Thread: Choosing calibre based on ammunition availablitiy

All good advice above.
.308 makes sense, others still work.
I will always have a .308 but I also like the others for various reasons.

Nathan Foster has a .308 as his hack rifle.

If you are capable of handling a firearm safely and can read and understand directions you are more than capable of learning to handload.
Don't peer in the endless possibilities of equipment , a standard kit from a reputable supplier and the dies to suit you chosen chambering will get you started. You will make satisfactory hunting loads and be able to make loads for practice.

I can walk you through the reloading process, pretty busy over the next 5-6 weeks but should be able to arrange something for early March

Originally Posted by longshot

I can walk you through the reloading process, pretty busy over the next 5-6 weeks but should be able to arrange something for early March

Thats a good offer. Nice of someone to walk you through it and show you the most basic steps and the things they found to be good bad or otherwise.

I would be happy to talk through it by pm

yip the .308 is a doddle to use and doddle to load for,suppressed it is a pussycat to shoot....cheap can be done VERY easily by reloading using cast and trailboss.... I shoot deer with .270 mainly and meat wastage is stuff all even with this cartridge that has always been blamed for meat damage,sure if you shoot through both shoulders you going to loose some meat,if however you tuck projectile neatly behind front leg into "the crease" you will loose less than a cupful of meat.neck shot= similar meat loss... even the classic anchoring both shoulders shot will only see the lesser cuts being left on hill...something like 70% of carcase meat is from 3rd rib back.

mono pills have their place,but its not the b all and end all of choice...cup n core work better when range is longer/projectile is slower and debatable they kill faster because they do cause more damage...and thats the kicker...you WANT/NEED projectile to cause damage,the more the better,monos cause less than cupn core,where you choose that damage to be on carcase is more important than what projectile you use if meat loss is prime consideration.
IM A MEAT HUNTER...I hunt to feed myself,my family and friends,I use monos for deer in the 223 usually,because they work well in the wee cartridge UP CLOSE.... if cup n core bullets were causing me to loose meat I wouldve gone away from them years ago... nope not happening in my lifetime.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

yip the .308 is a doddle to use and doddle to load for,suppressed it is a pussycat to shoot....cheap can be done VERY easily by reloading using cast and trailboss.... I shoot deer with .270 mainly and meat wastage is stuff all even with this cartridge that has always been blamed for meat damage,sure if you shoot through both shoulders you going to loose some meat,if however you tuck projectile neatly behind front leg into "the crease" you will loose less than a cupful of meat.neck shot= similar meat loss... even the classic anchoring both shoulders shot will only see the lesser cuts being left on hill...something like 70% of carcase meat is from 3rd rib back.

mono pills have their place,but its not the b all and end all of choice...cup n core work better when range is longer/projectile is slower and debatable they kill faster because they do cause more damage...and thats the kicker...you WANT/NEED projectile to cause damage,the more the better,monos cause less than cupn core,where you choose that damage to be on carcase is more important than what projectile you use if meat loss is prime consideration.
IM A MEAT HUNTER...I hunt to feed myself,my family and friends,I use monos for deer in the 223 usually,because they work well in the wee cartridge UP CLOSE.... if cup n core bullets were causing me to loose meat I wouldve gone away from them years ago... nope not happening in my lifetime.

How easy to find factory loaded monolithic ammo in NZ? 308 Sako or GMX are easy to find in most vendors?

Thanks everyone for the advice. In retrospect, the relative simplicity of Option C should have been a massive hint that getting a .308 was the right choice. I suppose I will just have to pick something else to obsess about until I get licensed.
Also thanks for the good information surrounding lead in the carcass. It sounds like traditional cup and core bullets might be acceptable, which would make it a hell of a lot cheaper. I'll get to on to the missus about it.
Finally, thank you to those who offered to walk me through hand loading. I very much appreciate it.
Thanks, everyone.

Now you can pull your hair out on Howa vs Tikka vs Sako haha

Originally Posted by iambatman

Thanks everyone for the advice. In retrospect, the relative simplicity of Option C should have been a massive hint that getting a .308 was the right choice. I suppose I will just have to pick something else to obsess about until I get licensed.
Also thanks for the good information surrounding lead in the carcass. It sounds like traditional cup and core bullets might be acceptable, which would make it a hell of a lot cheaper. I'll get to on to the missus about it.
Finally, thank you to those who offered to walk me through hand loading. I very much appreciate it.
Thanks, everyone.

IAmBatman - I'm late to this thread but support what everyone else has said. I started with .308, have been around the block trying every other Calibre since and have come back to .308 for my regular hunting!! Its a great Calibre, while using which I have never missed an animal (and this is THE MAIN GOAL right?). The only other Calibre I sometimes use for larger game (e.g. Red Stag, Elk) is 7mm Rem Mag, but I have an absolute canon of an accurate rifle for this projectile, so just like using it.

I suggest you turn your 'obsession' to having the most accurate rifle possible once you get your FAL. Join the NZDA so you have access to a proper Rifle Range. I've gone from a 'shaky' 150m "bush' shooter to a very comfortable up to 400m shooter by putting proper time in at the Range. Being able to comfortably shoot longer-range massively increases your chances of a kill and your overall enjoyment while hunting.

