The 243 Winchester ~ Mild mannered accuracy for varmint or deer!
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- Опубликовано: 14 дек 2016
- The .243 Winchester is America's most popular non-military chambering, available in virtually every action style made, whether bolt, lever, pump, auto, or single shot. With its fabulous accuracy, flat trajectory, easy recoil, and availability in light rifles, it has established itself as the ideal gun for younger shooters, women, and anyone who desires an efficient, dependable, all-around varmint and deer cartridge. See why it may be the perfect rifle for you!
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I recently purchased a Remington model 700 243. I love the accuracy. The fact that there's almost zero recoil is an added bonus. Great cartridge.
Accuracy is paramount with hunting. If one has a fear/anticipation of the recoil, they are going to flinch just before the boom. When teaching, I bring out my 1022, 5.56 bolt, 243 and my 270. I start small and work larger. At the end of the session most shooters prefer the 5.56 or the 243. I'm 73 and I prefer the 243.
One of the best utility carbine/truck guns ever made was the Rem 788 in 243 Win. It was made to be used and scuffed up a bit.
What a great guy ,love the channel , the walk ons, the turning around with a cup of joe and saying welcome back ,what a great channel its Americans like this guy the makes it one of my favorite country's to visit .
I have been a gun/shooting person all my life and I must agree with this video. The 243 can do most of what a shooter needs from a rifle.
Some of the best conversations take place here. I love what you do for us. Thank you as always.
Love your channel as i believe its the most sensible shooting/rifle/reloading advice on the internet. Ive a lot of rifles i load of all diff cals ex mil & hunting up to 300/45-70 yet my 1971 243 is my fav rifle to take out for the day
This guy is my brother from another mother! Love you man. Thanks for your exceptional videos. I like the .243. I have shot it for 45 years and hit everything I aimed at and dropped so many deer it’s hard to count. Bunches of woodchucks. Many yotes. Magpies. Pigeons. Prairie dogs. And more targets than anything. I like the 257 Roberts but never got into it since I’ve had such great luck with the 243. I have ONE load for 100 gr Nosler and ONE load for 75gr varmint bullet. 40 yrs of always knowing where that shot is going downrange. Just bought my wife a nice little Mossberg Patriot Bantam too. This way we can shoot same round. No need to bring multiple ammo types and I’m good at loading the 243. Cheers man.
Hello and thank you for doing this pod cast regarding the .243 win back in 2016 of all things . I recently commented to you about this round. I think I have my questions answered and it is great you were the one to do it. I appreciate your show. Thank you again, Tom
I was in Australia for an extended period of time. The Winchester 243 was my primary rifle and absolutely enjoyed the heck out of it. Mainly, the versatility with the available game in that country it simply was awesome and an absolute joy.
thanks for the video
Yep. I love the 243. That was my first hunting rifle in a Winchester model 88..
One day I want to get a ar10 with a 243 barrel.
.243 has been an excellent white tail choice in my area. I’ve never had to track a deer that I’ve taken with it. Accurate, mild recoil.
The 243 Winchester round is the most versatile rifle ever made. I will give you examples. You can go from a 4000 ft per second 50 grain bullet all the way to 100 grain bullet still traveling at 2800 ft per second. If really want knock down power for a deer where it's going to look like a Mack truck hit it. The 85 grain solid copper hollow point is the ultimate bullet for the 243 when hunting midsize to large game animals. Yes it will literally drop a 14 point buck dead in his tracks, and yes I speak from experience.
Thomas that 85 GR bullet you mentioned, Who makes it , May I ask.?
MyREDTAIL the “ bullet “ he’s speaking of is manufactured by Barnes ( it’s a TTSX / TSX ) solid copper , hollow point , and its loaded by Barnes as well as other manufacturers. It isn’t cheap to buy , but it IS premium top notch ammunition, and hold nearly 100% weight retention. Yes , it performs every bit of what he’s describing here . Traveling at around 3,400 fps it packs a walloping punch
Donald Vadasy we use the TTSX for great effect in 308 and 270wby. It’s a thumper of a bullet.
