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.30.06 Springfield
The .30.06 Springfield pronounced thirty 'ought' six is perhaps the most iconic calibre ever to have emerged from the United States.
Introduced as a military round in 1906, hence the 'ought six', this .30 calibre cartridge was used by the US military for nearly 50 years before being replaced by the 7.62 NATO and more recently the 5.56 NATO.
(Right: The .30.06 great for the UK's largest species of deer)
Today it is still a popular cartridge and is used frequently by hunters in search of medium to large game. At the muzzle the .30.06 fires a 180 grain bullet at about 2700 feet per second and produces 2900 ft lbs of energy.
This is some 200 -300 more ft lbs of energy than the more commonly used .308 in the UK and for many this is enough of a margin to mean that it is more suitable for those hunting in Africa and the US where much of the game is a larger than our native UK deer. Added to this ammunition is widely available both here and abroad and is produced by all the major ammunition manufacturers.
Bullet weights can be found from 110 grains to 220grains which like the .308 gives it great versatility. However there is a price to pay for this little extra energy and that is that the recoil is noticeably more and makes shooting this round a little uncomfortable for many deer stalkers.
Further disadvantages are that many consider the .308 to be a more accurate calibre and this is certainly true of long range target shooters who consistently favour the .308 due perhaps to the consistent results produced by the more uniform and gentle push produced by the shorter cartridge.
For those who want a calibre that is appropriate for hunting both within the UK and abroad the .30.06 is a tried and tested choice however for UK deer stalking alone the .30.06 remains a slightly unusual choice and to my mind is eclipsed by the advantages of the .308.
Typical Ballistics: (180 grain bullet)
Muzzle Energy: 2900 ft/lbs
Muzzle Velocity: 2700 fps
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.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is possibly one of the most successful and popular centre fire rifle cartridges ever produced. First developed in 1952 the .308 was introduced as a commercial hunting cartridge. Just a couple of years later the cartridge was adopted and modified slightly to produce the military equivalent in the 7.62 NATO.
(Left: A Sako 85 chambered in .308, perfect for the UK's larger species of deer)
This cartridge has a relatively short case and is therefore well suited to short action rifles added to this bullet weights for the home loader range from 73 grains to 200grains all meaning that this calibre can be extremely versatile.
In the UK the .308 Winchester is suitable for all our deer species from Muntjac all the way through to larger species such as Fallow, Red, Sika deer and even boar.
Producing around 2600 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle and retaining 2150 ft lbs at 100yards and 1700 ft lbs at 200yards this calibre has plenty of knock down power yet has very manageable recoil.
On the downside the .308 has a slightly more curved trajectory than say a .270 or .30.06, dropping 3.9 inches at 200 yards with a 100 yard zero and a little over 14.5 inches at 300 yards. Or 8.4 inches at 300 yards with a 200 yard zero. Agreed not very spectacular however, ask yourself this? How many shots have you taken at 300 yards lately?
(Left: The .308 Winchester an all time classic calibre)
As an experienced stalker friend of mine once said "You know exactly what it's going to do and where it's going to come down". Indeed it's a very predictable round and a popular choice for those on the 1000 yard range at Bisley so who are we to argue!
Added to this it has great terminal ballistics. Unlike some calibres the .308 has a predictable wound channel through large game and as they say 'does exactly what it says on the tin!'
There's no denying it is one of the greatest all time hunting calibres in the world which is why we use a .308 with 150 grain ammunition when hunting fallow, Roe and Muntjac and find that in our Sako 85 it is our most popular estate rifle.
For more on why we consider the .308 Winchester to be the best calibre for UK Deer Stalking follow this link: what-is-the-best-calibre-for-deer-stalking
To read about our choice of bullet weight for the .308 click here: what-is-the-best-bullet-weight-for-the-308
Typical Ballistics: (150 grain bullet)
Muzzle Energy: 2600 ft/lbs
Muzzle Velocity: 2820 fps
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.270 Winchester
Originally developed in 1923 and released by Winchester in 1925 this cartridge is basically a necked down .30.06 Springfield.
It is undoubtedly one of the most widely used rifle cartridges ever and has been in and out of fashion amongst deer stalkers and hunters ever since its first introduction.
(Left: The .270 can be adapted to accept a variety of bullets)
The Calibre for many is synonymous with the famous American Gun Writer Jack O'Connor who wrote for 'Outdoor Life' for some 30 years. Jack O'Connor proclaimed the calibres praises for all kinds of game and today it is still a calibre that many feel ideal for Uk Deer Stalking whilst also being suitable for larger species such as Boar and Elk.
