.243 Win : Opinions on this caliber rifle for hunting/target shooting purposes?

[Gert Odendaal]

Good day members

I noticed a few threads where members started a thread about a specific caliber rifle. I heard a few things about the .243 Win caliber as well . Since I am more a large bore rifle person , I need some perspective /opinion about the .243 Win caliber for hunting and target shooting purposes?

Gert

[Ds J]

The 243 is no good, especially those built by German manufacturers on K-98 actions during the 60's. Proof here: http://www.gunsite.co.za/forums/show...ing-rifle-info

I have a friend who is making the mistake of a lifetime in buying one - and paying through his ears for an old used rifle, most probably for sentimental reasons because he listened to some wannabe on a firearms forum. The rifle is rusty and the barrel bent, the telescope cracked and still he maintains that it is a good rifle. And that is not even speaking of the impossible amount of reloading effort to get it to group! The 243 is a notorious meat waster, especially with slow and heavy bullets over shorter distances. Please take your Martini Henry over the 243 any time of the day for anything from varminting to teaching your son to hunting.

Sorry to burst your bubble, Gert, but being a dominee I simply cannot allow someone else do that to himself, his purse or his family. Hand it in for destruction or donate it to your mother-in-law, but please don't buy or license it!!!














Enjoy her! The 243 is a wonderful cartridge if used correctly. Light recoil, accurate, etc. I have heard of a few farmers who use it as their everyday work rifles.

[Koebelwagen]

Good day members

I noticed a few threads where members started a thread about a specific caliber rifle. I heard a few things about the .243 Win caliber as well . Since I am more a large bore rifle person , I need some perspective /opinion about the .243 Win caliber for hunting and target shooting purposes?

Gert

You are going to love your .243, or hate it when it shoots like a shotgun but persevere, develop a load that works in your rifle and you will have years of enjoyment.

I grew up with the 243, my dad just bought his third one and I own one as well. Over the years my dad shot literally hundreds of impala, some bushbuck (A particularly big one measured 17 3/4") and kudu with the 243, mostly head/ neck shots and I being a newcomer have planted some warthog, impala as well as a Zebra with mine.

It really is a nice caliber to shoot with and with the right load development mine groups about 7mm at 100M at 2950FPS with a 95gr bullet.

[urabus]

for local veldskiet/gongs and overseas PRS type comps, you will see a lot of the top guys using a 6mm/.243 of sort.
.243 Win/AI, 6x47, 6mm Creedmoor, 6xc....etc (ballistically not much in it).
all running heavy for cal. 90-115gr bullets, 1:8" or faster twist.
barrel life around 1200, new barrel every season.

[treeman]

I still think its the most "everything" cartridge. You could quiet successfully hunt Kudu with it, though room for error is small, many a farm boy had it as his only rifle all his youth and likely adult life and shot years of kudu with it, it was also the springbuck rifle of choice . Its a varminter target - first rifle and pleasure to shoot, really a every thing lil cartridge.

[pre 64]

Gert Odendaal.........i am about to lose any possible credibillity i might have had on this forum by what i am going to say. i have had an intense dislike for this calibre since i was a lightie seeing the damage this bullet did to springbuck. why anyone would buy a rifle in this calibre is beyond me. it is illegal for kudu hunting in the east cape on open farms,it is not the ideal starter rifle for a youngster,it minces up everything you shoot,with reloading you need the patience of job to find its sweet spot,it is not the ideal vermin control rifle,the recoil for output is excessive,it is totally overrated and i dont like it...i am now going into hiding in my secret place so that the few thousand 243 owners in this country cant tar and feather me cheers all

[Andrew Leigh]

Do I sense an opportunity to settle in with some ?

[treeman]

How can a .243 using a 90/100 gr bonded bullet at 2800/2900 fps be any more a meat mincer than a 270 shooting a 130 gr at 3100 fps or a 30 06 a 155 gr bullet at what 31/3200 fps. You use a cup and core in any above cal mentioned it will become a meat mincer. So why you say so about 243 specif ally

[pre 64]

treeman........ as far as mincing up spring buck yes , you can add a 270"s 130gr conventional bullet to the list. 3006 you gonna get about 2900fps. anyway,im busy packing. read the thread.......opinions on....... the thread did not ask for facts. i stated my opinion....anyway you know where i live so i must hurry up with my packing

[Maroelas]

Gert Odendaal.........i am about to lose any possible credibillity i might have had on this forum by what i am going to say. i have had an intense dislike for this calibre since i was a lightie seeing the damage this bullet did to springbuck. why anyone would buy a rifle in this calibre is beyond me. it is illegal for kudu hunting in the east cape on open farms,it is not the ideal starter rifle for a youngster,it minces up everything you shoot,with reloading you need the patience of job to find its sweet spot,it is not the ideal vermin control rifle,the recoil for output is excessive,it is totally overrated and i dont like it...i am now going into hiding in my secret place so that the few thousand 243 owners in this country cant tar and feather me cheers all

Just when I thought I could start liking you, you go and post such drivel

It is a well known fact here that I'm a 243 fanboy. When you were a lighty there wasn't any decent bullets. Cup and core bullets will shatter at 243/270/300wm velocities, so no you can't blame just the 243 for that.

But I hear you on the reloading part. It is a finnicky calibre to load for, I have been properly exasperated with my 243 (Sako). Some days you get a 1 inch group with crappt componens and the next day, nothing smaller than 2 inches using premium components. But I am starting to see the light at the end if the tunnel.

It is cheap to shoot though, with very light recoil.