Marky
John1911 Gun Blog I had an opportunity to purchase 9 boxes of Corbon DPX solid copper for my .280 Remington loaded with 140 grain . Corbon doesn’t offer the loads anymore ( of any sort ) for the .280 Remington. It’s a blessing of a round, essentially the same as the TTSX . I love it
Donald Vadasy nope trophy copper tip from federal
Mom and Dad gave me a 600 Mohawk in .243. That little Carbine shoots .5 moa with 4831 SC, once fired Federal brass and 95 gr Nosler Ballistic tip. A good front shoulder shot on a big mulie, followed by a lung shot leaves me not looking far to recover my deer. Best Christmas gift ever.
Great vid. A savage .243 was my first deer rifle. I sold it 'cause it was for kids. Years later I bought a .243 Ruger stainless boat-paddle, sold it for who knows why. Then more years later, bought my 3rd .243 (blue ruger 77). Other than 22lr's, the 243 is the only other round I've bought, sold and re-bought rifles in that many times on purpose, not just 'cause they were a deal, but 'cause it is a great multi-purpose round. I'll always have one on hand. Like others state, I also go "light" with a 85gr bullet for all uses in this caliber. Deer to miniwolves. Doesn't always exit on deer, depending on distance, but they drop like gravity multiplied, and they're insides are literally soup.
Great video as usual, I learn so much from your channel. Please keep making them!
Great video , I have taken many deer with the 100gr Nosler Partition up too 300 yds , .243 has never failed me . I do hunt alot with the 300 win mag but always come back to this great round .
I tease one of my friends, who is a life long mule deer hunter and his caliber of choice is the .243 winchester. He's 6'3" and has carried the .243 for over 40 years and has taken more 30"+ mulies than any man I've ever seen or read about.
My favorite cartridge for over 40 years.
I just bought a Ruger American Predator a couple of days ago in .243. As soon as I get to the store and buy some ammo, targets will be perforated. Fantastic videos GunBlue490.A lot of people on here should look at your videos, just to see how it's done.
Thank you very much for sharing your wisdom. I learned really a lot watching to your videos. You really seem to cover all I want to know about hunting rifles. Please keep on as I want to know everything you can share. Greetings from Germany!
Perfect summary of the 243.
Thanks for another great video! Love the .243!
Thanks much just starting out loading .243, looks like it going to be a lot of fun
Can't tell you how much I learn from you, your the best,!!!!
I loaded mostly pistol for 30 years just getting into rifle
Your knowledge and presentation is impeccable my friend 👌🏼I learn so much , thank you !
243 is great. i have hunted with it and it is accurate and i have not had a problem killing anything i have shot.
I enjoy watching your videos and have learned a lot more about guns since I started watching them. Thank you!
Just like 270, 3006, & 30-30 you can buy cartridges most anywhere & plain old 100gr. Corelocks shoot well in any if them for cheap - 243 Win. Is a great round - Great Review & Information on this fine caliper!
Another very informative video on a great round.
The only bad thing about a 243 is bullet holes keep finding bullet holes in your target so it’s kinda hard to tell just how accurate you really are when you always just are enlarging or going almost through the same exact hole because it is so accurate because it just absolutely does not hurt to shoot and it’s just so dependable
I wish I had your problem. I wish my shots all went through the same hole.
"That's all I have to say about the 6mm cartridge". Wow that is 90x more than the average person. Great video, thanks for the calm, non-bias information.
Thank you so much, I love the knowledge history and practicality you extend to us 🇺🇸
Another great video. Thanks. A few weeks ago I took my Cooper .243 on a deer hunt using Hornady Superperformance 95 grain ammo. I shot a deer at 225 yards through the shoulder, heart and lungs. He still ran about 80 yards before dropping. The shoulder was shattered and the bullet was found under the hide on the opposite side. Huge damage. I've since seen videos that show that a higher hit, about halfway up, will drop the deer where he stands. Also, at the range I found that the 95 grain Superperfomance was printing at a little over one inch. I tried the American Whitetail ammo at 100 grain and got 4 3 shot groups averaging .7 inches. And its cheaper too. You're right. The .243 is a great deer rifle and I'm sure I can use it for long range varmints with 58 grain ammo too.
I love your walk-up intro. It sort of reminds me of the old "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" series that aired between 1955 and 65. Your delivery, both deliberate and serious, is refreshing. Some people today try a little too much sensationalism in their introductions. That's just my two cents worth. Keep up the good work, sir.
My father gave me his Sako .243 and it's been in a closet for years. Not until lately I've taken it out and cleaned it obsessively. Thank you for this video.
I have the Forrester it a tack driver barrels r made machine gun barrel steel great gun
Thanks for the overview of the 243 cartridge.
