Which would you deer hunt with

The one I shot better with ammunition suitable for deer. Because better is better than worse.

If nothing bigger than deer flip a coin. But I like the 6.5 a :LOT better. Recoil is virtually the same, but being able to shoot heavier bullets makes the 6.5 versatile enough for most anything in North America. Unless you have a custom 243 that will handle the 105+ gr high BC target bullets the 6.5 makes a much better option as a casual longer range target round too.

6.5 , it makes a slightly bigger hole .

The one you like most. Assuming they both shoot fine, either will do nicely.

It would depend far more on configuration of the rifle and type of hunting than caliber. If they're both chambered in similarly configured rifles I'd let you chose first and take the other as both are fine deer rounds.

I'd flip a coin. I slightly favor the .243, but then, I hunt deer with a .223.

6.5 Creedmoor

either, tho on realy big deer, in poor conditions, Id give an advantage to the CM heavier bullets.
I own both, have killed far more critters with the .243, but personally prefer the CM.

That blasted newfangled cartridge gets the edge. .243 is plenty but the 6.5 is plenty-er for most things. The big question though is rifle setup vs shooting conditions. Most .243 rifles I see are a bit shorter than the 6.5 rifles so if your in an area where there’s a lot of brush to navigate, the .243 may be easier to handle. The majority of the 6.5s I see are also heavier than the .243s I typically see (partly a factor of that longer barrel) and often because they have a heavier profile barrel. Is the area steep? Is your hike long? Last but not least, what’s the longest range shot you would realistically expect. Do you need that longer range capability? Are there other critters on the menu? I wouldn’t expect you to be prairie dogging with either rifle, but if there’s other game to get then perhaps a .243 is easier on smaller game than the CM or perhaps you need that extra punch from the heavier CM bullet.

Lots to think about. Still a coin flip.

Use whatever rifle catches your fancy that day.

Both!

Since ya say the 6.5 is a bull barrel, I'd say take the .243 if you are going to be walking around alot and not sitting in a stand and the 6.5 if ya feel like sitting most of the day.

If they are both the same to you go with the bigger bullet especially if your whitetails are of the bigger variety. In some places they average 120 pounds & in others they reach well over 300 pounds.

I'd leave 'em in the safe and take my .308....but that's just me.

Pfffft, .308...............I got a red plaid wool coat. .35 remington

Hookeye said:

Pfffft, .308...............I got a red plaid wool coat. .35 remington

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Hey, I'm in south Texas. I wear T shirts in winter.

Which would I hunt deer with? Since I don't have a 6.5 Creedmoor, it would have to be the .243 Win. ... or the .260 Rem ...

I'd get both loaded with your best shooting loads, put ammo for both (clearly labeled) in the truck, stand them both by the door the night before opening day, and then on opening morning, I'd grab one without looking.

jmorris said:

The one I shot better with ammunition suitable for deer.

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Have you heard about "comparing apples to oranges"? How about, "comparing apples to anvils"?
See I think the thread question is comparing one type of apple.., to another type of apple.
Sure, the 6.5 Creedmoor has some obvious differences on paper, but shooting a 120 bullet, vs. the .243 Winchester and a 100 grain bullet, the deer really don't know the difference. Further, the ranges that the vast majority of folks that use either of these to take deer are very similar, and again there is very little difference (on deer).
Going long range, or going for something in the Elk family, well then that's different....
You reload, so it's not a question of both shooting very well with factory ammo so use the one with the cheapest ammo......
IF there is no real advantage over which is more accurate out to 300 yards, then which rifle is easier to carry all day, and if that's not a factor...,
<Shrugs shoulders>

LD

MCgunner said:

Hey, I'm in south Texas. I wear T shirts in winter.

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People make fun of us Texans but it's hard to argue about our winters.

I fall into the "whichever rifle you shoot the best" category. Not exactly earth shattering in originality but there it is.

Choctaw said:

People make fun of us Texans but it's hard to argue about our winters.

I fall into the "whichever rifle you shoot the best" category. Not exactly earth shattering in originality but there it is.

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You don't have winter down there. I laugh at Texans reaction to their 'winter'. I lived down there (north DFW area) for 2 1/2 years, every time it got down below 50 the winter jackets came out, at 20 the parkas did . That's +20 F. Y'all freak out when it snows, and shut everything down. Right after I moved down there, in Nov. 1993, there was a bit of snow on Thanksgiving, and I was flying past all the native Texans going 10 MPH with white knuckles on the wheel. It still took me 2 hrs to go from McKinney to Arlington.
There are two seasons in Texas; Green and Brown.

MCgunner said:

Hey, I'm in south Texas. I wear T shirts in winter.

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Boooooo, now that's just braggin'