Roe deer hunt 2026

[Kevin375]

Yesterday evening, and this morning, I tried to find a boar but nothing ! The big drought doesn't help and I should go elsewhere where there is still water to have a better chance.
The territory where I hunt this year has 5 roe buck tags and none of them has been shot yet. The genetic is not great from what I have seen so far, and the man who runs this territory told me to shoot what I want.
There was no fox around, and except a badger (not huntable at this season), this morning was very quiet.
I decided to move to another meadow and to start calling with the Buttolo if there was a buck. I quickly saw a doe running toward me and while I was focusing on her, my dog looked behind me. A young buck with a non-typical trophy came and he went toward the doe. I shot it just behind the shoulder to not spoil the meat, kept by the owner. The bullet went through the animal and I heard a big ricochet behind (quite scary in our overpopulated country).
It ran maybe 40 meters and went down, just before Sparrow catches it.

Not a great trophy, but a good cull.

Blaser R8 in 6.5 Creedmoor and home-made ammunition : Lapua SRP case, CCI BR4, Vihtavuori N555 & Nosler Ballistic-Tip 120 gr.
I used to use a Delta Stryker with this rifle. Great scope for daylight hunting but with its narrow field of view, it is not practical for quick shooting at this season, and in the low light condition, its glass is not the best on the market.
The Swarovski Z6i 2.5-15x56 is much better with its huge field of view and its incredible high-end quality glass.

 

[Miletic]

Congratulations!
Never used in 6.5 small rifle primer. Are you satisfied?

 

[Kevin375]

Thank you.
I bought my barrel in 2022 and at that time, it was almost impossible to find classic large rifle primers while small rifle primers were still easy available in my country. So it was already a good reason to choose SRP cases but even if there was not a problem of primer supply, I would have choose them.
They handle much better high pressures from what I have heard.
In the past, I tried some recipes quite hot without any sign of overpressure. To be fair, you can only compare apples to apple and I don't have any experience with Lapua LRP to see the real difference with the same load but I trust some reloader who are more skilled.
I played a little bit with LRP Hornady cases, bought as factory ammos, and quickly, you see they don't handle pressure like Lapua's. But the quality between both is definitely not the same.
I keep Hornady to play with subsonic purpose now.

 

[Miletic]

Thank you.
I bought my barrel in 2022 and at that time, it was almost impossible to find classic large rifle primers while small rifle primers were still easy available in my country. So it was already a good reason to choose SRP cases but even if there was not a problem of primer supply, I would have choose them.
They handle much better high pressures from what I have heard.
In the past, I tried some recipes quite hot without any sign of overpressure. To be fair, you can only compare apples to apple and I don't have any experience with Lapua LRP to see the real difference with the same load but I trust some reloader who are more skilled.
I played a little bit with LRP Hornady cases, bought as factory ammos, and quickly, you see they don't handle pressure like Lapua's. But the quality between both is definitely not the same.
I keep Hornady to play with subsonic purpose now.

Thanks for info.
I only use ima all my cal : rws 5341,5333
Cci 200,250 and br-2

 

[Kevin375]

Except the 6.5 Creedmoor, I mainly use magnum calibers.
I started with Winchester LRM until I had a problems and many misfires. I switched to Federal 215 Gold medal and I bought a big batch of them. I regret I haven't bought more of them at this time.
When my stock was low, they were not available anymore or at a extremely high price. I'm currently using RWS/RUAG 5333 without any complain.
When I reloaded "classic" calibers ( 7x64, .308 Winchester and .30-06) with friends who come to learn how to reload, we use CCI 200 and RWS 5341.
With subsonic load, in all caliber ( 6.5 Creedmoor, .300 Winchester magnum, .338 Winchester magnum and .375 Holland & Holland magnum), I use cheap Winchester LR primers.

 

[Miletic]

I have had several cases where the 5333 did not fire. I think it happened 3 times with 500-600 rounds.

