Multi-purpose caliber

calaper · 03-14-2008, 07:04 AM

Hi all,

I'm in the process of looking for a new rifle to buy. Currently i only own a .22lr but have had lots of fun practicing on it. I am not new to bigger calibers as i have been shooting with my father since i was younger but i am in a situation where i need the right sort of caliber for what i want to do.

I am after a round that is good for target shooting at decent distances but also require something capable of taking down wild pigs and deer. I am keen to reload and try different charges etc till i find one i like but i'm not sure on the caliber. I was thinking .243 as this has significantly less recoil than a .308 which i thought might also be a possibility.

Any ideas?

Lachie

DWARREN123 · 03-16-2008, 09:35 AM

Anything built off the .308 case seems good (243, 7mm-08, 308). You need to be able to find ammo fairly easy and it needs to be not too expensive. Find a rifle that fits you and in a caliber you will like.

SwedeSteve · 03-16-2008, 09:50 AM

I would say .308 or 7mm/08 as you will have a tremendous selection of bullet weights to play with.

jv101 · 03-16-2008, 09:51 AM

for smaller game/varmits you can go with a 204 or 22-250
or as mentioned above a 243, 270 or 308 would def. work for smaller to larger game

samuel · 03-16-2008, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwedeSteve

I would say .308 or 7mm/08 as you will have a tremendous selection of bullet weights to play with.

A good choice. sam.

HAWKEYE50 · 03-16-2008, 10:03 AM

Hello, I agree with DWARREN, ammo price and availability should guide your purchase. I see you are in AUSSI land. How are the restrictions on firearms there? The 308 would be my choice considering the dual use of the caliber. Remember, just because the bullet arc's to get there, it still gets there. Happy shooting.

Ron AKA · 03-16-2008, 11:03 AM

The 243 is a great cartridge and suitable for game up to the size of deer at short to medium distance. For long distance deer hunting, I think it is a bit underpowered. For hunting, I'm not a fan of the 308. The case is too small for the size of the bore.

If you want to go a little bigger than the 243 in a commonly available cartridge then I would suggest the 270 Winchester. If you want to go off the beaten track a bit, then the 260 Remington is very good and a nice step up from the 243, but probably hard to find. And if really off the beaten track into wildcat country then the 6.5-284 or 6.5-06. Similar performance can be gotten from the factory 264 WM, but it can be hard to find as well. You can find the 6.5-284 at the link below, and some other interesting cartridges. I would not go for a larger bore size than 270.

6.5-284 Cartridge Guide

Ron

turner · 03-16-2008, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwedeSteve

I would say .308 or 7mm/08 as you will have a tremendous selection of bullet weights to play with.

+1

Taurus Fan · 03-17-2008, 01:02 AM

.243 because of the light recoil and dual applications. While it's a tad small for deer, it'll do the job, and how many deer do you plan on shooting? The fact is most people either plink, hunt varmints, or go to the range to just shoot. The .243 is an outstanding varmint cartridge, and you'll appreciate the difference it makes on your shoulder at the end of a shooting session versus what a .308 will do. If it's a real deer rifle you want, then definately the larger cartridges mentioned.

GlockMeister · 03-17-2008, 01:48 AM

I'd just popped in to welcome you to G&G. I'm sure just in the few replies you've gotten, you got some solid advice on which caliber to check out. Not to mention, no need for me to throw yet another one in there for you to have to think about. lol

irish murphy · 03-17-2008, 02:13 AM

I know what conditions you will be facing and know what game there is in australia.A 308 will take down all but a few and is a very practicle round.If you are going to handload you can load some good ammo for cheap too.I have not noticed any difference in recoil from 243 and 308.But then i dont shoot from a bench either.I dont think the recoil will bother you when shooting offhand.The biggest thing that will influence what you buy is HOW MUCH.You can pick up a howa or tikka and a few other under $1000 new.

calaper · 03-17-2008, 07:21 AM

Thanks everyone for the comments, most of the advice was taken on board. I did buy my new rifle today and i took all the advice on board. I went for the Tikka t3 hunter in .308, the cost of ammunition and the fact that it is quite a multi-purpose round has definitely helped make my decision. Irish Murphy, i have to agree with all that you said, i don't think i would notice to much difference out in the scrub and the .308 will do the job on any game we have over here.

Again thanks guys, just got to wait for my gun to get in the country and i'll be a happy man. Any one have any comments on the Tikka hunter ?

runfiverun · 03-17-2008, 11:19 AM

the 308 is a good choice
but if it is available and you re-load at all i would take the 7-08
especially if recoil is an issue or it's twin the 7x57

Silent Shooter · 03-17-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

The 243 is a great cartridge and suitable for game up to the size of deer at short to medium distance. For long distance deer hunting, I think it is a bit underpowered.