Originally Posted by Copelli

I suggest you turn your 'obsession' to having the most accurate rifle possible once you get your FAL. Join the NZDA so you have access to a proper Rifle Range. I've gone from a 'shaky' 150m "bush' shooter to a very comfortable up to 400m shooter by putting proper time in at the Range. Being able to comfortably shoot longer-range massively increases your chances of a kill and your overall enjoyment while hunting.

That's is great advice. One question I have, is it important that you practice with the ammo you are intending to shoot game with? I ask this because a quick look at Gun City's website shows 20 rounds of Syraikat FMJ ammo for $30.00. Federal blues are twice as much at $60.00 for 20, Federal Fusions even more expensive at $75.00 for 20.
Can you practice with cheap ammo, sending tonnes of rounds downrange to hone shooting skills, but then sight in and fire a few of what you will hunt with to familiarise yourself with it's ballistics? Or do you realistically need to do all of your practice with the cartridge you will hunt with?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by iambatman

That's is great advice. One question I have, is it important that you practice with the ammo you are intending to shoot game with? I ask this because a quick look at Gun City's website shows 20 rounds of Syraikat FMJ ammo for $30.00. Federal blues are twice as much at $60.00 for 20, Federal Fusions even more expensive at $75.00 for 20.
Can you practice with cheap ammo, sending tonnes of rounds downrange to hone shooting skills, but then sight in and fire a few of what you will hunt with to familiarise yourself with it's ballistics? Or do you realistically need to do all of your practice with the cartridge you will hunt with?

Thanks.

trigger time is great,any trigger time..even plinking with air rifle or .22lr is better than doing none...as to your question,back in SMLE days the point of impact would be way off between different brands of ammunition or bullet weights due to the rear locking action....MOST of rifles in my cabinet will pretty much print all loads in same group,admittedly a larger group than one type but definately coverable by playing card/cellphone at hundy....so go for it.

Originally Posted by iambatman

That's is great advice. One question I have, is it important that you practice with the ammo you are intending to shoot game with? I ask this because a quick look at Gun City's website shows 20 rounds of Syraikat FMJ ammo for $30.00. Federal blues are twice as much at $60.00 for 20, Federal Fusions even more expensive at $75.00 for 20.
Can you practice with cheap ammo, sending tonnes of rounds downrange to hone shooting skills, but then sight in and fire a few of what you will hunt with to familiarise yourself with it's ballistics? Or do you realistically need to do all of your practice with the cartridge you will hunt with?

Thanks.

it seems intimadaiting but it will probably take you under two boxes to sight in then it only really matters where the first shot goes from that point onwards

22lr is a great way to practice, and with subsonic bullets and a suppressor on it they cause a lot less noise/nabour problems

better again is making some hunting friends and learning off them/using what they have and see if you like it

Originally Posted by iambatman

That's is great advice. One question I have, is it important that you practice with the ammo you are intending to shoot game with? I ask this because a quick look at Gun City's website shows 20 rounds of Syraikat FMJ ammo for $30.00. Federal blues are twice as much at $60.00 for 20, Federal Fusions even more expensive at $75.00 for 20.
Can you practice with cheap ammo, sending tonnes of rounds downrange to hone shooting skills, but then sight in and fire a few of what you will hunt with to familiarise yourself with it's ballistics? Or do you realistically need to do all of your practice with the cartridge you will hunt with?

Thanks.

You dont need to fire live rounds at a range for practice. A snap-cap and 10 minutes every night in the back yard practicing hold and field shooting positions - target aqiured, rifle up and snap off a shot will do more to improve your skills than shooting on a range. Practice until you are fast and the rifle comes up and aligns with the target as an automatic movement.

Originally Posted by iambatman

That's is great advice. One question I have, is it important that you practice with the ammo you are intending to shoot game with? I ask this because a quick look at Gun City's website shows 20 rounds of Syraikat FMJ ammo for $30.00. Federal blues are twice as much at $60.00 for 20, Federal Fusions even more expensive at $75.00 for 20.
Can you practice with cheap ammo, sending tonnes of rounds downrange to hone shooting skills, but then sight in and fire a few of what you will hunt with to familiarise yourself with it's ballistics? Or do you realistically need to do all of your practice with the cartridge you will hunt with?

Thanks.

@iambatman

Avoid that Syarikat ammo! Reading the description gives me goosebumps, 1970's Berdan primed ammo 'been around the world' etc. Having grown up in Malaysia I'd be apprehensive about shooting that stuff when it was new!

Just grab some Federal Blue box and sight your rifle in, check drops and windage out to 200m before heading out.

I believe practise is essential, a .22 rimfire or .223 (if you can find cheap ammo) will be better for that. Might find that shooting your .223 gives you so much confidence that you prefer to hunt with it.

Good luck!

What's the factory supply like for ol 303? Would be fine for general hunting deer/pigs and plenty of rifles out there.

But the 308 would be my first choice if possible.

.308 can be found anywhere in the world and cheaply