what calibre next?

[coldweld 65]

Cold. Your understanding of that line and mine seem to differ!

 

I would understand it to mean a round that has a wide range of options for home loading available, NOT one that is primarily home loaded.

 

Even though the 6mm ppc is mainly home loaded due to difficulty finding factory ammunition, I would contend that you will still have a greater range of reloading options with the .243, simply because of the number of people who use it.

 

Yes, the 6.5x55, 6mm ppc, 6m br, .260, .270 etc. etc. etc. are great loads, and work really well, but none offers a significant improvement over the .243 for short to medium range shooting against British deer species, and because of the availability and volume, they are likely to work out significantly cheaper.

 

Matt

 

Can you explain which components are cheaper when loading .243 as compaired to .260 or 7x08 ?

Is less meat damage not an improvemet over the .243 ?

Do you think that 105 gr max bullet is not a limiting factor ? as not all .243's even like 100gr

I cant see what you grounds for quoteing availability or volume affecting price, case's are rarer but i could order from Reloading solutions and Norman clarke and have them here for tuesday £ 30 per 100, powder and 6.5mm bullets any gun shop in the country.

[jamie g 17]

Depends what you want to shoot. There are as many opinions on the best calibre as there are people shooting!

For any UK deer, the .243 takes some beating. Fast and flat, but very little recoil with a decent mod. It'll take down anything you care to shoot in the UK (even wild boar if you're brave).

.308 is another popular round. The bench rest guys shoot sub-MOA groups out beyond 600 yards with them. Ditto the 7.62.

 

Obviously you have your metric rounds, 6.5x55, 7mm etc.

 

For availability and cost, I would say the .243 is the best bet. Plenty of reloading kit about, and loads of info on worked up loads. Best bet is to see what is popular in your area, as the more people shooting it the better the availability of everything.

 

 

 

Perhaps you should just clarify that.

Whilst .243 MAY be physically capable of taking down a wild boar it is not legally capable of taking down a wild boar, given it does not fall in the min calibre status laid down by the home office.

Although I know where your coming from...

 

 

There is no minimum LEGAL calibre for Boar, the Home Office Guide is a GUIDE!!!

 

ATB!!

 

yes this is right but i dont think the flo will see it like that. they look in there little guide line book. and get stuck in there ways. they will insist on a 270 or above

[flytie 1]

If you want to reload and have a devastating deer round, I can't see past the 7mm-08. It has one of the most efficient uses of powder that I can find in any set of reloading tables I use a 6.5x55 as my main squeeze, and they are good. Then there is the 6.5 x 284 to consider if you want to punch paper, I do not think it would give you any advantge over the 7mm-08 for stalking though.

 

If I could have found a reasonably priced one that I liked I would have had one for a second rifle. I couldn't so i have gone for a 7x64, which has performance similar to the .280 and the 7mm rem mag.

 

I do not rate the .243 as a deer round, this is only a personal thing from personal experience. I know lots of people love their "dog guns", it is a fine round. Specifically developed as a wildcat for "varminting", it has few peers for that purpose, but I do belive their are better calibres for deer

 

Now I will go and find my tin hat and wait for the excrement to hit the whirly thing

 

ft

[mattydski 560]

If you want to reload and have a devastating deer round, I can't see past the 7mm-08. It has one of the most efficient uses of powder that I can find in any set of reloading tables I use a 6.5x55 as my main squeeze, and they are good. Then there is the 6.5 x 284 to consider if you want to punch paper, I do not think it would give you any advantge over the 7mm-08 for stalking though.

 

If I could have found a reasonably priced one that I liked I would have had one for a second rifle. I couldn't so i have gone for a 7x64, which has performance similar to the .280 and the 7mm rem mag.

 

I do not rate the .243 as a deer round, this is only a personal thing from personal experience. I know lots of people love their "dog guns", it is a fine round. Specifically developed as a wildcat for "varminting", it has few peers for that purpose, but I do belive their are better calibres for deer

 

Now I will go and find my tin hat and wait for the excrement to hit the whirly thing

 

ft

 

 

 

 

 

 

DUCK!!

 

 

[v-max 2]

The 243 as said is a great round & yes there is better in ways but what about the 243AI ehh!! now thats a good round but has its down side too but one to consider??.

[mattywhit 1]

thanks for all your comments guys ive been doing my research and im thinking of .308 or 6.5mm something like that im going to pass on a .243 yes very good round but i believe there is better on the market, already having a .223 i feel a .243 is a little too close to the .223,

 

been looking at the 6.5x47 lapua this does seem to have some great reviews

[coldweld 65]

Good choice !

 

Glad you have the balls to be different .

 

ATB coldweld

[Deker 3,450]

Good choice !

 

Glad you have the balls to be different .

 

ATB coldweld

 

Perhaps you could enlighten us to what having the balls to be different is meant to imply.

 

After Safety, there is only one thing that is important in shooting and that is getting the most appropriate calibre for your requirements, what the f**k has balls got to do with anything?

 

The likes of .223/.243/.308...Common as muck are useful/appropriate/successful/popular because they are easy to come by, versatile relatively inexpensive etc, etc, EVERYTHING else becomes a little more specialized and therefore a little less versatile!

 

That isn't a criticism of any calibre, it is simply a statement of fact!

 

ATB!!

Edited June 22, 2010 by Deker

[geordieh 74]

if you want a bit of a custom rifle then go for a 6br. they say the 6ppc is the king upto 300 yards in bench rest with the 6 br only just behind it.