Quote:

While it's a tad small for deer, it'll do the job, and how many deer do you plan on shooting?

You guys crack me up. I hunt with a .243 and wish it didn't tear up the deer so much. I regularly shoot deer at distances most wouldn't even attempt with immediate and fatal results. How big of a weapon do you think you need for a little bitty deer?

I will give you that the .243 does not do a fantastic job inside 150 yards or so (moving way too fast), but if you are that close, why waste the meat? Take a headshot. They never walk away from those.

mitch_mckee · 03-17-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calaper

Hi all,

I'm in the process of looking for a new rifle to buy. Currently i only own a .22lr but have had lots of fun practicing on it. I am not new to bigger calibers as i have been shooting with my father since i was younger but i am in a situation where i need the right sort of caliber for what i want to do.

I am after a round that is good for target shooting at decent distances but also require something capable of taking down wild pigs and deer. I am keen to reload and try different charges etc till i find one i like but i'm not sure on the caliber. I was thinking .243 as this has significantly less recoil than a .308 which i thought might also be a possibility.

Any ideas?

Lachie

My preference is the .308 but I am not all that recoil sensitive. If you are, the .243 is excellent. Both are available in lighter, short action rifles.

jv101 · 03-17-2008, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitch_mckee

My preference is the .308 but I am not all that recoil sensitive. If you are, the .243 is excellent. Both are available in lighter, short action rifles.

i am not going to lie, i was recoil sensitive for the first 5 shots through my .308! now that im use to it i love the feel of the recoil! then again i am rather young(as in 16years old) and a smaller sized person, so its a bit natural for me to be a little intimidated by it haha

id def. go with the .243 or .270 if i didnt want a .308

nathangdad · 03-18-2008, 12:12 AM

I really like the 7mm/08 which will get the job done on antelope to deer with accuracy and without punishing recoil. The .243 is also an excellent choice made even more desireable by the heavier weigh varmit/target barrels offered by some manufacturers.

But for what you wish to hunt I would recommend the 7mm/08.

jaeger · 03-18-2008, 12:34 AM

7mm-08. great round. I am a huge .308 fan and the 7mm is about the best "offspring" from that casing that I have seen.. (well maybe the .338 federal), but we wont get into that. The 7mm-08 is about as good as your going to get for close to .243 trajectory, with close to .308 take down power with about the same recoil as a light 270.. Plus you can usually buy ammo anywhere .308 is available.

mitch_mckee · 03-18-2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaeger

7mm-08. great round. I am a huge .308 fan and the 7mm is about the best "offspring" from that casing that I have seen.. (well maybe the .338 federal), but we wont get into that. The 7mm-08 is about as good as your going to get for close to .243 trajectory, with close to .308 take down power with about the same recoil as a light 270.. Plus you can usually buy ammo anywhere .308 is available.

I think that the .243 is also a spawn of the .308. .243 is real common.

jaeger · 03-18-2008, 12:51 AM

very true. Just in my personal opinion 7mm is about as small as I personally would go for deer. I have witnessed about 6 deer hit with 243 rounds and always with about a 30-45 yd dash and fall. Dont get me wrong I like the caliber but just personally prefer something a little bigger for deer.

03-14-2008, 07:04 AM	#1
calaper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 106	Multi-purpose caliber Hi all, I'm in the process of looking for a new rifle to buy. Currently i only own a .22lr but have had lots of fun practicing on it. I am not new to bigger calibers as i have been shooting with my father since i was younger but i am in a situation where i need the right sort of caliber for what i want to do. I am after a round that is good for target shooting at decent distances but also require something capable of taking down wild pigs and deer. I am keen to reload and try different charges etc till i find one i like but i'm not sure on the caliber. I was thinking .243 as this has significantly less recoil than a .308 which i thought might also be a possibility. Any ideas? Lachie

03-16-2008, 09:35 AM	#2
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 774	Anything built off the .308 case seems good (243, 7mm-08, 308). You need to be able to find ammo fairly easy and it needs to be not too expensive. Find a rifle that fits you and in a caliber you will like. __________________ Have a nice day!

