I have an opportunity to increase my rifle collection. I have alot of big calibers as well as a 223. So I am thinking about filling another viod in my collection 24-25 caliber. Cant decide between the 243 and the 25-06. i like a 257 roberts, but not my first choice in a 25 caliber.I have a 270 for deer and a big 300 win mag for larger game. Just looking for a coyote killer/ truck gun for general purpose, Might hunt a deer or 2 with it. I intend on hunting/living in the Texas Oklahoma area after next summer. Dont really need a varmit gun with the 223 I already have but Might work up a varmit load in it anyway. Well I am just looking for suggestions/ experiences with both calibers

1. 6MM Ackley Improved
2. 257 Ackley Improved

25-20 WCF.
Pete

The 243 is more toward the middle of the space between the 223 and 270, if that matters. The 25'06 nips at the heels of the 270, but isn't as easy to feed off the shelf as a 243 or a 270.

Have you considered the .240 weatherby?.....

Actually the standard .243 winchester is a surprising cartridge and will tip over coyotes a long ways off. It'll also do a job on deer as good a a lot of more powerful cartridges.

250 Savage / 250-3000

More factory ammo for 243. 243 and 25-06 have a large variety of components available cheaply, maybe a slight edge to the 243. Ballistics are quite similar.

You can neck down and trim 270 brass to 25-06, in case you have a big stash like I do.

25-06 uses more powder if that matters.

I have both, and they both bother my ears, even with earplugs and earmuffs. Both are very loud and high pitched.

25-35

While I am all hot about a .260 in this power class I can't fault the idea of a .243, cause your are going to find lots of loads and brass. It's also a super rifle for kids to play with when learning centerfire or first hunts. But it's not the most potent round out there.

Well ther are alot of calibers mentioned here, Some of which I have never heard of. I must confess though I am not a weatherby man by any stretch. i have owned one in my life and I really wasnt happy with it. i got rid of it and got my 270 and loved it ever since. As for the 243 and the 25-06 I am aware of the closeness of the 270 to the 25-06, I own a 27-06 essentially having the 270, but i keep getting pulled toward these 2 calibers. Dont really have an explination as to why. Seems like a good excuse to but another gun. Besides, i alreadt have a set of scope rings for it just sittin on the bench. Seems like a waste not installing them on something.i am going to do some research on the suggested calibers above.

I have a 6 mmm Rem and a .250 Savage, both shoot well.

jim

I would lean heavily on the .243 only because it's so much easier to find ammo for. Lots of premium, specialty and economy loads are available just about any store.
Now I actually own a .25-06 and while it is an excellent round, and my Savage 110 with accutrigger makes it sweet to carry and shoot. I kinda regret not getting the .243. I just don't shoot it much because I don't reload, and ammunition is almost $10 more per box. Generally (unless I were to special order) all that I have found in town is the 90 grain and 115 grn hp load. In 6mm flavor you can have partitions, ballistic tips, soft points and hollow points, from 55 to 100 grains. The .243 meets my needs just as well as the .25-06 but cheaper.
If you handload, this all would not be an issue, and th .25-06 has the power edge.

I am a handloader so price really isnt much of an issue. I am just looking for performance.

If you want "performance" the 25-06 has it.

Just don't mess it up by trying to make it into a 270Win by putting heavier bullets into it.

The 100gr partitions are devastating on whatever they run into, provided you don't point it at anything heavier than a whitetail.

AllanD

Well I am planning on keeping my 270 and I have a browning A bolt in 300 win mag for Elk and big game. Just want to fill the void in my collection. I think I will go with the 25-06 just because the 243 doesnt have enough over my 223 to really necessitate it, But then agin a 25-06 with a 270 is almost redundant. Oh well.

quote:

Originally posted by gunz:
Well I am planning on keeping my 270 and I have a browning A bolt in 300 win mag for Elk and big game. Just want to fill the void in my collection. I think I will go with the 25-06 just because the 243 doesnt have enough over my 223 to really necessitate it, But then agin a 25-06 with a 270 is almost redundant. Oh well.

No a 25-06 is a much better varmint rifle than even the most die-hard 270 owner can claim it to be....

AllanD

I can highly recommend the 25 WSSM. It will dust off the 243 summarily and also beat the much longer 25/06 when both are loaded to SAMMI max pressures.

The down side is the iffy quality of the Winchester factory rifles that are available for it. I guess that can be said of any factory rifle though.

Bottom line: I'm thrilled with mine both in terms of accuracy and speeds. My second choice would be the 243 due to the availability of Lapua brass.

Gabe

If you want something with a a good variety of available ammo stick with the 243 or the 25-06. The 243 having the better variety available. If that is not one of your needs then you might want to look at one of the following: 6mm Rem, 6mm Rem Imp, 250 Savage, or 250 Savage Imp.

