Help me choosing gun, caliber and ammo for long range hunting in the italian hills

[ssimo]

Ciao a tutti compliments for this forum, i just registered and i am sure i'll spend some good time here. I need a suggestion. I have always hunted roe deer (40%), boars (40%) and, only sporadically, red deer in Italian hills at distances between 5 and 350 yards, stalking. My bergara .308 with RWS DK 165 grains (1 MOA accuracy more or less) and a Khales 2-10x50i with a german IV is perfect for this. I perform high shoulder shots and so far nothing did more than maybe 5 yards after the shot. Now i want to try also longer ranges, up to 600 yards, from more static positions. And i was thinking about a bergara HMR. A bit on the heavy side but very accurate and ergonomic for longer shots. I am still undecided if going with .308, 6.5 creedmore or 300 win mag and i would appreciate if you could also suggest me a specific commercial bullet (accurate and lethal from 10 to 500 or 600 meters). Consider that a roe deer weights tipically 20-30 kg, an italian boar can weight up to 150-200 kg max (on average 40-90 kg) while red deer are even bigger (up to 300 kg) but i rarely get the permission to hunt them. Thank you so much for your time. What do you think of the choice about the rifle? And what about the caliber and bullet? Thanks, Simone

 

[S-3 ranch]

6.5-284 Norma 140gr

 

[rifletuner]

Your 308 is quite capable of taking those species out to 600 yards (548 meters). Just make sure you are using a bullet that will expand at those ranges / velocities.

 

[ssimo]

so for a new long range rifle project you are suggesting a .308 over a 6.5 creedmore?

 

[LightFoot]

I like the 178 ELD-x and 200 ELD-X in the .308 and .300. Great terminal performance even at lower velocity and very accurate in almost everything I’ve shot them in.

Forgive me, but I want more the a 6.5 when stepping up to Red Deer and larger.

You can invite me anytime….

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[FLATHEAD]

300 Win Mag.

 

[Reburn]

I have never seen a red deer go 300kg - 660 lbs. maybe 2/3 of that and 200 kg - 450 lbs.
Even at those species and weights a 6.5 creed or 308 will suit you well. As pointed out just stay within the minimum expansion velocity of your selected bullet.

I do like a 30 cal bullet to buck the wind when I can.

 

[rifletuner]

so for a new long range rifle project you are suggesting a .308 over a 6.5 creedmore?

6.5 Creed will work. But I prefer 30 cals personally. I have a 308 and a 300WM, but no 6.5.

If you want a reason to but a new rifle, then pick what you like best. But the 308 you already have will work fine.

 

[ssimo]

I like the 178 ELD-x and 200 ELD-X in the .308 and .300. Great terminal performance even at lower velocity and very accurate in almost everything I’ve shot them in.

Forgive me, but I want more the a 6.5 when stepping up to Red Deer and larger.

You can invite me anytime….

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah you can come also now. Hunting in the day, nice italian girls in Milan in the night.. oh shit i forgot i have a job

Jokes.aside, i don't think a red deer is so tough actually. The boars are tougher for sure. And they still get pierced from side to side with massive damage and they are drt with a .308 soft point or partition up to at least 300 m in my experience. Of course the .300 gives you an advantage as far as terminal ballistic but everything comes at a price (much louder, need ear protections and muzzlebrake, more difficult to see the reaction to the shot, heavier gun, longer gun, more expensive ammo, less pleasant to.train with). If i were after elks or especially moose i wouldn't think about this one single moment but since red deer and boars have been and are being hunted with non magnum cartridges for decades here in Europe without problems, i don't know if the pros of a magnum are more than the cons.

 

[ssimo]

6.5 Creed will work. But I prefer 30 cals personally. I have a 308 and a 300WM, but no 6.5.

If you want a reason to but a new rifle, then pick what you like best. But the 308 you already have will work fine.

I know it works and i still keep on using it. I also prefer stalking animals at close range and most.of my shots, when i hunt in the swampy areas.of lombardo region, are typically within 30 yards. When i go in the hills this distance increases and many shots are from 100 to 200 yards. These two are my two favourite types of hunting. Move a lot, know the territory, go where the animals rest in the day, being silent and trying to get them in the woods, choose a place to ambush the animal in the evening. Shoot only when you are sure you'll kill what you have in your reticle. Take the meat and go home.

But now i want to experiment some longer shots.

