As a long range varmint and long range silhouette rifle which calibre would you prefer ?

6.5 over a 6 mm in my opinion.

There is no comparison between the two, the 260 wins hands down every time. The only thing the 243 will do better is if it was a dedicated varmint rifle, but then i would get a varmint round ie; 223, 22-250 220 swift

For long range varmint there are plenty of excellent 100gr bullets for the 260, the 100gr ballistic tip comes to mind there are also a couple of 90 and 85gr bullets out there. For long range, there are the 140gr A-Max and Berger VLD's best of both worlds

I agree with fgulla. I chose the 260 for just that reason...versatility. I shoot 95 grain VMAX for coyotes, as well as 100 grain SMK bullets since on a coyote, I just don't care if they expand properly. For deer I move to the 120 grainers and they work very well out to 400 yards.

260 every way you look.

Mine with a 20.5" barrel will run 100gr BT's at 3250fps with a sub max load and is very flat shooting. 120gr's are great on deer and run around 2925fps.

I have not played with sub 100gr bullet weights in this rifle, I have a 22/250 for those games...

quote:

long range varmint

You didn't say how long is long....but for varminting over 400 yards I'd prefer the 6.5 over the 6mm

The .243 is a spectacular varminter out to 400 however.

Can't tell you about silhouette.....never done it!

I'd take the 260 over the 243 six days a week and twice on Sunday!
GWB

The 260 by all means!

yeah, what they all said. The 260 is superior in every category I use to measure.

We tried the 243 for silhouette and got hits but no knock downs often at the rams. Even the 260 needs heavier bullets to reliably take the rams.

Both with one in 8 twists...will allow one to shoot ALl bullet weights that are available in each caliber..

I am heavily into 260s and think the ability to shoot heavier bullets, is the reason I would normally pick it over the 243..

however I also own a batch of 243s... and with the match bullets available in 105, 107, 108, 115 grain, with a one in 8 twist and a good barrel don't sell the 243 short....

.260 Everytime!! Just plain accurate and predictable! And I'd take the 6mmRem over the 243Win anyday, anytime!! But that was Remingtons mistake!
Another point in favor of the 260Rem.........rifles for kids/wives/smallfolks/inexperienced hunters.......the 6.5 bullet is more forgiving than those 6mm bullets! Why aren't the manufacturers turning out YOUTH MODELS in 260 Remington as a choice vs the 243?? Remington used to make Model 7's in 260 as well as YOUTH model 700's in 260 but now they don't offer them! They DO HOWEVER offer 7mm-08's in YOUTH models which is a definite improvement over the 243!! 243's are varmint rifles!! ........but I guess in my own definition of vermin "deers is varmints too" they qualify!! Remington does offer "Managed Recoil" loads for the 260 and 7-08 as well as the 270Win, 30-06, 308 and 7Mag!! Useful and accurate in my testing (testing and sighting in rifles for customers who chose to buy it instead of loading down). Bottom line is "A 243 ain't no 260!!" GHD

And.... John Whidden won the Wimbledon Cup in 2010 with a 243. That match is 1000 yds., prone, any sights.

Ive shot deer with both and on deer sized game its about a toss up. If i were going to hunt something bigger then deer id opt for the 260 and its ability to handle heavier bullets but then im not going elk hunting with either when i have better guns. So i guess to me its a toss up and id give the 243 a slight advantage because you can buy ammo anywhere even walmart and ammo is about half the price of 260 ammo. Again im a handloader so that doesnt really apply to me but it may to some.

quote:

Originally posted by groundhog devastation:
.260 Everytime!! Just plain accurate and predictable! And I'd take the 6mmRem over the 243Win anyday, anytime!! But that was Remingtons mistake!
Another point in favor of the 260Rem.........rifles for kids/wives/smallfolks/inexperienced hunters.......the 6.5 bullet is more forgiving than those 6mm bullets! Why aren't the manufacturers turning out YOUTH MODELS in 260 Remington as a choice vs the 243?? Remington used to make Model 7's in 260 as well as YOUTH model 700's in 260 but now they don't offer them! They DO HOWEVER offer 7mm-08's in YOUTH models which is a definite improvement over the 243!! 243's are varmint rifles!! ........but I guess in my own definition of vermin "deers is varmints too" they qualify!! Remington does offer "Managed Recoil" loads for the 260 and 7-08 as well as the 270Win, 30-06, 308 and 7Mag!! Useful and accurate in my testing (testing and sighting in rifles for customers who chose to buy it instead of loading down). Bottom line is "A 243 ain't no 260!!" GHD

Well Charlie.. I'll pick the 260 over the 243 personally, but particularly when we are discussing big game..

for target shooting at long distances.. or varmints.. not so..

and while I agree with you on the 6mm Rem, being the better cartridge compared to a 243, I will only say so when the 6mm Rem is put in a long action and throated to take advantage of the longer magazine... but do the same for a 243, and it will accomplish the same all of a sudden...

and if you think the 6mm Rem is superior to the 243 ( especially in a long action).. have you ever gone the "extra mile" and necked a 6mm Rem up to 6.5 mm? same as a 6.5 x 57...or a 6.5/257 Roberts.. or a 6.5 Roberts...

Got one of those, with a 28 inch barrel, on a Model 70 long action...it will piss off 6.5/06 shooters, and I am sure I'll get flamed per usual...but that gal gives up NOTHING to the 6.5/06...

and mine has been tested over chronographs side by side with those and 6.5 Rem Mags, 264 Win Mags, 6.5 x 284s...plus the AI version of several...

instead of arguing which one is better...I'll tell ya what.. my "arsenal" wouldn't be complete without the 243, long action 6mm Rem, the 260s and the 6.5 x 57 in there..

and for a guy in Iceland.. I'd just go with the old tried and true Scandinavian 6.5 x 55....

for a handloader, it will do anything a 243 and 260 will do any day of the week...

and the old gun cabinet has several of those also...

I agree with Seafire that 6.5x55 is very tempting (and very popular here in Iceland)....but I have decided to go for a Sako 85 Varmint Laminated and that rifle only comes in short action. In a windy place like the North Atlantic wind drift is always a problem for the light bullets, that’s why I’m seriously considering the .260 rem for long range shooting, and in my book 300 metres + is a long shot with all the wind we have here.

i chose the .260 over the .243 about 6 years ago.. and never looked back. 120 gr, for deer size game is hard to beat.

quote:

Originally posted by DocEd:
And.... John Whidden won the Wimbledon Cup in 2010 with a 243. That match is 1000 yds., prone, any sights.

Punching paper is not the same as punching steel rams.

Another vote here for the 260. In my opinion it beats the .243 in all categories. Only reason I will probably never own one is I like the 6.5x55 better. Plus I can use my brothers as he is disabled and don't get out much any more.

BECoole, I never said it was. I was just trying to add to the conversation. I believe that the OP asked about varmint hunting as well as steel targets.

For what OB wants I would go with the .243. As far as a hunting cartidge I would still pick the .243 over the .260. Reasons? Factory ammo in the .243 is much easier to find then the .260. This of course is a small factor, but may become large if hunting in a remote area, and ammo is lost. I think that most would agree that the .243 is a better varmit cartrige then the .260. On deer one shot kills are the norm for me when I use the .243. OB will be well served with a .243 for his wants, and more.