Is the .243 win on the way out?

[fmuguira]

I think the 243 or 243 AI are at their best in a medium action with a fast twist barrel for 105 and up bullets. Good luck finding that rifle, you ll have to build one or spend big bucks.

Thus, the 6 CM with a slightly shorter case works very well in the true short actions. And, you can buy lots of production rifles ready to go from the box.

To me that's the biggest differences in these cartridges. AI 243 offers a little bigger performance upgrade over the other two. Good to have choices!

 

[snox801]

I should have mentioned that in the last two years I've seen more new shooters at my range ask what to buy and say they want a 6.5 creed. They are shocked when I suggest a .243 instead. Then when the get to the range and they realize you don't just buy a creed and hit 1000 yards gongs. You have to be able to shoot. They end up saying they think it was the right choice. In fact I'm doing load work this week for a shooting partner for his .243 with 70gr hammers. Those things are gonna be flat shooting.

 

[UplandFreak]

I have 2 243's and a 6mm creedmoor. One of the 243's is my daughters and the other is my truckgun. I shoot the 6mm a whole lot more - cheap match ammo with high BC bullets, it is my go to coyote/hog gun. Honestly, I am not sure why you would buy a factory rifle in 243 over a 6mm right now. Tough to find a factory barrel with a twist to stabilize the heavies.

 

[snox801]

Because why shoot heavies if you do t plan to shoot over 300-400 yards? All your doing is making yourself adjust for more drop. So if I'm gonna go the 70gr hammer route at 3700fps or even a 55-gr factory pill why would I need a long heavy bullet.
Seems everyone is on this kick of gotta have the highest bc possible for every gun which in some cases makes no sense.
300 yards shot which is long in Michigan why not go lighter bullet and fast no need to have a crazy high bc.
Plus I have a 6.5 creedmore for my long heavies if I want.

 

[jjmp]

OK, I'm commin Clean my 3 rd,243 is a new Remmington MD 7 Predator , lv it still breaking in bbl 1/9 twist ,gota replace fac/trigger 22bbl camoed ,always lusted for one ,Cheers 243 ROC !!!

 

[DavidleeCole]

Man I dont know. I have had a 243 and every deer I shot went down right then hit so hard that they warped the ground when they hit. That was standing, walking, eating, running what ever they was doing wherever they were at. I love the little rifle.

With that said... I do have an 1:9 26" 6mm 3 grove lilja I want to put on my ole model 70, but I read all these articles about this 6mm or that one and I like what I read but if it ain't broke why fix it. The problem is when you change cartridge you change everything and it's so much money.

One story I have to tell Ok so my friend got invited to a big deer ranch in Texas and told to shoot as many does as he wanted to they was thinning them out. So him and his dad took a box of shells (hand loads) for each rifle a 243 an a 270. They made sure the ranch owner was correct on the as many as you want then they went to work. They took 63 does in three days and all was brought back to Arkansas and a many of folks was fed. So the first day they ran out of ammo and had to go to town and get some more not a big deal for a .243 and .270 got two boxes each went and rezero for factory ammo and went back to work.

That said how would that went had you a creed, dasher, BR or any other 6mm cartridge? That keeps me on the OLD PROVEN WAY.

 

[UplandFreak]

Because why shoot heavies if you do t plan to shoot over 300-400 yards? All your doing is making yourself adjust for more drop. So if I'm gonna go the 70gr hammer route at 3700fps or even a 55-gr factory pill why would I need a long heavy bullet.
Seems everyone is on this kick of gotta have the highest bc possible for every gun which in some cases makes no sense.
300 yards shot which is long in Michigan why not go lighter bullet and fast no need to have a crazy high bc.
Plus I have a 6.5 creedmore for my long heavies if I want.

I hunt Idaho, utah, montana and Wyoming every year. I will shoot a lead fishing weight before I shoot a hammer. Out past 500 yards its like pulling a parachute. Its all relative I guess - if your longest shot is 300 yards it doesnt matter what you shoot. You can shoot cheap soft point bullets at the distance with a 223. I see shots over 600 yards regularly with 1000 yards shots always an option. I am always going to choose a highest BC bullet I can trust to get the job done.

 

[Velvet]

I think the 243 or 243 AI are at their best in a medium action with a fast twist barrel for 105 and up bullets. Good luck finding that rifle, you ll have to build one or spend big bucks.
Thus, the 6 CM with a slightly shorter case works very well in the true short actions. And, you can buy lots of production rifles ready to go from the box.

It seems to me that it is less expensive to change a barrel than to buy a new rifle, more dies and brass.
With a simple change of barrel, you extend the life of the 243 for many more years to come. And you extend it, because you can choose a faster twist rate, and thus, be able to use new bullets with better BC.

 

[zb338]

I love reading about you guys that live out west and shoot things at 800 yds. and even farther.
A lot of us live in area's such as Pennsylvania and most of the time we shoot a deer at 100 yds.
The .243 is a nice hunting rifle for people that just want to shoot deer, especially in the East.

 

[crystalgayleguy]

no the 243 is not on the way out everything that can be said has been said it's not talked about because it's not new

 

[mmgravy]

Hi all, every 2 months it seems someone posts a "is the .270 dying" post (and is met with an emphatic "NO!") but I don't actually see much talk about the plain vanilla .243 Winchester, either of it's popularity or lack thereof.

the 6mms are in general a bit more of a "love it or hate it" cartridge family, neither fish nor fowl, over and underestimated, some regarding them as little more than the .22 centerfires and some regarding them able to do anything the bigger diameters can do, both probably wrong (according to me anyway ) - for a long time where I live the .243 was the minimum legal caliber for big game hunting and I personally feel changing that was a mistake, gotta draw a line somewhere and that made sense - there's also lots of shots I've taken with my .270 that I would have opted to pass on with my .243.

but with the advent of rounds like the 6 creedmoor and the advent of truly high bc 224" projectiles and cartridges to launch them fast along with the ever rising popularity of the 6.5s which some could argue don't recoil notably more, I wonder if many will be questioning the point of the old .243 win with its now anathema stubby neck and gentle shoulders and less than extreme twist rates.

any big .243 fans or shooters on here?

what do you think the future holds for this old workhorse?

The short answer...no. I have both a 243 and a 6 Creed and I would take the 6 Creed every time.

 

[GonzoK34]

It's just one of the tools I have in my safe. Varmints: 9422 22LR, 22 Hornet, 223, 6.5 Grendel, 243, and for Huge Prairie Dogs a 450 Bushmaster. The 243, 6.5 Grendel, 260, 270, 7-08, 308, 300WM, are for hogs, dogs and 4 legged venison of all sizes. Take what you have and enjoy. Shotguns and pistols also reside in my Hooch! Go Ugly Earlier as the Sgt Major said at "Liberty Call"! SEMPER FEDELIS

 

[MZmoose]

It's not going anywhere if gun makers keep offering it with every short action they make. I started hunting with one and it worked on deer at reasonable ranges with bullets of the day. Regrettably I sold my first one, but bought another about 7 years ago and my son killed his first deer with it. I use it every year for predator control on the ranch and it has probably taken about 70 coyotes. Won't catch me without one.

 

[Australia]

The 243W is a "go to gun" down under and I could not tell you guys how many ferrels have gone because of my Mauser FN 243W using 85-90g sierra game king projectiles - including Camels,Cape buffelo,and Samba and Fallow Deer not to mention a few Pigs
If you cant get it done with 243W then give up