243 Vs 308

[ORIONSARMS]

Hello All,
I seem to recall reading many years ago an article by Lea Macnally
about his personal choice of calibres,he (as I recall) said that he
had used just about every calibre at one time or another and now would
not look past a 243,this from someone who probably shot 1000's
of deer in his lifetime,but each to their own.
243 works for me

atb
Orionsarms

 

[flytie]

I voted .308 because I wanted a .308 but, due to the fact I needed my rifle for fox as well as deer, the largest calibre West Mercia would let me have was the 6.5x55. This was a first rifle scenario, several years ago. I am very happy with the 6.5 but will at some time have a larger calibre too. Probably a .308, but possibly a 30-06, for when I am boar shooting.

The .308 is very accurate, with easily available ammunition world wide and will stop anything in the UK on the quarry list.

I have gralloched too many deer, while doing "my apprenticeship" with friends, shot with a .243 that had burst rumens from apparently perfect heart lung shots. Barry Holt who was/is (?) the deer manager on Cowdray Park would only allow stalkers to use their own .243's if they agreed before hand to buy the carcass. His estate rifle was a 6.5x55, which he considered a minimum.

ft

 

[pete evans]

its interesting how peoples expieriences with the same equipment differ. i have both 243 and 308, so far i havnt used the 308 enough to establish whitch i prefer.
regarding carcass damage i have found that the 243 with 100g spbt both factory and reloads has been totally ok. no burst rumens with well shot animals average exit would be approx 1.5" i guess. the 308 i use 150 sp similar constuct to the 243 head in fact. from the small amount of deer ive shot with it so far half dozen or so the damage appears to be slightly greater. I read a lot about carcass damage with 243 but i havnt personally seen this in probably a couple of hundred deer shot be me or friends.
regarding accuracy, both my 308 and 243 shoot well enough. i havnt shot the 308 at anything beyond a couple of hundred yards so trajectory hasnt been an issue.
if i had to choose one over the other at the moment it would be the 243 but i suspect that familiarity and knowlege in its capabilities play a big part in this.
in reality i would happily have any deer legal calibre assuming i could feed it at reasonable cost and it was accurate. these debates are interesting and quite good fun but i suspect there is no holy grail.

 

[75]

I have gralloched too many deer, while doing "my apprenticeship" with friends, shot with a .243 that had burst rumens from apparently perfect heart lung shots. Barry Holt who was/is (?) the deer manager on Cowdray Park would only allow stalkers to use their own .243's if they agreed before hand to buy the carcass. His estate rifle was a 6.5x55, which he considered a minimum.

ft

A burst rumen is far more likely to be down to shot placement rather than whether the deer was shot with a 243 or a 6.5 (imho!!).

 

[pete evans]

I have gralloched too many deer, while doing "my apprenticeship" with friends, shot with a .243 that had burst rumens from apparently perfect heart lung shots. Barry Holt who was/is (?) the deer manager on Cowdray Park would only allow stalkers to use their own .243's if they agreed before hand to buy the carcass. His estate rifle was a 6.5x55, which he considered a minimum.

ft

A burst rumen is far more likely to be down to shot placement rather than whether the deer was shot with a 243 or a 6.5 (imho!!).

i agree on the whole although on occasion a well placed shot can do all manner of things. i had a perfect broadside muntie shot that exited out the top of the head. but in general burst guts down to shot placement

 

[75]

That's not a calibre specific issue though - see here for all manner of strange experiences with all calibres, including 6.5 & 308:

http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co....6&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

Neither 243 or 308, 260rem is the correct answer... 8)

 

[biglad]

had a 243 cooer verry happy with it but now shoot a 260 rem a lot better cal than the 243......85gr to 160gr sweet shooting.hard hitting.

 

[wraith]

243 was called a dog gun as every thing it hits is dog food personaly i have no experience of 308 never fired one but using soft points i can put a hole as big as my fist in a deer with the 243 which is more than enughf for me. a dead deer is a dead deer no matter what its hit with i find the lower recoiling guns give me the acurasey and seing the bullit hit is very important to determin whether your deer is runing or dead on the spot .243 works for me but hell i have onley shot hundreds of deer over 30years what do i know about deer stalking im still learning every day but dont think a bigger gun is the way to go its called feald craft get as close as you can put the shot in the right place dead deer a 243 can drop a deer at 600yards what more do you want from a gun love the 243

 

[splash]

Another vote for .260 rem ! 8)
I have a .308 that cost three times what my .260 cost, but the .260 is my first gun to hand .

 

[pete evans]

i suspect that if our licensing laws were different we would debate less on calibre.
you have to pick one (assuming your going to have just one gun) if laws were different i suspect i would just go down the gun shop and if i saw a 2nd hand gun that was really nice in any of the popular calibres i would strike a deal. and if they shot straight they would all have pretty much the same effect ie a dead deer.

 

[Mauser66]

Well said Pete. No laws? Make mine a .222
Size doesn't matter if you can tickle the right spot ..big fat 'hippocrocagrillapigs' excepted..sorry I mean wild boars