I have used the 243 to bag more whitetail deer and ground hogs than I can remember,it is a great cartridge and I love it.
Steven DeAtley
Bought my first .243 three weeks ago.
I’ve enjoyed it immensely so far.
Great rifle, accurate as heck, and good shooting manners.
Great for squirrels and rabbits too.
This is a fabulous rundown on an exceptional cartridge. Prior to the 6.5 Creedmoor, this was and easily is the most popular Texas deer hunting cartridge along with the 270 Winchester. And I believe these two rounds will hold their traction long after the 6.5 Creedmoor leaves it's mark.
ive been looking forward to this thank you!
Great video! If this isn't the best review on the 243 on youtube, I have yet to see it!
Just got my sub. Been shooting the 243 since 01 when I was 9. Great cartridge for hunting, competition, or varminting. Once thing you didn't mention was the 6mm Remington was introduced the same year and though it could achieve higher velocities than the 243, rifles originally had a 1-12" twist and could not stabilize big game bullets.
I love my .243 win, I have taken a good number of large Red Deer Stags here in the UK upto 300lb+, I don't shoot much past 200yds and have never recovered a bullet, got a .308 win as well but 90% of the time take the .243, 100gn Game Kings, superb cartridge
I really enjoy you videos. I’ve been hunting for 50 years. I appreciate you discouraging the unethical behavior going on with all these 500 - 900 yard shots. Some ego shooters are turning the hunting of a deer into a target match with no regard for the creature. We should always be more mindful of what puts the deer down fast than how far we can hit a deer.
@@tun0fun The problems are that 1) most people can't make those shots in the field (while they might be able to make them on the pristine target range) and 2) animals have a tendency to move more than paper or steel, and a time of flight approaching 1.5, 2, or more seconds is plenty of time for an ethical kill to turn into a horrific non-lethal wound because an animal lifted its head or turned its neck, and 3) many shooters are taking target bullets into the field, instead of properly constructed hunting bullets (such as Nosler partition), which further degrades lethality especially at long range.
@@tun0fun Good luck with a prone shooting position on a mat with your bipod in the field. Maybe at some private ranch with pet animals that have no predators and have been pumped up with high-protein diet. Children aren't shooting 300PRC or 338LM, and not many are humping 338LM out for a hunt. 1500ftlb is about the minimum for ethical deer killing. "Several inches" of penetration is great for chipmunks and rabbits, when you step up to pronghorn, elk, and heartier animals, target bullets create a mess.
@@tun0fun Man, you need to get out on a backwoods spot & stalk sometime. Tripod? C'mon. That's not hunting. I'm entirely confident of making those hits, I've shot PRS and other long range comp for years. No, you don't want a mess. A mess means spoiled meat, blood clots, bone fragments, metal fragments, hair and grizzle everywhere. The idea is to bring home as much meat as possible, including the heart. Look I'm not going to convince you, but the old timers knew it and someday, the newer generation will "re-discover it."
After a bullet has gone over 400 yards it will slow down so much that it won't do what it was intended, might not mushroom and put enough energy into the animal and it would limp away 10 miles and you probably wouldn't find it
A 6.5 creedmore bullet only has 180 lbs of energy left at 1000 yards, that's not going to work. If you want to long range hunt get a 300 wm, 7 mm mag or a 338 maybe
Great presentation. That was quick!
I took my first little bull elk with my Grandpas .243 Savage. That was 32 years and dozens of full freezers with the same rifle.
This is the only caliber I use for deer hunting, I always place my shot high up on the neck and they drop in there tracks giving a quick and humane kill with no meat waste. I live in Northern Minnesota.
@Lightning Strike another fellow neck shooter with 243 here. Humane kill, no meat waste and not bloody.
I love your videos. So we’ll done and informative, thank you!
I enjoy your analysis on different cartridges. Would love to here your thoughts on bullet weight and barrel twist rates. Partially on the 22-250. Thanks.
Great video, again! Thanks!
Dear Sir,
There must be a lot of winter weather in New Hampshire because your brilliant videos are coming in faster then Santa's reindeer.
I recently purchased a Sako Forrester .243 which I believe you shot a Sako as a youth.
I am restoring this wonderful firearm and I am excited as the process gets nearer to completion so I can experience the beauty and function of this classic rifle.
