Farmers Rifle opinions

WhelanLad

WhelanLad

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Gday guys,
went out on a deer hunt this morning an one the way out the farmer quizzed me on a few scope an rifle issues.

he wanted a scope that could tell you where to aim if the animal ( Fox, Dog, Roo, Deer or other pest) was a few hundred yards out.. I said, as a matter of fact there is a scope that does that.. aka Burris eliminator- Ok so he wants that.

it also had me wondering what Calibre to advise him on, seeing as gunstores down here will sell a bloke anything, I said to sus me out before he purchases.


I am thinkin a Varmint barrel in maybe a T3 but not sold on, and thinkin .243 .

got to keep in mind.
Ammo availability for a Farmer. will potentially buy bulk to save trips to LGS 2 hour away.
preferably low recoil. he is a well constructed fella so I wouldn't think a 270 would be too much recoil..
mid sized animals up to red deer (most of he shooting is spotlight at night/ chance upon a dog/deer in am/pm whilst drivin around.


.243
.257 Roberts maybe (cost bit higher per round)
.25-06 possibly
.270 on the larger side of options imo

open to opinions

cheers

WL
 
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If he is getting into deer sized game, I would start your search at the quarter bores, but be inclined to move up to the 6.5mm family... I don't imagine that .260 is all that common over there, but there should be good availability on 6.5X55 ammo. 7mm-08 would be another good option in a light recoiling round, sounds like he may be shooting a fairly high volume.
 
243 if he's using it for varmits, but I'd go 308 if he's using it for big game like deer...

Not sure how common other calibers are where you are... So I'd stick to really common calibers.

Cheers
Jay
 
For a one gun does all cartridge with economy and ease of acquiring ammunition, its hard to beat the two classics. 30-06 or 270.
 
I'm with Jay, a .308 does it all and is very available. The .243 is also a nice rig for the dogs as is the 6.5X55, but the choice of ammo will be better with the .243
I personally use both the .308 and the 6.5X55 on such games.
 
for game no bigger then a dog, have you considered .223 (5.56 Nato)? Cheap and plentiful on this side of the pond, not sure if it is legal for deer there or how big the deer there get.

Something like a howa with the 10 or 15 round DBM might be nice as well.
 
BLR81 in 7mm-08, 308win or maybe cough, cawf a 243win.
Go down to the local ammo store and see what they have plenty of.
That yote in my thread I introduced to my 358win........:D
He flipped over like shoot'n a gopher.
I couldn't believe how remarkably fast that thing got to my shoulder
and how well that new Leupold scope got on his running rib cage.
I pense to meself...........atta boy Lewky.......... :wave:

If you/he goes this route, check the trigger for pull as some come easy
and others, well others care to comment on the nasty side.
Maybe they gartzs piano plunking pinkies.
 
For rural parts, centrefire, I always recommend .30-30, .308, or .30-06. Your neighbours will have those, and if older folks most likely .30-30.
 
WL, you mentioned the farmer may be presented a 'roo while out and about , my question is ''is there a minimum caliber required for shooting roos there?''
A twenty inch carbine in the appropriate cal. should do him fine otherwise.
Rob
 
The farmer always seems to go for simple, standard, available and cheaper ammo. That makes a .223, .308 or 30-06 (.22 and 12 gauge) look good.

The sportsman and enthusiast is more likely to go smaller, faster, bigger, louder, cooler or otherwise more entertaining.
 
cheers for the replies.

im thinkin along the lines of the .243 because ammo is cheaper of the lot and in the spotlight (legal for landowners to shoot deer) he will be able to head shoot them reasonably easy.


teamed up with a burris eliminator and I think its a very potent round for 300m or so for a farmer to rid some vermin.


I will be doin my best on the deer side of things, ive gave him permission to only shoot Hinds/Does or any deer without antlers LOL as last time he shot a nice big fallow buck in the light with another 3 or 4 does.. haha cheeky !

will see how we get on

WL
 
I think the .243 would be a sound choice and cover a lot of what he wants to do, I wouldn't necessarily go with a heavy barrel though.
 
Good choice for ammo. Dont think he need a Burris Eliminator for a range up to 400 yds. Sight in at three hundred and he should be ok. .243 is pretty flat out to there.
 
How big are your deer on that side of the planet? The .243 is plenty for whitetails at any rate, and makes for a good coyote round. Should do fine on a kangaroo I would think. The old man switched to a Remington 243 in a synthetic stock a few years back for the behind the porch door gun at the farm. Suits his needs perfectly, used on everything from skunk to coyote in the yard and he carries it for deer now as well. Lighter and kicks less than any of his other rifles.
 
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