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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: terravista on November 14, 2017, 10:49:50 AM
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I do not have any moral concerns in using rifles or killing animals that are pests, I have received my firearms license and need to fill some blank spots in the gun safe.
The need for weapons is for a 146 acre farm that my daughter will be breeding horses on. There is a pack of 6 feral dogs and at least one family of pigs and both groups are capable of doing damage to the horses. and the rabbits do make nice stew.
After a heap of research it looks like a .22LR, 12 gauge shotgun and a .223 are the "go to" weapons in cases like this.
These are expected to be used infrequently so hi-tech, high priced, and being fitted with all the bells and whistles is not needed, and I am willing to get used weapons or the more basic brands of new. Apparently Northern Europe have manufacturers of half decent quality sold via gun shops.
The .22 is sourced but the other two not.
What is the best places to buy these? There is an abundance of on-line websites and the old "physical" gun shops. Either way, test shooting does not look like an option.
Is buying via web sites a trap or a viable method of purchase?
Does anyone have any suggestions on reputable websites?
A crap load of years in the Army gave me no knowledge on shotguns. F1's, M60's, SLR's, Carl Gustav's etc fine, but no shotguns, so I need educating in chokes. Does a 3/4 choke sound right for pigs and dogs, and what cartridges would you recommend?
Thanks
Ian
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Google, Brisbane gun shops ...
Take your pick and visit to see who your most comfortable with " Keep in mind used car salesman " Some are no different ..
Do your Research as to the condition of used fire arms and the $$ for the types in used / new condition and go from there ..
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Never used them but I hear https://www.cleaverfirearms.com/ (https://www.cleaverfirearms.com/) often have very good prices.
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I do not have any moral concerns in using rifles or killing animals that are pests, I have received my firearms license and need to fill some blank spots in the gun safe.
The need for weapons is for a 146 acre farm that my daughter will be breeding horses on. There is a pack of 6 feral dogs and at least one family of pigs and both groups are capable of doing damage to the horses. and the rabbits do make nice stew.
After a heap of research it looks like a .22LR, 12 gauge shotgun and a .223 are the "go to" weapons in cases like this.
These are expected to be used infrequently so hi-tech, high priced, and being fitted with all the bells and whistles is not needed, and I am willing to get used weapons or the more basic brands of new. Apparently Northern Europe have manufacturers of half decent quality sold via gun shops.
The .22 is sourced but the other two not.
What is the best places to buy these? There is an abundance of on-line websites and the old "physical" gun shops. Either way, test shooting does not look like an option.
Is buying via web sites a trap or a viable method of purchase?
Does anyone have any suggestions on reputable websites?
A crap load of years in the Army gave me no knowledge on shotguns. F1's, M60's, SLR's, Carl Gustav's etc fine, but no shotguns, so I need educating in chokes. Does a 3/4 choke sound right for pigs and dogs, and what cartridges would you recommend?
Thanks
Ian
For pigs it depends on the terrain. If it is thick bush you are better off going a solid slug as the pellets will be scattered by the foalage with only 1 or 2 hitting the animal.
If it is wide open terrain i usually used a rifle with a bit of grunt as the bastards would do the bolt before you got into shot gun range.
You could use dogs but once you go down that path it will make your gun cabinet look like a cheap investment compared to keeping those 4 legged friends health and happy
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You could use dogs but once you go down that path it will make your gun cabinet look like a cheap investment compared to keeping those 4 legged friends health and happy
Yes. No one ever called the RSPCA about a dirty rifle either 😂
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website https://www.usedguns.com.au/ (https://www.usedguns.com.au/)
this site allows sellers to advertise. You contact seller to negotiate.
Qld Gun Exchange is a large shop in East Brisbane.
For a low cost farm shotgun, a single barrel 12 guage without choke is heaps. May be a .410 or 20 guage is better suited to a female. The latter are great snake guns.
