Thread: 243 vs .308

And then how are we going to have a "which caliber is best" thread with that kind of attitude mate
Oh and 308 all day every day

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

The most important thing imo is not the caliber or cartridge but learning how to stalk close and shoot quickly and accurately off-hand and supported

I hate to do this, but splitting the difference (0.8mm each way) will give you a 270 Win...

indeed in a long action/long case...to realistically split difference he will have to enjoy the taste of a latte and go 7mm/08
there is indeed a .277-08 but its a bit of a wildcat thing...

.243 all day, smokes .308 ballistically with way less recoil, still kills everything great, go one of the new generation of 1:8 twist rifles and shoot 105-108gr bullets, great stuff


Unless you don't handload - in which case buy a 6.5CM

Originally Posted by gimp

.243 all day, smokes .308 ballistically with way less recoil, still kills everything great, go one of the new generation of 1:8 twist rifles and shoot 105-108gr bullets, great stuff


Unless you don't handload - in which case buy a 6.5CM

Exactly a .308 is over rated.

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Originally Posted by 25/08 IMP

Exactly a .308 is over rated.

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I must not comment I must not comment- I promised my self I would not wind up the 6.5 CRD brigade anymore so I must not comment

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

indeed in a long action/long case...to realistically split difference he will have to enjoy the taste of a latte and go 7mm/08
there is indeed a .277-08 but its a bit of a wildcat thing...

Nothing wrong with enjoying a latte, when this is possible... Mark and Sam after work channel,
7mm08 on steel at 2755m!
https://youtube.com/shorts/a8YXNl3X12w

243, 260, 7mm08, 308, 338Fed......Fill ya boots.

Originally Posted by Shearer

243, 260, 7mm08, 308, 338Fed......Fill ya boots.

358 King of them all.

Originally Posted by BSA

358 King of them all.

Dam right it does,
Buffalo Bore offer both the Sierra Game King and Barns TSX doing 2500 fps out of a 22" barrel, out to 300 meters that will smoke anything.
Thats >3100 ftlb at the muzzle and similar to the 308 at 300 mtr but makes a much bigger hole.
Z

First centrefire I’d go 243. I’ve shot quite a few animals with a 243 and never felt under gunned. Doesn’t kick and easy to shoot.

If you get a .243 you might shoot your life and never come across any limitations - after years worth of it killing red deer, and others doing the same with a .223, I am still amazed at people who say hunting with a .243 is "experimenting".

Deer are not difficult animals to kill. And you dont need special heavy 243 bullets or special slow twists, and you do not need to shoot out to 500 metres. A standard .243 Winchester will do just fine.

The .308 is a great gun too. They both kill about the same on deer to be honest, any difference of killing power between them is largely due to different bullet designs.

The .243 has very little recoil, and is a most user friendly gun to shoot. Dont underestimate the value of this. It is true that under pressure you will not notice recoil much anyway, but a .243 is easier to shoot with in general and that will give you confidence, and a rifle you shoot well will become a friend in a life of hunting adventures.

From experience over a long time, I have the impression that the .243 gave faster kills than the .308 or the .303 and I have used them about the same. I don't really know why, other than the higher velocity gives a bigger wound channel. What I mean is that a high velocity .243 bullet, like an 85 grain Sierra at 3200 fps, will drop deer with any reasonable shot faster than a .308 bullet in the same place. Velocity will be the special herb or spice. MOst of my shooting is offhand shots from six metres to 200 metres. I have shot deer out further, and they all died too. But it is unusual. Even when hunting big clearings its unusual. Deer dont stand around in the middle of big clearings. They hang around the edges, because of serious men with .243's.

I have both, and use my .308 as well, mainly because it is in a light handy rifle rather than any reasons of caliber. I would have said that in the roar I take the .30/06, but this year I took the .243 and shot the biggest stag I have ever seen in person, and he dropped in his tracks. Just like in the saying. I still have not come across the limitations of the .243.

It has a good pedigree. It has one of the cartridges of choice for professional hunters in New Zealand but also in Australia. Plus it has better numbers. Two Four Three. Just sounds cooler. Looks cooler written down.

If you shoot in the open tussock country exclusively then nothing really changes. But get a .270. A .270 is a wise owl. Or an eagle. And eagles live in the big spaces. Like 7mm Remington Magnums.

With reasonable shooting ability and some basic anatomy knowledge, then killing deer with a rifle is not hard to do. Pick a cartridge you like and don't worry about it anymore, and then learn about the animals and what they eat, about climbing the hills and how to cross a river, how to take care of yourself in the bush and what to do with a knife.

I used to hunt with a Howa 243, shot mostly 80gr Federal Powershok (3330fps). Shot quite a few fallow, goats, and a couple of reds.

I found it extremely flat shooting and I could keep MOA easily out to 350m (I'm an average shot at best). I did find it dropped deer fairly quickly, with them wandering at most 10-20m before succumbing to the leaky plumbing.

After a few years I got bored and wanted to try something different and lighter, so I got a 300blackout (Ruger American, 16"). With the 300 I lost the laser accuracy of the 243, and gained a rainbow trajectory. Though once you learn your ranges it's not a big deal.

I shoot Hornady 125grain HP (2175fps), mostly in the 150m-250m range. My observations on fallow vs the 243 are that the fallow tend to drop on the spot, the wound channel is much bigger with the 300, but the meat damage is much less (the 243 meat damage was a large dinner plate sizes cross section).

Originally Posted by gimp

.243 all day, smokes .308 ballistically with way less recoil, still kills everything great, go one of the new generation of 1:8 twist rifles and shoot 105-108gr bullets, great stuff


Unless you don't handload - in which case buy a 6.5CM

Finally a comment which makes absolute sense. The 6.5 Creed. Recoils like a .243 and hits like a .308 what more could a hunter ask for. Over to you @Barry the hunter

[QUOTE=zeropak;1459415]Finally a comment which makes absolute sense. The 6.5 Creed. Recoils like a .243 and hits like a .308 what more could a hunter ask for. Over to you @Barry the hunter [/QUOTE[/I]
I must not comment -I must not comment - no matter how bad -