.243win or 6.5 x 55

[gixer1]

Do any of you have opinions on what is the better all round cal, .243win or 6.5 x 55, I am looking at a rifle but am not very familiar with the 6.5 x 55 cal and don't really know what to expect of it?

 

It's used mainly for roe, fox with the occasional red.

 

Regards,

 

Gixer

[Beardo]

i'm going through the same questions myself at the mo...

swinging in favour of the 6.5 as i have a great .223 already which is perfect for foxing and muntjac

Edited February 18, 2010 by nickbeardo

[flytie]

Do any of you have opinions on what is the better all round cal, .243win or 6.5 x 55, I am looking at a rifle but am not very familiar with the 6.5 x 55 cal and don't really know what to expect of it?

 

It's used mainly for roe, fox with the occasional red.

 

Regards,

 

Gixer

Gixer, if you were to do a search on this subject, on any of the shooting sites, you would know that this is a subject that divides the nation. If I was a suspicious sort, I may have accused you of wanting to start a riot But I am sure you had the best of intentions It is a very, very subjective and contentious issue

 

And some strange people will tell you that the answer is .308

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But the answer is 6.5x55 of course

 

ft

[monkeymagic1969]

As an all round Calibre a .243 is probably best, you can load from 55grn upto 100grn bullets and there is not a lot in this country that it wont kill.

saying that a 6.5 x 55 is still a pretty awsome tool and if you think your going to be taking quite a few Reds, then that is what i would Opt for.

I have had both and would not be sure which i would choose now???

[Dunkield]

The 6.5 will go up to 160grains so plenty of whck for Reds, but the 'more reds are shot with .243 than any other calibre' brigade will along soon, so I will leave there.

I bought a Swede and have never once regretted that decison 7 years on.

 

Here are some impartiaal words from the reloaders nest site on both calibres:

 

The .243 Winchester was first introduced in 1955. It's based on a necked down .308 Winchester case. Bullets are available from 60 to 100 grs, giving a velocity above 3500 fps for the lightest bullet. This cartridge handles all from varmint to deer sized animals.

 

and

 

Thousands of Swedish Mausers imported into the U.S. After World War II introduced American hunters to what many consider to be the finest medium capacity 6.5mm cartridge developed during the tail end of the 19th century. And of all the war surplus rifles that invaded American soil during the fifties and sixties, the little Sweede carbine was the one we all wanted. It has class. Workmanship and accuracy were second to none. Even today the 6.5 x 55mm is an extremely popular cartridge among American hunters. And many Scandinavian hunters consider the little 6.5 to be potent medicine for all big game up to the size of moose. Normaoffers several factory loads; one a 139 grain spitzer at 2800 fps, another a 156 grain round nose at 2500 fps. For all around hunting of deer size game with the little 6.5, the Nosler125 grain and Hornady129 grain bullets are excellent choices. For Whitetails and Pronghorn in open country, the 120 grain Speerand 120 grain Noslershoot flat and hit hard. For woods hunting, trying the Hornady160 grain round nose. When it comes to powders there is no best choice. Feed the 6.5 x 55mm anything that burns at a slow to medium rate and it will sing a pretty song.

[al4x]

would you use a 6.5 as an everyday fox gun Stuart?

[Dunkield]

No, because I have a .223 for that, but if you didn't you would need to get into the lighter rounds or get good at range estimation and holdover.

 

The mix of fox/roe shooting to reds the OP mentions I think he would be better off with a .243

[al4x]

there you go Gixer the answer to your question succinctly put, now will that end a potential 10 page thread

[Beretta28g]

Well i myself was asking mysefl this question and i am seriously considering a .270! if not then a 6.5x55 mimimum!

[Gully]

My vote is for the Swede. I am using Sako 156g for deer at the moment as I found a cheap source of the ammo. It haven't hit one in the shoulder yet though so not sure if there'll be too much meat damage. I can't think of why they'd be no good on fox, dead's dead after all. There's no reason why you shouldn't get it conditioned for fox either:

 

From the Home Office Guidance to Police book:

 

"In windy areas, where heavier bullets

aid accurate shooting, or if applicants wish to

use one rifle for shooting both deer and foxes

they may choose a rifle in 6mm (.243/.244) or

6.5mm (.264) calibre."

[Dunkield]

I have fox on my FAC for .223 and 6.5, the 6.5 is indeed a dual purpose or multipurpose round.

Deer are <generally> not shot at such great distances as foxes, that is why I would say the .243 is a better fox/roe round.

 

Gully I use 140's for deer, but stalk with someone who shoots heavier rounds and meat damage is not an issue with them at all.

