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The first ever double rifle I used was was back around 1980 to 1982. A Frankonia Jagd under and over in .22 Magnum and 5.6x50mm Rimmed. An engraved double rifle with a huge 4-10x scope. The .22 mag shot maybe 30 mm groups at 100 m, the 5.6x50R a three shot one hole group at 100 m. Hirtenberger 55 gr "Nosler Partitions".The rifle was owned by a wealthy West German, Egon, who a school friends Dad know. Egon lived close to the East German frontier. He purchased a block of land in the hills of the Barossa, with a shed and carport. Put a caravan under the carport. An Opel sports car in the shed. A shotgun and the .22m/5.6 was stored at my friends farm. We had a target shoot with it. No hunting.

I find it interesting that the 5.6x50 mm and the rimmed version were designed to meet the minimum roe deer cartridge requirements of Germany. Based on the .222 Remington base, it's longer than the .223 Remington. I forget if the defunct .222 Remington Magnum is longer or shorter.

Our member Colin/Ahmed577,had a Boss dr made in 5,6x50R. Great idea.

I've shot many dozens of fallow deer with my .222 Remington. Mostly fenced paddock fallow, brain shot. It kills very well. If the brain is closely missed with a .22 Magnum it stuns an animal but the .222 often still kills. A good heart/lung shot world fine as well for wild deer. A bigger cartridge is obviously better for wild deer to avoid loosing wounded animals.

A .222 works fine on feral goats, southern feral pigs, hoppers. But good shots required. I lost my biggest ever horned feral billy shot in the chest with my ,222. After than my purchased .30-06 became my standard. I got sick of following up wounded goats. And loosing the trophy billy in the scrub. Doesn't happen with a .30-06.

So I imagine for careful shooting, from a hochsitz or similar, a .222 based cartridge rifle would do very well.

I used a .223 to shoot my one and only roe in Denmark on ex-members Peter's farm. One shoot, it ran and died.

For some reason a .243 pops into my head as an ideal. I carried a Brno .243 on the Duke of Northumberland s forest for roebuck. Borrowed from the gamekeeper. I didn't get a shot at any roebuck. Weekend hunt "three stalks" only, Saturday morning and evening, Sunday morning. Walking still hunting "stalks" and a couple hours sitting in a high seat Saturday midday. But had to meet the gamekeeper at lunchtime to return the rifle. I drove all the way to Jedburgh on the Scottish border just for the sake of it to kill time, Given more days I'd have taken a roebuck.

I did get a look at a few great big Norwegian roebucks while hunting moose but no shots.

Chased a few in the Schwarzwald/Black Forest with a camera. And again in Northern Bayern/Bavaria in the local Burgermeisters Hochsitz. Camera only.

I think a 6,5 to 7mm would be OK as well. Any larger bores, not ideal for such a small animal if not wanting to waste meat.

But European ammunition catalogues often list larger bores with FMJs for fox and roe. Presumably lesser fur and meat damage. I see our good members backing that up with similar reasoning.

I do like the minimumism and simplicity of using say a 5.6x50 or R. Though s 6.5x54, 6.5x55, or 7x57 would make a neat all rounder.

I'd love to hunt roebuck. A beautiful shoulder mount trophy for the wall. And skull caps mounts aren't bad. I almost bought a porcelain roebuck head mount back mid 80s but out of my price range. Later was gone. Bought a roebuck skull cap and fitted it to a wooden shield. A rustic decoration for my house, not my trophy, just a loved decoration. Imagine having "one hundred" of them like a couple of local Danes had from their younger days back home,

One day, I'll get back to Europe, at the right time. Roebuck is one of my most desired hunts and trophies.

Thanks for the replies and comments. Keep them coming,and any images.

Edit; Android changes corrected

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Edited by NitroX (30/09/24 12:12 PM)