Best caliber for goats?

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   .223 would be the best allrounder for small to medium. Accurate especially with 1in8 twist rate and range out to 300m easily.

22-250 i think i may have mentioned earlier is another fantastic choice

New kid on the block .22 creedmoor but really only custom gun build and brass avaliable in NZ untill they start importing them. Deadly Accurate out to 500+m EXTREMELY flat shooting

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Billbobnz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2020 Location: Ashburton Status: Offline Posts: 938	Post Options Post Reply Quote Billbobnz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Apr 2026 at 8:49am
	.223 would be the best allrounder for small to medium. Accurate especially with 1in8 twist rate and range out to 300m easily. 22-250 i think i may have mentioned earlier is another fantastic choice New kid on the block .22 creedmoor but really only custom gun build and brass avaliable in NZ untill they start importing them. Deadly Accurate out to 500+m EXTREMELY flat shooting

kruzaroad Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 03 Jul 2022 Location: Hastings 4 now Status: Offline Posts: 2921	Post Options Post Reply Quote kruzaroad Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Apr 2026 at 10:04am
	Ammunition nz sells the brass, but are currently out of stock. Hows life bb. What you end up keeping in air rifles? Or you been swallowed buy powder burners 😞

vault Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 27 Apr 2026 Location: Dunedin Status: Offline Posts: 39	Post Options Post Reply Quote vault Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 May 2026 at 4:34am
	I used to cull goats in the Whirinaki forest for Carter Holts decades ago, i killed hundreds of them with .22lr sub using a toz and steal parkerhale suppressor, in forestry quietly sniping the ones on the far ends of the mob seemed to confuse them and they ran around in circles, i ended up carrying a .222 sako vixen as a finisher incase any of the guys wounded any as it gave me a lot more range to reach out and end the suffering as there was to be no wounded goats anywhere ano carcasses on or near tracks due to cyclist or mountainbikers they call them now. .22lr subs would still be my first choice and a .223 as a clean up or ling range shooter. The 204 is very accurate but ammo isnt cheap. 308 my fav for anything but small/medium game and Belmont black box ammo or eldm for serious results
	Air-arms Prosport .177 FAC Optisan 1032 Air-arms Tx200 Mk3 .177 FAC Hawke SW 8-3256

Ashman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 11 Apr 2026 Location: Christchurch Status: Online Posts: 60	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ashman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 7 minutes ago at 11:12pm
	17hmr is not a calibre I would use on goats. Most of the projectile choices available are varmint grenade types which is why I used it a lot on vineyards as those often had buildings on or around them and the projectile frangibility was an asset. But, in reality, anything from .222 up, range and environment dependent. I've shot them with .22, 270, .303, .22, 7mm08, .308, .223 and .204. .223 would be my pick. Good power, particularly with 75g PSP, and less meat wasted on the tender young spring eaters.