[flytie]

37 foxes in less than a year, mainly from high seats, taken with the 6.5x55 140gn soft nose federals & RWS would argue that it is not a useless foxing round. If you want to load up some 100gn "varmint" loads you can get them going at well over 3000 fps if that takes your fancy. Personally i wanted to zero for one round and then use it for everything. As I am about to start using my reloads full time, I will mainly be using 129gn SST's out of my Finnlight 6.5x55. They deal with fallow, roe and foxes really well.

 

I asked a lot of professional stalkers/deer managers (Barry Holt from Cowdray Park was one) for their advice before choosing a calibre. And, oddly for me, I followed their advice. I have not regretted my choice.

 

ft

Edited February 18, 2010 by flytie

[Harnser]

Get a proper gun and go for the mighty .308 . The jack of all trades rifle and master of them all . I have had them all over the years and the .308 is with out a doubt the best all round calibre very ,very , closely followed by the venerable .270 .

Harnser .

[gixer1]

I have a 243 at the moment and have to say find it fantastic and as mentioned it'll happily drop a red but I think it's just a case of "will I try something else"

 

Whats the difference in price for factory ammo?

 

And sorry for starting a debate that has probably been done a thousand times before!

 

and is felt recoil a big difference?

 

Thanks for the input again.

[Dekers]

Yep, it's been done to death, and as someone else suggested, the .308 (and 270) often crops up in this debate as well.

 

Simple fact is, there are probobly not that many people who have, or have had, both, to give a realistic assessment!

 

My personal view in answer to your specific question would be .243, mainly because of the fox element!

 

Carts available from 55g ballistic tips to just over 100g, so, from an excellent Fox/Roe, to a very, very adequate Red Gun.

 

I have never been into using cannons, I prefer lighter calibres and shot placement, I don't have any issues with a .243 for the larger deer on the whole, it is my tool of choice in the vast majority of situations, I rarely find the need to take my .308!

 

But once again a personal view, and there will be as many of those as there are replies here!!!

 

[dave dog]

Used .270 for five years ok. Shot foxes did maon to much, and deer did run on very far if at all.

.243 some say wont drop a sika as they are hard aninaml. Not shot any sika yet so don't know on that fornt.

 

dave

[moses]

Used .270 for five years ok. Shot foxes did maon to much, and deer did run on very far if at all.

.243 some say wont drop a sika as they are hard aninaml. Not shot any sika yet so don't know on that fornt.

 

dave

 

Thousands of Sika shot all over Ireland with nothing bigger than 22 centre fires without any problems.

 

The biggest Calibre you could have over there until farely recently was a 22Cf, 22-250 accounted for most of them.

 

You won't have any problems taking any UK quarry with a 243.

[Mr_Logic]

243 for me. No doubt 6.5 is a good calibre, but mainly roe and fox is the 243's game. 4000fps or thereabouts with 55gr (and I have personLly cracked this barrier now) and plenty of energy with 100gr too.

 

Get a savage or a Remington as they are slightly faster twist and will do 100gr better.

[Dunkield]

I asked a lot of professional stalkers/deer managers (Barry Holt from Cowdray Park was one) for their advice before choosing a calibre. And, oddly for me, I followed their advice. I have not regretted my choice.

And therein lies the problem FT, ask Chris Howard (he won't thank me saying this, but Barry was more or less Chris's understudy at one time) what the best calibre is he will say 25-06 all day long, or he did last time I asked him, he has probably moved onto something else by now of course.

 

The .243 is better for fox reference was more to do with taking 200+ yard shots, with heavy bullets in the 6.5 you will have to know your drops, or get your calculator out

 

Extreme muzzle velocity may be great for foxing, but it is irrelevant for deer, where slower heavier bullets will give you less meat damage.

[al4x]

I have a 243 at the moment and have to say find it fantastic and as mentioned it'll happily drop a red but I think it's just a case of "will I try something else"

 

Whats the difference in price for factory ammo?

 

And sorry for starting a debate that has probably been done a thousand times before!

 

and is felt recoil a big difference?

 

Thanks for the input again.

 

 

Personally I reckon the question you have is do you need another gun for when out after Deer, as Stuart says do you really want to start worrying more about bullet drop etc when foxing, to my mind no its all too variable especially under the lamp. With a .243 as long as its within 200 yards you just point and shoot no issues.

[henry d]

I`m with Stuart, 6.5 swede is a cracking calibre, but the OP`s situation suggests that .243 will be a better choice.

 

 

My 2p

[tick]

The .243 is a brill Fox & Roe rifle [large cat rifle] in saying that i sold mine a few years back and bought a .270 and never looked back, it all depends in how easy it is getting Ammo for your rifle from your local gun shop. best of luck cos there is a lot out there