citizenconn
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Depends on the rifle setup.
308 or 243?
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someguy2800
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If you have a rifle that handles recoil really well in 308, its going to handle it even better in 243.
BigBlue 94
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For targets at long range, 243. 6mm has the some of the best target bullets available. Just look at all the guys shooting 6mm prc, dasher, GT, BR, etc; they are the ones shooting the biggest competitions.
243 is flatter shooting, which equates to less compensation for drop. Which leaves more room for human error. Its also faster, which gives wind less time to affect it. Yes, the 308 has a heavier bullet which is less affected by wind, but its also larger, which allows more wind to contact the bullet.
I am biased to the 243, and own 4 of them to only one bolt action 308 and one 308 semi auto.
243 is flatter shooting, which equates to less compensation for drop. Which leaves more room for human error. Its also faster, which gives wind less time to affect it. Yes, the 308 has a heavier bullet which is less affected by wind, but its also larger, which allows more wind to contact the bullet.
I am biased to the 243, and own 4 of them to only one bolt action 308 and one 308 semi auto.
earplug
Member
If your going to handload, .243 with the option of having a Ackley Improved chamber. Match the barrel to the bullets and you will have a accurate combination that will out shoot the .308 and cost less to feed. Small bullets cost less.
citizenconn
Member
Several of my target rifles are set up so there's no felt recoil. You can't get felt recoil < 0.
someguy2800
Member
Set it on a table and pull the trigger with a string so we can see your recoiless rifle.
troy fairweather
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plus the 243 much better chance of seeing your bullet trace or impact.
citizenconn
Member
Maybe out to 600 yards. Much past that and those 6mm splashes get harder and harder to see compared to .308s. I'm a huge supporter of the .243, though. I have 6 of them: 5 large frame ARs and a bolt action chassis gun. I have a 1:8 twist in all my ARs and that lets me stabilize longer heavier bullets, similar to those I load in my 6 Creedmoors.
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Space Ghost
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.243 for me.
Remington1911
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This.
Personally if you want to play a "long range" target shooting game, the lighter recoil of the 243 is going to bring a great deal to the table. Back before the new mower, and then a new standby generator for the house getting into the LR game was what drove me to "sign up" for this forum. Oh well perhaps next year.
243 is what I wanted to use, it just suited me, the guy at the club finally talked me into 6.5Cred, as it brings everything the 243 does to the table for a much less entry cost.....as grunt said the twist is the issue. Bullets are out there, and loading for it is not hard, I love my Savage 99 in 243.
I think the RPR had at the start a 243 option, but it did not live long, I detest all things ruger, but was really looking for one before all the other life bills came, and was talked into 6.5.
There are so many things that "target" shooting can be, is a formal match it is and can be a very different thing from shooting the dot on a 7UP can at 200 yards at home.
6mm Creedmoor = best option for over the counter fast twist .243........
My wife is dead set on a .243, the 6mm CM is not an option, so thats what shes getting......never mind the 1-10 twist is limited to 100gr hunting bullets....grumble, grumble, grumble.......
Still 95gr ballistic tips being zipped along by my buddies 6mm CM did pretty well, so im sure ill try it at some point....
Ruger did list the RPR in .243, i can remember euro or cdnn closing those out at under a grand. I probably SHOULD have grabbed one.......
My wife is dead set on a .243, the 6mm CM is not an option, so thats what shes getting......never mind the 1-10 twist is limited to 100gr hunting bullets....grumble, grumble, grumble.......
Still 95gr ballistic tips being zipped along by my buddies 6mm CM did pretty well, so im sure ill try it at some point....
Ruger did list the RPR in .243, i can remember euro or cdnn closing those out at under a grand. I probably SHOULD have grabbed one.......
Varminterror
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Eh, you dodged a bullet. They only made the RPR 243 in the 1st Gen; old handguard, old bolt shroud, you’d be in it as much as a newer Gen by the time you quit.
Mine shot fine though, 95 Berger’s will do that.
Were they really that bad? I've only shot a few RPRs.