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For a low cost farm shotgun, a single barrel 12 guage without choke is heaps. May be a .410 or 20 guage is better suited to a female. The latter are great snake guns.
She had a go with a .410 and a 12 gauge at the Gun Club Saturday and for the occasional shoot the 12 gauge would be fine.
As for getting dogs, that is not going to happen. Might be a different story if hunting was involved, but pest eradication does not justify them.
Cheers
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website https://www.usedguns.com.au/ (https://www.usedguns.com.au/)
this site allows sellers to advertise. You contact seller to negotiate.
Qld Gun Exchange is a large shop in East Brisbane.
For a low cost farm shotgun, a single barrel 12 guage without choke is heaps. May be a .410 or 20 guage is better suited to a female. The latter are great snake guns.
Not where pigs are concerned, the more fire power you've got the better. We used to hunt them out from Mildura years ago, and not 1 person took a single shot weapon of any sort, every thing was either pump or lever action.
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Hi Terravista,
If you did not want to go down the path of purchasing firearms and keeping them on the property, then the SSAA do a farmer assist program where you advertise that you have a pest problem (dogs and pigs), shooters that have completed the required checks and tests then offer to take on the job and you get to decide what member you would like to come out and remove the pest.
https://farmerassist.com.au (https://farmerassist.com.au)
Good luck with it, wild dogs are becoming a huge problem.
Daniel
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Give Guns n Ammo a go at Jimboomba. Gavin always has given me good advice and carry’s a good selection
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Hi Ian, At one stage local councils were helping out rural block owners that had feral dog troubles, They would pay for A feral dog trapper to come out and trap the dogs with rubber jawed traps, I do not know if it is still available, could give your local council a ring, Craig
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I have used, both cleavers and On target fire arms both on the northisde of Brisbane, On target are one of the better ones for 1 on 1 for knowledge and are very help full, Cleavers are a bit funny unless your there to buy some thing they will ignore you ( staff of about 15-20 so not like they can miss you )
I would look at a .243 ( what the wife normally uses ) big enough for most dogs and pigs in the right spot, 12 gauge is a must, I would look at a adler or pradus leaver action. I would also consider a .223 if you feel the 243 to big, cheap inexpensive rounds.
I have been told a 270 is a good round to use as well but haven't shoot one my self. I use a 308, but the shoulder knows about it after about 50 rounds.
But all this aside, I am sure any one of us my swaggers would love to come out for a week or so to "help get rid of the problem"... ;D :cheers:
Red Dog
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Bang for buck 12G it's hard to go past the Turkish Akkar Churchill and if you get the trap gun with various chokes you might enjoy DTL, Trench and Skeet shooting at a club-
https://www.gunemporium.com.au/view/1989 (https://www.gunemporium.com.au/view/1989)
Mind you like golf clubs there are blokes who spend $35k AUD on a Perazzi-
http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/perazzi-shotguns.cfm?cat_id=650 (http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/perazzi-shotguns.cfm?cat_id=650)
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Hi Ian,
Your choice of calibres is pretty good, but for the centrefire, whilst a .223 will do the job most of the time, I'd be leaning toward a .243 for the pigs and dogs. They'll do the same job but more effectively, particularly on a bigger animal. A .223 is ok if you're only spotlighting and/or you can get a shot at undisturbed game, but that's not always the case. Ammo and a good second hand rifle are generally easy to come by, and not too expensive. Recoil and noise is too bad either. As for brands, you're on the money with the European brands, but the Howa/CMC Mountaineer rifles are a good unit for the money also. A standard scope for such a rifle would be a 3-9 x 40 in a decent brand.
But any bolt action by a familiar brand would/should be fine.
As for you shotgun, don't buy a single barrel, it will kick like one of your daughters horses and wouldn't be pleasant to use. The same goes for most old side by sides as well.
You might have to spend a bit extra, but a second hand Miroku under and over will be worth every cent. It will be comfortable to shoot, especially recoil wise, and it will never wear out. You can usually pick them up for around and even under $1000. There's one on Used Guns at the moment for $550, with the transferring dealer Queensland Gun Exchange.
