I want a Gun... what to do?

[frustratedfarmer]

Perfect!

As I will not use many rounds cost isn't such an issue but what do they cost?

 

[exmoor dave]

Perfect!

As I will not use many rounds cost isn't such an issue but what do they cost?

About £10 per 50


Hmr sounds perfect for what you want

 

[michael N123]

About £10 per 50


Hmr sounds perfect for what you want

Then he needs to buy another gun scope an moderater an a hmr is not really a 200yd tool its cabable at that range but why bother when the 243 is point and shoot and already in his cabinet?

 

[michael N123]

For long range crows the answers obvious.. And how well would a hmr handle wind at 200yds? Nevermind the 8 inch drop youll need to judge

 

[MrNoo]

Hornet is zero'd at 200 yards!! The HMR is only 2,500ft/sec compared to a Hornet 3,650ft/sec But I agree if you already have a .243 then best use that.

 

[frustratedfarmer]

But I wanted an excise to buy another gun

This is exactly what bro told me, I was hoping for some valuable ammo D) from TFF to counter bus suggestion..

Ok, so long range shot at a crow with .243..... What round, ballistic tip again? What grain?

Use about 70 - 90 on fox I think and 120 on deer

 

[Texel Tup]

……..

I could use the .243 more but I am not convinced I can take a crow safely and accurately at 200+ metres, fox at 120 is fine. It's a bit OTT For corvid / brown crow controll too!

So, what sort of money would a respectable HMR cost? I don't need pretty looking things, it's a tool to do a job not get posted on Instagram!

There never has been and there never will be any substitute for bullet weight. The loading charts and the MV aspect would have us believe that the .17 hmr is a superior round to the .22 win mag. It isn't.

Stepping up a weight, for most centre fires, it starts with a .240+ bullet of 100grns. The CF .22s though raved about, will have such a MV reduction at 200yds as to be hopeless. OK, so I've killed at 350yds+ with them, but bullet energy is generally hopeless and that in turn will effect the expansion rate of the projectile.

If you want a CF .22, then seek out a cartridge (.223 or .22-250 cases work best) which will cope with a 60grn bullets. The heavier the bullet to be used, so the slower the twist of the rifling needed and for 60grn 1 in 8" works well.

The .243 cartridge is time tested and a useful round, but it's a myth about BT bullets being more frangible from a safety aspect. They also blow up on impact, and used for deer, they're generally hopeless.

ets. Having now just read your points about 70-90 and 120 grn .243; the .243 is a rather 'picky' round and 70grn is a bit over-bore and the 120grn too much for the case capacity, in my opinion! stick with 100grn, pull the bullets and replace them with Nosler Partition. They work a treat on deer!

 

[michael N123]

But I wanted an excise to buy another gun

This is exactly what bro told me, I was hoping for some valuable ammo D) from TFF to counter bus suggestion..

Ok, so long range shot at a crow with .243..... What round, ballistic tip again? What grain?

Use about 70 - 90 on fox I think and 120 on deer

Just use the most accurate itll be dead haha

 

[joe soapy]

But I wanted an excise to buy another gun

This is exactly what bro told me, I was hoping for some valuable ammo D) from TFF to counter bus suggestion..

Ok, so long range shot at a crow with .243..... What round, ballistic tip again? What grain?

Use about 70 - 90 on fox I think and 120 on deer

Obviously your existing rifle will be suitable for heaver bullets than you need for crows,
be a shame to wear out such a good barrel just shooting birds.
A 204 or 17 rem will be so much more suitable and save money in the long run

 

[michael N123]

Obviously your existing rifle will be suitable for heaver bullets than you need for crows,
be a shame to wear out such a good barrel just shooting birds.
A 204 or 17 rem will be so much more suitable and save money in the long run

20 br

 

[frustratedfarmer]

Obviously your existing rifle will be suitable for heaver bullets than you need for crows,
be a shame to wear out such a good barrel just shooting birds.
A 204 or 17 rem will be so much more suitable and save money in the long run

Thanks, everyone for your help.

Tbh I don't much mind spending £500 on a good set up if I think it will work

That said it will only get 100 rounds through it a year at the movement, in a few yrs time when projects are wrapped up that will increase hopefully...

Looks like I will get some more 243 rounds and try the long ranger stuff more. I found the 70 gram worked well, had a trotting fox at about 180 yards one handed (lamp in the other) last harvest which I was chuffed with.

Can always keep missing, blame the gun then upgrade

 

[michael N123]

Thanks, everyone for your help.

Tbh I don't much mind spending £500 on a good set up if I think it will work

That said it will only get 100 rounds through it a year at the movement, in a few yrs time when projects are wrapped up that will increase hopefully...

Looks like I will get some more 243 rounds and try the long ranger stuff more. I found the 70 gram worked well, had a trotting fox at about 180 yards one handed (lamp in the other) last harvest which I was chuffed with.

Can always keep missing, blame the gun then upgrade

Got a decent range finder and print of some trajectory charts of the internet for help

 

[JD-Kid]

So if you had to shoot a crow at 200 m with dubious back drops (motorway embankment...!) woukd you pick the .243 or .17 HMR?

i would not be picking eather shooting towards a motorway or houseing area is a good way to lose yer lisance

 

[joe soapy]

Being hard up i bought a 223 , had the free press and dies bolted down ready to go.
Went up into attick to get the primers carefully stored 20 years ago
hmm now just where was it

 

[michael N123]

Being hard up i bought a 223 , had the free press and dies bolted down ready to go.
Went up into attick to get the primers carefully stored 20 years ago
hmm now just where was it

How hards reloading a .223 ?

 

[JD-Kid]

How hards reloading a .223 ?

not that hard same as most other necked cases bit of work finding the right loads powders bullets etc etc some of the brands make ammo as good as you can hand loading but if wanting to be away from main stream loads yer forsed to hand load
can be cheeper but if buying all the gear it takes a while to repay the costs

 

[milkloss]

How hards reloading a .223 ?

Reloading is a hobby in itself, I should think you'll struggle to find time to shoot anything with the ammo you've made!

 

[MrNoo]

I found it easy, a friend had a press already, just bought some dies, powder scoop and suitable powder/primers and got on with it. It's very rewarding but can if you let it get very OCD, next thing you'll be buying a chrono and a whole raft of different powders, tweaking this and then that. You'll then be glassing your barrel to the stock, trick trigger kits and on and on it goes!!
I hand load my Hornet brass, its a tad fiddly with my large fingers but I have done a few hundred so far (not had the rifle that long) but as above very rewarding when you get a load that seems to work with your rifle.
There is a wealth of info online regarding reloading but I would approach with caution some load info found online and always start at the lower end of powder measures and work up gradually until you find a load that suits your rifle.

 

[joe soapy]

How hards reloading a .223 ?

The journey aint started yet,,need to go to the range and see if the soldiers have carelessly left any brass lying about, then trip to town for primers powder and bullets that i thought i already had .
Still in 2 minds, been keeping a mental note of shots taken and assesed each as to wether i would have taken it
with the 223. running about 4 to 1 in favour of HMR so far

 

[exmoor dave]

Then he needs to buy another gun scope an moderater an a hmr is not really a 200yd tool its cabable at that range but why bother when the 243 is point and shoot and already in his cabinet?

But he did say he wasn't interested in home loading,
Factory 243 ammo on crows is rather a expensive past time if doing alot.

It really comes down to amount of use.

Hmr is a brilliant compromise between cost of ammo and distance if using alot of rounds. Also not excessively loud.
I could easily use 50-100 hmr rounds in a night on rabbits, I wouldn't want to be reloading that.