6.5 or 243

**Andrew Leigh** · 21-04-2018, 04:17

Originally Posted by Messor

These days you can get a 22-250 with a fast twist, even at 24" it will shoot a target bullet like a 80gr vld at 223 velocity, and it will also do a 62gr Barnes TTSX at 3500ft/s.
That combo will have mild recoil, be a pleasure to shoot on the range, will kill all small to medium antelope reliably, etc etc.

AKA the trick these days is not what we use, it's what we choose.

How many commercial hunting farms will permit this calibre on a hunt?

**RevA** · 21-04-2018, 05:45

I would say a 6.5x55 felt recoil is about the same as a 243. The 6.5x55 just gives you a few extra options (which is why I have one and don't have a 243), that said most of my friends have 243's and are perfectly happy with them. Both are fantastic caliber's and both can be used for small game and varmints and medium plains game. If you go bushveld hunting the farmers are probably not going to allow the 243, while most will have no issues with the 6.5x55. Also if you reload get a 6.5x55 it can go from 95 grain to 156, for most hunting you won't need anything else.

**Wesley** · 21-04-2018, 07:50

6.5x55 every time. I am biased towards the classic metric’s.

A .243 shoots poorer BC bullets faster, and you should expect reduced accurate barrel life.

In my opinion a .22-250 is a very poor choice as general hunting, practice or plinking caliber. Apart from limited barrel life, the light bullets won’t do well against the wind. If you absolutely must go with a .22 caliber rifle(Not the best choice for hunting), I would rather go for a .223 Rem with a 1in 7” twist rate.

I would definitely also consider a 6.5 Grendel if it is intended to be used by your children.

**Messor** · 21-04-2018, 09:15

Originally Posted by Andrew Leigh

How many commercial hunting farms will permit this calibre on a hunt?

Why would you bother with commercial hunting farms in this cartridge?

The OP already have a 30-06, with that rifle you can hunt anything in SA if DG is excluded.
You can use a heavy premium in the bush, nice and slow, or you can use a monolithic in the 150gr range for the plains, kills everything dead on normal hunting distances.

So now if the OP says he wants something different, then he is wanting something, really not needing something. For example if he wanted to make this his springbok rifle, the combo I mentioned is more than capable of taking springbok, and most people do not hunt springbok on commercial hunting farms.

If I had a bigger rifle, like a 9.3, 338 or 375, I would pair it with a 6.5.
But in my mind a 30-06 makes a 6.5 redundant, if used purely for hunting purposes. For example you can even load 130gr monolithics in a 30-06, making very soft shooting combos.
The 06 can do what the 6.5 can do, but not the other way around if talking purely hunting.
I would then focus on something with another use, as you have basic hunting needs covered, which can be anything.

Unless the OP does not want a hunting rifle, if he wants a long distance shooter then he must get a Creed like the rest.

**RevA** · 21-04-2018, 09:38

Originally Posted by Andrew Leigh

How many commercial hunting farms will permit this calibre on a hunt?

As long as you just hunt Springbok and smaller most hunting farms on plains won't have an issue (unless it's windy)

**driepootx** · 21-04-2018, 11:10

A 22-250 with 1 to 7/8 twist shooting 75gr bullets might have less wind shift than a 243 or 6,5. Ask Piet Breedt why he uses that combo for Field shooting.

**Zoo Keeper** · 22-04-2018, 16:22

Originally Posted by Only

How old are your sons?

Mine is still young but I will ask the same question in a couple of years time.

7 and nearly 9. The 30-06 will be too big for them for a few years yet. So whilst they can both get the biltong from mostly the same size beasts, it gives me the ability to take the boys out to hunt, and will be enough guns for them when I'm past it.

**kayaker** · 22-04-2018, 17:36

I love the 6.5x55 and there are good 100gr bullets if you want lighter projectiles.

That said, you already have a .30-06 so a .243 win is a good complement, easy to get ammo etc. In SA where you hunt a lot of impala-blesbuck-springbuck sized animals it also makes sense as it is well suited for that. I wouldn't bother with the .22-250 as the .243 is a more capable hunting cartridge, I don't think you gain anything by getting a .22-250 and some farms wont permit it. Perhaps if you have target application in mind and want to spend a lot of range time like competitive field shooting the .22-250 might be nice.