Thank you again for your continued video education series that gives me such an abundance of foundation knowledge on the greater history of firearms, calibers, and weapon theory.
I know it is just the tip of the iceberg, but your have been an invaluable resource and mentor.
Merry Christmas to you and your family
Sincerely,
Captain Rodrick L Mansberger
Merry Christmas to you Benny
Wow....awesome. These are just terrific😊
The 243 was so good it made three cartridges obsolete: 250 Savage, 257 Roberts and the 244 Remington {although the latter was Remington's fault}.
also the 6mm rem
These videos never get old.
Knowing the trend in the US toward new and better, if we renamed the 243 to 6mmO8, given its performance, we wouldn't be able to find ammo on shelves. Great video about a great cartridge. Hope you had a great Christmas, too.
There’s a bright future for you in marketing!
Ha Ha good one. Think up a sexy name for it and the young guys will eat it up!🇨🇦🤠
I’m not sure I concede your point. 243 is one of the top selling cartridges. As gunblue said, it’s probably the most successful non military cartridge. However it does have it’s limitations as a hunting cartridge.
Me and my mates refer to it as the 6mm Creed-less! I love my .243W, perfect cartridge for Australia
The best non-military deer round going......and many other game too. Great vid
Warren Page did for the .243 what Jack O'Connor did for the .270
Jack also highly recommended the .243 in one of his books.
What Dirty Harry did for the .44mag.
A fellow I worked with just praised his .243 Winchester Remington 700. He liked the Remington 100 grain Core-Lokt cartridge. I liked the Browning A-bolt in 30-06. I convinced him to start reloading since he retired. Just before the COVID plague, Wal-mart put the Core-Lokt on sale for $10.77 per box of twenty. I was able to convince him to buy 200 rounds to start and then he would have plenty of brass when they were expended. I suppose he has had a comfortable time shooting since the ammo shortage as a result of his action. This week, I will pick up my gunbroker Winchester Model 70 in .243. Bullets, dies, primers, and powder are already on the bench. Life is good!
as usual terrific!!
Great info, thank you! 🍻
Another great video. Thank you.
Thanks for a great informative video, I can see you know your stuff. Good luck hunting!
Glad I stumbled across this channel!
I love the .243 Winchester. I have a Remington 700 BDL in .243 and even with the plastic buttplate, the recoil is very mild. It's so comfortable to shoot and I think that really helps a shooter be more accurate since it's easier to control flinch.
That is my issue, saw a seasoned hunter 'pull at shot' I suspect b/c he knew the recoil of the 270, which I admit is not 'horrible' but pull it he did. Also shot 3 or more deer this season but not find a one. I think not worrying about the 'bang' of a 243 will be an asset.
This guy has a straight up Boston accent! Hilarious. He sounds [and dresses] like an old Boston cabbie friend of mine. Priceless. I guess you had to be there! Down by the banks of the River Charles. I love that dirty water, O Boston, you're my home!
I found Warren Page's book on ebay, just ordered it, great video. I'm looking for a .243 for hog hunting. Thanks for your great videos, very instructive and detailed
Love the 243. My first deer rifle was a Winchester 88 in 243
A family member that passed away use to load me some special rounds with a 120 grain bullet from the 6mm.. worked very well for the under 200 yard hunting I did with it.
Great video. Thank you.
Swift makes a 90 grain A-Frame bullet in .243 (6mm). Inside 100 yards, I think Deer becomes Venison in fairly short order.
Great vid.. I own a Remington .243 .. Lovely rifle.
Another great video. God bless you too sir.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge
I have not given the .243 a chance at deer yet. I have shot quite a few coyotes with it. Coyotes only go straight down when they get hit. I shot the 75 grain at 200 yards at a 1/4" plate of steel. It went through that and a 2x4 behind it. That is great energy at that distance. With a good shot you can use a legal .22 diameter. The knowledge you share and know is amazing! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Love the 243. Excellent round. See no reason for another caliber
When I got my wife a 243, I started hunting with one too, and so did my dad. We also got this caliber for the kids. With very low recoil, there is no flinch, and with premium loads, or handloads of 95-100 grain bullets at 3150, we regularly take deer out to 400 yards, mostly dropped in their tracks. Once and a while, they will go 30 yards. This year my teenage son took a doe at 90 yards opening weekend, then a buck larger than I ever took in the 150 class at 296 yards after stalking in from 600 yards. If can get steady, and put that bullet in the double lung area broadside, you will have a great time taking deer from 25 yards to 400. I wouldn’t push this caliber past 400 even though some recommendations say 800 ft-lbs is all you need. Beyond 400 yards, the animal can do a lot of movement before the bullet gets there. (I made the poor decision of taking a deer at 600 yards when I was a teen with a 270 win, and can say from experience the time delay to impact means a lot of movement can happen with a perfectly placed shot).