As for chokes, Half and Full or Three Quarter and Full are a common combination and would suit some pest eradication.
For ammo, for the bunnies, size 4 shot in 32gram-1-1/8 oz. would go ok, and for the pigs and dogs, start at BB and go up, but as you go up in size, you go down in pellet count. BB's are a good compromise for hitting power and pattern density, 36gram- 1-1/4oz of shot here. And maybe a packet of 28 gram 9's for snakes if need be.
Good luck and have fun!
Paul
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The times I have seen the pigs they are clean. No mud for armour plating. The locals are having no problems dropping pigs and dogs (so they claim) with a .223. The ammo is cheaper than .243 but not enough to justify not going a heavier round if necessary though.
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Yeah, a .223 would handle them most of the time, if not all of the time.
But a .243 would handle them with a bit more room for error/ bit further away/ get a bigger animal. Particularly if you were aiming into the ribs rather than a head shot.
Either way, I'm sure you'll be fine.
Paul
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Couple of questions that no-one seems to have asked yet TV :D
Is your daughter also in Qld ???
&, real stupid one, but you'd be amazed how often people say No :'(, she does have her A/B licence, doesn't she ??? :D
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Terravista.
Your gunna need storage for when your not there.
You might contact the Farmers Fed. people to see if they have any recommendations.
If you go after the pigs with a shottie, you'll need to get close, even with a slug type Ammo.
If you use slugs, you'll need a cylinder bore that can be adapted with chokes for Birds and other disciplines.
You can buy the gear in the Valley near Brisbane CBD. As mentioned earlier.
0.222 will shoot flatter than a 0.243 and better on dogs, foxes etc. and you'll still need a license, even if it's a primary producer/Farmer type one.
Might be an idea to get out to a rifle range for practice before you start with this.
There's a large Park, to the South of Brisbane, that caters for shotgun, rifle, Bow Hunters etc.
Get off at the Redland Bay/Capalabah exit. (I think.)
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Have a read of the QLD rules (https://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/weaponsLicensing/licenceApplication/weapons/categories/default.htm) if you haven't - I'm not sure how you'd go getting the Primary Producer licence (https://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/weaponsLicensing/licenceApplication/licences/firearms/primary.htm) not living on the property in question (although QLD are a bit more sane on the PP rules than NSW are) so that might take a bit of working round.
I can't add any more to it, other than pigs are clever, and dogs are as well... you'll need a couple of strategies to get them... Also watch the dogs - that pack may be actually preventing another more destructive one moving in (this has happened before on properties, and whilst the old pack might have knocked a few old and sick things off, the new ones just killed anything...)
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Couple of questions that no-one seems to have asked yet TV :D
Is your daughter also in Qld ???
&, real stupid one, but you'd be amazed how often people say No :'(, she does have her A/B licence, doesn't she ??? :D
Yep, daughter is in Qld. I have my A & B license and she has passed the Safety course and applied for the same. It takes 12 weeks to get the license and another 6 or so to get the first Permit To Aquire done.
I have no hesitation in buying and using the weapons, and storage is all legal with the appropriate bolted to wall gun safe.
The property fronts The Bruce Hwy and is surrounded by other smallish farms to 300 acres, and this appears to be the only dog pack. Neighbor's just shrug and say if you lose the occasional beast it is expected. I have a far different view.
I would prefer to do my own shooting than rely on others. I have a fair degree of confidence with a rifle. In the old Army days I qualified to represent the Army and shoot in England a couple of times, just couldn't be arsed enough to sit on a Hercules for 30 hours, hurt the ears for three days and fly back.
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Have a read of the QLD rules (https://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/weaponsLicensing/licenceApplication/weapons/categories/default.htm) if you haven't - I'm not sure how you'd go getting the Primary Producer licence (https://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/weaponsLicensing/licenceApplication/licences/firearms/primary.htm) not living on the property in question (although QLD are a bit more sane on the PP rules than NSW are) so that might take a bit of working round.