Get the 25-06 and load it with 75 gr Vmaxes. You will have nuclear death for coyotes...

Allen, Perhaps you should shoot something bigger than Penn. State whitetails before you condem the 25'06 and 100gr. bullets.
My personal tally is 3 moose, and 1 bull elk with a 25'06 all loaded with 100gr. premium bullets(Partition's, and TSX's) along with close to a dozen Alberta deer, some with bodies which weigh in at over 300lbs.
The caliber is certainly capable.
How about the shooter?

quote:

Originally posted by SouthpawDV:
Allen, Perhaps you should shoot something bigger than Penn. State whitetails before you condem the 25'06 and 100gr. bullets.
The caliber is certainly capable.
How about the shooter?

This mule deer was taken with a single shot with a 257 Roberts and a 100 grain hornady interlock. It run less than 15 yards after the shot.

quote:

Originally posted by gunz:
I have an opportunity to increase my rifle collection. I have alot of big calibers as well as a 223. So I am thinking about filling another viod in my collection 24-25 caliber. Cant decide between the 243 and the 25-06. i like a 257 roberts, but not my first choice in a 25 caliber.I have a 270 for deer and a big 300 win mag for larger game. Just looking for a coyote killer/ truck gun for general purpose, Might hunt a deer or 2 with it. I intend on hunting/living in the Texas Oklahoma area after next summer. Dont really need a varmit gun with the 223 I already have but Might work up a varmit load in it anyway. Well I am just looking for suggestions/ experiences with both calibers

I just read all of the suggestions from other posters. I think if you have a 270 and a 300 a 2506 is not different enough. I recently won a custon build job from Serengeti and I was trying to deside what caliber to build. I hav 284 Win; a 308 Win; two 300WSM; a 30-06; a 376 Steyr and a 45-70 so I have plenty of medium to larger calibers. I thought about a 223 as ammo is cheap; a 204 Ruger and finally desided that if I wanted one of those I could buy a heavy barreled Savage. I think I have settled on a 6.8 SPC which is a 270 caliber (277) There are bullets from Sierra, Hornady, Remington, Barnes, and I think Speer. Loaded ammo from Remington (including Corelock Ultra) and Hornady and one other company that I know about. Cases are available from Remington, Jamison and I would think that Hornady would offer them since they sell loaded ammo unless someone else is making the cases for them. Most suitable bullets seem to be between 90g and 115g and include full metal jacket, varmit and hunting bullets (Corelock Ultra and Barnes X) This gun should be easy to shoot; light and I would think fairly quiet. Vel should be up to 2700fps with a 22" barrel and 110g bullets. Mine is being built on a tiny Mauser action. This caliber was developed for use in the military 223 for better penetration at ranges up to 600 meters.

Everyone finds their magic caliber. I found mine early on in my 270. Not to downplay any other round, Just the 130 boattail bullets fly great im my little 270 and I have killed alot of coyotes out at 400 plus yards with it. i have shot quite a few deer with it as well, None out at 400 yards though. In my mind it can do no wrong. i think you will like the 270. Enjoy .

quote:

Originally posted by bearcat:
1. 6MM Ackley Improved
2. 257 Ackley Improved

I'll second that!

Never had a .270, but, I've loaded for two elk hunters that do. Never a problem. My only kick is there's a limited range of bullet weights for it, and about 150gr is tops. IMHO, min is '06 and 180's. That's what I was taught by the old time elk killers at least.

I was raised on an '06 and .22. Never had anything else til I was 30. Shot truck loads of p/dogs with 110gr, and quite a bunch of coyotes. Blows them in half sometimes. Completely scalped one that jumped up into my bullet at somewhere around 300yds once.

Sure could't save the fur though. On the p/dogs, "talk about a red mist!!" Nothing left of them other than a reddish triangle from where they were when hit til all the mist was spread.

Since then, I've gotten both a .223 and went to 40gr for fur loads that don't exit and only a small hole where hit. Instant death without even a twitch with a chest shot.

And, .243, took a head off a coyote at 85yds w/60gr in it when hit at base of neck. Out of seven I shot with that load not a one even kicked. Nor was there any saving any of the furs either.

Watched a partner shoot an antelope buck at 215 paces with 100gr 25'06. From where I was 50 feet to the side. Sure looked like Charley had missed as the dust kicked up way beyond and to the side. The 4 does and buck just stood there after the shot. I turned my head and said: "damn it Charley you missed!" Then glassed again and the buck just tipped over from a heart shot. We walked out there and half way out, he started kicking very hard. I expected it to get up and run, so asked if he intended to mount it then ran out with the pistol for a finish up shot. Had stopped before I got there. Was hit nearly touching the front legs and barely high enough to miss the brisket/ribs on bottom. Heart was gone.

