My smallest rifle caliber is 22lr, and the next size is 30.06. Used to have a 7.62x39 in between, but sold it and now I'm left with a big gap between the 22lr and the 30.06. I am looking for suggestion for a centerfire caliber that is smaller than .300, has a considerably lighter recoil, quite common and moderate in price, and has a flat trajectory.

This will be used for long range target shooting, smaller antelope at up to 75 yards, and for control of coyotes at times when they grow in numbers and pose a danger to farm animals. Thank you.

Sounds like you need a 243.

Sir, if your looking for light recoil and still get out there may i highly recommend the 260 remington. My little savage 11 hunter will print 2 1/2 inch groups at 300 yards.

6.5x55. Will do exactly what you want and can even fill in for the 30-06 in a pinch.

quote:

Originally posted by Mikelravy:
Sounds like you need a 243.

+1

This will be used for long range target shooting, smaller antelope at up to 75 yards, and for control of coyotes

You written the verbatim job description of the .243 Winchester. And besides that, it's available in just about every centerfire rifle in every configuration ever devised.

.243 is a great choice, but I'd go with the .260 Rem because it's one of my pet rounds.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick O'Shay:
6.5x55. Will do exactly what you want and can even fill in for the 30-06 in a pinch.

My 6.5 R-Bar or the 6.5X55 roger

I've pondered the same question, and to me the .257 Roberts and 22-250 are both high up in the running. (I own neither at the time...)

.243 is what you described.
Yeah lots of other rounds were thrown out there and will work but if it's target shooting, Antelope and Coyotes I'd get a .243.
I also have a .257 Roberts and a 6.5 swede but I consider those bigger than needed for the shooting you described.
Pick one that suits YOU and have fun.

6.5x55 or .260 Rem.

I own rifles in 223, 22.250, 243, 260 and 6.5x284.

If I didn't, the first one that I would buy for antelope and yotes would be the 243. I own three, 243s.

Another vote for a 6.5 especially for a soft shooting long range target rifle. 260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5x55.

I like the 25-06.

25-06 or 7mm-08 would be my suggestions. Both are fine calibers with a decent selection of factory ammo and an even better selection of bullets if you reload. I have both and, while I think the 7mm-08 is a bit more versatile, there are no flies on the 25-06.

.260 or 7-08.

I am surprised !
I think i am the 1st to mention the .270. No more versatile round for antlered game.
Shoot a good 130 grain bullet and anything from antelope to elk !...tj3006

Truth is, that gap is just way too big to fill with one caliber or one rifle. I see a postive 'need' for at least a half dozen. Regards, Bill

agree with derf9.3 - I'm tempted to buy a savage lightweight hunter in 6.5 creedmore not sure about availability of ammo though.

I have a savage 14 in 250 savage but ammo is tough to get

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
Truth is, that gap is just way too big to fill with one caliber or one rifle. I see a positive 'need' for at least a half dozen. Regards, Bill

I'm all for it if you'd finance that venture

Good suggestions here, and I think 243 and 6.5x55 are winning so far. Other great calibers were mentioned, but these don't fit my request for readily available and inexpensive ammo. Also the 270 kicks very close to 30.06 and I need a lighter recoiling round. Thanks all.

.243 Winchester, .257 Roberts, .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x55, or 7x57, which kind of crowds the 30/06.
I think I would choose the .257 Roberts, although .243 ammo is usually easier to find.

Another vote for the 25.06

6.5 creedmor

22-250Rem

Well one rifle just won't do. The gap is just too large for one. You obviously need a centerfire .22 like .22-250 or .223, a somewhat larger cartridge like the .243, and one more like a .260 Rem or 6.5x55. That should just about fill in the gap between a .22 rimfire and the .30-06. Additional filler on the high end could be a 7x57, 7-08 or .270.

Jerry Liles

.25-06

I had two for many years.

I shot crows, ground hogs, prairie dogs, white tails, muleys and even a moose !

My friends and I were prairie dog shooting on a ranch in Wyoming. One had a .22-250, the other a .243. I was out shooting them so badly that they both laid down their guns and began using mine. The .25-06 would shoot groups at 100 yards that I could cover with a nickel. I got a 3 shot group that I covered with a dime. It dropped mule deer, one shot, in their tracks. And it had mild recoil. However, I since bought bigger rifles and don't recommend it for moose.

It was an FN Mauser 98 barreled action that I fitted, bedded and finished the stocks for myself. And hand loaded the ammo.

The .26-06 is the little brother of the .30-06 so it's all in the family. The .30-06 is one of the oldest, most popular and reliable ever made. IMR 4350 works great in both rifles.

*( I have the .30-06 too ).

243 OR 6.5 Creedmoor

If you had not have said flat trajectory I'd pick the 300 Whisper.

I would have to agree that the 243 would fit your requirements nicely.
Plus, of all the calibers mentioned, it is probably the most economical to shoot if your using factory ammo.