 

but once you get over 300 the 6br is far better due to pushing heavier bullets better

 

i think for hutning tho you will have to go along way to beat the 243 for what it offers.

i was thinking about going for 243 next. but as i hear that the law could be changed soon to alow 22 cf for roe as well. like you can in scotland im holding off on swapping my 22/250 for 243.

Hi Jamie

Don't hold your breath while you are waiting, it will not happen they have just had one review the next one is years away if ever

Geordie

[coldweld 65]

Good choice !

 

Glad you have the balls to be different .

 

ATB coldweld

 

Perhaps you could enlighten us to what having the balls to be different is meant to imply.

 

After Safety, there is only one thing that is important in shooting and that is getting the most appropriate calibre for your requirements, what the f**k has balls got to do with anything?

 

The likes of .223/.243/.308...Common as muck are useful/appropriate/successful/popular because they are easy to come by, versatile relatively inexpensive etc, etc, EVERYTHING else becomes a little more specialized and therefore a little less versatile!

 

That isn't a criticism of any calibre, it is simply a statement of fact!

 

ATB!!

 

 

Oh dear Pecker !

 

I can't figure out if you are a ludite or a technophobe ?

 

Where do you think .223/.243 and .308 came from ?

 

Wild cats and load caliber development. Yes shocking is it not to think that at one time the calibers you think are the only ones worthy of a mention were not invented .

Then someone with vision and forthought dared to rock convention and TRY SOME THING DIFFERENT

Do you honestly think all load/caliber development should stop .

 

Strange that all the caliber's YOU have are the only one's that are worth having !

 

I was glad that he decided what caliber suited what HE wanted not what everyone else say's he should have.

I will now get off the box and let you can climb back in it .

 

ATB

Coldweld

Edited June 23, 2010 by coldweld

[jamie g 17]

if you want a bit of a custom rifle then go for a 6br. they say the 6ppc is the king upto 300 yards in bench rest with the 6 br only just behind it.

 

but once you get over 300 the 6br is far better due to pushing heavier bullets better

 

i think for hutning tho you will have to go along way to beat the 243 for what it offers.

i was thinking about going for 243 next. but as i hear that the law could be changed soon to alow 22 cf for roe as well. like you can in scotland im holding off on swapping my 22/250 for 243.

Hi Jamie

Don't hold your breath while you are waiting, it will not happen they have just had one review the next one is years away if ever

Geordie

 

so be it mate im not to bothered. it would just be nice if they had abit of common sense

[matt_hooks 188]

I was glad that he decided what caliber suited what HE wanted not what everyone else say's he should have.

 

He asked for advice, and we gave it. Entirely up to him if he decides to take it or not, as long as he gets something that'll do the job he needs it to do, the job's a goodun!

 

I have nothing against develoment, or using unusual calibres, but he specifically asked for something with ready availability and a good choice for reloading, so I gave my opinion.

[coldweld 65]

Matt how many years loading experiance have you got ? How long have you been shooting centre fire rifles ?

 

 

Just wondered as you don't seam to know much about chronographs.

 

Check you posts if you are struggling to see where this is going

Edited June 23, 2010 by coldweld

[Deker 3,450]

Good choice !

 

Glad you have the balls to be different .

 

ATB coldweld

 

Perhaps you could enlighten us to what having the balls to be different is meant to imply.

 

After Safety, there is only one thing that is important in shooting and that is getting the most appropriate calibre for your requirements, what the f**k has balls got to do with anything?

 

The likes of .223/.243/.308...Common as muck are useful/appropriate/successful/popular because they are easy to come by, versatile relatively inexpensive etc, etc, EVERYTHING else becomes a little more specialized and therefore a little less versatile!

 

That isn't a criticism of any calibre, it is simply a statement of fact!

 

ATB!!

 

 

Oh dear Pecker !

 

I can't figure out if you are a ludite or a technophobe ?

 

Where do you think .223/.243 and .308 came from ?

 

Wild cats and load caliber development. Yes shocking is it not to think that at one time the calibers you think are the only ones worthy of a mention were not invented .

Then someone with vision and forthought dared to rock convention and TRY SOME THING DIFFERENT

Do you honestly think all load/caliber development should stop .

 

Strange that all the caliber's YOU have are the only one's that are worth having !

 

I was glad that he decided what caliber suited what HE wanted not what everyone else say's he should have.

I will now get off the box and let you can climb back in it .

 

ATB

Coldweld

 

 

Oh Dear Codpiece, sorry I rattled your cage, now pop back in like a good little boy!

 

I'll let you out for another meaningless rant shortly, we all appreciate it!

 

Seems you are the only one here who can't read and failed comprehension!

[Mr_Logic 5]

Good for a laugh, this thread...

 

Wildcats for 223 , 243 and 308... 308 was a developed round for the military, as was 223, nothing to do with wildcats. Yes, the 243 was a wildcat, and tbh I wish they'd never bothered as it would mean we aren't arguing about it all the time. Clearly then all wildcats are rubbish

 

As a specific deer calibre, it's a little lacking due to normal twist of 1:10, which is ideal as a midweight bullet twist. if they were all 1:9, then it would be a good deer calibre as 100gr bullets would normally work. Hey ho. But here's a thing, it will kill anything you ask of it.

 

Ultimately, any deer calibre will work OK, so no choice is a bad one. at normal deer ranges, pretty much any larger calibre's going to work. Not really worth arguing about though, is it?!