Best Target Caliber under 300 yards - Page 2

ndking1126 · April 12, 2015, 07:49 PM

Inside of 300, you and the rifle itself are much more of a factor than the caliber. Anything 223 or bigger will suffice for target work to 300. And once you get into reloading, ammo availability and price becomes less of a concern. So pick your poison, I don't see you go wrong with any of them. But since you asked for a specific recommendation, I'll vote for the 243 since you like lighter recoiling cartridges. If shooting longer distances might be an option, 260 Rem is a great choice. My target rifle is a 260 Rem.

As for hunting, I would say 243 is good to 300 yards on deer, but probably not farther. That's a generalization, and some might disagree.

SARuger · April 13, 2015, 04:23 AM

.243, very accurate and flat shooting. .223 is not legal for deer where I live not sure about other states.

emcon5 · April 13, 2015, 08:42 AM

I love all the people who didn't bother to read the original post....

MarkCO · April 13, 2015, 08:58 AM

Based on your criteria, I would go with a .243Win.

reynolds357 · April 13, 2015, 02:30 PM

Emcon, who did not read the O.P.?

Geezerbiker · April 14, 2015, 07:26 AM

I'm fond of the .25-06 or even a .30-06 of you intend to reload. Loaded with light bullets and somewhat reduced loads, you can get the .30-06 down to .30-30 level recoil.

I have a .243, .308 and .30-06 and I like them all. I had a .25-06 and I sold it a while back when I was desperate for cash. I miss that rifle and I intend to replace it either this year or next.

Tony

F23Blackwidow2 · April 14, 2015, 08:50 AM

Reynolds,
He's talking about people who forgot the deer hunting part of the original post.

Some people have recommended the 6mm BR. I've never heard of that caliber actually... What's it like?

Thanks for all the help guys! This is a huge response, much more than expected!

F23

4runnerman · April 14, 2015, 05:52 PM

F23- 6MMBR-- You need to check it out. Could be used for a deer rifle, but on the heavy side. I have one I use for F Class. Unreal accuracy and all. One could use that baby for hunting fly's at 400 yards if you want.

Snyper · April 14, 2015, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Some people have recommended the 6mm BR. I've never heard of that caliber actually... What's it like?

Think of it as a "243 Short"

It's just a shortened 308 case with a 6mm bullet and a small primer

Quote:

He's talking about people who forgot the deer hunting part of the original post.

And those suggesting cartridges with as much or more recoil as a 308

PatientWolf · April 14, 2015, 07:06 PM

I'm going to cast a vote for the .243. I've taken decent sized deer in Norther Wisconsin at well over 400 yds with my Savage, so i think it is plenty adequate for deer. It has a nice relatively flat trajectory.

Oh and it works inside 300 yds as well.

cliffhangernlv · April 14, 2015, 07:46 PM

Another vote for 7mm08 here. And for the Savage.

kutz · April 14, 2015, 08:19 PM

.270

reynolds357 · April 14, 2015, 08:52 PM

6 Br Norma is a fine medium game cartridge. That is why I recommended it.

I indeed read the O.P.

emcon5 · April 15, 2015, 12:12 PM

I was also talking about the "not reloading (yet)" part, and the "Savage" part.

Does anyone make an off the shelf 6mm PPC, rifles or ammo?

You can get a 6mm BR from Savage, in their top of the line rifles (3 options), but none are really suited for deer hunting, they are big Varmint or F-Class rifles that are about 14 pounds with glass.

There is 6mm BR ammo available, but all of it is match ammo not suitable for hunting, and it is also over $2/round.

6mm BR would be a fine medium game round if you handload, because it is ballistically pretty much identical to .243, which is readily available in both rifles (35 offerings from Savage) and ammo (22 options in stock at Midway at the moment, compared to 1 for 6mm BR at half the price or less).

T. O'Heir · April 15, 2015, 01:11 PM

Formal NRA style target shooting or just shooting for fun? Makes a difference. Of the cartridges you mentioned, only the .223 is a formal target cartridge. The rest are hunting cartridges, any of which will be fine for fun shooting.
The .223 may be illegal for deer in NY, but with the right bullet(Deer bullets rarely seen in factory .223 ammo though) it'll kill deer. Check the legalities.

Auto5 · April 16, 2015, 07:10 AM

A few years back, I injured my shoulder and broke my collarbone in a motorcycle accident. Since then, I've avoided the heavy kickers. I went to a .243 for deer and coyote. I don't reload, so .243 passes the "available at WalMart" test.

Snyper · April 17, 2015, 03:20 PM

So, the OP got 40 replies so far, and almost that many cartridge suggestions, as if that wasn't the typical outcome of these types of threads.

In the end, only the OP can decide what to buy, and it's not like you're stuck with it for the rest of your life if you don't like it afterwards.

Nathan · April 17, 2015, 04:00 PM

I said 6 PPC, but now that I see deer and range, I'm thinking 6x47, 6.5 Creedmor, 243 win, 6.5 x 284, 257 Roberts, ...

