Thread: .223 vs .243 please.

Hey guys

This has prob been done to death but bare with me.
Looking at getting the missus a rifle sub $1000 price range.
We''re talking long range hares, wallys and deer in the bush.
Can some of you extol the virtues of each calibre for me and dish up some recommendations.
Much appreciated

I love this shit on my phone

If deer arent the main target then .223 imo cause cheaper ammo. If your after deer but wanna pop the odd bunny off I would say that. Probably be others that dissagree but thats just my opinon

This will be interesting SH. There is bound to be a wide range of opinion for a one rifle fits all from hare to deer.

My view would be .243. Small enough for your wife to be able to handle confidently ( without my knowing anything about her) and big enough to despatch deer.

223 and use a Barnes for the deer.

savagehunter, what do you consider to be "long rage" for the hares ?

200m 400m 500m ?

are you reloading or buying factory ammo ?

Originally Posted by stug

223 and use a Barnes for the deer.

+1 223 has no recoil I may be wrong because only 243 I've ever fired was loud as hell and booted like hell bit it was a cheap shite rifle.

223 on red deer I have not done personally

22-250.....

Yea id be lookin at a 223 even tho i got mine a 243.
Depends what the main shooting will be, if primearely a deer rifle 243 but 223 is going to be alot cheaper to run in factory ammo which means more practice and bunnys hares etc and still ok for deer with well placed shots.

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223
but im bias

http://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.n...-m77-mk2-4749/

.223 would be my choice in that price range. Mainly because the extra performance gained by going to a .243 will likely be off put by the cost / accuracy potential of the rifle, for "long range" anyway. If you are serious about deer then i would go .243 or better yet get which ever one you don't have and she can borrow your one when she wants the other

In terms of plus vs minus -
.223
- Cheap ammunition of the shelf and plenty of brands to choose from.
- Generally accurate.
- Basically no recoil.
- Good top quality components availible for reloading.
- Works great from a short barrel.
- With good projectile selection suitable for everything from plinking to varmint to long range (~400m or so) varmint to deer at limited ranges and good shot placement.
- Limited long range potential (more so in a factroy rifle).
- have to be picky with shots on deer - be prepared to turn shots on deer away.

.243
- great deer caliber and suitable for all sorts of other medium game in NZ as well
- ammunition still reasonably availible in store with a few choices.
- Top quality reloading components availible.
- With a tight twist barrel awesome for long range varminting.
- Overkill for small game = expensive and loud for varminting.
- Can be a barrel burner if shot hot and quite a bit.
- Increased recoil over a .223, also more noise.
- Not quite as good / efficient in a short barrel.

I'm a small woman and here's my experience. Also I have a relatively new shoulder injury (within the past 12 months) and yep it's my master hand's shoulder.

Army 5.56 = sweet as, no worries. That thing was an extention of my arm.
My mate's s/s 243 = kicked my ass. I didn't like it. Two rounds at the range was more than enough for me!
243 I shot the deer with VC = okay. Big and cubersome, I didn't like it and thought it was big and ugly, but at the end of the day my shoulder wasn't suffereing too badly (surpressed)
Mucko's 243 = moderately kicked my ass. Worst thing was I found that after 10 rounds of sighting, I had developed a wince before the final squeeze.
Scribe's 223 = once I told myself off for the flinch I had developed, sweet as. Loved that little thing. Concentrated more on my breathing and shooting than how much I'd be nursing my bung shoulder afterwards. I actually really liked that rifle. Light and easy to carry as well.

Scribe had a lot of great things to say about 223 and reckoned that's all you need. Personally I think that is a lot coming from an ex deer culler. Considering I have heard of a mate's mate (obviously not to be named ) finishing off deer with a 22....I think Scribe might be onto something.

Dougie, sounds like a .22magnum may be more you

Dougie, don't make me come and deliver a cup of concrete for Xmas before the mongrel arrives !

You'll be fine, we will find pills and a load that won't kick your ass.

Originally Posted by ebf

Dougie, don't make me come and deliver a cup of concrete for Xmas before the mongrel arrives !

You'll be fine, we will find pills and a load that won't kick your ass.

All good, I will manage. But what I would hate to see is Savage Hunter's lady having a baptisum by fire and swearing off hunting and shooting because of a bad first experience.

Bad experience can come from wounding an animal with to smaller caliber aswell that may put her off for life. A deer culler can say after shooting a couple thousand animals that 223 is enough gun for deer and it is, but in inexperienced hands a few inches makes a difference. My choice would be the 243 for the reasons stated above and I have never felt recoil worth talking about from any 243 ive shot and that a few. Ik not bagging the 223 its a great round but not acceptable for someones first animal in my opinion.

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