The 243 Winchester for Australian Game

[CoElkHunter]

I have never seen or heard of anyone who had/has a 244

In the late '50s-early '60s, my father in law had one growing up in Pennsylvania. He told me he used it on groundhogs with an 80 something grain bullet.

 

[rdog]

I have never seen or heard of anyone who had/has a 244

I have played with the 6 MM Rem in a Rem 700 & a re barreled Sako, it needs a long action to work at its best, really could not tell the diff to a 243 . the 25/308 would have been a better cartridge & may be Bob would even be happy with that, but a 260 Rem is available so why reinvent the wheel. May be that's why they invented the 6.5 CM 140 grain bullets, short action, good case life very efficient case design.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

I have talked to two different people up here who use a .243 for Elk. I didn't ask bullet weight.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I have played with the 6 MM Rem in a Rem 700 & a re barreled Sako, it needs a long action to work at its best, really could not tell the diff to a 243 . the 25/308 would have been a better cartridge & may be Bob would even be happy with that, but a 260 Rem is available so why reinvent the wheel. May be that's why they invented the 6.5 CM 140 grain bullets, short action, good case life very efficient case design.

Isn’t the 25/308 known as the .25 Souper? Townsend @Bob Nelson 35Whelen would know?

 

[rdog]

Isn’t the 25/308 known as the .25 Souper? Townsend @Bob Nelson 35Whelen would know?

Yes its called a 25 Souper a popular Australian wild cat from the 1960s.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yes Bob, i agree the 243 lacks power in some situations that is when you get out your 260 Rem or 6.5x55 or your 7x57
Winchester should have made a 25/308 in stead of the 243.

@rdog
The 25 Souper was around as a wildcat so they could have tamed it, but it doesn't really do anymore than the Roberts does.
A bit like the 7x57 and the 7mm-08.
To close to say one is better than the other.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The 243 has its place - pigs and goats

@Dr Ray
Inside 200 if the right projectiles yes.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob,
If Remington hadn't screwed up by having the slower rifling unable to stabilize a 100gr. bullet in their .244 rifles, the .243 Winchester may have never been born? Remington brought out the 6mm later with a faster rifling, but the damage had already been done. Hunters bought the .243 and never looked back.
CEH

@CoElkHunter
Yes you are correct BUT the 6mm Remington would stabilize a 90 to95 grain bullet and you can't tell me 5 grains is that big a difference.
The biggest issue was the Winchester advertising budget was bigger and better and Joe Public swallowed their lies hook line and sinker.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have never seen or heard of anyone who had/has a 244

@Dr Ray
I have known a couple of blokes with 244/6mm Remington and both found the great rifles loaded with 100gn projectiles.

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter
Yes you are correct BUT the 6mm Remington would stabilize a 90 to95 grain bullet and you can't tell me 5 grains is that big a difference.
The biggest issue was the Winchester advertising budget was bigger and better and Joe Public swallowed their lies hook line and sinker.
Bob

Yes, but Remington was “clever”enough to manufacture a faster twist rate in their 6mm to stabilize 100gr bullets.

 

[CoElkHunter]

@Dr Ray
I have known a couple of blokes with 244/6mm Remington and both found the great rifles loaded with 100gn projectiles.

Probably had aftermarket barrels with the newer faster 6mm twist rate?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have played with the 6 MM Rem in a Rem 700 & a re barreled Sako, it needs a long action to work at its best, really could not tell the diff to a 243 . the 25/308 would have been a better cartridge & may be Bob would even be happy with that, but a 260 Rem is available so why reinvent the wheel. May be that's why they invented the 6.5 CM 140 grain bullets, short action, good case life very efficient case design.

@rdog and @CoElkHunter
I will stick with my 25 over any 6mm.

Don't need a 6mm or a 270 when you have a fast 25
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

I have talked to two different people up here who use a .243 for Elk. I didn't ask bullet weight.

I know one guy here who told me he’s taken 6 elk with a 6mm Remington. This was back in the mid ‘90s. Everybody can use whatever they wish (.24 caliber minimum in CO for big game) to hunt with. You could probably kill an elk with a .22-250 or .223 if it were legal? But, I’m not chasing their wounded game around though if they’re using some underpowered cartridge and wound an animal.

 

[Dr Ray]

@rdog and @CoElkHunter
I will stick with my 25 over any 6mm.
View attachment 458108
Don't need a 6mm or a 270 when you have a fast 25
Bob

I may eventually get a 257
But my favorite is still the 270

 

[rdog]

@rdog
The 25 Souper was around as a wildcat so they could have tamed it, but it doesn't really do anymore than the Roberts does.
A bit like the 7x57 and the 7mm-08.
To close to say one is better than the other.

The 25 Souper will work out of a short action

 

[CBH Australia]

@rdog
The 25 Souper was around as a wildcat so they could have tamed it, but it doesn't really do anymore than the Roberts does.
A bit like the 7x57 and the 7mm-08.
To close to say one is better than the other.

Which ever one you have close is the correct answer. They are commonly referred to as Ballistic twins.
I do like the 7mm-08

@Dr Ray
I have known a couple of blokes with 244/6mm Remington and both found the great rifles loaded with 100gn projectiles.

Bob,
.243 or .244? What difference does point 001 make?
.243 has a pretty good following.

@rdog and @CoElkHunter
I will stick with my 25 over any 6mm.
View attachment 458108
Don't need a 6mm or a 270 when you have a fast 25
Bob

Not a fair comparison of case capacity relative to everything else.

I may eventually get a 257
But my favorite is still the 270

Obviously

The 25 Souper will work out of a short action

No doubt but the 7mm-08 is well supported or the .260 is also has factory offerings.

Years ago I wondered why there was no 270 based on a .308 cased round readily available.
Seems viable but I'm not going to spend the extra $ to have something different.

 

[Peterwho]

long time lurker but signed up now. 243s are lots of fun, superb with right projectile and distances as pointed out by the more experienced posters. I use mostly 100 gr corelokts on pigs, goats and deer. They don’t go far when hit in the right place. Just a bugger when they fall in the gulley, needed a rope and handy excavator to get him out. Not sure what he weighed but too heavy to carry out. He is sitting in a 1200mm mud bucket.

 

[Dr Ray]

Which ever one you have close is the correct answer. They are commonly referred to as Ballistic twins.
I do like the 7mm-08

Bob,
.243 or .244? What difference does point 001 make?
.243 has a pretty good following.

Not a fair comparison of case capacity relative to everything else.

Obviously

No doubt but the 7mm-08 is well supported or the .260 is also has factory offerings.

Years ago I wondered why there was no 270 based on a .308 cased round readily available.
Seems viable but I'm not going to spend the extra $ to have something different.

I thought the same too

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I may eventually get a 257
But my favorite is still the 270

@Dr Ray
You won't be disappointed and will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

long time lurker but signed up now. 243s are lots of fun, superb with right projectile and distances as pointed out by the more experienced posters. I use mostly 100 gr corelokts on pigs, goats and deer. They don’t go far when hit in the right place. Just a bugger when they fall in the gulley, needed a rope and handy excavator to get him out. Not sure what he weighed but too heavy to carry out. He is sitting in a 1200mm mud bucket.

@ Peterwho
Welcome mate you are just a round the corner from me at wyong.