603Country · April 17, 2015, 06:13 PM

The 260 or the 6.5 Creedmore will give you a round capable of just under 3000 fps with a 120 gr bullet. That's close to 270 performance in a more efficient case. It's quite similar to 25-06 performance and is a step up from the 243 and it doesn't have much recoil. And...folks use it for long distance shooting competition. Sounds like just what the OP needs.

He does not need a 6mm BR. If he wants a 6 mm, go with the 6MM Remington. It outperforms the 243 and has all the performance of the 6-284.

Get the 260 or the Creed.

Brit · April 17, 2015, 08:31 PM

Stocked in a classic Bavarian-style Mannlicher with steel muzzle cap and 3-position safety. CZ.

Oh! that was a beautiful rifle! And in .243. You wanted a Savage, pity.

F23Blackwidow2 · April 19, 2015, 12:14 AM

Again, thank you everyone for the responses! I think I've made my decision, and it's going to be .243. I've always had that floating around in the back of my mind anyway, and everyone hear seams to have nothing bad to say about it.

For me, I think I'm going to move on from this thread, but keep responding if you feel like you have something important and informative to add for the next guy that comes along!

F23

emcon5 · April 19, 2015, 12:24 AM

Good choice.

ekp · April 20, 2015, 09:06 PM

6.5x55 is my choice in a Tikka T3. 243 was brought out because it can throw heavier lead than 6mm Rem.

22-rimfire · April 22, 2015, 08:58 AM

Quote:

243 or 7mm 08

I second that suggestion. I would choose the .243 personally as I am less familiar with the 7mm-08. Both are common calibers in terms of ammunition, great longer range target calibers, and okay for deer. My first center fire rifle was a 243. I don't regret that choice years ago.

Added: I see on this last page that you have made your choice. 243 is a great choice. Hope you enjoy.

From my own experience, I would choose the 223 for target and range shooting and a slightly larger caliber for deer hunting. But that means two rifles.

mxsailor803 · April 22, 2015, 06:15 PM

Pretty much exactly what 22-Rimfire said for me. Don't get me wrong, you can wring out a bunch of speed out of a .243 with a really light bullet. I just prefer to use it on Coyotes up to Whitetail. Some people will say "just use a .223.." And this topic has been driven into the ground about ethical for use on deer. I stand by the logic that a .243 would be the minimum caliber used on my property. Are there other calibers that are cabable? Absolutely. It really just depends on what you may be interested in, wildcats vs common calibers.

April 13, 2015, 08:58 AM	#29
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,309	Based on your criteria, I would go with a .243Win. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

April 14, 2015, 08:50 AM	#32
F23Blackwidow2 Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Location: NY, sadly. Posts: 80	Reynolds, He's talking about people who forgot the deer hunting part of the original post. Some people have recommended the 6mm BR. I've never heard of that caliber actually... What's it like? Thanks for all the help guys! This is a huge response, much more than expected! F23 __________________ Just a young guy that likes old cars and straight shooting guns

April 14, 2015, 05:52 PM	#33
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	F23- 6MMBR-- You need to check it out. Could be used for a deer rifle, but on the heavy side. I have one I use for F Class. Unreal accuracy and all. One could use that baby for hunting fly's at 400 yards if you want. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

April 15, 2015, 01:11 PM	#40
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Formal NRA style target shooting or just shooting for fun? Makes a difference. Of the cartridges you mentioned, only the .223 is a formal target cartridge. The rest are hunting cartridges, any of which will be fine for fun shooting. The .223 may be illegal for deer in NY, but with the right bullet(Deer bullets rarely seen in factory .223 ammo though) it'll kill deer. Check the legalities. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

April 16, 2015, 07:10 AM	#41
Auto5 Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2013 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 662	A few years back, I injured my shoulder and broke my collarbone in a motorcycle accident. Since then, I've avoided the heavy kickers. I went to a .243 for deer and coyote. I don't reload, so .243 passes the "available at WalMart" test. __________________ At the young age of five, a bear told me that I was the only person who could prevent forest fires. Why I was chosen, I'll never know.

April 12, 2015, 07:49 PM	#26
ndking1126 Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2008 Location: Madison, AL Posts: 1,932	Inside of 300, you and the rifle itself are much more of a factor than the caliber. Anything 223 or bigger will suffice for target work to 300. And once you get into reloading, ammo availability and price becomes less of a concern. So pick your poison, I don't see you go wrong with any of them. But since you asked for a specific recommendation, I'll vote for the 243 since you like lighter recoiling cartridges. If shooting longer distances might be an option, 260 Rem is a great choice. My target rifle is a 260 Rem. As for hunting, I would say 243 is good to 300 yards on deer, but probably not farther. That's a generalization, and some might disagree.

April 13, 2015, 04:23 AM	#27
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	.243, very accurate and flat shooting. .223 is not legal for deer where I live not sure about other states.