Varminterror
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Not bad. The gen1 shroud was trash, and a lot of us whined about the overheight handguard.
Remington1911
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I think, and was told if you are coming in new to the game you need to look at the big picture, and that includes looking at the frame.
6mmC has a shorter barrel life over 6.5, and when you are starting you are going to be likely shooting quite a bit. Again I thought about the 6, and was talked out of it as you are going to be shooting a fair bit and want something that can take a large round count and not fall off.
I had the savage version in my hot little fingers and my hand broke the sound barrier on the way to my wallet, but the "adult" in me kicked in and I did not make it out of the store with it.
I liked the savage platform over ruger for the barrel change ability.
Varminterror
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Ruger Precision Rifles have the same drop-in, nutted barrel design as the Savages, as do the Ruger Americans, and even the M77 MkII and Hawkeyes accept the same barrel tenons as the Americans…
MacAR
Member
I'm a big fan of the 243 myself, and really like my Weatherby Vanguard Deluxe that is so chambered. No idea what the twist rate is, but it shoots 60 grain Sierra HP's into tiny groups as far as I'm able to shoot and has proven groundhog deadly at 350 yards. It's my opinion that you don't get the best out of the 243 unless you handload. My go-to varmint load is the 60 grain Sierra hp backed by H380; it's super accurate. I also have a larger game load that combines 85 grain Remington SP's and H380 that I really, really like for accuracy and can't wait to test on whitetail this fall. All that to say, handloading really makes the 243 shine; if you are limited to factory rounds there are some lighter-weight varminting rounds that you can get, but they're not exactly common.
As far as the 308 goes, I've only ever had one. It was a bobbed-off Remington 742; recoil wasn't bad but that 17" barrel sure had a lot of bark and flash! It was definitely minute of deer, but I was ultimately un-impressed and sold it off and haven't had another since. Probably never will as long as I have my '06, it fills the 30 caliber niche quite nicely along with my 30-30's. To be perfectly honest, I'm just unimpressed by the 308 on the whole. For my application, I can't see any advantage over the 30-06 other than recoil; recoil is a moot point when there's a big buck in the scope, however.
Mac
As far as the 308 goes, I've only ever had one. It was a bobbed-off Remington 742; recoil wasn't bad but that 17" barrel sure had a lot of bark and flash! It was definitely minute of deer, but I was ultimately un-impressed and sold it off and haven't had another since. Probably never will as long as I have my '06, it fills the 30 caliber niche quite nicely along with my 30-30's. To be perfectly honest, I'm just unimpressed by the 308 on the whole. For my application, I can't see any advantage over the 30-06 other than recoil; recoil is a moot point when there's a big buck in the scope, however.
Mac
conan32120
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this has been a wonderful thread for me as well. I'm shrinking in my old age and recoil matters. I've had .308 and 30-06 and the recoil made them unfun
Remington1911
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I hear you, if you reload you can still enjoy them however, this is what I do. "Normal" 3006 I have always called a mini belted magnum, they just flat rattled my teeth. My loads, I found looking for youth 3006 loads are what I run, and are on par with "normal" 243.
js8588
Member
If I was asking the question for that task...6mm ARC.
Between those 2 choices, 308.
Between those 2 choices, 308.
centraltxshooter.com
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i would have to say .243, first of all you can get a lot of different grain and bullet types. It allows you to shoot anything from small game to larger game. For my personal opinion its .243
Remington1911
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Just factor in a custom barrel for the twist you are going to need.
Sav, rug, and rem most recent productions would do EVERYTHING listed in this thread just fine with their 1:9ish twists.... though I've only done it with the Sav and rem....betting Ruger's 9 twist will do it too.....
Edited because my autocorrect on the new phone is still learning important things.
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243winxb
Member
308 Win, because some day you may shoot NBRSA Hunter class for score.
A 308 beat may 243 back in the 80s. The bigger hole is better.
Other wise, a fast twist barreled 243 Win.
A 308 beat may 243 back in the 80s. The bigger hole is better.
Other wise, a fast twist barreled 243 Win.
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