.25-06 vs. .243

[agger1142]

Looking at getting a new rifle. I have a .25-06 and a .243 in mind for calibers. However, I am very indecisive as to which I'll actually purchase. I know all the ballistics and what not. I know about ammo prices and have the ability to reload if I wish.

The rifle will be used for deer, coyotes, fox, bobcats. I do have bear opportunities but I have a .300 win mag if I want to put one of those down so its not figuring in this decision.

My question to you folks is which one? For some reason I can't make up my mind and need a little bit of opinion on which way I should go.


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[Ranch13]

I'm a big fan of the 243, have used it for a loonng time on all sorts of things from groundsquirrels to elk, so I'm a bit prejudice.
The 25-06 always seems to me to be a bit on the heavy side when it comes to muzzle blast.
Just for kicks and grins you might consider something like the 250 savage or the 257 roberts..

[hillbill]

i a 243 fan as well. either one is really not a good varmint rifle if yu value the pelts.if yu dont want the pelts or can load the correct bullets either is fine then.i would choose the 25 over the 243 if i was shooting at over 250 to 300 yrds. or shooting larger game like elk.otherwise id go with the 243.does the same job with less powder.

[jedman]

  I like them both, but for what you said the use would be my vote goes for the .243 Win.   Maybe in this case - Less is More.
                         Jed

[pastorp]

I prefer short action rifles, soooo it would be the 243 for me. 

Regards,

[LanceR]

I have little experience with the .243 but toted a Ruger No. 1 in 25-06 for years.  The biggest reason I preferred the 25-05 over the .243 was (in 1978-1979) the heavier bullets for a wider range of versatility.

The game has changed due to the vast increase in bullet choices today widening the capabilities of both cartridges.  With all other things being equal the .243 rifle is likely going to be 1/2" shorter and a few ounces lighter so unless you are hunting a lot in tight blinds there really isn't much to choose from there. 

Since either is going to do what you want and the principle cost difference is a few grains of powder per shot I say go with the rifle that you like best and don't let things be driven by cartridge choice.

Lance

[tuck2]

With the 300 Win Mag the 150, 165, and 180 grain bullets you have a cartridge with plenty of killing power for long range shooting of pronghorn, elk, black bear, whitetail and mule deer.  The 25-06 could also be used for the same big game but at a shorter range using 120 and 117 grain bullets while the 100 grain bullets could be used on varmints and preditors. The 243 Winchester has a bullet selection  going from 55 to 105 grains so there is very little over lapping of terminal energy of the bullets fired from the 300 Win Mag.  For some years I have used a 243 Win, 25-06 Rem, and 308 Norma Mag.  The 25-06 Rem is fun to shoot  and have shot a few mule deer, pronghorn, and varmints  with it but I dident need it because the 243 Win  and 308 Norma Mag matched my need for varmints and big game hunting.

[Catfish]

If you know the balstics you know they are very much alike with the range and powder edge going to the 25-06. I have a different way to chose, look around and see which you can get the best buy on and get it. Eather round is going to destroy the hides on the animals your wanting to hunt so that is not a consideration.

[shot1]

As for deer size game I would choose the 25-06 hands down over the 243. I have used both to kill MANY deer. I helped do crop damage control for 15 years. The 25-06 is the best in their tracks deer killer I have ever squeezed the trigger on. As for keeping hides on yotes, forget it with either. If it is groundhogs and such the Sierra 87 gr will vaporize one from a 25-06.

[Cemo]

The 25-06 has a balastics advantage as it shoots a little flatter and delivers a little more energy for those longer shots, but it requires a long action and are often encountered with a 24" barrel. A short action .243 with a 22" barrel is a little handier for hunting out of an enclosed deer blind. The .243 is often found in shorter 20" or 18-1/2" barrels and even Ruger's Compact 16-1/4" barrel. I've bought several .243's and killed several deer with them before other members of the family took them over and continue to kill deer. I don't recall anyone having to do a follow up shot. The .243 is one of the five most common hunting cardridges found at your local sporting goods store or Walmart. Of these two I would choose the 25-06 if I hunted over large fields all the time and the .243 if hunting mostly woods or small or hilly fields which didn't allow for 300+ shots. However, I choose the .260 Remington in a Remington Model Seven with a 20" barrel. Handy to carry and has more energy at 400 yards than a 25-06, not that I have that range option where I hunt.

[Savage .250]

Some time comparing one cal against another doesn`t really prove anything.  Example, why not compare the 25-06 against the 30-06?    J s/n.
 