April 13, 2015, 08:42 AM	#28
emcon5 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 1999 Location: High Desert NV Posts: 2,850	I love all the people who didn't bother to read the original post....

April 13, 2015, 02:30 PM	#30
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	Emcon, who did not read the O.P.?

April 14, 2015, 07:26 AM	#31
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	I'm fond of the .25-06 or even a .30-06 of you intend to reload. Loaded with light bullets and somewhat reduced loads, you can get the .30-06 down to .30-30 level recoil. I have a .243, .308 and .30-06 and I like them all. I had a .25-06 and I sold it a while back when I was desperate for cash. I miss that rifle and I intend to replace it either this year or next. Tony

April 14, 2015, 07:06 PM	#35
PatientWolf Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Location: NC Posts: 949	I'm going to cast a vote for the .243. I've taken decent sized deer in Norther Wisconsin at well over 400 yds with my Savage, so i think it is plenty adequate for deer. It has a nice relatively flat trajectory. Oh and it works inside 300 yds as well.

April 14, 2015, 07:46 PM	#36
cliffhangernlv Member Join Date: February 14, 2015 Posts: 53	Another vote for 7mm08 here. And for the Savage.

April 14, 2015, 08:19 PM	#37
kutz Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2012 Location: Arizona Posts: 393	.270

April 14, 2015, 08:52 PM	#38
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	6 Br Norma is a fine medium game cartridge. That is why I recommended it. I indeed read the O.P.

April 15, 2015, 12:12 PM	#39
emcon5 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 1999 Location: High Desert NV Posts: 2,850	I was also talking about the "not reloading (yet)" part, and the "Savage" part. Does anyone make an off the shelf 6mm PPC, rifles or ammo? You can get a 6mm BR from Savage, in their top of the line rifles (3 options), but none are really suited for deer hunting, they are big Varmint or F-Class rifles that are about 14 pounds with glass. There is 6mm BR ammo available, but all of it is match ammo not suitable for hunting, and it is also over $2/round. 6mm BR would be a fine medium game round if you handload, because it is ballistically pretty much identical to .243, which is readily available in both rifles (35 offerings from Savage) and ammo (22 options in stock at Midway at the moment, compared to 1 for 6mm BR at half the price or less).

April 17, 2015, 03:20 PM	#42
Snyper Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 3,047	So, the OP got 40 replies so far, and almost that many cartridge suggestions, as if that wasn't the typical outcome of these types of threads. In the end, only the OP can decide what to buy, and it's not like you're stuck with it for the rest of your life if you don't like it afterwards. __________________ One shot, one kill

April 17, 2015, 04:00 PM	#43
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,346	I said 6 PPC, but now that I see deer and range, I'm thinking 6x47, 6.5 Creedmor, 243 win, 6.5 x 284, 257 Roberts, ...

April 17, 2015, 06:13 PM	#44
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 4,000	The 260 or the 6.5 Creedmore will give you a round capable of just under 3000 fps with a 120 gr bullet. That's close to 270 performance in a more efficient case. It's quite similar to 25-06 performance and is a step up from the 243 and it doesn't have much recoil. And...folks use it for long distance shooting competition. Sounds like just what the OP needs. He does not need a 6mm BR. If he wants a 6 mm, go with the 6MM Remington. It outperforms the 243 and has all the performance of the 6-284. Get the 260 or the Creed.

April 17, 2015, 08:31 PM	#45
Brit Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Orlando FL Posts: 1,934	Stocked in a classic Bavarian-style Mannlicher with steel muzzle cap and 3-position safety. CZ. Oh! that was a beautiful rifle! And in .243. You wanted a Savage, pity.

April 19, 2015, 12:14 AM	#46
F23Blackwidow2 Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Location: NY, sadly. Posts: 80	Again, thank you everyone for the responses! I think I've made my decision, and it's going to be .243. I've always had that floating around in the back of my mind anyway, and everyone hear seams to have nothing bad to say about it. For me, I think I'm going to move on from this thread, but keep responding if you feel like you have something important and informative to add for the next guy that comes along! F23 __________________ Just a young guy that likes old cars and straight shooting guns

April 19, 2015, 12:24 AM	#47
emcon5 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 1999 Location: High Desert NV Posts: 2,850	Good choice.

April 20, 2015, 09:06 PM	#48
ekp Member Join Date: February 15, 2015 Posts: 31	6.5x55 is my choice in a Tikka T3. 243 was brought out because it can throw heavier lead than 6mm Rem.

April 22, 2015, 06:15 PM	#50
mxsailor803 Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 1,344	Pretty much exactly what 22-Rimfire said for me. Don't get me wrong, you can wring out a bunch of speed out of a .243 with a really light bullet. I just prefer to use it on Coyotes up to Whitetail. Some people will say "just use a .223.." And this topic has been driven into the ground about ethical for use on deer. I stand by the logic that a .243 would be the minimum caliber used on my property. Are there other calibers that are cabable? Absolutely. It really just depends on what you may be interested in, wildcats vs common calibers.