Budget 243

[Mica_Hiebert]

Ruger American or the Howa are both good guns. I have no experience with the browning but they usually make a quality product.

[andym79]

I am open to a 6mm that is not a 243, I asked about 243 because of its common availability of rifles and components, I have lots of odd ball rifle chamberings including a few wildcats. I consider the 243 to be of mediocre design and the 244 rem to be less than the 243, as a case grows there is a massive diminishment of return for all the extra powder used, in this regard the 6mm creedmoor is better than the 243; more efficient with nothing given up to the 243, it also has a better shoulder angle.

In terms of efficiency the 6mm BR is an excellent cartridge, as well as consistency of burn, infact, it has even crossed my mind to have a 243 barrel set back and re chambered to a 6mm creedmoor or a 6mm br, but that would make little sense with a new rifle, a second hand one with a worn throat however?

[Texas by God]

The 6mm Dasher is better than any other 6mm cartridge in history because it's so efficient and accurate. It makes the CM look so overbore I wouldn't waste time on it at all....


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[charlie b]

It depends on what you want it for. The .243 seems to be a decent distance cartridge at the expense of barrels. Some who use it for such end up with the AI version. If staying at shorter distances the smaller cartridges might be better, or at least more efficient.

[jmort]

A little dated, but close enough:

So here is the list of most popular cartridges for this past season:
6.5×47 Lapua.
6×47 Lapua.
6XC.
6.5 Creedmoor.
6mm Creedmoor.
6mm Dasher.
6mm Super LR.
Feb 16, 2017
Long-Range Calibers & Cartridges: What The Pros Use - ...
PrecisionRifleBlog.com › 2017/02/16 › l...

The Dasher holds the 1,000 yard record last I checked from 2014, but relatively few serious competitors use it. The Dasher came in 6th in popularity amoung the best of the best based on the numbers.

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2017/...-the-pros-use/

[Texas by God]

Thanks jmort. But I was spoofing the thread drift into a .243 bashing sessionI did shoot a tiny group with a 6mm Dasher once.

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[skeettx]

https://www.academy.com/shop/browse/...A%22243+Win%22

[SvenLindquist]

Guess I'll shut up before I get threatened again.

[eric123]

I have nothing to add other than I personally would try to get a twist rate of 1-9 or 1-9.5 or so. Some rifles seem to be sketchy regarding stabilization on the longer projectiles ie. 100 grains or lead free etc...I have a 243 that doesn't like anything over 95 grains...some 1-10 twist guns do fine with 100 grained though...

[charlie b]

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2017/...-the-pros-use/

Interesting article. In the production division the top 4 were 6.5CM and .243

[jmort]

Thanks jmort. But I was spoofing the thread drift into a .243 bashing sessionI did shoot a tiny group with a 6mm Dasher once.

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Now that you pointed that out, it makes sense. Still an interesting cartridge.
I have always liked the .243 but it has many detractors.
Flat shooting efficient common and wide use cartridge.

[jmort]

Guess I'll shut up before I get threatened again.

Sorry you feel threatened. You may be right that the .243 will fade away. I am not seeing that but we shall see in the fullness of time.

[Love Life]

.243 Winchester is the bee’s knees. 1 in 7 twist barrel and a case full of Retumbo.

[crackers]

https://www.reedssports.com/browning...in-24in-264993
That and a $75 rebate. They were recently $459.

[Budzilla 19]

I took my Remington 700 s/a, took off the .308 barrel and bought a take off barrel in 243 Win. from these guys; IT&D Custom Guns in Minerva , Ohio .Screwed it on, checked headspace, and then tried it out! Heck of a cheap .243. ( shot great with 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets and a healthy dose of IMR 3031). I already owned the .308, so what’s a hundred bucks for another caliber!! Just my .02

[northmn]

The 243 will stay around for a while. Most of you are into a different game than the 243 is commonly used for, as in a varmint rifle that is also good for deer. I have used one for both and think it would be OK if I had one rifle. For deer I would prefer the monolithic bullets or a very good lead bullet. I did shoot crows out on my hayfield with one at about 200 yards. It was an old hardwood stocked Savage 110 with the long action. Loved the 70 grained bullets and was usable with 100 grain. You would not buy an inexpensive Savage for the game most are talking about. Still I think the inexpensive Savages are a very good option as I have one now in an Axis that I like better than the Ruger American. Personal reasons.

243 isn't going anywhere.

