Rifle caliber suggestion

[K22]

The 243 - been shooting one since the late 60's. Rifles a plenty, components a plenty. Low recoil, easy to load, very accurate in a quality rifle. It's a true all purpose caliber.

Load the 85 grain Sierra BTHP behind IMR 4064 or IMR 4350 and you have one bullet / load you can use for varmints / predators / deer. Just keep the deer shots behind the shoulder. However I'm not sure about a 300 yard shot on a deer energy wise since I never shot one that far before with the 243 or anything other caliber for that matter. But under 200 yards - no problem.

Get a Tikka and save yourself a lot of angst.

The 243 gets a bad rap on barrel wear - in my experience of shooting this caliber for 40+ years in many different rifles and brands this concern is overstated. Just don't shoot round after round out of a hot barrel. Allow the barrel to cool between shots when practicing or load development. Also learn how to clean properly. Also, you don't need to shoot max loads to achieve excellent accuracy and terminal performance especially with the aforementioned bullet. Sierra's accuracy load of 37.0 grains of IMR 4064 for the 85 BTHP will give you about 3000 to 3100 f/s depending on barrel length.

 

[5spd]

If you want an over the counter caliber go .243, if you want something a tad different build a 6x6.8 (6.8 spc necked to 6mm) This is my go to gun for all medium game and does the job to 600 yard with ease.

 

[Ken]

I would choose a 243

 

[Mark W]

I’ll jump on the .243 bandwagon for the OPs stated purpose since I own three of them myself.

 

[msinc]

.......Get a Tikka and save yourself a lot of angst..........

The 243 gets a bad rap on barrel wear - in my experience of shooting this caliber for 40+ years in many different rifles and brands this concern is overstated. Just don't shoot round after round out of a hot barrel. Allow the barrel to cool between shots when practicing or load development. Also learn how to clean properly. Also, you don't need to shoot max loads to achieve excellent accuracy and terminal performance especially with the aforementioned bullet. Sierra's accuracy load of 37.0 grains of IMR 4064 for the 85 BTHP will give you about 3000 to 3100 f/s depending on barrel length.

I have to agree...I have seen several guys go from Sako's and other brand rifles to a Tikka because they sure seem to shoot better. Don't know why, Sako makes them both, but it is for sure true. These days, if you want a good quality rifle at a reasonable price that you will have a high chance of it also shooting good the Tikka is at the top of my list.
Absolutely follow Mr. K22's advice here about the hot barrel if you end up going with the 243. I am partial to 243's, but I am gonna play devils advocate about the throat burning and also about them sometimes being a little picky about ammo. The 243 can sometimes be a challenge to get reloads to shoot good groups.
One other suggestion to think about if you go 243 is the bullet{s}...I like the 80 grain Barnes TTSX. It will pass thru a smaller animal and not do a lot of fur damage, but it is a killer on deer size or medium game. Not my first choice for a big black bear, but it is such an effective bullet I would still have to try him. Best of luck.

 

[Rsadams]

My choice is 6mm remington , but for ease of finding brass etc then .243 is a good choice.... If you live were the deer are small like S. Texas then 22-250 is another....

 

[jds holler]

Well Hillbilly, I think the vote is conclusive. You HAVE to get a 243 Win.

I'll give ya another bit of personal info. Back in the day when I used to shoot a lot of deer, I used my 243 to drop probably twenty or more. And most of them did exactly that -- DROPPED. This was back before we had all the dedicated "game bullets" that we've got now, and my standard was a 90 gr. Speer Spitzer. The meat destruction was horrible, but those deer just hardly went anywhere. Recoil is so light that I was generally able to see the poor things shimmy and shake in my scope when the bullet exploded in them. jd

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Buy or build the best .223 Remington you can find first. It has low recoil and will work for practice and coyotes, you will shoot it all the time. Then go buy a copy of it in a 243 or 6.5 for the deer.

