243 or 25-06

[mrb1982]

I know there are a lot of these but they all seem to have different circumstances. I have a 22-250 varmint barrel, 270 win BDL, and a 7 mag Sendero. This weekend my 8 year old daughter shot my 22-250 and had the most fun she has ever had. Now I am looking to fill in a gap in my collection.

I am looking for a coyote rig that could be used for deer also. Specifically something that I could double duty. Coyotes for me, deer for my kids while they grow. Do you go 243 or 25-06? I feel like the 243 is too close to the 22-250 but I already have a 270 so the 25-06 seems a little redundant there too. Just curious what other think to maybe give me some other angles to think about it because I have about hashed it to death in my head.

 

[long450]

The 243 will do anything the 25-06 will and ammo is cheaper and is available in more bullet variety, at least around here!

 

[Mark W]

I'll throw out another vote for the 243. I've smoked deer, pronghorn, coyote, and prairie dogs with my Rem 700 VLS chambered in 243. IMO it's the most versatile caliber available. I wouldn't be caught without one.

 

[Dosh]

1982, it's a toss-up to me. All I can say is if it's the .243 get the faster twist so you can shoot heavier bullets. Good luck

 

[mrb1982]

If I go with a 243, it is going to be a VLS and shoot 95's hopefully. If it is a 25-06 it is most likely going to be a Long Range, small chance of a sendero, and probably shoot 115 burgers. Idk which one to go for.

 

[Buckskinner]

I was going to stay out of it,,, but since you brought up the Sendero, my vote is 25-06. You have one already so you know...

 

[mrb1982]

Yeah the Sendero is a fantastic weapon no doubt and adds a plus in the column of any caliber that produces one. The VLS is a fantastic piece in its own and no slouch by any means.

Maybe someone can enlighten me. How is it that a 25-06 is always considered "low recoil" and a 270 is not mentioned in that conversation given their similarities? I understand the bullet weight difference. But for the most part, powder chargers really quite similar and 115 grains isn't far off from the 130's I shoot in the 270. Maybe if someone could convince me there would be a real difference in the two and I would feel better about a 25-06.

 

[Rifleman513]

I have a 243 and 257wby and shot my Dad's 25-06 a bit in the past. The 243 is a great gun for kids and is pretty versatile. I bought mine mainly for the occasional hunt and something cheap for long(ish) target practice. My nephew shoots the 95gr sst in his and I load 105 amax's in mine. I never noticed much difference in recoil between the two and works well on deer with good shots.

The 25-06 is also a great round. If you are at all considering the Sendero then I would lean towards the 25-06. A little more punch and the weight of a Sendero should be easy on recoil. That being said, the kids may have more trouble handling a heavier gun.

A 257wby to me is almost identical in recoil to a 270. A 25-06 would be noticeably less and can be even more so depending on the weight of the gun.

 

[mrb1982]

Is there a pretty noticeable difference in recoil between a 270 and a 25-06?

 

[Buckskinner]

Rifle Recoil Table

I've not compared the two, but Chuck says there is... I have the 25-06 in Sendero and it is a very mild enjoyable shooting rifle. I am considering it for my daughter to use for her first deer hunt the fall of 18. It is a heavy rifle, but we will be in a blind likely anyway with rest, so no big deal there. The other option might be a 7mm-08 in Rem 700 mountain rifle. Other end of extreme as far as weight and similar recoil.

 

[mrb1982]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing for my daughter. She handled my 9lb varmint rifle like a champ in the sitting position. Now days they have a lot of good shoulder carrying devices too. Some kids get scared of the noise, my daughter thought it was the best part of it. Lol. You are slowly getting me talked into a 25-06.

 

[Catahoula]

The 25-06 is absolutely my favorite cartridge. There is no comparison between the 243 & 25-06 in my opinion. I have killed several elk, deer, black bears, coyotes & a B&C record book Bison through the years. The 100 Nosler PT for big game & the Sierra 100 MK for coyotes. The Sierra is a great fur bullet. IMR 4831 for heavy bullets & H414 for the light ones. You could build a 25-06 Ackley Improved which is awesome. I shot the barrel out of mine & need to get a new build started.
If I were limited to one rifle it would be a 25-06 AI!
Thanks, Kirk

 

[mrb1982]

For the Sendero followers, I have a question or two.

They started out as a non fluted barrel, then went to a stainless fluted SF II that we have now if I remember right. What year did they start the SFII's? Did any of the original Sendero's have painted flutes or just the SFII's?

 

[Barrelnut]

The 25-06 has better barrel life than a 243. The 243 is a bit of a barrel burner. You can also download the 25-06 a bit and use 85 gr. bullets, if recoil seems a bit much for them. Also 25-06 with a 85 Gr. bullet is going 3500~3600 fps. And makes a pretty good long range varmint rifle. That is why you see long range rifles like the Sendero and Savage Long Range Hunter chambered in it. It kicks a little less than the 270, mainly because of the lighter bullets.