George

to be a qualified rifle looney you n eed one rifle caliber to love and one to hate I love my 25-06 and have hated all 3 of my 243 frome the time I got them in trade till I barelled them to something usefull 7-08 338-08 and 308 just my opinion 25-06 with light bullets fills the void you are looking for.

quote:

Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
If you want "performance" the 25-06 has it.

Just don't mess it up by trying to make it into a 270Win by putting heavier bullets into it.

The 100gr partitions are devastating on whatever they run into, provided you don't point it at anything heavier than a whitetail.

AllanD

You are a stubborn one aren't ya?

There's quite the thread going on the .25-06 started by Jason Doss that'll provide some insite.

For a truck gun it's hard to argue against a .243W for all the reasons listed. I don't care for it but it does make sense. I love my .257 Roberts loaded up 75gr Hornady HP for busting 'yotes of "opportunity". It can also be loaded up heavier if hogs and deer come into the picture. The blast / recoil is less than the .25-06 but the end result is very close to the same. A .260 wouldn't be bad either.
Truck guns need to be handy IMHO, so my choice would be for a much shorter rifle than many other people like. One of mine that I really like, but is a punisher, is a Remington model 600 in .308 with a 2.5x Weaver Classic. It kicks as hard as any other rifle I have it seems. The Roberts is quite a bit longer but more "fitting" as a dual purpose rifle. If you're not saving fur the mid weight .25 cal bullets are able to be pushed quite fast and will shoot as flat as any and don't get blown around quite as bad. At really long range the .25-06 shines!

Any reason to get another rifle is a good one! You definately have identified a reason. In fact I believe you've justified at least two, and possibly a third in an AR-15 platform along the lines of the 6.5 Grendel!

Happy Shopping! Nate

I really dont enjoy the AR configuration. I used one for 4 years in the USMC. I am not against them, I just enjoy bolt action rifles much more for some reason.

257 Roberts is nice, but I'm biased toward 250 Savage (250-3000). You can find it in new rifles or vintage Savage Model 99.

A handloader can download the 257 Roberts to 250 Savage velocities and still have the speed and capabilities of the Bob when needed.

quote:

Originally posted by gunz:
I have an opportunity to increase my rifle collection. ..... So I am thinking about filling another viod in my collection 24-25 caliber. Cant decide between the 243 and the 25-06. i like a 257 roberts, but not my first choice in a 25 caliber. .....

gunz, IMO - You semm to have zeroed in on these cartridges.

Soooo...Give somke thought to the rifle use, weight, balance, etc. Bet once you put as much thought into what you would like this rifle to do, the decision between these cartridge will become real clear to you!!!

quote:

Originally posted by gunz:
I really dont enjoy the AR configuration. I used one for 4 years in the USMC. I am not against them, I just enjoy bolt action rifles much more for some reason.

Too bad. The first round that popped into my head was the 6.8SPC.

And, seven years later she arises from the depths of the abyss!

I don't like safe queens, a gun should be used. I've been scaling down in my old age as I don't have the time for them all. The last two to remain will be the .270 and the .243. They are hugely popular for a reason.

gunz, Are you still out there? If so what did you do? Something must have happened after 7 years. roger

My vote goes for the new .25 Ruger!



Oh wait... that's seven years from now and the time machine won't start!

This is what I have in your range.

SAKO A1 repeater in 6mmppc. perfect varmit rifle in Georgia 50-70 gr bullets @ 3,300 fps works great on turtles & yotes.. I'd shoot a small pig under the correct conditions.

M700 243 BDL bought as a donor, shot so well I could bring myself to part out. I just don't like 243's so it's rarely shot.

M700 250 Savage, great accurate rifle shoots 85-117 bullets slow but fun. Killed a doe at 320 yds in front of our camp so a proven killer.

M600 250AI custom. Great accurate flexable choice. Almost a 257 Roberts, fun gun to build & use.

3 ea M700 257 Roberts on long actions. Flexable can load down to a 250 savage up almost to 25'06. My main hunting rifle is a CPR 257, 24" Lilja barrel, brown Precision Pounder. Can't go wrong.

2 ea 25'06 Sauer 2020 & M700 in Rimrock stock. Great deer & hog round but a little powerful for turtles.

If I had a 223 & 270 I'd go with a 6mmPPC , 250AI, or 257 Roberts..

For me it is a 257DGR, it was designed to "fill the gap". Use 70-gr Blitz king or 75gr vmax to hammer coyotes and smaller varmints and still shoot the 115-120gr bullets at 3000fps for bigger stuff and for the long range shooting the Berger 115VLD.

If your tied between 243 and 25/06 then go to the 25 Souper!

25 Souper!
[25/08]
You`ll never look back.