223 bullbarrel or 243 bullbarrel ??????

[J. Landry]

Wanting to build a medium range gun for plinking and hog hunting. I know that both of these calibers are deadly but never have had much experience with either( kinda have a bad taste in my mouth for both of them after the miles of tracking deer for friends kids) but as far as affordability goes they're great. I love to shoot but can't hardly afford it with my larger calibers and I keep being harassed about carrying the larger caliber guns. I just want to pick yalls brain because y'all know alot more than I do. Any opinion is appreciated

[semperfi1970]

J Landry, I would opt for the .223 if you do not hand load. A .223 or .243 will more than kill hogs, I dont care what anybody says. There are folks out there that think they need a .30 cal to kill a hog, well as you know you dont need one. For plinking you can buy real cheap .223 rounds, the .243 will cost you bare min twice as much more like 3 times more to shoot. I have many rifles in both and love both calibers but the fact remains if you are on a budget then the .223 will serve you very well. Good luck in your rifle build.

[Jimbo47]

I would agree with the above post 110% and say the .223 will do the job and you don't have to reload to find a bullet or load that will fit your needs.

The .243 is a great caliber also and one I have now, but like it was said you won't ever shoot it as cheap as the .223 no matter how hard you try.

As for the bad taste I would say those who were using those calibers are more responsible for the long tracking than the caliber itself.

Maybe more range time, and a little more confidence in their ability the outcome would be a whole lot different.   Just remember that old saying it's more about the indian, than it is the arrow.

[cbourbeau32]

My 243 Handi bull barrel is a tack driver with both hand loads and factory ammunition if that is any help. Charlie 

[J. Landry]

I agree totally and I think these Indians were a little to young. As soon as a kid is able to hold a rifle dad slams a 223 in there hand takes them to the range let's them shoot 5 times and thinks they're ready for the woods. An older gentleman that hunts in our club said it best I think "a 223 is not a kids gun it's a experts gun". A well placed shot will do the trick everytime but a poorly placed shot with a round that small leads to a very slow and uncertain death. That was the point I was trying to make. Everytime Ive seen one used it usually turned out more complicated and less ethical than it had to be.

[jabey9210]

I agree with .223 if you don't hand load but if you do .243 for sure.  Look at it this way anything a .223 will do a .243 will do better.  If it's varmint loads the .243 shoots 55 grainers faster than a .223 could ever dream of and if you want 100 grainers you have that option also.  But if you don't hand load the .243 would definitely get expensive.  If it was me I would go .243 only cause my .243 ultra varmint fluted is the favorite gun in my arsenal so I'm kinda bias.  Just my 2 cents.

[spikehorn]

Never hunted hogs so I can't chime in on that, I have 223's and use them for wood chucks, coyotes and plinking, I have 308's I use for wood chucks, deer and plinking. I always figured with those I didn't need a 243.

[Jimbo47]

I agree totally and I think these Indians were a little to young. As soon as a kid is able to hold a rifle dad slams a 223 in there hand takes them to the range let's them shoot 5 times and thinks they're ready for the woods. An older gentleman that hunts in our club said it best I think "a 223 is not a kids gun it's a experts gun". A well placed shot will do the trick everytime but a poorly placed shot with a round that small leads to a very slow and uncertain death. That was the point I was trying to make. Everytime Ive seen one used it usually turned out more complicated and less ethical than it had to be.

I do agree that a .223 is more effective when used by someone with skill and confidence in their shooting and having said that, there have been a lot of animals shot with the big game calibers that have died a slow death and never recovered.

I also agree that many young hunters get their first introduction to big game hunting using the .223 just because of the light recoil, ammo availability, price and it's just easy to teach someone to shoot them simply because they are a shooter friendly round.

There are a lot of better choices for young shooters who may not place a shot exactly in the right spot on an animal, since they no longer have a bullseye to aim at like they did at the range, and unfortunately the .223 is one of those calibers that you had better be able to duplicate what you do in practice, while out in the field.