 Either cal will get the job done on your list. The .243 has been a top seller for years while the 25-06 is a great round but it`s not been a top seller.  Doesn`t mean it`s not good just the .243 has established a following  of hunters who have shot all sorts of game with it and like what they have. 
   One thing for sure ........back,flop is final. The difference between the two  at a given range ........none.      

[T.R.]

I was raised on my Grandad's cattle ranch near Powell, Wyoming.  My brother and I hunted mostly with Grandad's 30-30 carbine until I was 15 years old.  Great rifle but not enough "reach" for long shots at mulies and antelope.  We convinced Dad to buy us a better rifle so he got a Remington slide action .243 for us to share.  A Redfield 6X scope was mounted.  Although I still liked the 30-30 for hunting creek beds, the .243 was more practical for the open country of this region of Wyoming.
 
Over the years, my brother and I killed stacks of animals with our .243 Remington rifle.  Most animals either toppled right over or they bounded away for a few jumps before dropping.  .243 hits hard when the bullet is shot through the chest organs.  Even really big mulies can not stand up to a well placed bullet.
 
The advent of Premium bullets has really benefitted the .243 cartrdige.  My favorite all around bullet is 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip for accuracy, flat trajectory, and tearing wide wound channels.
 
Whether .243 "kills 'em deader" than another hunting cartridge is subject to much discussion.  But I've had very good luck with the .243 and wouldn't trade for a 25-06.
 
Hoping this is helpful.
 
TR
 

 

[lonewolf5348]

I tried the 243 cal. this deer season I did drop a large doe at a distance in-and about  150 yards
The deer took 3 steps and it was all over,the bullet the Barnes 85 Gr. TSX with 36.5 grains of IMR4064
The rifle a short barrel Remington Mohawk 18 1/2"
here the bullet recovered weight 85 grains.

[SHOOTALL]

Looking at getting a new rifle. I have a .25-06 and a .243 in mind for calibers. However, I am very indecisive as to which I'll actually purchase. I know all the ballistics and what not. I know about ammo prices and have the ability to reload if I wish.

The rifle will be used for deer, coyotes, fox, bobcats. I do have bear opportunities but I have a .300 win mag if I want to put one of those down so its not figuring in this decision.

My question to you folks is which one? For some reason I can't make up my mind and need a little bit of opinion on which way I should go.


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About 28 years ago I faced the same decision. I read everything aval. ask lots of people their thoughts. I hunted ground hogs and deer mostly back then. The 2506 will out shoot the 243 IMHO . I have yet to see a 2506 that wasn't accurate. Yep I got the 2506 and have never been sorry.  I still hunt deer and ground hogs and now yotes are around and I don't plan not using the 25. I load 100 gr Nosler BT's over 53 gr  of IMR 4831 and CCI BR primers for one hole groups at 100 yards and use then for all hunting with great results. Good luck with your choice , I have friends who use the 243 and they have good results also.

[Drilling Man]

  IF deer was the main objective or i expected to hunt something bigger than deer, i'd get the 25-06 without question.
 
  IF i was mainly going to shoot varmits or targets, i'd get the .243...
 
  Two deer dropped to my 240Wby. loaded with 100NP's this fall.  First one at 110 yards with a shoulder shot.  It dropped in it's tracks,
 


   Second was at 210 yards, with a faceing center chest hit, it also dropped in it's tracks,
 


 
  My 240 is just a little more than a .243, and a little less than a 25-06...  All three of them need GOOD bullets to perform well on deer sized animals.
 
  DM

[hillbill]

looks like there is a lot of support for both rounds. not surpriseing since both are good rounds.im a missouri hunter. i like the 243. but since i got a 06 and plenty of brass im not opposed to to a 25 either.im jus not seein the advantage for what i do.but what yu may do mite be different.since ther is not a lot diff between the cartridges, id go with the gun i liked best.either will kill well.i wouldnt want a 25 unless i could load for it. rem cor lokt 100 grns in the 243 are a proven killer at my house.its one caliber i can but choose not to reload for.

[flintlock]

I bought a Ruger M-77 in .243 in 1980, have killed over 300 deer with her along with numerous crows, groundhogs, coyotes, wild dogs and 5 black bears...Couldn't ask for it to do any more...

[hillbill]

I bought a Ruger M-77 in .243 in 1980, have killed over 300 deer with her along with numerous crows, groundhogs, coyotes, wild dogs and 5 black bears...Couldn't ask for it to do any more...

whew yu got me beat! ive only killed maybe 25 deer with the 243.i also couldnt ask for it to do any better..and as yu do i got lots of crows, chucks and yotes with it.all with rem 100 grn core lokts.

