Thinking about an all around rifle. Am I thinking right?

Status
Not open for further replies.
and all of the above are harder to find cartridges, if he is in area without a proper shop or good supply. .243 are still sold in some convenience stores/gas stations.. pretty much any academy, or even walmart's with sporting centers.. and by .243 being a more common caliber, he will have more options as far as ammunition choices, and it being significantly less expensive as compared to more oddball calibers, since he isn't interested in reloading.

pretty much anything based off the 08 cartridge does fine for.. anything, from the .243, .260, 7-08, up to the .308. (and yes the 22-243 M and .25 S but he isn't reloading, so let's be reasonable.)

if the groundhogs are a primary target, and deer a secondary, that should be the order focused on.. and if you look at the majority if groundhog/prariedog/varmint hunters caliber choices, you will see the majority shoot .224/.243 projectiles. mostly the 6mm/.243 for the higher ballistic coef. however the .22-250 works just as well for deer. I can post pictures of retrieved deer internal cavities after shots, if he would like..
 
Okay guys, once again...thanks for the input keep it coming. I am considering the 243 more and more. Although I keep leaning toward the 25-06 little more power. same wide range of projectile weights.

Now I have never ruled out reloading,,,just don't really know much about it. I would be interested in learning more and looking into the cost. Guess I will have to do some research into cost and how to. Guess I am off to look at some reloading stuff.

Keep the input coming
 
The following pictures are from a doe shot with a 22-250 with a 50 grain SMK last year, at about 200 yards. and a .243 is a step UP from a 22-250. if you think you need more than this, and more than a .243, then your deer must be bred with armadillo.

Keep in mind, SMK are more a target bullet, not a hunting bullet.. But it was handy, and really, i've eaten more deer killed with .223s and .222's than with big calibers..

one picture is the internals and one is the exit wound. i have other pictures if you'd like.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 
tommyintx said:
and all of the above are harder to find cartridges, if he is in area without a proper shop or good supply. .243 are still sold in some convenience stores/gas stations.. pretty much any academy, or even walmart's with sporting centers.. and by .243 being a more common caliber, he will have more options as far as ammunition choices, and it being significantly less expensive as compared to more oddball calibers, since he isn't interested in reloading.
Click to expand...

Which is why the first thing I wrote was...

I will echo the suggestion for reloading, but if that's not an interest the .243 Win and .25-06 will do very nicely.
Click to expand...

A handloader doesn't need to worry about what WalMart or anyone else stocks. Natchez and Midway will always have more bullet choices. I consider 6mm's a bit on the light side as all-around rifle, regardless of what people do with their .22's and 6mm's, so I said the two he was considering would do nicely and made a couple more suggestions. Most of the 25's and 26's are 400 yard deer rifles in the right hands, the .22's and 6mm's are not, IMO.

He didn't say he wasn't interested in reloading, he said...

Now I have never ruled out reloading,,,just don't really know much about it. I would be interested in learning more and looking into the cost.
Click to expand...

FWIW, bagel, you can get a Lee reloading kit for about $100. Add a set of $25 dies and a set of calipers and you can start reloading.
 
Hey kludge thanks for the reloading suggestion. I started looking locally and may have found a rock chucker for like 125...any good

Thanks for the pics as well tommy..makes a point.
 
For what you're looking at, and as has been mentioned earlier, anything 243 to the 25 calibers works perfectly. I have a BLR in 257 Roberts and there is a large variety of bullets and loads for the cartridge. Can't find much of nothing off the shelf for a 257, but there's an online store for a place in Alabama that sells literally every variant of 257 ammo I can think of. Good people too.

For a low recoil variable range cartridge that can drop anything from varmints to elk, a 257 is hard to beat IMO. Anything bigger than elk, and now you're into the area of needing a 30cal rifle such as a 358 Winchester.
 
.243 or .25-06 will serve you well. I see more .243 ammo in the stores around here, but I saw a lot of .25-06 back in the high desert country, too. My son bought a .243 and hunts whatever he can smaller than Elk, Cougar, or Bear. He loves his. I haven'y shot a .25-06 but the .243 so pleasant to shoot I could shoot it all day long and not get tired or sore. I've met a lot of hunters-men, women, and kids-carrying the .243, and I'd have one if I still hunted. You won't go wrong starting with this caliber.
 
