Thread: .223 vs .243 please.

.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.