The mighty 243 Win

[Elmbow]

I couldn’t help myself, had to post this one for Bob Nelson/35 Whelen

 

[Ray B]

A 243, 30-06 & 338 Win Mag. I guess he's entitled to his opinion, but those aren't the three cartridges that I would choose for North America.

 

[Elmbow]

A 243, 30-06 & 338 Win Mag. I guess he's entitled to his opinion, but those aren't the three cartridges that I would choose for North America.

It was a poor attempt at humor given Bob Nelson’s strong aversion to the “puny” 243.
If you’re aware of who Tim Sundles is, he has been around the block a time or two and I value his opinion, but of course we all have our preferences when it comes to to rifle cartridges. I’m a dues paying member of the 35 Whelen and 358 Win club and have no use for the 338 WinMag.
When I reached “mental maturity” at the ripe age of 16, I put aside the $15 Krag my father had given me and spent a whopping $70 on a bubba’d 1903 chambered in 25-06, Bob Nelson’s 2nd favorite cartridge. It would split cases on the first firing but I didn’t care, it was a mighty mule deer slayer. I was a dyed in the wool 25-06 man for a few decades but then I discovered the 243 Win. Today I own three 243s and zero 25-06s

 

[BigSteve57]

My top picks for hunting USA are .243, 30-06 & .300 Win Mag. Oh I suppose if I were to ever hunt Grizzly Bear I'd use my .375 H&H.

One of my major considerations for hunting ammo is wide availability, not just ballistics.

 

[Daryl S]

Each to his own, of course. For me, don't need a .243, but a .17 Rem. for field rats, 6.5x57 or 55 or .260 works for deer-ish game and my .375/06IMP (.375H&H factory ballistics) for whatever I want to shoot with it, deer-ish and up. Also have a M86 and M76 for those animals as well.
Have smokepoles for squirrels to moose, .36 to .69 cal.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I couldn’t help myself, had to post this one for Bob Nelson/35 Whelen

@Elmbow.
That man is entitled to his misguide opinion. When he says he like the 30-06 it comes as @36-06. ( Is that a bit bigger than the Whelen or a bit smaller than the 9.3).
I think the bear he shot was a stuffed bear being pulled in a string. The reason it piled up was the person pulling it ran out of puff. Either that or the bear ran off laughing and died of laughter.
Im glad his wife takes hers out shooting fortunately he doesn't say what she shoots.
275 yards with a 243 dang I wouldn't trust one at 2.75 feet and that's just past the muzzle.
That boy in the video sure needs some guidance in how to save money for counselling.
Sell the wife's and his 243s and buy a 25-06 and a Whelen and he wouldn't need the 243,36-06 or the prissy 338.
Problem solved
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

It was a poor attempt at humor given Bob Nelson’s strong aversion to the “puny” 243.
If you’re aware of who Tim Sundles is, he has been around the block a time or two and I value his opinion, but of course we all have our preferences when it comes to to rifle cartridges. I’m a dues paying member of the 35 Whelen and 358 Win club and have no use for the 338 WinMag.
When I reached “mental maturity” at the ripe age of 16, I put aside the $15 Krag my father had given me and spent a whopping $70 on a bubba’d 1903 chambered in 25-06, Bob Nelson’s 2nd favorite cartridge. It would split cases on the first firing but I didn’t care, it was a mighty mule deer slayer. I was a dyed in the wool 25-06 man for a few decades but then I discovered the 243 Win. Today I own three 243s and zero 25-06s

@Elmbow
Should have stuck with the 25-06.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My top picks for hunting USA are .243, 30-06 & .300 Win Mag. Oh I suppose if I were to ever hunt Grizzly Bear I'd use my .375 H&H.

One of my major considerations for hunting ammo is wide availability, not just ballistics.