 

[Kevin375]

I also had some issues at the begining but I found the real problem was not the primer itself but the cases.
In .338 Lapua magnum, I tried to reload PPU cases with Degol Starkmantel 300 gr and I had several misfires. I found the pocket primer was in real too deep ! I had several other examples about this problems in other calibers with PPU cases. The same batch of RWS primers hasn't given me trouble with other brands of cases so far : Lapua, Norma, Hornady and RWS.
But a problem can occur to every brand. I also saw some problem with CCI and even Federal. One of my late PH wanted to shoot some Federal trophy bonded SledgeHammer 300 gr in .375 H&H magnum to pick up cases for reloading. It was a bit stupid to waste such expensive ammos on target but it was his choice. One cartridge never fired ! I tried it 3 times in my R93 and he tried it twice in his Remington 700 with no luck. The primer was pierced but it never worked despite a price of 10 € +.

 

[Miletic]

Yes, I understand that the depth of placement of the capsule is important, but that was not the case with me. I had misfiring in RWS cartridges.
I also had a case with the factory RWS H-Mantle. My friend and I tried 10 times to fire the R8 and nothing. I ended up burying the bullet in the ground next to the shooting range

 

[Kevin375]

They it can happen to every brands ! They are known for being "tough" in comparison of others brands.
As for factory ammunitions, the worst case I know happened with a box of 8x68 S, I think KS 225 gr that are discontinued now.
RWS recalled some batches in the past because of that problem.

 

[Miletic]

I use 8x68. It was in him that this happened. Otherwise, I consider RWS to be one of the best manufacturers

 

[Kevin375]

In Europe, they are indeed among the best with Norma and Sako I'd say, but once again, problem can happen to every brands Maybe less common than others but it remains a possibility.
Other problems I know with RWS :
They had a lack of neck tension with some calibers and obviously, bullets moving forward or rearward into its case. I heard, maybe 20 years ago now, a man with his double rifle who removed an empty case of its left barrel while he only shot the right one just before. It was with a TUG 19 g (now Uni-Classic) in 9.3x74 R and this bullet was stuck into the lands and the powder stayed in the chamber when the case was extracted. But in that story, it's very easy to remove the bullet with a cleaning rode from the muzzle.
Again in 9.3x74R, but with another double rifle, a cartridge was not filled wih powder. Instead of a loud noise, the hunter just heard a little ''Toc''. The primer had enough energy to push the bullet quite far into the barrel and in that case, a gunsmith is needed to do the job.

It's not a big problem but in the past, RWS was also known to well overestimate their muzzle velocities. It was impossible or almost, to get the velocity written on their boxe despite a long barrel and a good temperature. Now, and especially in 8x68 S, they give more realistic velocities while before we were well under or with high pressure rounds.

 

[Miletic]

[
QUOTE="Kevin375, post: 1648278, member: 100327"]
In Europe, they are indeed among the best with Norma and Sako I'd say, but once again, problem can happen to every brands Maybe less common than others but it remains a possibility.
Other problems I know with RWS :
They had a lack of neck tension with some calibers and obviously, bullets moving forward or rearward into its case. I heard, maybe 20 years ago now, a man with his double rifle who removed an empty case of its left barrel while he only shot the right one just before. It was with a TUG 19 g (now Uni-Classic) in 9.3x74 R and this bullet was stuck into the lands and the powder stayed in the chamber when the case was extracted. But in that story, it's very easy to remove the bullet with a cleaning rode from the muzzle.
Again in 9.3x74R, but with another double rifle, a cartridge was not filled wih powder. Instead of a loud noise, the hunter just heard a little ''Toc''. The primer had enough energy to push the bullet quite far into the barrel and in that case, a gunsmith is needed to do the job.

It's not a big problem but in the past, RWS was also known to well overestimate their muzzle velocities. It was impossible or almost, to get the velocity written on their boxe despite a long barrel and a good temperature. Now, and especially in 8x68 S, they give more realistic velocities while before we were well under or with high pressure rounds.
[/QUOTE]
I agree abolutely

 

[Miletic]

In this moment

 

[Miletic]

The hunt was successful this evening.
He came at the call of the female

 

[Miletic]

.243win
SST 95gr
PPU case
CCI BR-2
Viht N550

 

[Miletic]

 

[Miletic]

 

[DieJager]

Waidmannsheil! I see you mastered the Balkan smile

 

[Miletic]

Waidmannsdank!
I'm a pretty cheerful person, but I never laugh around the animals I've caught.

 

[DieJager]

Waidmannsdank!
I'm a pretty cheerful person, but I never laugh around the animals I've caught.

No, I get it. Just couldn't help myself. Lot of memes on the internet about the subject.