I can't add any more to it, other than pigs are clever, and dogs are as well... you'll need a couple of strategies to get them... Also watch the dogs - that pack may be actually preventing another more destructive one moving in (this has happened before on properties, and whilst the old pack might have knocked a few old and sick things off, the new ones just killed anything...)
I looked at the Primary Producers requirements and went with the sporting side of things getting a written approval from the property owner to shoot there. My daughter needed to give herself approval to shoot on her land as she is not registered as a Primary Producer.
Cheers
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For me I would also be looking at a shorter Carbine style barrel length rifle, as you would know much easier to handle and get on target + easier to move around in the scrub with and still good to the most used effective ranges . No need for Heavy long barrel target shooting type rifles .
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For me I would also be looking at a shorter Carbine style barrel length rifle, as you would know much easier to handle and get on target + easier to move around in the scrub with and still good to the most used effective ranges . No need for Heavy long barrel target shooting type rifles .
a lot easier to shoot with from within a car also. Getting on target and shooting quickly is the most important aspect when targeting ferals. On 146 acres, after a first shot miss, the dog or pig and its mates will soon be in the neighbour's.
I get the odd dog and pig here at home 170acres and at the cattle block 300acres but taking a rifle out of the safe, loading up and carrying a rifle on the dash all of the
time gets old real quick.
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Safer to refer to them as a firearm then a weapon. Has a massively different connotation when getting a gun license...
When on the farm I used to use a .303 when shooting pigs, and my every day farm rifle was a .223 ... I found that a .223 didn't always put a pig down, and they get massively pissed off when not killed first time.
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Safer to refer to them as a firearm then a weapon. Has a massively different connotation when getting a gun license...
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Thanks, but I already have a license so I think weapon works damn fine.
Wikipedia Weapon: "A weapon, arm, or armament is any device used with intent to inflict damage or harm to living beings, structures, or systems. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, self-defense, and warfare. In a broader context, weapons may be construed to include anything used to gain a strategic, material or mental advantage over an adversary.
Wikipedia firearm:
The first primitive firearms originated in 10th-century China when bamboo tubes containing gunpowder and pellet projectiles was mounted on spears into the one-person-portable fire lance,[5], which was later used to good effect in the Siege of De'an. In 13th century, "
Now that would piss off any self respecting pig.
Cheers
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Safer to refer to them as a firearm then a weapon. Has a massively different connotation when getting a gun license...
When on the farm I used to use a .303 when shooting pigs, and my every day farm rifle was a .223 ... I found that a .223 didn't always put a pig down, and they get massively pissed off when not killed first time.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
I'd be on Drew's side here too.
303 or 308/7.62Win. for pigs, and you don't have to be real close, unlike a shotgun.
You'd have to be shooting into a gully with them though, they carry a fair bit if you miss.
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Don't know much about firearms but think the word weapons puts a different slant on it.
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Just what are you trying to protect yourself from , assuring that is the case ???
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Drummonds Golf World, they have a huge variety of "weapons". How LAFO in QLD allowed their department to be called the weapons branch rather than firearms has me beat.
Even the Department of Defence defines them differently!!!!
To me you cannot really go past the mid range calibres eg. 243 for controlling most ferals, however the 223Rem and 308W are simply cheaper, particularly if you are only firing a few shots and not reloading. Commercial ammunition is readily available and some of the Australian manufactured stuff is among the best.
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Expensive but would be nice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7FbkI9916k (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7FbkI9916k) , Might have to ask the nephew what night scope he's using .
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Don't know much about firearms but think the word weapons puts a different slant on it.
