What caliber would best suit my needs?

[Bill Allen]

I agree. I am also getting older and don't want to be smacked around any more than is necessary so I think I want to stay south of the 30 calibers. That still leaves many good calibers that will well work for me. As someone suggested, I think I will be flexible on the caliber and see what rifle I run into that I like and make my decision from what calibers are available. I have learned a ton in this thread and appreciate all of the advice. Keep it coming. I am definitely learning from it.

[TheeBadOne]

Originally posted by jmarriott
I would still go for the 7mm-08 as i believe it is a fine deer rifle cartridge.

[.243hunter]

243, 25-06 or 270 and some target practice and you shouldn't have a problem

[BILLY D.]

I HAVE TO SECOND CAL'S RECOMMEND ON THE 6,5 SWEDE. GREAT ROUND THAT HAS HARVESTED EVERYTHING ON THE PLANET, DOESN'T BEAT YOU TO DEATH, ACCURATE AS YOU ARE AND IS FLEXIBLE. VARMINT TO ELEPHANT.

GREAT TREE STAND GUN, LIGHT AND LOW RECOIL. MINE IS MY GO TO RIFLE ANYMORE. I HAVE ALL THE BASES COVERED FROM 17'S TO 458 WIN MAG AND MY SWEDE GET USED MORE THAN ANY OF THEM. TO SAY I AM ENAMORED WOULD BE A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT. I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT.

[denton]

I'm with Cal on this one. The 6.5x55 is an absolutely marvelous cartridge. Like unto it, is the 260 Rem, which is the same bullet on a 308 case. Recoil is moderate, and it is an excellent hunting round.

All that said, I don't think you will go wrong with any of the choices mentioned. If you want one rifle to do everything, the 30-06 is still hard to beat. The 270 is also excellent, but--just my opinion--the '06 is a slightly better cartridge.

You aren't going to spend a lot of time with either of those, at the range, just plinking for grins. They kick hard enough that you aren't going to enjoy shooting more than a couple of dozen rounds.

If elk and bear are off the menu, then you won't go wrong with the 308, and you can buy ammo at practically any gas station in areas frequented by hunters. Recoil is less, and you're more likely to enjoy target shooting. More time at the range, better shooting skills.

One round not mentioned yet is the 257 Roberts +P. You won't find many of those for sale.

My theory is that you should use the lightest round that will reliably and humanely dispatch the animal.

I've been researching 243 for deer and pronghorn. I bought a 243, convinced that it was adequate for prongers, but the more I read, the less convinced I become that I made a good choice. According to some experts, it's really just a little light, even for a 140 pound pronger.

With what you've said, I'd suggest that you choose something like 257 Bob, 260, 6.5x55, 7mm08, or 308, simply based on the gun you like best and can get the best deal on.

[captdavid]

I'd go with the 308 for one main reason. Milsurp ammo, It's cheap and accurate. I'm a reloader and I can't load for what I can buy it for. As for the gun, Remington Classic. capt david

[gspsonny03]

Denton I've been shooting a 6mm for 30 years and I don't know what experts you've been listening to, but a 243 or 6mm will kill any pronghorn on the continent. I've been on other boards that say they won't kill muledeer, which is also bunk. They will kill anything up to and including moose if you're good enough to shoot it, although I wouldn't recomend it for elk or moose. It will surely work for anything smaller than elk.

[Evan03]

243 to the all mighty 277 calibers

id pick the 2506 for light recoil, and all around shootabilty on varmints and good for longer 300-400 yrd shots on deer.

[BILLY D.]

GSPSONNY03, DID YOU EVER STOP TO PONDER THAT THOSE FOLKS WHO CRY, MOAN AND WHINE ABOUT THE .243/6MM, 90% HAVE PROBABLY NEVER TOUCHED ONE.

MOST OF THEM WERE SWALLOWED UP IN THE WEATHERBY HYPE OF THE 60'S AND THEIR WORD KEEPS BEING PASSED ON FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. IT IS A GREAT ANTELOPE AND DEER ROUND WHEN APPLIED PROPERLY.

[gspsonny03]

I agree Billy. I have shot deer with a 30/30, 300, 243,6mm and a 270, and I have learned one thing, the only deer that I have ever had run on me after the shot had absolutely nothing to do with the gun. It was just poor shooting.