I totally, I mean tastefully, disagree with most here, but since it's only opinions, I'll offer mine. Having owned most of the stuff between .22lr and 30-06 and I also have 3 .243's, I think the first step if: you're looking for mostly small game/ varmint hunting and fun long range work along with availability and low price would be the ubiquitous .223 Rem.
1.) Availability now is second to non. 2.) It's easy to load for. 3.) with the right twist it can double as a small medium game rifle with heavier bullets. 4.)Cost right now has come down in factory ammo to a decent price; sort of. 5.) If you buy one of these first, and then the .243; 25-06/.257 rob; 260; 270; 308; it may still be the first gun you pick up to leave the house with. 6.) low recoil; if you have a mind to burn a box or more at once. 7.) It can be had in a plethora of light, medium, or heavy weight rifles, and short to long barrels.
Did I mention that I like the .223? It's not any better at several applications as the 22-250 or the 243, but as a composite it does many things well without a lot of fuss. It's as good a starting point between the 22 and 06 as I can come up with.
Now if medium game was the starting point of this question I would immediately start with the .243 and any of the medium .25's or 6.5's that caught my fancy, but in the end there are no wrong answers. Hopefully just a starting place with more fill-in-the-blank answers along the way. Good luck! They are all fun.

Just my penny's worth

25-06 or 257 Roberts.

7mm-08
6.5x55
.243

there's a bunch
243, 6rem, 6.5x55, 7x64, 270, 280,

all of these offer GREAT medium performance and factory ammo to boot

I predict that Brian (the OP, for reference) will have acquired one of the mentioned calibers, shot the hell out of it and probably have sold it and this thread will be revived in some form once every 6 weeks from now until the end of days.

Just pick a caliber with readily available components and load as you see fit.

With the 243, you can use varmint loads in the 55-70gr range for Coyotes, Woodchucks, Marmots, etc, and the 90-105gr for Whitetails, Mulies, Speed-Goats, and long-range target shooting.

The 243 is what you need.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian564:

Good suggestions here, and I think 243 and 6.5x55 are winning so far. Other great calibers were mentioned, but these don't fit my request for readily available and inexpensive ammo.

I doubt that you'll find 6.5x55 either readily available nor inexpensive in most places in the U.S. You don't mention your location, but I have to assume that from your uses and your quarry that you are in the rural Western U.S. 'Taint where you'll find lots of ammunition for the Swede. Or .260 Rem, or 6.5 Creedmoor, or 7x57, or .257 Rob, or a number of others which have been mentioned.

And in truth, you would probably get more use out of and enjoy a .223 more, but when you specify hunting game animals, although it is more capable than many give credit for, it is still not a really good choice for antelope and similar size game animals.

Stick with the .243 (which I only recommend because it is so hard to find a .244/6mm Remington rifle these days, much less the ammunition for it.)

quote:

but these don't fit my request for readily available and inexpensive ammo.

Then you need a .223 period.

I misunderstood the original question I guess when I answered .243, .243 is available just about anywhere that I've ever seen any ammo for sale so it came to mind. If they've never heard of a .243 where you are from then hopefully .223 ammo is available. It fits the bill however it may not be legal for Antelope you'd have to check on that for yourself.
I live in Colorado, .223 is not an option for Antelope.
Get a .223 and live it up.

I like to fill my gaps by the range of bullet weights a caliber will shoot. IMO a 257 at 70 -120 grains or a light 7 ( 08 or mauser) at 100 -175 closes the gaps in my bullet range. Pretty hard not to find the 6.5 sexy too.

go to the store.
look at ammo prices.
after you purchase your 223 or 30-30 or 308 let us know how it works.
those are about the only three that fit your cheap ammo criteria.

I'm pretty positive the 22 mag or 17hmr would fill the bill as a 75 yd antelope killer.
but so would any of the above three and for about the same price.

Agree that's a big gap and one won't likely fill it. I'd start with a .223. A 6mm Remington, or a .257 Roberts (or a .243) would fill the next gap. A .270 or any of the 7mmm's (7X57 would be my preference)wouldn't be bad. Now you are up to the .30 calibres.

quote:

has a considerably lighter recoil

The thread is an interesting and respectful read.

Even though I love the .270, I would agree that its recoil is too close to the 30-06 to provide a significant difference. The same can be said in a sliding scale down through 7x57, 7mm08, 6.5x55, 260, and "the Bob," though these last couple may start to qualify as significantly softer. They are quite a jump up from a .22LR, of course.

The application includes long range target and varmint, with occasional small-medium game use. I would agree with the many who have suggested the 243Win that it fits that description tightly. Its bullets tend to provide increased BC and better long range characteristics than a .223".

However, the 223 Rem has cheaper ammunition available and may be fired a bit more than a 243. If more inexpensive shooting were desired, then a 223 would be excellent. If a better fit to small-medium game hunting were desired, then the 243 Win might get the nod. My son and I shot a lot of spur-wing geese and little oribi and duikers with a 222 Rem, back in the day. Since we don't get to shoot that much anyway, I would rather spend a little more on ammunition and get a 243 Win. (But the 257 Roberts, 260 Rem are also attractive little cartridges.) There is no final word on such an issue, mainly the enjoyment of choosing the calibre, the rifle, and then using the rifle for hundreds of rounds to get to know it.
I wish the Opening Poster well.