DEP

[FergusonTO35]

Howa still makes the Vanguard actions for Weatherby. Excellent rifles, would recommend them to anyone.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I shoot a ot 0f 243's through a couple Savage 99's. Easy to get very high accuracy. I have looked at some of the other 6mm and 6.5 cartridges. A lot of quibbling can be done. I hve not encountered any problems with case lengthening, neck thickening or other reloading issues. I have necked down 308 and 7.62x51 brass without issue and without need to neck ream. I did measure the brass thickness of the loaded round for chamber neck interference. The 243 is easy and inexpensive to buy and shoot. It is part of the 308,270,30-06,30-30,223 group with ammunition and very accurate rifles everywhere.. It works well on deer sized game and smaller. The 6mm Creedmoor does use a little less powder, but at higher pressure to match the 243. I can't remember when I last fired a factory cartridge for hunting, but with a 243, you can just go to Walmart for a box of Core-lokt's. My wife kills a couple antelope every year with her 243. From extremely light rifles to long range precision, the 243 is available and works very well. I'm really a Savage 99 .358 guy, but the 243 is a lot more fun. Handling the rifle is best way to determine what to get. I like the tang safety of the Savage and Ruger American, you may like something else. A light, crisp trigger can make a big difference in usable accuracy. Enjoy.

[Texas by God]

I shoot a ot 0f 243's through a couple Savage 99's. Easy to get very high accuracy. I have looked at some of the other 6mm and 6.5 cartridges. A lot of quibbling can be done. I hve not encountered any problems with case lengthening, neck thickening or other reloading issues. I have necked down 308 and 7.62x51 brass without issue and without need to neck ream. I did measure the brass thickness of the loaded round for chamber neck interference. The 243 is easy and inexpensive to buy and shoot. It is part of the 308,270,30-06,30-30,223 group with ammunition and very accurate rifles everywhere.. It works well on deer sized game and smaller. The 6mm Creedmoor does use a little less powder, but at higher pressure to match the 243. I can't remember when I last fired a factory cartridge for hunting, but with a 243, you can just go to Walmart for a box of Core-lokt's. My wife kills a couple antelope every year with her 243. From extremely light rifles to long range precision, the 243 is available and works very well. I'm really a Savage 99 .358 guy, but the 243 is a lot more fun. Handling the rifle is best way to determine what to get. I like the tang safety of the Savage and Ruger American, you may like something else. A light, crisp trigger can make a big difference in usable accuracy. Enjoy.

Exactly, well put. Cheers.

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[Tripplebeards]

Before all the 6.5's came around the 243 and 6mm PPCs were the most popular and tightest grouping calibers going. They dominated the target and match circuits back in the 80's/90's and early 00's. I own a factory barreled 700 VLS that I put a timney trigger in and hs prescion stock it. The gun will put 3 shots in the EXACT SAME hole with 70 grain and 90 grain nosler ballistic tips at a 100 yards. It looks like you missed the target with the other two shots. It's the most accurate rifle I own with a full 64 gun safe full of rifles and another 15 that are in need of another hiding place. It dosent make a difference what powder/ bulletsboolits combo I chose with it as it will shoot sub MOA with every load I've tried. That's the beauty of the 243 and is why it dominated the match scene for the Longest time. I have a 5 lb...at the most, 16.5" vented rib barrel, 1967, Remington 600, 243. I acraglassed it and put in a rifle basic trigger. Never tried working loads for it but took it to the range to test it with my 3x9 leupold 100 th anniversary optic. Too small of a magnification IMO for shooting bug holes. I tried my 90 grain nosler ballistic tip load out of 700. It shot a .3" group first try! My buddy out in AZ just bought one in 243 used at the LGS for $300!

Depending on what your budget is and what you want I just bought a complete 243 heavy barreled AR stoner 22" upper from midway for $449 shipped and a Areo prescion M5 complete lower ready to shoot, minus a stock you can pick up for $15, for $200 shipped last Black Friday. So for $650 you can own a complete AR-10...when the sales are on. I'm not a big AR fan but I've always always wanted a 243 AR 10 coyote lazer. I wasn't going to spend $2G on one in the past couple decades of my obsession of wanting one and I also wanted a longer barrel than the $1,200.00, 20" DPMS version that to me has always been like Santa Claus and the Easter bunny...a magical myth, never to be seen anywhere because it dosent exist and is always out of stock with no availability. It's definitely a buyers market for AR stuff right now. I did replace the great factory trigger with a CMC 2.5lbs single stage trigger, a $10 thread protector to replace the birdcage, and added a awesome $20 ATI oversized grip to perfectly fit my huge hand. There is no reason a brake should be installed on a 243 or 223 IMO, there is not or ever will be enough recoil generated vs blowing out your ear drums to justify it.




I'll give another recommendation for a Ruger American. I own a few. They have their faults and are cheaply made but extremely accurate right out of the box. It's one of the most accurate, cheaply mass produced rifles out there IMO. Just saw someone had them on sale fir $259/$279 somewhere on the net a week or two ago. For all you 243 haters send me your guns...ill dispose of the for you. It's the best hammer of Thor caliber out there for coyotes! If will grenade dogs farther than most can shoot accurately. Farthest shot to date was 850 yards on yote. Slammed to the ground with a 70 grain NBT loaded at 3650 fps. Close range if you hit a bone you can clap your hands in the coffee can sized hole. No bones hit in or out, no big holes and still DRT like it got hit by a Mack truck. Best caliber out there for target shooting and predator hunting IMO.