My favorite hunting rifle is my Mannlicher-Schönauer 1954 in .243. It is easy on the shoulder and with a well-placed shot will take anything I’ll ever see in the woods (New England). I just love .243. The only thing I might switch to would be a Mannlicher in 6.5MS. But I don't have that kind of money these days a guy can dream though.
I have a old Winchester 70 in .243 it was my 1st rifle and will probably always have it shoots pretty amazing even with factory ammo plus it's usually the only .243 in any group I'm with so always makes for conversation
I loved my 243 . It was a great "do it all " cartridge .
My only criticism of it was was that it was hard on brass when reloading . I found that it would stretch cases and I was only able to get 2 or 3 reliable reloads from each case. I used to chase the highest muzzle velocity for each bullet weight while maintaining MOA accuracy or better out of my Sako sportster.
I took over the 243 I bought my wife years ago and never lost a deer. It has performed way better than .270 on the 260 for me. 90 percent have dropped in their tracks from 25 yards to 400 yards using 95-100 grain soft point, fusion bonded, or ballistic tips. Those that didn’t drop in their tracks only went 30 yards. My whole family uses it after seeing the success 23 years ago which makes it easy to keep ammo organized between us. We have also have used it in thick brush by shooting in the small windows.
I wondered into a pawn shop this afternoon and found a Winchester model 70 XTR featherweight 243 for $325. I checked the serial number and it was manufactured in 1978. Bore is in great shape. Needs to be re blues and the stock needs to be refinished. Came with a set of Leupold 1 inch rings. I think it’ll make a fine hunting rifle for my wife. 😉
BigRedPower59 lucky find!
Another great video buddy thanks for sharing
Just dropped vby to say Have a Merry Christmas 2020 and Happy New Years to you and your family
Great info, thanks
GunBlue490 I researched the 243 Winchester for a long time, and everything I read matches what you said in your video. So picked up a Remington 770 in 243 with a 22 inch barrel, bough some Remington Core Lokt's 100 SP, put a dap of oil on the bolt, took it to the range right out the box the groups were the size of a quarter. Even my hand loads using the 100 gr Core Lokt's and the Sierra 100 GR SBT grouped as tight as the Factory Loads. The 243 Winchester was made the same year I was 1955.
My first centerfire rifle was a .243 770 that I got when I was 14. I'm 20 now and still have the rifle and for the cost it is a great gun. I've dropped every white tail that has came my way and pulled off some good 500= yard shots with the factory scope. Sadly haven't even looked at her in years...use to hang on my wall too
Well Pike as you and I both have found out the .243 is a great cartridge. Hunting many different size game and ive read where some guys are using the .243 in competition, and wining.
@pike - how far did they run after a 500 yd shot
Me too.......1955
Got the same gun upgraded the scope and put a bipod on it and a sling it's a good setup for under 350 I use Winchester white box 80s for ground hogs and Winchester 95 grain xps drops them fine
Thanks a lot of good info from everyone here and enjoyed the video as well. Stay Strong 💪
Great video, here in my Country when I was young, for many years the 243 was the most popular cal, now it's the 223 Rem. The rifle to have here in the old days, was the Sako L579 in 243, to find one in 308 Win, is just about impossible. 243's yes, you will find one, but in the last 20 years it's changed to the 308 Win, as the new heavy cal, than what the 243 was before in the 60's
Thanks for speaking on the 243! It is a great fun caliber. I know we're overwhelming you but, I would love to hear your thoughts on air rifles! One third of my collection and passion are air rifles. Great for pesting specially in suburban areas. A custom tuned air rifle is a must for every collection! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and work!
