Thread: 243 vs .308

Hi all I have I’m relatively new on here and just have received my gun license. I’m planning on buying a tikka elite and I thought I would go with .308 but I have had some people recommend 243 and I would like to get more opinions. I will be hunting anything and everything (I have access to a semi 22 so no real small stuff) I live up north in Waikato but will be able to go down south every now and again.


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stick with plan 'A', 308 until you are competent enough.
Start exploring when you have a bit more experience.

Originally Posted by HUNTY

stick with plan 'A', 308 until you are competent enough.
Start exploring when you have a bit more experience.

Yeah I have had more people saying this (by a lot) but thought I would get more opinions. But yeah thanks.


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if you are recoil sensitive and/or intend to target more smaller animals eg goats and fallow VS reds there is argument for the .243 and a jolly good one too...but if I didnt own a .270 as my main rifle it would be either a .308 or .30/06
I cannot praise the .308 higher than that.

A 308 can do everything a 243 can only better, you can't say the same for a 243.....
Not ragging on 243 at all its a good cartridge used within its limits, but if you find a 308 a bit stout while your learning you can drop down to lighter projectiles or lighter charges and still get 243 or better performance, you can only stoke a 243 so far and it will still not be as good as a 308 if your stretching it's legs especially.
My 2 cents

How much experience have you had shooting at live game? Do you plan on reloading? Of the two options your looking at and the info you've given the 308 would be the safest bet. The 243 will probably do what you want it to do as well but will be less forgiving if you get your shot placement wrong.

There’s a suppressed t3 in 308 for sale in the buy sell section that would be all you need

Tag along to a range day somewhere or go out on a farm with your mates and shoot some, handle some different guns see what you like. Don't rush into buying anything and really dont be too caught up with the caliber my advice is to go with practical over fancy. Get something ammos always available for something with enough energy to make ethical shots at what limits you place on your self and shoot it as much as you can. Most of those points will take you in the 308s direction. 243 is a very capable caliber too and i rate them highly.

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Also depends if you’re planning on getting a second rifle at some point in the not-too-distant future. In that case the .243 would sit nicely in the cabinet alongside any of the WSMs or a 7RM. I’ve got a .243 and a 7mmWSM, and the .243 is a nice light, cheap alternative when I don’t need the range or hitting power of the WSM. If you go .308, your second rifle will either be small & fast like a 22-250 or .223, or really big. As it’s your first rifle, its suitability for the game and ranges you’re planning to start out at are of primary importance, but it’s just another thing to think about.

Originally Posted by Cartman

Tag along to a range day somewhere or go out on a farm with your mates and shoot some, handle some different guns see what you like. Don't rush into buying anything and really dont be too caught up with the caliber my advice is to go with practical over fancy. Get something ammos always available for something with enough energy to make ethical shots at what limits you place on your self and shoot it as much as you can. Most of those points will take you in the 308s direction. 243 is a very capable caliber too and i rate them highly.

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Yeah I’ve shot a tikka .308 and a 223 and a couple of others so .308 the one I think I’ll go with.


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Make sure you run the 308 with a supressor, and wear good earmuffs when range shooting and it's a pussycat to shoot .. . .

.243 will be even more so LOL.

Originally Posted by mopheadrob

Also depends if you’re planning on getting a second rifle at some point in the not-too-distant future. In that case the .243 would sit nicely in the cabinet alongside any of the WSMs or a 7RM. I’ve got a .243 and a 7mmWSM, and the .243 is a nice light, cheap alternative when I don’t need the range or hitting power of the WSM. If you go .308, your second rifle will either be small & fast like a 22-250 or .223, or really big. As it’s your first rifle, its suitability for the game and ranges you’re planning to start out at are of primary importance, but it’s just another thing to think about.

My two primary rifles are 7RM and .243 for the same reason. Most deer hunting I take the 7RM also so I can shoot out longer. Goats, bush only sika or fallow, and anything smaller, like hares gets the .243

Get both over time if you want to, as both are very capable calibres. But my advice to a newbie would be start with the .308W. When you have got the hang of using that and the love of hunting and shooting with it then you can consider branching out, either up or down, into different cartridges. Not that you're missing out on anything much if you decide to just stay with the .308W but in a situation where shots need to stretch out beyond 300 - 350 yds there are cartridges more suitable for handling that and carrying good killing energy downrange.
I used to use a .308W ( still have it ) until I graduated to the 30.06 and enjoyed that so much it became my main hunting cartridge.
Also have 2 x .243W rifles, mainly for killing smaller stuff but up to goats, fallow and have shot a very few Sika too. I don't need 2 x .243 W rifles but got a bit carried away as it's such a fun cartridge to shoot.

One of the things in favour of the 308 beyond commonality of calibre and therefore ammo availablity is that in a way the 308 is like a Ford Escort - if there is a problem everyone else has had the same problem so the fix will be well known, it is a "do everything" calibre so the really best reason for favouring 308 over 243 is that it can be a sort of a psychological backstop ie it is such a known quantity that it can be used as a fixed point through which other variables can be introduced and assessed

If you let a 308 be your first gun then you might sell it in the future but even then you'll always remember it's performance as a kind of lodestar by which you can gauge how other calibres perform, if that makes sense


Obviously the real answer is a 308 and a 243 but also a 7mm rem mag and a blackpowder 50 cal and a 12G pump action and a.. you get the idea