing members to us ranges?
I will check up.

[leslie naylor]

Jeza

Thetford had a 600 yard gallery range then range days on the MOD ranges which were multiple self righting targets at all distances.You have to range distances you self.

You could book a range day at Bisley through the NRA on centurary {600yds}which was one target and marked for you.
Orrrrrrrrrr The Artists.
Loads of real history,Lots of real memorability.Great bunch of blokes.
Two different range targets one a.m and one p.m every wednesday.And one Sunday every month the same as before.
i.e 300&900/300&600 etc
If you join you would get all dates for the year with your membership,so your wife cant say you sprung that one on her
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[stag]

Hi Jeza,
I would suggest that you make your local Firearms Enquiry Officer aware that you want your .308 for stalking local Red Deer,
also advise him on the weight of the local deer, as opposed to the weight of Scottish beasts, I've personally shot Norfolk deer that have exceeded 375lbs gralloched out(hide on). A farmer friend ran into exactly the same situation as you, he was having problems with Reds but failed to mention
this on his application, FEO assumed he wanted to shoot roe
and turned down his application for a 308, one phonecall
explaining the weight difference, roe buck clean 45lbs ave.
and everyone was happy!

[A Papworth]

I have a 308 as my only deer legal calibre and use it almost weekly on muntjac (live weights of these average 10 to 12 kg's with the largest recorded at 21.6Kg's)and also on fallow and roe. I used to use a .243 and have many friends that do, but there are situations when a poorly shot deer with a .243 will move a considerable distance before dieing and with them being so small can be difficult to find. I know one answer is to hit it in the right place to start with but I also know that none of my deer are any deader for using a larger calibre but they also don't move after being hit properly. My 308 zeroed with 150 grain bullets is usable on any deer in Britian and due to using one rifle alot I have full confidence it and my abilities. The idea that you have to own a different rifle for large and small deer is tosh. I told my Firearms Enquiry Officer many years ago that to be in front of either calibre is catastrophic and a member of the general public is very unlikely to notice a difference. Both need a backstop and for the rifleman to behave in a safe manner. The reason I only have one calibre at present is that the 308 has worked so well that I couldn't justify to myself buying anything else.

[Gerald89]

Thanks for the advise!

I am about to meet with him in the next week or so.

My case is strong now backed up with your arguments, I will let you no the result.

Jeza

[Gerald89]

Well at last, into the eighth week of waiting and my certificate is back!
It has 300 Mag on it so I guess I can still choose exactly which one.
I have just put it down for target use for now.

I have got my stalking ground sorted out but still need letters from land owners.

When I finally get them sorted it is a simple change on the certificate.

One of the things I also asked for on the new cert was a new barrel for my .243 but there is no mention of it?

Surly they have to say one way or the other not just ignore it.

Oh well back on the phone it is then.

Jeza