I like .30 cal also but the ballistics of the 6.5 male me prefer it over the .308 as far as "precision" long range hunting cartridges. Maybe i'm wrong, also because if i remember well .308 at 500 m has still more energy than 6.5 Creed. And i would never shoot past 600 meters (680 yards more.or.less), i think after that distance, even if the shot is doable for sure, there are too many variables to be reasonably sure to male a clean and Quick kill. Maybe the threshold is even at lower distances considerino that a roe deer is small. Very small

 

[ssimo]

I have never seen a red deer go 300kg - 660 lbs. maybe 2/3 of that and 200 kg - 450 lbs.
Even at those species and weights a 6.5 creed or 308 will suit you well. As pointed out just stay within the minimum expansion velocity of your selected bullet.

I do like a 30 cal bullet to buck the wind when I can.

Yes, the average weight of a male is 450 lbs. The biggest i shot was 270 kg. But again i think a 250 lbs boar is tougher than a 500 lbs Red deer, because of body construction and smaller target (less margins for shot placement). The one of my avatar was a 240 lbs female at more or less one hundred yards. I didn't shoot her, she was the leader of other 34 hogs. Huge heard.

So what bullet would you use in .308 and 6.5 creedmore?

 

[kpalu]

Have you thought about 7mm rem mag? Lots of great 7mm bullets out there. Not sure about Italy but factory match grade ammo with good bullets is available in the US. I've taken everything from Antelope and Whitetail deer to Elk and Caribou with my 7 mag and it's always performed. Ballistics and terminal performance to 600+ has always been really good for me.

As far as bullets go, Bergers just plain work but have a lead core. I've switched over to copper and have had good luck with those too (Hammer and Barnes). I got ahold of some Hornady CX bullets for this hunting season.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Ciao a tutti compliments for this forum, i just registered and i am sure i'll spend some good time here. I need a suggestion. I have always hunted roe deer (40%), boars (40%) and, only sporadically, red deer in Italian hills at distances between 5 and 350 yards, stalking. My bergara .308 with RWS DK 165 grains (1 MOA accuracy more or less) and a Khales 2-10x50i with a german IV is perfect for this. I perform high shoulder shots and so far nothing did more than maybe 5 yards after the shot. Now i want to try also longer ranges, up to 600 yards, from more static positions. And i was thinking about a bergara HMR. A bit on the heavy side but very accurate and ergonomic for longer shots. I am still undecided if going with .308, 6.5 creedmore or 300 win mag and i would appreciate if you could also suggest me a specific commercial bullet (accurate and lethal from 10 to 500 or 600 meters). Consider that a roe deer weights tipically 20-30 kg, an italian boar can weight up to 150-200 kg max (on average 40-90 kg) while red deer are even bigger (up to 300 kg) but i rarely get the permission to hunt them. Thank you so much for your time. What do you think of the choice about the rifle? And what about the caliber and bullet? Thanks, Simone

I am a huge fan of 6.5’s, but there isnt much difference between that and a 308 out to 600 yards. I would do a 300 mag or 7mm mag if I was you. I am not sure what ammo availability is like or if you reload, but the 6.5 prc and 280AI are also awesome.

 

[Wapiti1]

Any reason you aren't looking at the 7X64 Brenneke? Very capable, will do well with all of the game you have listed, and it's easy to get good ammo for in Europe. Norma Bondstrike 165gr would be a good long range choice, IMO. Sellier and Bellot loads a 175gr Sierra Gameking in that. Good bullet.

Just a thought since you are in Europe and availability is different there.

Jeremy

 

[InGobwetrust]

Yeah you can come also now. Hunting in the day, nice italian girls in Milan in the night.. oh shit i forgot i have a job

Oh how I miss my beautiful Roberta from Crema! We spent some great nights in Milano and some fun days in Lugano! So, back to the subject at hand…. As mentioned already it seems the 7x64 with a good copper solid would be a fine choice for what you are describing.

 

[Stefan]

Doesn't the 7X64mm have a greater availability in your neck of the woods? It is roughly 170 fps slower then a 7mm mag if I am correct? That would make it a nice and capable round.

 

[MarlinsDad]

Just rebarrel your current 308 to 16” and thread for a can if possible. Super handy 500yd suppressed everything gun. Or maybe 6mm creed with 108eldm for deer and predators, 103eldx on the big roe deer and hogs. Or similar bullet construction on whatever bullets you get locally. The 308 win with 168 eldm should be a perfect option for the short handy rifle