I know this answer isn't what you asked, but I am pretty sure that Cooper will make a 6.5x47 Lapua and assuming that you reload, or don't mind paying for Lapua factory ammo, it is a great choice for what you are talking about. The brass from them is amazing and will probably last you a lifetime for regular hunting and the occasional range trip.
.260 REM vs. .243
- Thread starter radshooter
- Start date
Ive shot deer wth everything from 223 to 375 and shot placement counts with all those calibers. I settled on the 243 with 95 or 100gr Nosler Partitions in order to get two holes. Mostly its been one shot 1 deer. The 260 has the advantage of bigger holes from the start and heavier bullets so it is a more than adequate deer cartridge. The 243 will be available in many more shapes sizes and models than the 260. Brass will be more readily found also. Recoil as stated is pretty close around 10 ft# V 12ft#. Target shooting if done in the same manner without overheating the barrel, the 260 will or should last longer. Its kind ofa wash, with the 260 being a tad better for deer and the 243 having more variety with velocities over 3700 fps available. I prefer the 243 buts just my preference.
I have seen deer and elk killed with both the 243 and 260. None were any more dead than the next, and all went less than 75yds after impact. Shot placement is more important than caliber selection.
That being said, and currently owning rifles chambered in both 243 and 260 Rem, if I had to choose between them, I would go with 260 over the 243.
That being said, and currently owning rifles chambered in both 243 and 260 Rem, if I had to choose between them, I would go with 260 over the 243.
WyleWD
Silver $$ Contributor
olympian said:
+1
To the Original Poster....You are in the enviable position of either one will suit you well. I just prefer the 243 due to many years of experience with it. I have a 6.5-06 but still prefer the 243 for deer.
Lastly, the 85gr HPBT Sierra out of the 243 is my first choice combination for deer hunting. Excellent bullet!! WD
Gary in MD
Gold $$ Contributor
Out of the two mentioned, I would pick (and already have done so) the 243 win.
For deer and targets out to a couple hundred yards, I'll take the lighter recoil, bullet speed, and accuracy of the 243.
When the 260 came out, I recall reading and hearing locally about deer running a good ways after being hit with the popular 140 grain bullet. That was because a lot of those 140 grainers were meant for cartridges pushing them out at a much higher velocity (264 Win mag; 6.5-06; etc.)
The 243 pushes bullets from 85 - 100 grains at a velocity that is high enough to cause good bullet expansion....that is what kills (not a high B.C. number). I have killed quite a few with the 95 grain ballistic tip out of the 243Win. and the 240 Wby. Plenty of bullet expansion and complete pass through shots, super accurate.
I get a kick out of reading threads about how the 223 is a great killer and then the next thread calls out that the 243 is no good! Too funny
When it's all said and done...both will kill if you hit them in the right place with a good bullet.
Just my 2 cents....
Gary
For deer and targets out to a couple hundred yards, I'll take the lighter recoil, bullet speed, and accuracy of the 243.
When the 260 came out, I recall reading and hearing locally about deer running a good ways after being hit with the popular 140 grain bullet. That was because a lot of those 140 grainers were meant for cartridges pushing them out at a much higher velocity (264 Win mag; 6.5-06; etc.)
The 243 pushes bullets from 85 - 100 grains at a velocity that is high enough to cause good bullet expansion....that is what kills (not a high B.C. number). I have killed quite a few with the 95 grain ballistic tip out of the 243Win. and the 240 Wby. Plenty of bullet expansion and complete pass through shots, super accurate.
I get a kick out of reading threads about how the 223 is a great killer and then the next thread calls out that the 243 is no good! Too funny
When it's all said and done...both will kill if you hit them in the right place with a good bullet.
Just my 2 cents....
Gary
Replying to the point about 260 brass availability; yes, you're right. Finding .260 Rem brass can be a chore, and sometimes a costly one.
So I use Winchester/Hornady 7-08 brass, and run it through the .260 Rem F/L resizing die. In one step, I have brass that's ready for fireforming.
Greg
So I use Winchester/Hornady 7-08 brass, and run it through the .260 Rem F/L resizing die. In one step, I have brass that's ready for fireforming.
Greg
Yes, one may neck .243 brass up, but I do have a specific preference for sourcing my 260 brass from 7-08.
Quite some years back, the discussion became heated regarding sourcing 260 from .243 vs 7-08. Necking up was accused of creating donuts.
I did both initially, and never encountered any blatant evidence of donuts. But I still switched to 7-08 exclusively, just to be on the safe side.
As it happens, I buy what's on the shelf, and mainly, lately, it's been 7-08 anyway. My current brass is recent Hornady 7-08. So far, I've fired half of it one time only; so the jury's till out. But I think I'm going to like it.
Greg
Quite some years back, the discussion became heated regarding sourcing 260 from .243 vs 7-08. Necking up was accused of creating donuts.
I did both initially, and never encountered any blatant evidence of donuts. But I still switched to 7-08 exclusively, just to be on the safe side.
As it happens, I buy what's on the shelf, and mainly, lately, it's been 7-08 anyway. My current brass is recent Hornady 7-08. So far, I've fired half of it one time only; so the jury's till out. But I think I'm going to like it.
Greg
I live in WI and I have had both 260 and 243 in my possession at the same time. There IS a difference in the 2. I no longer have the 243 and own 5 260s.
You stated you will be reloading so ammo is a moot point. Don't worry about the high BC pills for hunting. Just get a reliable bullet and fill the pickup. 100gr bullets at 3350fps, 120s at almost 3000fps and 140s easily 2750. Dont worry about the recoil because it is not very stiff, not much more than a 243.
