Well. Several years ago I gave my step son a 243. He used it for varmints and a doe. It had a VERY short stock to fit him. Now he is 6' tall and 20yrs old. So now he needs a stock that will fit him. I have a 25-06 in a nice piece of Bastogne. Since they are both MKX barreled actions I could swap and install the 243. If we were to go PD or Elk I have options he could borrow.

Question:
So my question for a 20yr old near future only CF rifle would he be better off with the 25-06 or 243.

Choices:
25-06
243

 

There is no argument to be made for the 243 unless you are only shooting varmints; but with the 25, you can actually use 120 grain bullets and shoot real game; just about getting into a worthwhile caliber. 243s are just toys and at his age, he will have more room to grow and someday will get into real calibers.

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t with the 25, you can actually use 120 grain bullets and shoot real game;

Kind of what I told him. That while not the best it could be used for elk with the right bullet and shot choice.

Here is the 25-06 package

Nice stock but I expected that from you.

Both

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Both

I'm sure he would love both. But I have another son and 3 son in laws. Trying to keep it fair. The others got 1 each over the years so need to be fair.

Down the road I'll let them fight it out.

Thanks dpcd

120gr from the .25-06. A better all around would be a .30-06.

quote:

A better all around would be a .30-06.

Yep 30-06 or 270, 280 etc. But, I don't have one and this is simply a potential swap his short stocked 243 for a full stock 25-06.

I tried to find a 270 swap or even simply a barrel. No luck. As it is the rifle will stay in my safe until he graduates in 2 years so there is still time.

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25

of those choices, hands down, 25-06

The 25-06 is an extremely versatile round which does not get it's due. It is a lot more gun than a .243.

If it is for deer I don't see much difference. I'd choose the one that I had the most ammo for. Nice looking piece of wood on that.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
There is no argument to be made for the 243 unless you are only shooting varmints; but with the 25, you can actually use 120 grain bullets and shoot real game; just about getting into a worthwhile caliber. 243s are just toys and at his age, he will have more room to grow and someday will get into real calibers.

This ^^^^

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Originally posted by dpcd:
243s are just toys

Pretty harsh criticism for a fine round.
Maybe in some peoples hands it seems like a toy but in anyone's hands that can actually shoot the .243 is a Deer killing machine.
With the .243 you have very mild recoil and economy of powder compared to a 25/06.
Both being fine rounds I would probably pick the .243. Prairie dogs, predators Antelope and Deer of any size are fair game.
I've personally seen about a dozen one shot kills with a .243 on Deer and Antelope, in my eyes it is extremely effective.
The 25/06 is a great round but it has a lot more muzzle blast and uses a lot more powder than a .243 to do nearly the same thing. I think a .243 would promote a lot more practice shooting which equals a better shot down the road.

If the 25-06 is a long action which I believe it is, and the 243 is short, you could go to a 308, 260 or 7mm08 and get a lot more horsepower

Hey guys. These are MKX actions so they are the same length the 243 simply has a spacer in the box.

If I wanted to build a new rifle I have several MKX actions. I'm simply looking at a simple swap mainly because he needs a longer stock. Since both the 243 and 25-06 are factory MKX barreled actions it is easy. I'm not going to start from scratch.

The .243 is very easy to find cases and ammo for. Easy to shoot. Easy to shoot very well. Easy on powder. Very hard on deer with todays bullets. I like both. I wouldn't use either on elk. I shoot the .243 a lot more both hunting, varminting, and just for fun. Niether are all around versatile guns, they are deer cartridges. Go .243 and then he can pick his own next gun with a more purposeful, obvious step up.

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Niether are all around versatile guns, they are deer cartridges

I agree with you 100%.

Easy on the powder not an issue I don't see him ever reloading. Matter of fact I bet if I gave him 2 boxes of shells in 10yrs he would still have some left.

I think either rifle will spends the vast majority of it's life in the closet.

I think the whole thing depends on what he hunts, how often, and what his shooting passion is. If it is Coyotes, Foxes, I would stick with the .243. but if the predator or squirrel hunting is only occasional then the bigger 25-06 would be a better choice. I don't think the caliber has anything to do with his physical size, just what he likes to do.

I have a couple of 25-06's, hence my vote for it.
I HATE the 243 calibre, it doesn't know if it's a true varmint round, or a big game round. Have seen wounded deer from it due to poor bullet choice on the part of the shooter using varmint bullets on deer.
At least with a 22 calibre you KNOW certain bullets aren't suitable for anything bigger than a fox, the same xan't ve said for some bullet styles in the 243.
Anyway, the 25-06 is far more versatile if one handloads their own, premium bullets abound in many bullet weights in this calibre.

Cheers.

If you don't see him ever reloading then it is the .243 hands down. not only are there dozens more factory loads available, you can actually find them in a store. It seems a shame to have such a beautiful rifle sit in the closet and only see 5 rounds a year. Maybe you should think about a $400.00 .270 or 30-06?

The sad part of owning a 25/06, and I did, was you can't readily get 145gr. bullets!!

The 25/06 may get out there a little farther but the .243 , which isn't one of my favorites , will effectively kill as far as I would care to shoot game. roger

The 25-06 is a decent elk rifle up to about 300 yards with a 120 gr. Nosler Partition..Many Wyoming ranchers, when I was a young cowboy working out of Mule Creek, Wy. used it for everything form P dogs to Moose. I know many of them that just used whatever factory ammo was on the shelf..

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It seems a shame to have such a beautiful rifle sit in the closet and only see 5 rounds a year.

