.243 vs .260 vs 7mm 08

[younghunter12]

Hi. I've been looking for a good deer caliber. Which on is the best caliber with little recoil.Thanks. Alec

[muzzleblast525]

Can't speak for the 260, but I've got the .243 and 7-08.  Been thinking of getting rid of the .243, just can't bring myself to do it yet, and keep the 7-08.  Went shooting today and was using some Tubb bullets to take any rough spots out of the barrel.  Fired 20 rounds into almost one hole.  These were reduced loads, 175 grain bullets.....Prob didn't need to take many spots out, as it shoots about .75 MOA already, 43.1g Varget with 139 Hornady BTSP.

[younghunter12]

What is minute of angle? I'm new to some of this. Thanks.Alec

[CyberSniper]

You asked for it now !
Read this, take pain killers for the headache you will get, lol !
http://riflestocks.tripod.com/moa.html

[257 roberts]

243Win Good,260Rem better, 7mm08Rem BEST

[victorcharlie]

Generally....all these cartridges use the same case.....

The heaviest bullet will have the most recoil.

Kinetic energy = 1/2 mass X velocity squared.

Shoot a 200 grain bullet at the same speed as a 100 grain bullet and you increase the energy it produces.   Newtons law say that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.......in this case, it's recoil.

I've killed well over 50 deer with the .243 and 85 grain bullet.......

For a young man........this is a good cartridge because the cost of the ammo is lower and more available than for either the .260 or 7mm/08.  It's low recoil, very accurate and reasonably priced ammo will let you shoot more.

There is no best round......everyone has there opinion and none of them are wrong.

[nomosendero]

If you will use it as your post indicates & that means Deer only, I would
go for the 7-08, which is about as good a Deer round as it gets.

[victorcharlie]

If you will use it as your post indicates & that means Deer only, I would
go for the 7-08, which is about as good a Deer round as it gets.

Yep.....no doubt a good choice would be a 7mm/08....but the ammo cost more.....My first deer rifle was a 7X57mm Mauser.....almost the same as a 7mm/08.

A 7mm/08 would help you on bigger game as you can get a 175 grain bullet for it.....that would be a fine choice for pigs and black bear as well......some use it for elk.

[ScoutMan]

Alec,

I would say 308  for versatility. Recoil is about the same as 7-08.

If you donot handload, then I'm with VictorCharlie on the 7mm 08. In fact the 7-08 is a click better than the 308 balistically.

SM

[poncaguy]

I have both the 260 and 7-08, you will be happy with either for deer.

[Syncerus]

Buy something with cheap factory ammo. It's all about learning to shoot well, which you won't do if the ammo costs too much. Go down to your local Wallyworld and see what ammo costs $10/box or less. Then buy something that shoots that caliber.

Syncerus

[rickt300]

Of the three the 243 has some advantages. It is the best coyote round of the bunch, most common in the stores, it works just fine on deer and it lets you have a reason to buy another gun in a larger caliber if you decide to go elk hunting.

[Slamfire]

Don't overlook the quarter bores, both the .250 Savage and the .257 Roberts are excellent deer and large varmint rifles. They can be stretched a bit for something larger, but I'd prefer the 6.5s for that, just because you can get heavier bullets.

[DakotaElkSlayer]

Purely deer....260.  Possibility of elk...7-08.

Jim

[2ndtimer]

For someone who doesn't reload or own other rifles, the .243 is tough to beat.  The ammo is cheaper and easier to find.  The round itself is adequate for deer, and devasting on varmints of any size at any reasonable range.  Light recoil, generally very accurate.  I just picked up a Stevens 200 and several boaxes of Federal Power Shok ammo at Sportsman's Warehouse, $259 for the rifle, and $9.50 per box for the ammo.  Mounted a Nikon Buckmasters 4-14X SF scope on it and after a brief sight in session at the bench (3 shot groups at 100 yards around an inch and a quarter with factory 100 gr loads about the same with 75 gr HP (both Sierra and Hornady) handloads with 38.5 gr of IMR-4064.  Went out on Memorial Day morning and nailed my first coyote at about 275 yards with one of the 75 gr Sierra HP handloads.  Then watched my buddy explode a rockchuck at the same range with a 80 gr Sierra Blitz BT.  I finished up flipping my own chuck with a Nosler 80 gr Ballistic Tip.  Fun morning!  
I have owned a 7mm-08, and while it is an excellent caliber for medium game, it definitely has more kick than a .243.  And while I haven't shot a .260 Rem, I have a HOwa 1500 in 6.5x55 which is a very similar cartridge that also is very light recoiling, kicks noticeably less than my old 7mm-08 Model 70 Ltwt Carbine in 7mm-08.  Of course the Howa is probably a full pound heavier than the carbine was.  I do really like the 6.5x55 caliber and believe it is a better deer cartridge than the .243, but only if you are a  handloader.  The factory ammo, while sufficient for deer, is loaded pretty mild.  I chronographed the Federal 140 gr power shoks at just 2300 fps 10 feet from the muzzle.  So, if you don't handload, go for the .243.  If you do handload, but don't like recoil and don't plan on shooting varmints, go for the .260 Rem.  If you want to hunt big deer or larger game with reasonable recoil, the 7mm-08 is a great option, even if you don't handload.  There seems to be more and more 7mm-08 ammo being offered all the time.

[Slamfire]

Admittedly the US ammo companies load the 6.5x55 pretty weakly, but that's probably a lawyer thing as you can find Norwegian Krags chambered for that cartridge. Spring for a box of the EXPENSIVE Norma ammo and discover what a 6.5x55 can do.