why not a .260 rem. or any short action 6.5 just asking...

Nothing wrong with a 260. I was simply trying to use a barreled action I already owned.

quote:

Originally posted by TC1:
For a deer rifle I see little difference in the two.

One launches a 100 gr bullet at 2960, the other launches a 100gr bullet at 3200+. And one launches a 120gr bullet with more velocity than the other gives to a 100gr bullet. I think I see a little difference in the two. And I have hunted with both for more than 50 years.

The one advantage to the .243 is it can be changed into a real rifle, ie.260 7-08, with just a barrel change. And the old barrel makes a nice tomato stake.

I have a .243 a 250-3000 and a .25-06AI in that range. It comes down to what animal and range I expect the majority of shots will be taken at.

For practical HUNTING both are good cartridges out to 200 to 250 and (maybe) 300 meteres with a solid rest, but of course the .25 has more thump at the end.

For critters up to 60 kg under 200 metres the .243. For heavier animals and shots over 200 metres the .25-06.

If it had to be one, not three rifles (heaven forbid) I'd like to try a 6.5 Creedmore and 127/140's.

i have a 243 sako = lsa55. have killed 1 or 2 deer every year but one since the early 70s . never had to shoot twice ever. shooting speer btsp 100 gr . i believe this is the softest recoiling deer sized centerfire that i know of and very accurate . many deer were head shots out to 150 yds. im now just a few days from 80th birthday . deer is in the freezer.

From Colorado, the answer should be easy. I saw you already have PD guns. Great. My safe has two of each of those calibers. I like them both. BUT, if I were to have only one, it would be the .25-06 with no looking back. There are satisfactory bullets for use from antelope to elk. Note, I said satisfactory bullets. I've killed a number of cow elk with the .25-06, 120gr bullet, an activity I wouldn't try with a 100gr .243 (now watch me catch hell). Your message said it all, he needs a longer stock. The .25-06 has a longer stock.

Smart move, if your going to shoot deer and elk, the 270 is the better cartridge, especially where elk are concerned..That 160 gr. Nosler is not a bad elk round out to 300 yards and with proper shot placement, and you will get better blood trails as a rule than you would ever get with the 243 or even the 25-06 to a lesser degree. I have shot elk with the 25-35, 30-30 and 250 Savage, all a bit light for the job, but if you have patience and can pass iffy shots they all work, limit your shots to 200 yards and the 243, 25-06, 25-35, 30-30 and 250 all work well...but the .270 will give you another 100 or more yards with its heavy bullets. Just my 2 bits.

Put the 243 that he already has in the bigger stock. If he really feels like a change in the future he can rebarrel to one of the 6.5s, .308 or anything else in the future.

I have taken quite a few deer with the 243,but it is NOT in the same class as the 25/06.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Well just bought an Interarms 270.

Oh, great. Then adopt me...I'll take that .25-06!!

Long ago in another state, I had a .25-06 which got used
for both P-dogs (75gr Horn HP's) and deer (100gr Horn SP's).
Later, during hard times I sold it. To this day, I miss
that Remmy 700!

.243 or 25-06 short action vs long action.. I had that same situation, so I went with a short action with 25-06 performance.. I chose the .260 Remington, and I'm glad I did...

The only reason to go to a 25-06 when you already have a 243 is in some states the 243 is not legal for hunting elk. The fact is a 25-06 will do nothing better than a 243 with the same range and bullet placement.

I have personally taken over 50 mule-deer and several Prong horn at ranges from 50 yds to 350 yds with one shot kills on all occasions with a 243 with 100 gr bullets @3000 fps.
With quality 100 gr bullets at just under 3000 fps from a 243 and a quality 120 gr bullet from a 25-06 at the same velocity there is not a person on this thread that could tell the difference in the effect on a big mule-deer.

To get a real improvement over a 243 one would have to move to something like a 280 Rem.

To suggest a 243 win with a good 100 gr bullet being pushed at 3000 fps is nothing but a toy is a person that is either just bias without reason or simply has never used a 243 win rifle enough to know what a 243 is capable of!

In the final analysis, the only reason to go to an only slightly bigger bore than a .243 100 gr is to be legal to hunt elk in all jurisdictions, and in practical terms that is not needed except to follow the law.

I voted for the 25-06 simply to follow that law!

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Oh, the 243 is merely a toy; varmint and maybe small deer rifle at best, whereas, the 257 is a real rifle, using 120 grain bullets. I admit never owning a 243, and never having fired one at game, but I know all this is true. But I never use anything smaller than 33 caliber any more. Elmer said so.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Oh, the 243 is merely a toy; varmint and maybe small deer rifle at best, whereas, the 257 is a real rifle, using 120 grain bullets. I admit never owning a 243, and never having fired one at game, but I know all this is true. But I never use anything smaller than 33 caliber any more. Elmer said so.

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quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
With quality 100 gr bullets at just under 3000 fps from a 243 and a quality 120 gr bullet from a 25-06 at the same velocity there is not a person on this thread that could tell the difference in the effect on a big mule-deer.

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Probably true, but.....

The same could be said of the 120/25-06 and the 130/270...

And the same could be said of the 130/270 and the 140/280...

And the same could be said of the 140/280 and the 150/30/06...

Etc...

We all have to draw a the line somewhere. Ain't it nice to have options.

Just an observation here nothing more, but the problem with the .260 and the various short mags/ssmags/ultra-mags and even some of the older standbys, is availability. Also, they really offer nothing performance wise over more readily available cartridges, other than being a novelty. If you are a handloader/reloader with a good supply of brass then you won't be affected as if you were depending on factory loads.

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
With quality 100 gr bullets at just under 3000 fps from a 243 and a quality 120 gr bullet from a 25-06 at the same velocity there is not a person on this thread that could tell the difference in the effect on a big mule-deer.

.....................................................................

Probably true, but.....

The same could be said of the 120/25-06 and the 130/270...

And the same could be said of the 130/270 and the 140/280...

And the same could be said of the 140/280 and the 150/30/06...

Etc...

We all have to draw a the line somewhere. Ain't it nice to have options.

How about the 243 win and the 25-06 in relation to the 280 REM.

The 243 and the 25-06 being about equal in effect, to gain anything worth talking about, one would have to go all the way to the 280REM, and there is little if any between the 280Rem and the 06 with only 10 grs more bullet and less velocity. There is a big difference in effect with 500 fps more in the 243 and the 25-06 than is developed by the 06 with a 150 gr bullet at 2500 fps.

The thing is they are all good and from top to bottom, when talking very large mule deer, there is not a enough effect difference to cause one to rid himself of one over the other. It is simply a matter of choice not effect!
..............And none of them are just TOYS!

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Not trying to pic a fighjt. Just sharing experience. IME there is a lot more difference between the 243 and the 25/06 than there is between the 270 and 280.

The 243's I've messed with (22" bbls) liked 100gr loads at about 2900 fps. The 25/06 will easily push a 100gr to 3200+ fps..

Not questioning your success. But that's a significant difference in my book. YMMV

At 300fps faster and a difference of .014 diameter, at normal hunting ranges 100 to 200 yards, a mule deer or the person pulling the trigger will not be able to differentiate between the two if the shots are accurately placed.

Well, I can't speak to mule deer. Only taken a handful of them, and that was with 270's,280's and a 264.

But I've shot a boatload of whitetails over the last 60 years with both the 243 and the 25/06. And I can tell a difference in the response of the animals...unless it's a CNS hit, of course. YMMV