It's a different outlook. Recall picking up another tradey's Hilti tek gun for the first time and commenting what a weapon just as I'd consider rodent wax blocks top weapons. Clearly some folks have different images in their minds like asking the young chick at Bunnings where's the machetes hiding. Welcome to being looked at as an axe murderer and silly me as they no longer stock them. Trust me a chain saw doesn't work well on fibrous date palms apart from cutting the fronds off at their compact green bases but then I remembered I had inherited the old man's long handled slasher so out with the oilstone and all gone in the green bin over a number of collection weeks.
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Shotguns look at Adler, Pardus, Uzkon for lever, or akkar, ATA, uzkon for over under.
223 is good on dogs, not so much pigs.
308 is a bit overkill.
243 will do both.
OR
Go different and get something like .300 Blackout - good small block trajectory, drops pigs no worries, can be loaded sub or supersonic.
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Shotguns look at Adler, Pardus, Uzkon for lever, or akkar, ATA, uzkon for over under.
223 is good on dogs, not so much pigs.
308 is a bit overkill.
243 will do both.
OR
Go different and get something like .300 Blackout - good small block trajectory, drops pigs no worries, can be loaded sub or supersonic.
Thanks for the info, but I think the .300 Black can wait until I move to the USA
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Thanks for the info, but I think the .300 Black can wait until I move to the USA
Not a fan of it i take it?
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OK, I have read and followed many of the suggestions on here and have been offered a .243 as a replacement for the .223 weapon/rifle/firearm which is an extremely good price BUT the last 45 to 50mm of the barrel is stuffed, almost like it was left standing upside down in a bucket part filled with salt water.
The gunshop is suggesting getting the damaged area re-bored larger so the corrosion is cleaned out and is saying this would not affect the accuracy or usability unless target shooting over 200 metres was the intended use. (which it isn't)
If this was realistic it would mean a .243 bolt action repeater with open sights for $250 about $250 less that similar rifles.
I am willing to listen to any reasons that this a good or bad idea so any suggestions will be appreciated.
Cheers
Ian
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Have the gunsmith shorten the barrel and fit a Flash suppressor if there concerns over length legalities, might be a good idea anyway .. Having a shorter carbine length barrel wouldnt affect its accuracy over the ranges you would be firing at, if anything it would handle better ..
Boring the last 50mm oversize shouldnt cause issues, I doubt it would be a laminated barrel with a liner [ From memory like our GPMG M-60'S had ] that may come loose .
My .2c worth . Its a nice find / price if everything else checks out condition wise . See if you could get the extra done at that price.. Also look at having a sling and swivels fitted at the same time if it doesn't have any .
I would also look at getting an Occluded eye dot gun sight, they are great as you shoot with both eyes open and keep your peripheral vision .. Ideal for fast moving on target shooting .. http://www.armsonusa.com/armsonoeg.html (http://www.armsonusa.com/armsonoeg.html) Ive used this sight way back in the Army days and up in the Kimberley knocking feral Donkeys [ Pre Port Arthur ] .. Allowed you the abillity to be on the move through rough terrain and quickly double tap [ granted with a semi auto ] multiple moving targets easily ..
Hold one finger up about 8" in front of your face and look through / past it to an object with both eyes open and you realise you are seeing the object through your upheld finger and can see everything around you as normal [ your finger is the red or green dot of the sight ] quickly move around and place that finger / dot on moving things like people animals or cars and bang " see how quick it it is to be on target ' .
Now close your non master eye and look out through your fingers curled into an O and place your hand up to your sighting eye as in telescopic / or open sights and move around to find a target and concentrate on the sight picture as you would [ aprox 5 seconds ] then bang .. Big difference .. in things you DONT SEE ..
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As edz said re the .243, better off shortening the barrel and recrowning,
If you are after a good forum for hunting and firearm information have a look at Australian Hunting Network
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I would also look at getting an Occluded eye dot gun sight, they are great as you shoot with both eyes open and keep your peripheral vision .. Ideal for fast moving on target shooting .. http://www.armsonusa.com/armsonoeg.html (http://www.armsonusa.com/armsonoeg.html)
These sights look pretty handy, it just seems a shame to spend nearly as much on a set of sights as the whole rifle costs.
