How to choose a hunting rifle?
The hunting rifle is suitable for all shooters who want to hunt for pests, small or big game. Powerful and lethal, it is a category C weapon. The buyer must be of age and hold a valid shooting license or hunting license to obtain it. After purchase, he must also declare it in prefecture.
The type of hunt
This is the type of hunt that will allow you to determine the rifle repetition system.
Hunting on the approach
Initially, approach hunting is a "sanitary" mode of hunting. It is used to control game populations and to eliminate sick individuals. Today, it is also practiced in areas too small to hunt beaten or too close to the roads.
It is practiced alone, in silence and by day. Hunting on the approach must be the least disturbing for the animals. It is carried out without haste and responds to the principle of the "clean bullet": the shooter identifies his target, verifies that there are no obstacles, waits for it to be stationary and targets a deadly zone. The shot is made at a hundred meters maximum.
This type of hunting is practiced between June 1st and February 28th. During the first period, only wild boar and deer can be hunted. As of September, deer are added to the list.
Rifle advised for hunting approach:
• lock rifle that goes between each shot
Hunting on the lookout
Hunting is similar to hunting on the approach, except that it is practiced in a watchtower set up in a place regularly frequented by animals. The hunter hides in the watchtower from early morning until early evening and waits for the animals to approach before shooting. He has the time to observe them, to adjust his aim, to shoot and reload his weapon with complete peace of mind.
Rifle advised for hunting on the hunt:
• lock rifle that is between each shot
The beat
Beaten is a hunting mode that is practiced in two groups: trackers accompanied by dogs and shooters posted. The trackers find the game and fold it towards the shooters placed in line. The latter begin to draw as soon as the game crosses the line of fire.
The hunt can be done in a plot previously inspected by one of the hunters (he identified traces of animals entering the area and few exit signs) or at random. To avoid accidents, hunters must wear neon-colored clothing, pull to the ground and not leave their shooting position before the end of the match. Trackers do not carry weapons.
Generally, the animals hunted during the game are big game (deer, doe, deer and wild boar) and foxes (small game / pest).
Rifles recommended for the fight:
• semi-automatic rifle that allows you to shoot three times in a row without reloading
• express rifle that is suitable for big game, allows you to aim quickly and shoot two times in a row
• lever-action rifle that quickly fires between shots thanks to a lever located behind the bolt
The type of game
This is the type of hunted game that will allow you to determine the caliber of ammunition to use. Below are some examples of possible calibres. There are many others.
Pest and small game
Small game includes all small animals living in the plains and fields (rabbits, hares, pheasants, partridges ...). Pests are animals that do a lot of damage (fox, weasel, polecat, weasel ...).
Calibres recommended for pests and small game:
• quick and light caliber for shots up to 300 meters distance
• .222 caliber for foxes
Big game
Big game brings together large animals living in fields and plains (deer, wild boar, deer, deer ...)
Recommended big game caliber:
• .243 Winchester caliber for deer
• .300 Win Mag caliber for long distance shots
• 30R caliber Blaser for shots at short and medium distance
The shooting distance
For distant shots (hunting on approach or on the lookout), it will be necessary to use a rifle with a telescopic sight. For shorter shots, this type of equipment will be useless.