@BigSteve57
That's why God let us invent reloading.
You always have wide availability of ammo ( just take your own) plus you can modify the ballistics to suit yoursef.
If'n y'all have a 30-06 then why a 300 wm. The ought six is fine out to any sensible range or download the 300 to 06 levels.
Problem solved
Bob

 

[Surgeon1]

Well I'm no fan of the 243. For NA a 223, 25-06, 300WM or WBY and a 375. That takes everything from P-dogs to big bears. There are a lot of other calibers to fill in the gaps, but those would do it.
Some would add a 22LR but where I live and hunt a 17WSM fits the bill better. The various 204 cartridges are great too. I've taken almost as many Elk with a 7mm-06 Ackley Improved as a 300 Mag.
It was my favorite sheep rifle. Not a big 338WM fan but have a real soft spot for the 338 Lapua.
In Africa I hunt with a 300Mag, 375 H&H and a Double rifle (mostly 450-400 but 470NE I also occasionally use. My dream double is a 450 #2 or even a 450 3 1/4.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

More dead horses…

 

[Spartan5]

When hungry a dead horse will do, until it starts to turn

 

[Badboymelvin]

I think his choices are good...

 

[BigSteve57]

@BigSteve57
That's why God let us invent reloading.
You always have wide availability of ammo ( just take your own) plus you can modify the ballistics to suit yoursef.
If'n y'all have a 30-06 then why a 300 wm. The ought six is fine out to any sensible range or download the 300 to 06 levels.
Problem solved
Bob

No argument that one can load 30-06 to rival .300 WM. I've never done it. I have nothing against someone hand-loading at all. What little hand loading I've done for competition hasn't really made much of an impact for me.

However, I have no interest in reloading the ammo I take hunting. I have had ammo "lost" on airplanes, as have others, seen others forget their ammo after leaving it at camp prior to a 2 hr horseback ride etc... It wouldn't affect me but I recall issues with air travel and hand-loads. Don't some airlines forbid it?

So I simply want to be able to have the greatest chance of picking up matching factory ammo, say, in a rural hardware store, from another hunter etc...

I've already conceded the ballistic issues in this thread and elsewhere. This is personal preference.

 

[Elmbow]

@Elmbow
Should have stuck with the 25-06.
Bob

And suffer a lifetime of counseling Bob?

 

[Elmbow]

And suffer a lifetime of counseling Bob?

There was that one time hunting the Deep Creek mtns and I was right on the edge of the Goshute Rez. I hit a nice Mulie buck at ~400 yards with my 25-06 and 120 grain bullet (I don’t remember, probably Rem CorLokt) and it kept that buck from dropping off the side of the range onto the Rez. Never had any complaints with its performance on deer and pronghorn but always felt it was too much for rock chucks and varmints.

 

[Flbt]

I am thinking of getting 243
Modle 70 feather weight xtr.
But am looking at jes and a 358.
Put a low power burrs
Nice light short carbine that will do everything I really need a rifle for.

 

[Elmbow]

@BigSteve57
That's why God let us invent reloading.
You always have wide availability of ammo ( just take your own) plus you can modify the ballistics to suit yoursef.
If'n y'all have a 30-06 then why a 300 wm. The ought six is fine out to any sensible range or download the 300 to 06 levels.
Problem solved
Bob

I own three ‘06s and a 300 WSM. The ‘06s are all on the heavy side, Mod 70, Bergara B-14 and sporter 1917. 1917 is iron sights only, too damned heavy by itself to add the weight of a scope to it and the other two are 8 1/2lbs scoped. My 300 WSM is a Browning X-Bolt Speed, 7 1/2 lbs scoped and 8 lbs with a ti can on it. The lower weight and the 3050 fps MV with high BC 180s (Norma Bondstrikes) makes it my mountain climbing elk gun.
200 fps gives it a meaningful advantage over the ‘06 IMO. Sorta kinda the difference between the 358 Win and the Whelen

 

[cash_tx]

Spotted on Facebook. ;-)

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Spotted on Facebook. ;-)

View attachment 742334

I like this!


At least I can relate to it…

 

[wesheltonj]

Nothing wrong with a 243 in the Texas Hill Country. Small deer, small lead. South Texas where the deer are bigger, you had better be an excellent shot, not enough lead otherwise you lost your deer the brush.

My late father, thought it was excellent for Pronghorn, fast and flat.