Thanks for the comment. I bought that Bastogne almost 40 years ago for I know less than $100 semi. For years it was my 22-250 stock. I refinished it and put the 25-06 in it. For me it has been sitting as well.

I for sure know I could pick him up a used or even new rifle in a better caliber for less $$. However, then it wouldn't have been built by me. More than anything that is what he is wanting. The caliber actually secondary.

Trade one in for a 270Win and he will be good-to-go! Just my two cents on the subject. Yes, I have owned both the 243 and the 25/06.

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Trade one in for a 270Win and he will be good-to-go!

Been trying that. Even a 270 MKX barrel. Since he will be in school another 2 years I might keep looking.

I'd ask his opinion.
maybe he likes the 243.
a new stock should be available from 4-5 different places.

one of my 25-06's will shoot 120gr bullets like it was throated for them.
the other will shoot them in one hole at 50 yds
at 51 yds the groups open to patterns.
this somewhat limits the rifle and bullet choice becomes more critical as the animals size increases.
confidence however cannot be replaced by anything and if he is comfortable and confident in what he has.
he may want to stay with it and just have it fit him better.

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I'd ask his opinion

If you are talking about my step son. He is all for the 25-06. Mainly because he sees the 243 as his "kids starter" rifle. He has not shot the 25-06 or really anything larger than the 243. Loads of 223 and 22-250 along with his 243. Vast majority of the 243 were light weight varmint loads.

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Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

Trade one in for a 270Win and he will be good-to-go!

Been trying that. Even a 270 MKX barrel. Since he will be in school another 2 years I might keep looking.

It's a beautiful 25-06 and with 120 grain Barnes TSX or TTSX, see it as a good all-around rifle. Just my opinion, but if it's accurate with the right bullets, I wouldn't need to go up to a 270.

Since it will only be fired a few times a year and not at varmints, guess you could just flip a coin. If the game is larger than deer, the 25-06, if there is the chance the will hunt extremely large or dangerous game, neither (but I'm sure you knew that).

If he is all in for the 25-06, I'd just go that way. If he shows enthusiasm for it, he may hunt and shoot more. I've owned both and didn't see much of a recoil difference and at his size, it shouldn't really matter either.

Just some thoughts, worth what you paid for them.

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If he is all in for the 25-06

He really doesn't know enough to tell the diff from a 25-06 and 30-06. He loves the stock for looks and the fact I made it. I could probably stick any barreled action in it and it wouldn't make an issue.

His dad doesn't shoot. I have no clue if he will hunt on his own after he gets out of college. Right now he hunts with me and I have him covered on both ends.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

If he is all in for the 25-06

He really doesn't know enough to tell the diff from a 25-06 and 30-06. He loves the stock for looks and the fact I made it. I could probably stick any barreled action in it and it wouldn't make an issue.

His dad doesn't shoot. I have no clue if he will hunt on his own after he gets out of college. Right now he hunts with me and I have him covered on both ends.

Kind of sounds to me like you don't want the rifle to sit and not get used, since your stepson doesn't shoot or hunt when he's not with you. You'd like to give it to your stepson but are afraid it's just going to sit in his closet like his .243 does. It seems to me you planted the seed of hunting and shooting tried to nurture it and make it grow, but your stepson has different interests right now.

My solution would be to restock the .243 with a decent piece of wood. Keep the .25-06 in the safe awhile longer. See if your stepson interests re-align with yours, and then give him the .25-06 in trade for a .243 when you'll both appreciate it more.

Heck, I'm 40 years old and still use my 243 my dad bought me when I was 13 yo.

Matter of fact, it went with me last month to Oklahoma and helped me secure a doe and fawn for the freezer.

I guess that means I'm still a kid!!!

quote:

Originally posted by mdstewart:
120gr from the .25-06. A better all around would be a .30-06.

I agree, I don't see the point in buying a rifle in a performance chambering like the 25-06
only to slow it down to the ballistic trajectory of a 30-06.

that is like buying a Ferrari to tow a trailer...

Then again I bought a 7mm Mag to be a 120grain bullet launcher... AFTER I completely wore out TWO 25-06 barrels...

I always thought more varmints then big game a 243. More big game then varmints a 25-06.

Not even a choice. The 25-06 all the way

For a deer rifle I see little difference in the two.

25.06

One of my favorites!

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the .243 is a Deer killing machine.

That's a fact.....

I've owned both and liked both.....however with Nosler's 55 grain bullets in the .243, it'll become a serious varmint rifle and IMO the .25-06 will never become more than an excellent deer rifle.

One can't go wrong with either as the real difference is miniscule at the most as a deer rifle but one would be better served with a 22-250 and a .270 long term.

Sometimes I believe the term "analysis paralisis" was devised to describe us folks in the firearms world. We have way,way too many choices with much too much overlap.

So I'll just say this....IMO the .243 covers more ground than the .25-06.....if I had to choose it'd be on that assumption.

First I want to thank everyone that took the time to comment. My stepson had several long talks with his brother in law(the one that actually hunts).

Seems like the fear was that with my health scare last fall my stepson was afraid he wouldn't get a rifle built and stocked by me like the rest of the guys. He didn't feel comfortable talking to me about it in those terms. Didn't want me to get the wrong idea. He simply wanted something I had made just in case. Could care less the value or really the caliber.

The son in law told him not to worry. That if he wanted one of the wildcat rifles he would insure he had plenty of ammo for it if the stepson never got into reloading.

So since I plan to be here for awhile still have time.

The answer is simple, a .243. The 25-06 is an embarrassment, can't do a thing a .270 doesn't do better.

Well just bought an Interarms 270.