Need some caliber advice want a dual purpose deer/varmint rifle

Status
Not open for further replies.
Plenty of 87 gr bullets for 25/06.
Speer makes a 87 gr TNT,
Sierra makes 75 gr HP, 87 gr SP, 90 gr HPBT,
Hornady makes 75 HP & 75 V-Max, 87 gr HP,
Nosler makes 87 BT
and some more I'm sure I missed.

how can you assume he wants to invest in hand loading, it is obvious that hand loaders have more bullet choices than the average shooter. Do you know how many people have no interest in investing in reloading equipment or learning the skill, most.
 
6MM, think of 243 + 200 fps. hardly super-steroids. It is a good cartrige but may not be as easy as the 243 to find ammo without ordering. I have both and reload so I'm not bashing just relaying info as I see it.
++1 For the 6MM. Yes harder to find-Yes (To Me) stronger performance, with hand loads. Especially in the 70-75gr. bullet weights. To me anyone who wants a do-it-all caliber and does NOT hand load, wants to go to Heaven-BUT-They DON'T want to DIE!!
 
.308. Good for those long shots you sometimes get out there, of course if your a capable shooter anyways. and a varmint is a varmint, who cares how much of it is left as long is it is dead? Unless your after pelts. Then .243 is good. but only within 300 yards for deer. 500 for varmints.
 
243. Especially if you load your own ammo. 62 grain varmint grenades by barnes are unbelievable, and you can use 85 grain tipped triple shocks for the deer, or regular tsx if you don't want polymer.. and if you love barnes bullets... they even have a banded solid for 6mm.. they only recommend it for target uses though.
 
I do not have any desire to handload currently, i am a college student with several roomates and have limited space. Im pretty sure ill be looking into a 243
 
At the suggestion of an older hunter I bought a .243 Model 70 Winchester Featherweight in 1978 or 79. Shot a bunch of deer with it. Never did any varmint hunting, but lots of appropriate loads. Took it out to the range last weekend and put a few new 100 gr reloads through it. Great caliber, great gun.
 
If you reload, then the 257 roberts would indeed be a better choice. If not,
then the 243 or 6mm. However I must admit I don't know how expensive 6mm factory ammo is since it is not as popular as the 243.
 
the .22-250 is legal for deer in Texas, as is any centerfire, I use it for hogs also, if you are a good shot you can make it count, if not go with another caliber. low recoil, flat shooting, hunters even take mule deer and elk with it. Eskimos use it up north for their needs, or you can go with the hunting writers and experts that say it is a no-no to use this caliber on such game, I laugh every time I disprove those "experts" with a #300 hog on the ground. just think what our ancestors did with what they had to hunt with, they were good hunters, are you??
 
i just invested in a ruger .44 magnum carbine and granite u only get like 100-150 yards out of it its a great gun for no matter what im shooting
 
I only offer my 2c for the 25:06 mentioned, the ability of a any calibre to shoot accurately is of no issue, all will shoot well with good ammo, the 25:06 however will shoot a wider variety of bullet sizes just heavier and much faster than any 243 will.

I have a soft spot for the 25 cal rocket, will shoot flat and reach out to long range with sufficient force to to take deer easyt at 300 yds, and sure the 243 will do the much the same but the 25:06 has greater knock down at longer range, the choice should be easy.

The 25:06 might be considered as a 22:250 varmint round on steroids, the ability to use 120g pils make the long ranges more practical, the only rifle I use over and above the 25 rocket is the 7mm RM, which will take nearly anything to ranges that make a 24X scope versitile.

Yes a 25:06 over the 243 is no contest, although at closer range the 243 is a very good utility calibre that is noisy but very easy on the shoulder, a bit like the 308 is in it's calibre range, and a must have in your collection, simple, more guns = better.
 
I used 70 grain nosler ballistic tips in my M70 Sporter (24") last year on PDs out to 300 yards. I enjoyed excellent accuracy and it was devastating on the dogs. I have used the Sierra 100 Gameking on Texas whitetails with tremendous success.
 
The man wants a dual cartridge with cheaper ammo and he does not reload... .243 is the answer. There is really nothing to debate.
 
bpl said:

The man wants a dual cartridge with cheaper ammo and he does not reload... .243 is the answer. There is really nothing to debate.

You kidder you! There's always something to debate. I would suggest the .260 Rem with 100 to 120 grain loads, or the 7-08 Rem with 120 to 140 grain loads as they are more potent round for varmint and deer. Both the .260 and the 7-08 possess better down-range ballistics than the .243 Win, equally mild recoil, and a nice selection of factory loadings. Why just settle with a .243 when one can thrive with the .260 or 7-08?

Just debating... :D

Geno
 
Last edited:
Odd I never knew a .223 wouldn't kill a deer. Just the other day people were arguing that it does way more internal damage than a .357 carbine... yet people hunt deer with .357 carbines AND pistols with no complaints. They just aren't as forgiving of mediocre shooting like the newer ultra mags etc...

Deer aren't armor plated, that is just what the gun rags say. The state law in my state says larger rim fires and any center fire.
 
I kind of like the 75mm L40KW for mid range varmit and game. 3200 fps at 700 meters is still moving along.

b302e5b6.gif

Cheers
...MJ...
 
Last edited:
Lopezni
how can you assume he wants to invest in hand loading, it is obvious that hand loaders have more bullet choices than the average shooter. Do you know how many people have no interest in investing in reloading equipment or learning the skill, most.

No where before my post did he say anything about not being a reloader.

No I don't have any idea how many people chose not to reload, do you?

How can you assume that he may not be interested in reloading, he only says so after your post.


Jimmy K
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top