243 Vs 308

[deer-fox]

Hi geoshot
I think you put that very well, Thanks, the reason I put boys gun is that I had taken a friend with me and he has a .243 and the plan was for him to sit in a high seat and shoot his second deer, But before he got to the seat he came across a Fallow Pricket took the shot and I was about 100yards away heard the strike I made my way over to him to see where it was, (and it wasn’t) yes you know what I’m going to say, 2 hours looking and nothing, 3 hours the next day and I didn’t find it. (And I said blood boys guns) and you know as well as I do it wasn’t the gun at fault, but and only but if it was a large calibre it may of stopped it,
I don’t think there are bad guns only bad shooters
I’m sure you will know where I’m coming from
Thanks

 

[nico243]

I must say if I were limited to only 1 rifle for deer ONLY and the choices were between .243 and .308, then I would happily stick with the .308, however if I were looking for an "all-rounder" for fox/deer then out of the two mentioned it would have to be .243 (although I do regularly shoot foxes with my .308 anyway )

I reckon if I were looking for the absolute "All rounder" and not limited to the above two (which are fine in their own right, I have both) I would definately be reaching for a heavy barrel .25-06 as I reckon this ticks all the boxes!!

 

[Jason]

This one's a bit difficult of a difficult question to ask, as I'm soon to have one of each after having to let my much loved 30-06 go, as I wasn;t allowed to hav both a .308 and 30-06 on my ticket.

I think both caliber's have a place in the cabinet although I will alway pine after my old faithful 30-06. I'm sure the .308 will do everything my .243 is capable and more, but with a lot more knock down power.

 

[sikamalc]

Nico243. Right on a 25.06 man, its an excellant round, I luv it 8)

 

[Baldrick]

I'd take my 6.5x55 any day of the week

 

[Dickie]

I've .243 and 25-06 and they both get used pretty evenly.

 

[ssgpiv]

I only shoot Roe and I use both .308 and .243. I have had two runners this year both with .308. I prefer the .243, but if I could only have one, it would have to be the .308

 

[nico243]

.308win all the way baby!!

 

[MacNab]

How about not angsting between the 2 calibres and just making the sensible choice for the UK of a 6.5 x 55?

Regards

McNab

 

[nico243]

How about not angsting between the 2 calibres and just making the sensible choice for the UK of a 6.5 x 55?

Regards

McNab

or .25-06rem
or even .243ackley-improved

 

[Offroad Gary]

i think theres a few newciomers to this site that should offer us their 8) invaluable opinions.

so i dragged this up from the archives.

my opinion...

308 for stalking, 243 off the wingmirror (for foxes)

 

[TokaS]

hi..my own view is shaded [being a newbie] with the fact that i want to be able to shoot fox and deer, my funds are and will be limited to one gun and the FEO has already told me that chances are the ywont agree anything bigger than a .243 for both, at least till i have had some more experience with the .243 for fox...

that said i am looking to do my dsc1 in the next 12-18 months and then get a .243, initially it will be rereational stalking. at the moment in my area there are a few deer but not enough that people see them regularly or that they do too much harm to road users or farmers crops. i am sure than in the next 5-10 years this will change up here. by then i hope to be nearing retirement and i may try to become more professionally involved with deer culling/gamekeeping etc. if that happens i will then get a 'deer' rifle that is perhaps a bit more suitable [possibly before if the funds allow]

for the moment i voted .243 as that is what i am looking at, that opinion may well change with experience and circumstance!

ATB...good thread though, interesting!

 

[Orion]

hi..my own view is shaded [being a newbie] with the fact that i want to be able to shoot fox and deer, my funds are and will be limited to one gun and the FEO has already told me that chances are the ywont agree anything bigger than a .243 for both, at least till i have had some more experience with the .243 for fox...

TokaS. Check out the sticky at the head of the 'Legal Issues' section of the forum and also the 'Good Reason' section of the HO Guidance plus the BASC website Firearms Section guidance notes. There is no reason why a .308 cannot be granted to you for both deer and fox, (and any other lawful quarry for that matter). Ask them for their reasoning and take it from there with advice from BASC if you are a member or from this forum. If they are stating that a .308 somehow makes you more of a danger to public safety than a .243 by reasons of ballistics then they don't know what they are talking about.

Back to the subject!

.308 for me. I've owned both and have gravitated towards the parent cartridge. I just find it more versatile for the type of shooting I've done and the quarry I might come across - 150gr will handle everything with acceptable results if handloaded to best effect.

 

[Brithunter]

Well I chose the .308 Although I have a 6mm/243 it's a calibre that I have never been fond of. In the .308 I use a range of bulelts weights from 130 Gr - 165 Gr mainly.

I am not much of a Fox shooter only doing so if it's needed and can use other calibres for that.

 

[Thar]

Is one too much or the other too little ?

Totally correct, you don’t need one or the other, you need both, one will shoot 58gn to 100gn bullets the other 110gn to 180gn that will cover everything form crows to boar in the UK.

ATB

Tahr

 

[308boy]

one gun

Are we back on the old one gun chestnut?

22-250 and 308 for me, (Unless you count the 223 and 243)

but if i were to have one thisng for everything in UK would have a moderated 6.5x55

in fact since moderating the 308 nothing else gets a shift.

 

[TokaS]

cheers Orion,

yes i have read and understand all of that but thats what they have said. it is immaterial to me at the moment as it will be a while before i can afford a stalking/foxing gun. i will see what happens then...gets my goat that they will ok you for a patch of land for fox..no conds, but ask for deer as well and you have to have your dsc1 and mentoring, after all conditions were only meant to be applied to ensure public safety?? [i may have got that wrong]...nearer the time i will see what BASC have to say if there is any problem!!

ATB

 

[Orion]

Good for you!

You seem to have a handle on the situation but don't be put down by their local 'policies' - it's the Firearms Act they should be administering. Check back in nearer the time - both here and BASC - and stick by your guns.

 

[TokaS]

hi, thanks...

will keep you updated, just awaiting the arrival of a .17HMR...which i hope will 'fill the gap' of the next step up to centrefire [so far as feo is concerned]..then in a year i hope to upgrade!!

ATB..let you know how the .17 goes...

 

[20-250]

The initial question disregards the fact that the selection of a properly constructed bullet for the job in hand is a greater factor in being properly equipped than the calibre of the chosen rifle.
When I shot a lot of red deer, I loved the 308. I have since found that a suitable bullet in my 243 and 243 AI made the 308 redundant. That said, I look forward to my 25-08 AI being built...