They will all do the job. However, I'd go with the .257 Roberts or .270 Win. I also reccommend you try handloading your own ammo. With either of these rounds, you can have a hugh spread of loads and save tons of money. The .270 has bullets available from 85 grains to 180 grains. The .257 comes close with a lot of loads to the .25-06 with a lot less powder. Example of bullets available for loading. http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...8&categoryString=9315***652***19785***9016***
 
Another vote for 243.

I know guys who prairy dog hunt and they go through, sometimes, up to a thousand rounds in a weekend. (many of those rounds with a .17 HMR)

I don't think it's possible to shoot near that many rounds with a 25-06. However, I've never tired or been sore from shooting my 243 (100+ rounds in a day). Shooting a 270, I'm ready to put it away after about 30-40 rounds.


I too agree that a 243 in 95-100 grain using a high quality hunting bullet like a partition or Fed Bear Claw will take all but the very largest deer at any range you're capable of shooting. If your ability gets better than 250 yard shots, you'll want a new rifle anyway.

I'll also endorse the Savage and also Tikka.
 
Last edited:
I am really thinking about reloading. Even started looking what I would need to get started. Thanks for the link to the 270 bullets but since I haven't started reloading yet if I were to get a 270 I wouldn't be able to get any factory shells with under 100 grain bullets. Atleast I haven't found any yet...if I am wrong some one tell me. I wouldn't mind a 270..BUT bullet weight problem. Brings me back to the current choices. I guess the 243 is getting alot more votes then I thought. Isn't the 25-06 going to give me bullet grain/power choices or am I really over thinking this. other question is the 25-06 really a rare shell?
 
I'm sure I saw some 90 grain loaded rounds recently. Give me some time and let me search my memory for who loads it. If had to choose between the .243 and the .25-06, I'd take the .243, it's a fantastic round.
 
If you reload, 243 bullets can be had from 55-105 grain, with eight or nine weights between those. If you buy factory ammo, the least expensive ammo can be had in 80 & 100 grain with more expensive specialty ammo in other weights. I really can't say about the 25-06.

If you choose a 270 and try and use 100 grain ammo, it will probably be very hard to find. Additionally, a 270 was meant to shoot 130 through 150 grain bullets. If you use a really light bullet, as in 100 grain, you're going to have poor sectional density (poor penetration) and poor ballistic coefficiency, which will cause your bullet to slow down faster and drop faster at longer ranges. SD and BC are important and if you're not sure what they mean, google them.

If you didn't know, both the 270 and 25-06 use the same parent case, that is a 30-06 case, they just use smaller diameter bullets. A 243 uses a 308 case which is a good degree smaller than 30-06. Though I have never fired a 25-06, I can't help but think it's closer to a 270 than it is to a 243 and too much for rodents - perhaps it's right in the middle between them. Too much as in you'll want to put it away sooner.
 
.25-06 is not rare at all. Factory loads for varmints or deer are available. If you want to know what the most popular bolt action cartridges are just look at what Savage chambers for their Axis rifle.

30-06 SPFLD
270 WIN
25-06 REM
308 WIN
243 WIN
7MM-08 REM
22-250 REM
223 REM


.277" for the .270 bullets are available from ~90gr up to ~150gr for varmints to elk. Most deer hunting bullets are in the 130gr range. 100-110gr bullets are fine for varmints, but there aren't many factory "varmint" loads for the .270. If reloading make sure you get bullets designed for the .270 and not the 6.8 SPC if you're going to use them in a .270.
 
Hey ARTp thanks for the info. but I would only be using the 100 grain or less bullets for ground hogs so penetration shouldn't be a big issue using the lighter bullet. In NJ you have to use 100gr or less for ground hogs. if I got to go out of state and rifle hunt hog or deer or something else I would change the gr. of the bullet. Now I do agree the 25-06 is between the 243 and the 270 leaning more toward the 270. I thought of it as a good cross over shell. good for ground hogs and up to bigger game. I figured it would give me a little more punch then the 243 on bigger game but could find >100 gr. rodent loads easier. However I am starting to rethink it as the 243 seems to cover most of what I want. I guess it may come down to if I buy used or new. 25-06 is a tough one to find used.
 
I have a suspicion this will not be your only rifle. I honestly do not know many people with just one rifle.

one 243 / 22-250 / 223 and one 270 / 30-06 / 308 would cover you for almost all of your needs.

I am small time compared to some on here and my rifles go like this:

22 rimfire
243
270
338
44 mag lever

I don't think I could get by with one rifle. But I could with two, and they would be the 243 and 270.