[300 RUM]

Denton,
I have seen many pronghorn fall to a .243. Two this year alone, one at 175 yards the other at 210 yards both distances measured with laser rangefinder before the shot. I will admit both of thoses were close shots for most antelope hunting. So I guess it depends on how close you think you will be able to stalk. I will admit the most common antelope gun in this area is a 25.06 which will have a greater reach than the 243.

I also saw 2 elk harvested with a .243. The first a large 6 point bull scoring 351". The first shot 245 yards the bull hunched up went about 20 yards and layed down. Second shot at 75 yards to finish. I saw a cow elk shot at 200 yards front legs collapsed and it tipped over. These were all shot with the same gun by different members of the family. They were using factory shells, Hornady Light Magnum 100gr BTSP Interlock Bullet with muzzle velocity of 3100fps. All shots actually passed thru the animal except for the bull at 245 yards which I have had my 7mag not pass thru at that distance!

Its all about proper bullet selection I have seen too many guys go out with a 243 with light bullets designed for light skinned game or even varmints and wonder why it did not penetrate the elk shoulder.
You also have to be able to put the bullet in the right spot!

Ask any fish and game officer and they will tell you the tiny little 22 mag has killed more deer and elk than any other caliber. Illegally of course, but the animals are still dead.

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

I personally am not fond of the .243 and although I do not own one I have used one to shoot a deer with. Despite being a heart shot the deer ran and took us over 40 minutes to find in the long dead grass under the young conifer which it dived into after the dash it made. The gamekeepers rifle whose I had borrowed has shot hundreds of Deer and Fox with this rifle so I know it performs well. I am just much happier with the 6.5mm and upwards

Now the 6mm Remington I find interesting for some reason, I saw a nice heavy barreled Parker-Hale in this chambering and was considering it but at the moment I can't afford it plus it means getting a variation on the licence

Now as to Weatherby's ................... No thank you.......... no in any shaspe or form I am not old enough to have been influenced ny the Hype of the 60's being a toddler during the early part of them but to say I am not impresed by those Weatherby rifles I have seen and had the opertunity to shoot is some what of an understatement For most of my shooting I do not have the need for a magnum, although I did have Ruger No1 in 300 WM and I do have a P-H 1100M in 458 WM jsut because i wanted a BIG Game rifle, I woud have prefered the 404 Jeffries but I snozed and lost that one, this was hte nearest I could get at the time to a British Big Game rifle

Just because I personally don't like a make, cartridge does not mean it's no good. It's just for some reason not always explainable that I don't like it. For the same reason I do not like Instant Coffee of Beer.

[Evan03]

if you cahnged the 243s name to 6mm would you then like it more

[Bill Allen]

Originally posted by Cal Sibley
I think my 30 caliber days ended with the purchase of a 6.5x55.
Mine is a Remington Classic and shoots everything from 85 to 160grs., and accurately at that. it's not a heavy kicker, and you won't need to tote around a 10 lb. rifle. I don't know why it took so many years for me to latch onto a 6.5x55, just a slow learner I guess. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Cal, is there a lot of good factory ammo for the 6.5x55? I currently shoot a .308 and may stay with it because of such a good availability of ammo, reasonable recoil, etc. I don't plan to reload so that might make a difference in what caliber I ultimately decide on. I agree with Denton in that I want to use "the lightest round that will reliably and humanely dispatch the animal."

[denton]

LOL! Didn't mean to start a controversy on the 243!

Being relatively unburdened by actual experience, I'm trying to narrow my error by learning from those who have more experience. And I do appreciate the comments of all who have posted on both sides of the issue.

Undoubtedly there have been many animals humanely harvested with the 243. But, as I read the reports, here is what I find:

Everybody agrees that the 30-06 and 308 are enough gun for whitetails, mulies, and pronghorn.

Everybody agrees that the 7mm08 is plenty for deer and pronghorn.

Everybody agrees that the 6.5x55 or 260 is plenty for deer and pronghorn.

There is disagreement on whether the 243 is enough gun for deer and pronghorn. Some people love it, with good reason, and others recommend something a little stouter, also with good reason.

Most everybody agrees that the 223 is not enough gun for deer and pronghorn.

I'm too old to go get 20 years worth of data, so, to be on the conservative side, I'm leaning more toward one of my 6.5x55's for pronghorn. In a modern, strong action, with "adult" loads, it comes awfully close to the MV of the 25-06... 3075 fps with a 120 grainer.