 

[JRS]

If I were going to purchase a factory made rifle, it would be the Sako 85 Hunter in 25-06, although I would much prefer the 257 Roberts

 

[centerlineseal]

Get a Tikka and save yourself a lot of angst.

And go with a 7mm-08. 120 NBTs are very accurate in both my Rem 700 VLS and my son's Tikka. Plus we have shot (and harvested) several elk using 140 - 150 gr pills. Really likes H4350.

 

[Tommie]

Take a hard look at the 7mm-08

 

[mikeinct]

Take a hard look at the 7mm-08

If he can get a deal on a great used 7-08... I consider it the 270Win lite...Mike

 

[snert]

243.

Never had one till last year when i got one for my daughter. Stupid little 700 Kmart special. Shoots TTSX all touching. Scary.

 

[DennisH]

I am just getting back into reloading, but I am still a newbie so to speak. I have sold all of my rifles and I am looking for a new round. it would need to be low recoil, flexible, and forgiving when reloading. distance out to 300yds for whitetail, coyote.
I have been looking at .243, 6mm, 7mm-08,257 Roberts,300 savage, 30-30.

any suggestions would be appreciated

I have the following: 6br, BRX, DASHER, 6.0x47, Creedmoor, and a 243

For hunting distances less than 400 yards, the 243 hands down. I shoot a factory Savage VLP 243. I bedded the Action, put a "Rifle Basix" trigger on it, a good scope, and it shoots factory ammo with ease.

I use Federal GMM ammo with 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips, 70 grain NBT's (short acronym), and the 90's nbt's. I have also shot Sierra 107's with excellent results. My favorite is the 70 nbt. It's fast and deadly. Below is a 5 shot group @ 100 yards with 70 nbt's hand loaded. I pulled one shot out of 5. IMO the Savage out of the box is a hard rifle to beat.

 

[Bojo]

Like many above have stated. 243 win is hard to beat. I shoot 22hornet, 223, 22-250 and 243 on a fairly regular basis. 243 is gona be a do all cartridge for you. If you pick a rifle that fits you well and can carry it in the woods plus bench or varmint shoot it you will learn it well and be proficient with it.

 

[markT]

Savage does make a great rifle.. Rem does too.. and rifle Basix trigger is a must on a Savage or Rem. And all the above is Made in USA.. how about that?

 

[17TACnes]

Yes, the 45-70 can be down loaded to around 1400 fps with a 405 grain bullet. Also, the 405 grain bullet at 1400 fps is a great hunting load too. We been shooting the 405 grain jacket soft point for year and have taken a few deer out to around 200 yards, but most were taken at less than 100 yards.
As far as what caliber to reload, availability and cost of brass, bullets and powder may been a factor too.

 

[DaveTooley]

A 243 shooting 80-85 gr. bullets . I shoot a 85 gr. SPBT. Works on everything up to Red Stags.
6.5 Creedmoor good up to a 1200 lb. Eland. I was there.

 

[hillbillydruggist]

I have the following: 6br, BRX, DASHER, 6.0x47, Creedmoor, and a 243

For hunting distances less than 400 yards, the 243 hands down. I shoot a factory Savage VLP 243. I bedded the Action, put a "Rifle Basix" trigger on it, a good scope, and it shoots factory ammo with ease.

I use Federal GMM ammo with 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips, 70 grain NBT's (short acronym), and the 90's nbt's. I have also shot Sierra 107's with excellent results. My favorite is the 70 nbt. It's fast and deadly. Below is a 5 shot group @ 100 yards with 70 nbt's hand loaded. I pulled one shot out of 5. IMO the Savage out of the box is a hard rifle to beat.

View attachment 1073320

that is amazing!!!

 

[alinwa]

……….

I will add that a 6 br is the most amazing round I've ever seen not a lot of debate there

I be call this "understatement of the day"

If you ever get to meet the owner of this forum ( he goes by Forum Boss ) ask him to recount exactically how THIS FORUM, in it's entirety, got started


LOL