[agger1142]

Thanks for all the responses guys!


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[hillbill]

Thanks for all the responses guys!


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what did yu choose? like i said before either round is good.in the hands of a good handloader ther is not a lot of difference.i like them both.it is a tuff choice.if i had to go with factory ammo i like the 243.

[Lloyd Smale]

Me id take the 25-06. My use for a gun like that mostly goes toward long range deer hunting and the 25-06 defineately has the edge when it comes to larger game. If i was primarily a varmit hunter id probably go with the 243.

[Drilling Man]

Me id take the 25-06. My use for a gun like that mostly goes toward long range deer hunting and the 25-06 defineately has the edge when it comes to larger game. If i was primarily a varmit hunter id probably go with the 243.

  Amen!  There's quite a bit of difference between the two, once you start useing both on bigger animals.
 
  DM

[bcraig]

I think that if you were going to use 100 grain bullets and less I would go with the 243 as across the board the 243 with 100 grain bullets has better Ballistic coefficient and Sectional density than the 25 calibers.
IF you wanted to use 115-120 grain bullets then the 25-06 would be the way to go.
I have had both and truth of the matter is both work.Dead is dead!
I just like the lower recoil and blast and ammo availabilty the 243 offers.
For the usage that you say I would go 243 all the way!
Now if you wanted to shoot bear I would probably bypass both and go to something along the lines of a 30-06.
IF I wanted to use the 243 for Black bear I would want to break the animal down and would shoot a Barnes Bullet for penetration and strive to break shoulders with it.
Craig

[scootrd]

I prefer short action rifles, soooo it would be the 243 for me. 

Regards,

So do I , however It's 7mm-08 for me (though not one of the OP's options).
For me 7mm-08 is a near perfect deer getter.

I think 7mm-08 is a better round for Deer than 243 (JMHO)
with proper bullet selection 7MM-08 could easily be used on smaller game and do fine .
In my area always good off the shelf selections 120's, 139's 140's 150's

 - JMHO

Semper Fi

[charles p]

I'd be surprised if the 243 has any advantage over the 25-06 other than weight and recoil.  Both are good but the 25 is a lot more potent in my experience.  I expect I've taken 50 whitetail with my 25 and most of the time the results were excellent.  One notable exception was the buck deer of a lifetime.  I misjudged the range and held dead on at 275 yards.  Hit it low if at all.  Still see that deer in my sleep and its been 20 years.
 
My ten year old kid shot a buck from the south end going away with his 243 and the 100 grain bullet passed all the way through it.  Surprised me.

[agger1142]

I didn't end up having to decide between these two. My father-in-law ended up telling me yesterday that he had ordered a new rifle (X Bolt in .308), and we are going to keep his .243 for varmint shooting (BAR).

To make a long story short, I'm still going to get a new rifle but I'm stepping up the caliber to .270 or 7 mag depending on what rifle I find to my liking. Waiting to see if a buddy of mine is going to get rid of his 7 mag, as I've had a love affair with that particular rifle for about 10 years.

Thanks to all for the responses. It would have been a difficult choice and it was nice to hear different takes on the two competing calibers.


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[mannyrock]

Aager,
 
    Shoot a full box of 7 Mags, 175 grains, from a bench, and your love affair with it will be over.
 
    Of the preferences you mentioned, I would go with the .270.   You won't be sorry.
 
    Also, if you really want a nice round, research the .280 Remington.    You will find that it is right up there in power, near the 7 Mag, without the undue recoil and blast.   
 
   Unless you are a pure Elk hunter or Moose hunter, there is no reason to own a 7 Mag.
 
   By the way, if someone lets you hunt on their farm, and they hear that 7 Mag go off, they will never invite you back again.  Incredibly loud cartridge.
 
Best, Mannyrock

[saltydog]

I have 257 Weatherby, 25:06 Rem and 257 Bob experience plus 243 Win and 6mm Rem. For your next step a .243 would be the way to go. Easy to find ammo at a reasonable cost and a wide wide variety of reloading components. Varmits to midsize game and target are on the menu.

[thetrio]

I have had both and I would say that both are great calibers.
For me it would be based on the need to find ammo in a store.
243 ammo is easy to find where 25-06 ammo not so much.
As I age, I notice at times that I can be forgetful and being able to buy ammo across the counter is a nice. So 243 is what I would get.