Partner for my .243

jon15

Well-Known Member
I have just bought a new 243 and have chopped in my three other rifles 243, 25-06, 308, to buy it. As I wrote in a thread early on this site, I have gone full circle regarding calibre's and am now back to my favourite 243 as my main stalking round. The vast majority of my stalking is lowland stuff, Fallow, Roe and Muntjac and I rarely shoot at anything over 200 yards so my 243 is fine and suits my needs perfectly.
I am also fully aware that it is not the perfect hill or driven calibre and I do a little of both so am looking for an addition calibre that could fill the above. Having had one, I feel the 25-06 is a little too close to the 243, mainly because the bullet weights are so limiting and I shoot a heavy 105g round through the 243.
I would like know what people's views are on the 308 as a hill rifle, I am fully aware of the great range of ammunition available and its ability as driven round, but I never used mine on the hill as I had the 25-06. I have seen plenty of people in France shoot a 270 on driven stuff to good affect and I know it is a great hill round but again have no first hand experience of one. Would be very great for any advise on the calibre to partner my 243, finally I am not a home loader so must be able to obtain factory ammo fairly easily. Jon


 
You might like to try 30-06. Why? because I have had one for 10 years. It is my go to rifle, Scotland on the hill, Africa and driven boar. you can get a vast array of factory ammo. I also have a 243 for my Roe and fox.
Tusker.
 
.243 is fine for hill reds,if you shoot big woodland reds then you would be better with something bigger driven! driven what? if Boar then you certainly need something bigger.
 
For driven boar and Red, it would be very hard to look past the naught six. Serious round with an great bullets selection everything from 123gn to 220gn. So it's another vote for th 30-06 from me
 
Hi
I have both a .243 and .270!!
Not long had the .270 but on first impressions am very pleased with the calibre zeroed bang on at 100yards and only 1/2 inche low at 200yards..
ive shot a lot of deer with my .243 and love it but I'm now seriously thinking of setting my .243 solely for foxing e.g 65-75gr and using my .270 just for deer.
 
I use a .308 on moorland fallow and hinds in Perthshire.

I also use a .270 for the same.

I cannot honestly tell a difference in performance between them. The d difference in drop at the ranges I shoot to (290 paces longest shot) is so small as to be unnoticeable against the background of wind and my own variable accuracy.

The difference in killing power is totally absent - nothing I've shot with either has moved more than 20 yards or so, and they've had equal numbers fall where they stood.

I can't see any difference in carcasse damage that can't be explained by shot placement variation.

I can't detect any difference in recoil.

They (and, I imagine .30-06 or 7x64 etc etc) will do all you need.

I'm increasingly certain that you could hand most stalkers a randomly chosen rifle in the range .25-06 to .30-06 and they really wouldn't notice a difference in outcome.
 
I use a .308 on moorland fallow and hinds in Perthshire.

I also use a .270 for the same.

I cannot honestly tell a difference in performance between them. The d difference in drop at the ranges I shoot to (290 paces longest shot) is so small as to be unnoticeable against the background of wind and my own variable accuracy.

The difference in killing power is totally absent - nothing I've shot with either has moved more than 20 yards or so, and they've had equal numbers fall where they stood.

I can't see any difference in carcasse damage that can't be explained by shot placement variation.

I can't detect any difference in recoil.

They (and, I imagine .30-06 or 7x64 etc etc) will do all you need.

+1,this is my view and would add that a .308 or 7mm08 would have the same action as your .243 so would help for rapid cycling on driven shoots.

Thats what I have,two rifles identical,same scope same mod in .243 and .308.

.308 and .243 along with a couple of others are probably the most popular rounds so availability of ammunition is good.
 
.243 Win and .30-'06 Spring' are a classic combination and that would be my choice for what you describe. .270 Win would be good too but the '06 beats it on versatility for foreign travel and non-lead use. I would also give some thought to the two scopes that you put on them, I would try for the same tube size and objective diameter so that they can be swapped about, I would have something like a 3-18 or 4-16 with an illuminated reticule on the rifle that you intend to use most in the UK then put something like a 2-10 on the other, obviously you put the 2-10 on the '06 for the occasional driven trip.
 
30/06, .270, .308 all perfect. Be different, go with a 8 x57 Mauser! The 150 gr. shoots as flat as a 150 gr. in the 30/06 and a 200 gr. Nosler Partition would be great on a driven boar hunt.
 
.243 Win and .30-'06 Spring' are a classic combination and that would be my choice for what you describe. .270 Win would be good too but the '06 beats it on versatility for foreign travel and non-lead use. I would also give some thought to the two scopes that you put on them, I would try for the same tube size and objective diameter so that they can be swapped about, I would have something like a 3-18 or 4-16 with an illuminated reticule on the rifle that you intend to use most in the UK then put something like a 2-10 on the other, obviously you put the 2-10 on the '06 for the occasional driven trip.
Sound advice I reckon. I've got 243 and 30-06 myself.
 
As above, anything in the 270-280-7x64-30/06 class will be perfect.

The 30/06 is the best option for a travelling stalker.
 
A slightly more precision orientated medium weight 308 can be a good partner. In my case the ultra lightweight 243 takes care of fox lamping and hinds calves up to 200m. The mid barrel weight 308 will take care of the longer range deer or high grass head neck shooting. Edi
 
Hi
I have both a .243 and .270!!
Not long had the .270 but on first impressions am very pleased with the calibre zeroed bang on at 100yards and only 1/2 inche low at 200yards..
ive shot a lot of deer with my .243 and love it but I'm now seriously thinking of setting my .243 solely for foxing e.g 65-75gr and using my .270 just for deer.
Exactly what I do, works a treat. Honestly can't remember the last time I shot a deer with the 243 favouring my 270 with 59grns reloader 22 and 130 game king bts. Very flat, very fast and fantastic knock down capability.
 
Thank you all for your input, i am still torn between the 308 and the 270, does anyone shoot a lighter 125/130g through the 308? and if so will come close to the 270 performance, am thinking i am favoring the 270 at the moment.
 
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