The bone crushing 30-30 has mild recoil as does the 7.62x39, .357 Max, etc. and the .243.

Like I stated earlier if you are looking for cheap plinking and a proven hog caliber there is nothing wrong with the .223 but if you don't mind the added expense, and would rather have a little more potent round, then the .243 will pretty much do what you want, and without a doubt is a big step up from the .223.

[quickdtoo]

Here's a good read by a professional on rifles and bullets for hogs. 

Tim


http://www.texasboars.com/hunting/huntingtips.html

[gcrank1]

Or, for less than the cost of a new rifle you can get the reloading stuff for one of those 'big' calibers you have and tailor make down loads to whatever level of performance you want, and cheap too.
It is, without a doubt, for sure and for certain the only way to afford to shot a lot, for most of us.

[marine]

  I have lots of rifles and by far the 223 ges the most.  I shoot an ar15 and a handi in that caliber.  I shoot most any varmint with them and dont feel undergunned.  The big calibers just sit in my gun room and rarely get used.  my favorite part of the 223 is the fact that there is no recoil at all making follow up shots very fast if necessary.  In my handi i havent needed many of those. I dont reload yet but at the cheap cost for 223 ammo i havent seen much point.  Around here i can get it for $5-$6 a box.  good luck with your choice and i think they are both fine calibers.

[petemi]

If you're going to hunt and plink with it, I'm not so sure you'll want a bull barrel.  First, they don't sling well at all, and they're heavy to lug around.  I got rid of my .17HMR for that reason.  I'm not much of a bench rest shooter.  I do it just to sight in.  My favorites are standard contour shorty pistol caliber Handis on BC Carbine stocks.  The best of them is the 18 inch 38-55 (thank you Tim) and the 16.5 inch .357 Maxi.

I'd go with the .223.  Mine shot MOA out of the box, and has already been said, the ammo is cheap.  I should get another standard contour barrel to make one for my Honey.  The .223 is a nice lady's rifle.......anyone's rifle for that matter.

Pete

[marine]

  I agree with you pete,  slings and bull barrels dont go together at all.  I had to cut mine to 18" just so it wouldnt try to slide backwards off my shoulder.  to do it all again i would have gone with a lightweight.  but i had too many memories with my handi to give it up.  so i felt it was facelift time.  while the laminate stocks are pretty they add a bit of heft to the gun and so does a scope.  I would also go with some sort of synthetic stock as well.  just some thoughts.  pick them up and get a feel before you buy.

[Jimbo47]

If you have any doubts about the .223 for hogs, it's all about shot placement, and hogs aren't that hard to kill for an experienced hunter.   The bull barrel can be nice for the follow up shots if you are in a stand.    Walking not so much!

Here is a video of a guy here in Texas that has an outdoor show, and he's using a 17 hmr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgUAh6jYtOs

[cwlongshot]

Here is a video of a guy here in Texas that has an outdoor show, and he's using a 17 hmr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgUAh6jYtOs

Great clip!!  That's Keith Warren. He has a show on one of the sportsman channels. It's a good show! He is always doing something different. Had another show killing hogs with a hi power air gun! Good stuff!!

Thanks for the link!

CW

[J. Landry]

Thanks for the replies fellas. What's the difference in the effective range of the two

[jabey9210]

I would say the .243's range is about 100 to 200 yards more with both varmint and big game loads. 

[cwlongshot]

Thanks for the replies fellas. What's the difference in the effective range of the two

That's gonna depend allot on the intended target, the bullet used and atmosphereic conditions.

Example, with a 55g slug in the 223 on varmints, I would say 300yards.
A 243 with a 100g slug for deer again, about 300 yards.

With heavier bullets, faster twist barrels and good optics. The 223 can nearly double that distance.

The 243 can also do better with specialized bullets and an experienced shooter.

CW

It's gonna depend on what you need that bullet to do.