i learned so much from this video - so refreshing to hear from somebody so intelligent and knowledgeable - i subbed based on this 1 vid alone - i can't believe you don't have millions of subs - you're 1 of the best gun channels on youtube - thx a million - if i may, i'd like to know what scope you suggest - price is not important but nor is name brand - i just need something with good features (like fog proof) and that can take abuse cuz i'm a little hard on everything - thx again
I have used a number of fine scopes, but will unhesitatingly recommend my personal favorite, that I've used for over 50 years, Leupold. Their VX-1 or VX-2 scopes are compact, very rugged, and beautifully made for a lifetime, and are very competitively priced. Watch my How to Select Scopes video. For woodlands, I recommend 1.5 power at the lowest setting, and for all other practical hunting, a 2-7x is more than plenty (I have never shot any distant game at greater than 7X... Imagine seeing a deer at only 50 yards, which is the same view you get at 250 yards on five power, and 350 yards at 7 power), and can also be a good all purpose scope for woods, too. If you are just target shooting, you can get any power to zoom in, but remember that field of view quickly shrinks as power goes up, and field of view is the hunter's friend. Even a 1.5 crosshair on a 250 yard deer is a piece of cake. Simple is best, and less is more.
I had a 1.5-4.5 bushnell mounted on my 308 /99 Savage with open sight still on gun , because if you hunt in rain fog or low clouds & you look through the scope it appears like someone hung a bed sheet at the end of your gun, I have tipped it off hundreds of times and it has never changed point of impact
Great video. .243 is an excellent caribou rifle.
Hello another. 243 fan from new Zealand it's very popular down here for our large red dear. Most hunters I no tend to use norma 100 grain amo , really pack's a punch kills well.
Pretty much perfect for eastern woodland hunting from what I can tell.
I noticed the particular gun being used as example is sweet. I love my ruger modle 77,s and my ruger Americans. very sweet reliable guns.243 is a awesome caliber though I use to have a different atitude. I had a model 99 savage lever action mega years ago that I shot a doe three times and then she dropped. so for years I though not good enough. all due to I didn't know at the time the difference in ammo grains weight. wish I didn't get rid of that gun. stupid me. I now know the difference. I myself use my ruger in 308 but my better half ( my wife ) uses and love to shoot the ruger American in 243 with 100 grain federal powers hock ammo. very little recoil and knocks them down no tracking. and now playing with reloading use in the 100 grain nozzler. works well
Yes it is perfect all rounder with sweet kicks! its all about right bullet choice and shot placement. I have made couple of 150 meters Big wild bore kills and it punches way better than anybody why owns 30-06 thinks:)
I have a youth model Remington 700 ADL in 243. It's my favorite rifle. Small, light and effective.
I recently started working on an AR10 chambered in .243 Win. The idea behind the project is to have an effective, accurate hunting rifle that can double as a dedicated marksman rifle/semi auto sniper system in the event a need arises.
Great video !
Jan loves her 243 & so do I when the wolves come around & I cant afford to miss. 85 grain Sierra blitz drops em like thunder struck out to 600 yds. Jan blows ducks heads off @ 200. Loves her duck dinners!!
Not legal to shoot ducks with a rifle in Alabama
GREAT VIDEO MY .270 Winchester is my go to.........like the .257 Roberts is yours. The .270 is fine for deer and varmints in the hills and hollars of Tennessee.
I'm a little guy. When I was in high school I was 5'3" and around 90 lbs. In mid 80's when I was 17 I save up my money and bought my first center fire "big boy" gun, a Savage 110E in 30-06. I used it mostly for wood chucks and playing around. You couldn't even use it for deer where I lived (northern Ohio). Honestly it was a bit too much gun for me but I was young and didn't know any better and I got a great deal on it. I wouldn't say it hurt to shoot, I handle recoil pretty well. However it would throw me around quite a bit and if I wasn't careful I could get a scope in the head. Not as bad as my step dads remington pump in 30-06. That thing was pretty but man was it brutal to shoot. Later in life I picked up a Savage stainless model with a synthetic stock in .243. Man is that a nice rifle to shoot. I have owned a lot of guns over the years and that thing and my .17 HMR are by far my favorites. The kids drool over my AR-15 and Ruger precision .22 because they are tacti-cool I guess. For me that little .243 is where its at. Its stupid simple, very accurate and anyone can shoot it well.
As a result of happenstance I have taken the largest Antelope, Whitetail, Mule Deer, Elk and Moose of my 53 years of hunting the plains, foothills and mountains of Alberta with my 243. I don't mean to say it was my first choice, especially for the bigger game...but it did the job. And none of them was alive when they hit the ground. And it will drive nails at 500 meters.