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.243 or 6.5x55 for occasional deer


colin lad
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Please can we stop using the word "overkill". It's just not appropriate when debating the differences between a .243 or 6.5 Swede, which are not that different in the grand scheme of things.

 

I shoot muntys with my .308, I never think it's caused too much damage to them.

 

.243 or a 6.5 are fine for Roe, occasional or otherwise.

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I don't like the .243 much but for what you want to do it's spot on. It'll kill a red with a well placed shot if you ever need to, but from talking to you I doubt you ever will. I love my 6.5 but it's harder to find ammo for, costs a bit more and rifles aren't as easy to come by.

 

Don't let the mod issue be a factor though. Check with the importer - my Ase is a .25 and that's fine on my 6.5. On the manufacturers say so I should add, not me pushing my luck.

 

I'd love to tell you to get a 6.5x55. It's better and I like it much more. But in this case I don't think it matters. Your .222 would do the job just fine if it was legal. It is legal if you travel a bit further north!

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Don't let the mod issue be a factor though. Check with the importer - my Ase is a .25 and that's fine on my 6.5. On the manufacturers say so I should add, not me pushing my luck.

 

 

 

Mine seam to squeeze through OK,,,,, mind you i do need to check its on tight :yes:

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About twice as many rounds from a pound of powder for the .222 when compared to .243 i know its not a massive consideration but it is a fact and at £80 a kilo it depends how deep your pockets are if its a concern or not to you just saying.

mmmm yes i know where your coming from, and i do love my .222 it's a tack driver with my new reloads

 

colin

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mmmm yes i know where your coming from, and i do love my .222 it's a tack driver with my new reloads

 

colin

And Bullets too again just saying.

 

Never being shy of controversy my take on the .243 is that it is not enough for deer and too much for fox not just about the ballistics but as touched on the economics in use the more you think about the .222 the more you realise its an incredible round, and just as accurate today as it was on its introduction.

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I'm looking at the same dilemma, and just decided to go .243 on the variation for an odd roe, fallow or muntjac. It'll mostly be for fox, but I wanted to have one decent gun and scope rather than multiple cheaper setups. If I do a little more stalking later on then it'll probably still be fine... I may later regret it but it'll still do the job!

 

Good shot with one gun, or not so good with a handful?!?

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And Bullets too again just saying.

 

Never being shy of controversy my take on the .243 is that it is not enough for deer and too much for fox not just about the ballistics but as touched on the economics in use the more you think about the .222 the more you realise its an incredible round, and just as accurate today as it was on its introduction.

 

Depends on the Deer surely? For Roe or Muntjac 100 grains of .243 is plenty enough.

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i take plenty of munty and cwd with my .222 and they drop fine so would of thought a .243 would be fine with roe ??

 

colin

A 243 is more than enough for roe, if you cant cleanly kill a roe deer with a 243 you need to think about taking up another hobby. Choose either calibre Colin they will both do the job you want.

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As i said in the post not just the ballistics , and its my take on the .243 i happen to feel the case is not ideal sized. in 6mms there are better options how i see things. 244.. 6mm rem is just 1 example.

 

Well a .243 has better ballistics at realistic ranges than a .308 and has more than enough power with 100 grains so i don't know where you are coming from?

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Well a .243 has better ballistics at realistic ranges than a .308 and has more than enough power with 100 grains so i don't know where you are coming from?

Better and realistic are open to debate perhaps, i set aside pure ballistics twice this is a third time.

I thats ME! i feel the .243 is not ideal in the 6mms its outclassed by more efficient 6mm rounds like the PPC and the BR as Varminters and as Hunting round the 6mm rem as the capacity to handle 100 grain bullets with lower pressures.

As for the .308 paper balistics aside for versatility it as a broader range of uses than the .243 could ever dream undertaking.

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Well a .243 has better ballistics at realistic ranges than a .308 and has more than enough power with 100 grains so i don't know where you are coming from?

 

 

Not really sure I understand that remark...what is it meant to mean? If by closer range, typical of most deer shooting scenarios, then no, 243 does not have "better ballistics" because there's nothing in it between the two. It comes into it's own, ballistically, for longer range paper punching or foxing where a slightly flatter trajectory due to higher BC bullets plus higher Mvs are the case. That advantage disappears at most "realistic" foxing ranges where you use something like a 110gr varminting round driven hard from a .308. Its marginal at best, so no, the 243 has little advantage other than marginally flatter trajectory further out, but will have lower recoil. Once can (and many will) argue that the pressure cavity formed by the shock wave of a 243 smashing into something small like a munty will cause significantly more meat bruising than a heavier 308 slug fired at much lower velocities. Both will kill any deer or fox just as dead, but the heavier bullet going slower may leave you with more useable carcass. neither will probably leave you with as much useable carcass though as the venerable old 6.5 x 55 swede, which would still be my choice as it can in modern chamberings be loaded pretty hot and make for a flat shooting foxing round.

 

As a pure foxing gun with perhaps the occasional deer, 243 makes some sense, but then so does 223! If you want to keep more of the deer, I'd say it's more open to debate but the 308 has advantages, and the high sectional density/penetration of the 6.5 even travelling a slower than a 243, also has advantages. What matters is that you pick the one you prefer shooting most. All will do the job but if you don't like shooting the rifle or can't get on with it, then it all becomes a bit academic.

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