I guess I'm suggesting to start with something in the 223 / 243 / 22-250 class with plans on buying an additional rifle later. Learning from my past mistake purchases, that's what I would do. Additionally, if you have no experience with centerfire rifles you just might be surprised with the muzzle blast and recoil of rifles in the 270 and up range. Accurate shooting involves remaining calm, perfectly still and not flinching. It's easy to develop a fli\nch if you start out with too much rifle.
 
Last edited:
I'll add an additional comment...

The collective wisdom usually says to buy a rifle for a specific task. As an example, you likely would not be happy with one rifle as a serious target shooter that you also hunt deer with. It's a lot funner, in my opinion, to target shoot with a small, fast moving caliber. But those aren't ideal deer hunting rifles. The scopes would not be the same either. 2-7x or 3-10x scopes are ideal for deer hunting, but something with more magnification would be far better for varmints and targets.

Trust me on this. If you try and make one rifle do everything, and you're serious about your endeavors, you will come to be unhappy with one, "do it all", rifle. You'll sell it and buy dedicated rifles - just as I did. I started with a 270 and found it was just too much rifle at times, and one scope (a 4-12x) did not cut it.
 
Art you are correct...One rifle will not cut for me...BUT I am looking to get something that will cover me for a little while. Budget and all. I have access to a 30-30 lever, 45-70 gov. issue, couple 22's, maybe a 220swift on a good day and a couple others floating in the family. But I want to start my own collection. Ideally I would like a 243/25-06 bolt action, AR style rifle, 45/45-70 in lever action, and a 270/308/30-06 lever. and so on and so on. Unfornately budget isn't there right now. So that is why I am looking for a single "multi" purpose rifle. Its a starter...and chances are I will upgrade it over time. As well as purchase a few more.
 
I'd figure that a .243 is fine for most hunting uses, from deer-size on down.

Nothing wrong with used reloading gear. The Rock Chucker is a very good press. I've never had a problem with used gear--dies, scales, and all the little miscellaneous stuff which winds up on the bench. Craig's List and gunshows are good sources.
 
Bagel,

Plan ahead... If you wind up making this hobby a serious one you will end up reloading. I started reloading to avoid $30 per 20 rounds (a WSM caliber). I discovered I could make better ammo that was customized to my rifles, but I've yet to save any money - I just shoot more and shoot better, as many others claim. In the beginning, reloading seems very foreign and very confusing. But with access to message boards like THR, you'll have a ton of instant friends who will eagerly help you.

I started reloading with a $100 Lee kit and $50 worth of tools. It grew from there. IMO, the real expense to reload is having on-hand all the different powders, primers, cases, bullets. I would guess the average reloader has $1000 worth of inventory. But if you're reloading for one caliber those numbers would be a lot less.

So... Plan ahead and budget.

If you continue down this road, in five years you'll be counting the thousands of dollars you have dumped into this hobby. It is fun though - so enjoy yourself.
 
I am starting to look into reloading..I think it will be a good idea..I thought it would save money. But got to be honest what to get to start is a bit confusing. I mean I have seen kits ranging from 100-700..don't want to drop a ton to start.. Although I know I need to do some real looking into what I will need.

But thanks for the ammo link. That will come in handy I am sure.
 
Personally, I am not unhappy that I went the cheap route with a Lee kit and I'm a believer in "get what you pay for". I've added some to it, but I still use much of what came in the kit. If I were loading tons of pistol ammo I would like something fancy like a Hornady Lock 'n Load. Everyone has opinions and their favorites when it comes to reloading gear, perhaps more-so than even rifle brands. I also find the Lee dies have an advantage over other brands - if you start to look into it seriously I'll explain further.
 
h&r makes a good quality cheaper gun, which also allows for barrel swapping, although i have never done this myself. some people knock h&r, but i have had good luck, and whatever you get, if you dont like it, sell it and try again!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

O
  • Locked
Core-Lokt vs Accutip for deer/hog
Replies
18
Views
5K
NCsmitty
N
C
  • Locked
.257 bullet choice
Replies
20
Views
2K
3212
3
R
  • Locked
Hogs
Replies
10
Views
1K
RonDeer10mm
R
The_Shootist
  • Locked
Rifle for Hunting Hogs
Replies
21
Views
1K
Vern Humphrey
V
ZGunner
  • Locked
Is there a do-it-all bullet?
Replies
22
Views
1K
AKElroy
A
Back
Top