gatorjames85
Member
+1 .243
How such an insanely unethical shot is relevant to this discussion I have no idea.You can't do this with a 30-30.
My baby is my T3 Stainless 6.5x55 it is a dream gun, I have owned MANY rifles over the last 20 years but it is by far my all time favorite. True sub MOA accuracy with dran near everything you put though it, featherweight, compact, sounds like a 22mag, kills like a death ray and kicks like a cricket. The 6.5 Sweed T3s are hard to come by now unless they brought in another shipment which I understand that they are bringing more soon. BTW if you go 6.5x55 get some IMR4350 and 120gr Ballistic Tips, you can thank me later I don't load for the 243 (yet) but I understand N560 is a hella good powder with 95-100gr bullets, the guys in the Nosler lab got the best speed and accuracy with that one powder.well im liking the tikka t3 and it comes in 243 and 6.5x55! not sure which one now, but Im still getting reloading equipment first
30-30 is easy to reload,can be loaded from a .310 round ball over Unique, (Hornady makes a great little round ball for this;excellent for rabbit/squirrel hunting without destroying a lot of meat) up to the 190gr Hawk. I'm currently loading up a 'yote load with the Sierra 110gr Varmiter. So yes it is very versatile.243 is what you want. Not that many others won't do the similar things, but for the money and versatility it is hard to beat.
How so. You can buy a very accurate bolt rifle considerbly cheaper than a 30-30. Factory 30-30 ammo is a little cheaper but you can reload 243 for a lot less. The OP did say he wanted a good round for reloading.
You can't do this with a 30-30.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0w1c-gf18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0KY-X1e-Vg&feature=related
My opinion was based on the OP's desire to go after smaller fur bearing critters, not the cartriges effective range. Blasting something that I have no interest in keeping a pelt or meat such as a prairie dog or a chuck; then yes I would go with many of the fine calibers mentioned. I don't think I would like to take a perfectly prime bobcat with a .243 due to the damage it would do to the pelt. And as far as handloading goes; you can't beat the bullet availability of the .308 caliber. Many choices to choose from in cast or jacketed,rifle bullets or pistol bullets.30-30 is more of a speciality round, nobody shooting prairie dogs at 400 yards with it, nor shooting 1000yd match with it, but what it does it is very very good at, deer sized game within 200yds with a handy little lever gun. Sure I heard about the guy who shot a jack rabbit with one at 60,000,000yds too, but it's external ballistics put it at a real hefty disadvantage compared to the very flat shooting 243 and wind bucking 6.5s. Now mind you I think the 30-30 is the better deer cartrage in the woods, more total wounding potential then the 243 thanks to it's much heavier .30 cal bullet with similar energy, and the fact that the low speed 170s won't make alot of gunshot meat even through the shoulder. Penatration is also much more reliable with its vastly heavier bullets. So great deer rifle, but I would never champion it as the all around gun, not by a long shot. The top "do it all" rifles are the 6.5x55, 7x57, 280Rem and 30-06 very few others even come close if you think about it.
A specialty round??? Who said anything about prairie dogs at 400yds or 1000yd matches? I don't think anybody hunts deer and hogs with their F-class rifle or sits over a prairie dog town all day with their deer rifle either so how valid is this statement?30-30 is more of a speciality round, nobody shooting prairie dogs at 400 yards with it, nor shooting 1000yd match with it