03-16-2008, 09:50 AM	#3
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 10,370 Images: 1	I would say .308 or 7mm/08 as you will have a tremendous selection of bullet weights to play with. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

03-16-2008, 10:03 AM	#6
HAWKEYE50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: HOLLY MI Posts: 166 Blog Entries: 20	Hello, I agree with DWARREN, ammo price and availability should guide your purchase. I see you are in AUSSI land. How are the restrictions on firearms there? The 308 would be my choice considering the dual use of the caliber. Remember, just because the bullet arc's to get there, it still gets there. Happy shooting. __________________ "KEEPIN MY POWDER DRY"

03-16-2008, 11:03 AM	#7
Ron AKA Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 704	The 243 is a great cartridge and suitable for game up to the size of deer at short to medium distance. For long distance deer hunting, I think it is a bit underpowered. For hunting, I'm not a fan of the 308. The case is too small for the size of the bore. If you want to go a little bigger than the 243 in a commonly available cartridge then I would suggest the 270 Winchester. If you want to go off the beaten track a bit, then the 260 Remington is very good and a nice step up from the 243, but probably hard to find. And if really off the beaten track into wildcat country then the 6.5-284 or 6.5-06. Similar performance can be gotten from the factory 264 WM, but it can be hard to find as well. You can find the 6.5-284 at the link below, and some other interesting cartridges. I would not go for a larger bore size than 270. 6.5-284 Cartridge Guide Ron Last edited by Ron AKA; 03-16-2008 at 11:07 AM.

03-16-2008, 09:51 AM	#4
jv101 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 145	for smaller game/varmits you can go with a 204 or 22-250 or as mentioned above a 243, 270 or 308 would def. work for smaller to larger game

03-17-2008, 01:02 AM	#9
Taurus Fan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cobra Command Headquarters Posts: 801	.243 because of the light recoil and dual applications. While it's a tad small for deer, it'll do the job, and how many deer do you plan on shooting? The fact is most people either plink, hunt varmints, or go to the range to just shoot. The .243 is an outstanding varmint cartridge, and you'll appreciate the difference it makes on your shoulder at the end of a shooting session versus what a .308 will do. If it's a real deer rifle you want, then definately the larger cartridges mentioned. Last edited by Taurus Fan; 03-17-2008 at 01:04 AM.

03-17-2008, 01:48 AM	#10
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,483	I'd just popped in to welcome you to G&G. I'm sure just in the few replies you've gotten, you got some solid advice on which caliber to check out. Not to mention, no need for me to throw yet another one in there for you to have to think about. lol __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

03-17-2008, 02:13 AM	#11
irish murphy Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canberra,Australia Posts: 1,028 Blog Entries: 5	I know what conditions you will be facing and know what game there is in australia.A 308 will take down all but a few and is a very practicle round.If you are going to handload you can load some good ammo for cheap too.I have not noticed any difference in recoil from 243 and 308.But then i dont shoot from a bench either.I dont think the recoil will bother you when shooting offhand.The biggest thing that will influence what you buy is HOW MUCH.You can pick up a howa or tikka and a few other under $1000 new.

03-17-2008, 07:21 AM	#12
calaper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 106	Thanks everyone for the comments, most of the advice was taken on board. I did buy my new rifle today and i took all the advice on board. I went for the Tikka t3 hunter in .308, the cost of ammunition and the fact that it is quite a multi-purpose round has definitely helped make my decision. Irish Murphy, i have to agree with all that you said, i don't think i would notice to much difference out in the scrub and the .308 will do the job on any game we have over here. Again thanks guys, just got to wait for my gun to get in the country and i'll be a happy man. Any one have any comments on the Tikka hunter ?

03-17-2008, 11:19 AM	#13
runfiverun Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: soda springs idaho Posts: 281	the 308 is a good choice but if it is available and you re-load at all i would take the 7-08 especially if recoil is an issue or it's twin the 7x57

03-18-2008, 12:12 AM	#17
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,469	I really like I really like the 7mm/08 which will get the job done on antelope to deer with accuracy and without punishing recoil. The .243 is also an excellent choice made even more desireable by the heavier weigh varmit/target barrels offered by some manufacturers. But for what you wish to hunt I would recommend the 7mm/08.

03-18-2008, 12:34 AM	#18
jaeger Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 301 Images: 3	7mm-08. great round. I am a huge .308 fan and the 7mm is about the best "offspring" from that casing that I have seen.. (well maybe the .338 federal), but we wont get into that. The 7mm-08 is about as good as your going to get for close to .243 trajectory, with close to .308 take down power with about the same recoil as a light 270.. Plus you can usually buy ammo anywhere .308 is available.

03-18-2008, 12:51 AM	#20
jaeger Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 301 Images: 3	very true. Just in my personal opinion 7mm is about as small as I personally would go for deer. I have witnessed about 6 deer hit with 243 rounds and always with about a 30-45 yd dash and fall. Dont get me wrong I like the caliber but just personally prefer something a little bigger for deer.