Cheers
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As mentioned, have the barrel shortened and re-crowned, not bore out the damaged part and leave the barrel the original length. Accuracy shouldn't be affected at all.
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The practice of Deep Hole Crowning which is what has been suggested by the gunsmith is very common on target rifles and will have absolutely no effect on the accuracy of the rifle. There may be other reasons that the gunsmith has recommended doing this such as maintaining the original look of the rifle or it may have a foresight fitted that would need to be moved.
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All good IanS!
I have learnt a little of info from the target rifle fraternity. Thanks. :cheers:
Paul
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ls the carpark of the pub after dark ,,, out of the question :cup: :cheers:
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+1 for Cleaver Firearms at Redcliffe. I’ve got their site saved to the home screen on my phone. Their ammo specials are great & the rifle deals kill any shop we have out here.
For a 223, I got a Howa to get me going until I could afford a top quality brand. Now I’m used to it, it’s a great gun to use & I’m thinking of like for liking my 250 from a Remington to a Howa. Cleaver have unreal specials on this brand all the time.
As for calibres, I’m not here to tell you what’s best as guns are like boats, if you had one for all occasions, you’d have a yard full of them. But on a small block like that, with a long range rifle, remember what your neighbors could be doing in the background if you miss. I’d rather see a pig doing backflips & donuts for a second shot rather than have that in the back of my mind.
As for the shottie, I’ve got a .45/.410 Circuit Judge, a 5 shot revolver rifle. Good for snakes around the house and pigs up close. I like mine, if you can find one they aren’t bad. I could probably bring mine with me next time I go the Brisbane for you to have a go at if you can wait that long.
Anyway, best of luck mate, if you get something that isn’t quite right, you can always start a collection as it may come in handy at a later date ;D
Listo
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I do a lot of long range target shooting with rifles that cost more than an imported camper. I call them a firearm not a ‘weapon’ though.
I also like to do the odd spot of pig and fox shooting.
For what you want to do a cheap but still decent quality rifle like a Howa 1500 is all you need chambered in 243win. Flat shooting so good for foxes etc under light but still adequate knockdown for pigs.
Personally I find shotguns not that useful for pig shooting. I prefer to use a 270win for the pigs and a 204r for foxes. My 270win in just a light barreled Howa with a $350 bush bell scoop, does the job very nicely.
I would take the venerable old lever action in 30/30 or 44mag over a shotgun.
Edit: just seen your on a small property. Maybe shotgun is a good idea, 243/308/270 can travel a looong way!!!
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Drummonds Golf World, they have a huge variety of "weapons". How LAFO in QLD allowed their department to be called the weapons branch rather than firearms has me beat.
Even the Department of Defence defines them differently!!!!
To me you cannot really go past the mid range calibres eg. 243 for controlling most ferals, however the 223Rem and 308W are simply cheaper, particularly if you are only firing a few shots and not reloading. Commercial ammunition is readily available and some of the Australian manufactured stuff is among the best.
Simple. Weapons branch is just that. Firearms is only a very small portion of what they do. Try importing a flick knife, shanghai, shuriken, knuckle dusters, trident, tanerite, crossbow and about a thousand other items and guess who knocks on your door
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Simple. Weapons branch is just that. Firearms is only a very small portion of what they do. Try importing a flick knife, shanghai, shuriken, knuckle dusters, trident, tanerite, crossbow and about a thousand other items and guess who knocks on your door
Maybe so but unlike the QLDers we were smart enough in Vic to ensure ALL that function went to a "Firearms Branch".
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I can see how you would be proud of that now. :'(
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After all this, I went for the Winchester 670 .243 which is being shortened, re-crowned and fitted with a scope, all for $350. This follows the Mossberg 12 gauge bolt action I paid for a week ago.