I own other rifles in various chamberings bigger and smaller but pick the 260 almost every time. My wife loves hers also.
You stated you will be reloading so ammo is a moot point. Don't worry about the high BC pills for hunting. Just get a reliable bullet and fill the pickup. 100gr bullets at 3350fps, 120s at almost 3000fps and 140s easily 2750. Dont worry about the recoil because it is not very stiff, not much more than a 243.
I own other rifles in various chamberings bigger and smaller but pick the 260 almost every time. My wife loves hers also.
justinp61 said:
Doughnuts are the result of the thicker bras that makes up the shoulder becoming part of the neck when necked UP. Necking down will however, result in thicker neck brass.
Prefer .243 for coyote but here in south Ontario like other areas in North America wild hogs are becoming a problem. The Ministry in charge of hunting is telling Ontario hunters this Fall if you see a hog, shoot it.
Bought a .260 Savage Trophy Hunter thinking the heavier bullet would be better for hogs. My thought is the 120 gr Barnes TTSX for punching through the chest grissle.
My .243 Axis shoots consistently tighter groups on paper than the .260 Savage, 1/2 moa compared to 1 moa but can`t complain about that. Plenty good enough for hunting.
For .260 brass I pull bullets from 7-08 Win factory and neck down. Use the 7-08 bullets in my 7-08 Axis which is legal for deer and moose in north Ontario. There is an arbitrary .275 restriction in south Ontario for coyote and chucks brought in at the same time as shotgun-only for deer in the south in the 1950s. This was mainly due to the sudden availability of really cheap .303 Lee-Enfields and hard ball ammo at the end of the Korean War which was shooting up the country side.
So the .243 and .260 are both legal for coyote in the south and now the .260 looks like a better choice for tough critters like hogs.
Bought a .260 Savage Trophy Hunter thinking the heavier bullet would be better for hogs. My thought is the 120 gr Barnes TTSX for punching through the chest grissle.
My .243 Axis shoots consistently tighter groups on paper than the .260 Savage, 1/2 moa compared to 1 moa but can`t complain about that. Plenty good enough for hunting.
For .260 brass I pull bullets from 7-08 Win factory and neck down. Use the 7-08 bullets in my 7-08 Axis which is legal for deer and moose in north Ontario. There is an arbitrary .275 restriction in south Ontario for coyote and chucks brought in at the same time as shotgun-only for deer in the south in the 1950s. This was mainly due to the sudden availability of really cheap .303 Lee-Enfields and hard ball ammo at the end of the Korean War which was shooting up the country side.
So the .243 and .260 are both legal for coyote in the south and now the .260 looks like a better choice for tough critters like hogs.
I would go with the .244 caliber. The good old 243 is good but the 6mm Remmy is better. I have owned several 6mm's (6mmBR, 243, 243AI, 6mm Remmington, 6mm/284 and 240 Weatherby). Of them all I liked the 6mm/284 best and that is what I still own.
I have owned several 260's and just never got the accuracy I thought I should even in custom guns. I also find the recoil of the 260 to be much stouter than the 6mm's especially with 140 class bullets.
YMMV
I have owned several 260's and just never got the accuracy I thought I should even in custom guns. I also find the recoil of the 260 to be much stouter than the 6mm's especially with 140 class bullets.
YMMV
Have to agree with the better accuracy of the 6mms.
Best long range F Class cartridge I have used over the past 10 years is the 6mm Rem Ack. Imp. Felt like I didn`t even have to try at 1000 yds. Just kept drilling the center of the target.
Thought the 6AI was so great why not neck it up to 6.5mm. Actually used .257 Roberts brass for both cartridges. Not much of a neck down or up. But just never got the same consistent easy accuracy with the 6.5AI and 142 MKings compared to the 6AI with 107 MKings. Used a Shilen barrel for both.
Am experiencing the same accuracy difference with the .243 Axis with modified stock trigger compared to the .260 Savage 11 which has an Accutrigger. But we are talking 1/2 moa compared to 1 moa which some people would argue is splitting hairs in a hunting rifle.
The OP said the rifle would also be used for target work in the off season. A big factor that is seldom mentioned in target rifles is barrel life. In general the larger the bore given the same sized case the longer the barrel life. Compare the barrel life of a .308 to a .243. So theoretically the .260 barrel should last longer than a .243 but that may only be a difference of 100 rounds.
You pays your money and makes your choice.
Bill
Best long range F Class cartridge I have used over the past 10 years is the 6mm Rem Ack. Imp. Felt like I didn`t even have to try at 1000 yds. Just kept drilling the center of the target.
Thought the 6AI was so great why not neck it up to 6.5mm. Actually used .257 Roberts brass for both cartridges. Not much of a neck down or up. But just never got the same consistent easy accuracy with the 6.5AI and 142 MKings compared to the 6AI with 107 MKings. Used a Shilen barrel for both.
Am experiencing the same accuracy difference with the .243 Axis with modified stock trigger compared to the .260 Savage 11 which has an Accutrigger. But we are talking 1/2 moa compared to 1 moa which some people would argue is splitting hairs in a hunting rifle.
The OP said the rifle would also be used for target work in the off season. A big factor that is seldom mentioned in target rifles is barrel life. In general the larger the bore given the same sized case the longer the barrel life. Compare the barrel life of a .308 to a .243. So theoretically the .260 barrel should last longer than a .243 but that may only be a difference of 100 rounds.
You pays your money and makes your choice.
Bill
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