Typically used with 130 grain bullets the .270 can propel a bullet at around 3100fps or with a slightly heavier 150 grain bullet at around 2850fps. This produces some great terminal ballistics at long ranges and as such it is a first choice for many stalkers wishing to hunt larger deer species at longer ranges.
It is for these reasons perhaps not surprising therefore that it has been highly popular amongst Highland stalkers and the Scottish Forestry Commission who are often required to cull Deer at longer ranges than might be typical for a lowland stalker.
With 2700 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle the .270 Winchester has similar energy levels to the .308 Winchester however it is of course flatter shooting. That said there are draw backs and these include what some might find a slightly snappy kick which for many new comers to deer stalking can result in 'flinching' when taking the shot. That added to a significant muzzle blast and slightly more expensive ammunition means that it is for many lowland stalkers less desirable than some other calibres.
On the plus side it can be relatively versatile and for home loaders can be used with anything from 90 - 180 grain ammunition. The popularity of the calibre amongst UK stalkers is also improved due to the now frequent use of sound moderators which both decrease the muzzle blast and recoil to more manageable levels.
Typical Ballistics: (130 grain bullet)
Muzzle Energy: 2700 ft/lbs
Muzzle Velocity: 3100 fps
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6.5x55mm Swedish
The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser or simply 6.5 Swedish as it is often referred, although relatively new amongst UK deer stalkers is not in fact a new calibre. Having been introduced initially as a military calibre over 100 years ago it was soon adopted by Scandinavian hunters who found it enough of a calibre for use on animals as large as Moose and even Polar Bear!
There is no denying it is a deceptively effective calibre however on initial impressions it is easy at first to be confused. The figures surrounding this .264 calibre put simply, appear rather unimpressive. A 140 grain bullet is launched at around 2650fps and the energy at the muzzle is little more than that of a .243 Winchester at around 2050ft lbs.
The trajectory is also far from impressive dropping around 4.6 inches at 200yards with a 100yrd zero and 16inches at 300yards.
However this calibre is somewhat of an enigma and for many is the perfect trade off between shootability and knock down power. Amongst other reasons this is because it produces a minimum of recoil and muzzle blast yet it is able to knock down animals that on paper just don't look justifiable.
Added to this, the long thin bullet which has excellent penetration and great accuracy and the fact it is able to handle bullet weights from 77 grains to 160 grains and things start to make sense again.
With the size of our UK deer and the ranges at which we shoot for me this calibre is simply perfect for UK deer stalking, its is therefore perhaps no surprise that UK deer stalkers are adopting this calibre more and more.
6.5x55mm Swedish
The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser or simply 6.5 Swedish as it is often referred, although relatively new amongst UK deer stalkers is not in fact a new calibre. Having been introduced initially as a military calibre over 100 years ago it was soon adopted by Scandinavian hunters who found it enough of a calibre for use on animals as large as Moose and even Polar Bear!
(Above: A great combination for UK stalking, a Tikka T3 chambered in 6.5x55)
There is no denying it is a deceptively effective calibre, however on initial impressions it is easy at first to be confused. The figures surrounding this .264 calibre put simply, appear rather unimpressive. A 140 grain bullet is launched at around 2650fps and the energy at the muzzle is little more than that of a .243 Winchester at around 2050ft lbs.
The trajectory is also far from impressive, dropping around 4.6 inches at 200yards with a 100yrd zero and 16inches at 300yards.
(Left: A great choice of calibre - the 6.5x55 Swedish)
However this calibre is somewhat of an enigma and for many is the perfect trade off between shootability and knock down power. Amongst other reasons this is because it produces a minimum of recoil and muzzle blast, yet it is able to knock down animals that on paper just don't look justifiable.
Added to this, the long thin bullet which has excellent penetration, great accuracy and the fact it is able to handle bullet weights from 77 grains to 160 grains and things start to make sense again.
With the size of deer in the UK, and the ranges at which we shoot them, for me this calibre is simply perfect for lowland deer stalking.
It is also worth mentioning that with the often stringent conditions being placed on the Firearm Certificates of new comers to the sport, another reason for the huge up take of this calibre stems from the fact that many Firearms Enquiry Officers consider this calibre to be an acceptable calibre with which to start, and a good platform from which to gain experience before progressing onto larger calibre rifles.
With all things considered and irrespective of whether this is your first calibre or one of many, it is perhaps no surprise that UK deer stalkers are adopting the 6.5x55 calibre in greater and greater numbers.
Typical Ballistics: (140 grain Bullet)
Muzzle Energy: 2050 ft/lbs
Muzzle Velocity: 2650 fps