Just have to wait a couple of weeks for the PTA's and then I can go and hope it doesn't blow up in my face.
Thanks for all the help, it's been much appreciated.
Cheers
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I dont want to come across as condescending or anything but are the horses on the property used to gunfire? 150 acres is not a huge block of land, a .243 with a shortened barrel is going to be bloody loud, last time I heard of someone shooting on a small horse property it got costly in vet bills as fences and horse flesh dont go well together, I'd also be wary of what happens when a projectile goes straight through a soft spot of a dog and keeps on going, baring in mind a .243 is still breaking the sound barrier at 800 meters it keeps going for a lot longer, do you have a bit of high ground or a tree hide to shoot from to ensure a downwards shot?
You also mention that the neighbours are happy/not fazed with the feral animal problem? have you spoken to them about your intention to deal with the issue? do they also have livestock that could be spooked by the sound of gun fire? are they the sort of people that are going to call the police and say that your shots were "wizzing past their house", I know it sounds silly but it happened to a mate of mine who was shooting Indian minor birds and rabbits with an air rifle on his 50 acre property and the police came to check,
Don't get me wrong, I have my licence and own a few bang sticks, I'm ex military myself and more than happy to go away shooting pests and dabble with the long range target shooting, but as the climate around Firearms gets hotter I hate to see people get into trouble needlessly, even if its short lived and get cleared of any wrong doing,
If your really set on shooting on the property then the suggestion of .300 blk wasn't a bad one in my opinion, there are not a huge amount of calibers that you can buy factory subsonic ammunition for and it makes a huge difference in noise levels, if your getting a .22 or know someone with one, go buy some subs, standard velocity and high velocity ammunition, compare the difference in loudness and then think what its going to be magnified by 20 for your .243, also shoot the .22 close to the horses and see how they react to that before letting a 12g or 243 off around them.
the other option is find a licensed pest controller that can use suppressed firearms and get them out to deal with the pests.
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I dont want to come across as condescending you are notor anything but are the horses on the property used to gunfire?No, but the shooting is over a hill and the horses would be in a round yard or stables when the shooting was underway 150 acres is not a huge block of land, a .243 with a shortened barrel is going to be bloody loud, last time I heard of someone shooting on a small horse property it got costly in vet bills as fences and horse flesh dont go well together, I'd also be wary of what happens when a projectile goes straight through a soft spot of a dog always concerned aboout backdropsand keeps on going, baring in mind a .243 is still breaking the sound barrier at 800 meters it keeps going for a lot longer, do you have a bit of high ground or a tree hide to shoot from to ensure a downwards shot?
You also mention that the neighbours are happy/not fazed with the feral animal problem? have you spoken to them about your intention to deal with the issue? happy is probably the wrong word...accepting more like it, but they would be happier without pests. do they also have livestock that could be spooked by the sound of gun fire? are they the sort of people that are going to call the police and say that your shots were "wizzing past their house",No I know it sounds silly but it happened to a mate of mine who was shooting Indian minor birds and rabbits with an air rifle on his 50 acre property and the police came to check,
Don't get me wrong, I have my licence and own a few bang sticks, I'm ex military myself and more than happy to go away shooting pests and dabble with the long range target shooting, but as the climate around Firearms gets hotter I hate to see people get into trouble needlessly, even if its short lived and get cleared of any wrong doing,
If your really set on shooting on the property then the suggestion of .300 blk wasn't a bad one in my opinion, there are not a huge amount of calibers that you can buy factory subsonic ammunition for and it makes a huge difference in noise levels, if your getting a .22 or know someone with one, go buy some subsmy .22 is very very quiet with subsonics, standard velocity and high velocity ammunition, compare the difference in loudness and then think what its going to be magnified by 20 for your .243, also shoot the .22 close to the horses and see how they react to that before letting a 12g or 243 off around them. Thanks, planned on doing that
the other option is find a licensed pest controller that can use suppressed firearms and get them out to deal with the pests.