# 243 vs 308



## mb5oaks (Feb 2, 2007)

I'm buying a new tikka t3 in either 243 or 308 for fox/coyote and parrie dog, bascialy a multi-use, long range, accurate rifle. I want a bullet that is going to be somwhat hard hitting(i don't care about the pelt, so let the damge be done), I also want a acurate and somewhat flat shooting rifle with somewhat cheap ammo. I'm stuck between the 243 and the 308 only. Any help in the issue would be great. thxs


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

308. It'll do the job on deer as far as most care to shoot. Milsurp brass case FMJ's for practice are dirt cheap (tougher to find right now due to Iraq). Recoil is fairly mild. Lots of choices for factory ammo too.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I have shot a 243 winchester for years. I have never lost a deer that i hit, but I limit my shots to under 300 yards. I use a Hornady 100 gr. bullet for deer and either a 58 gr. hornady v-max or a 85 gr. Sierra Spitzer for coyotes. When I used to hunt for fur, I used a Sierra 90 FMJ bullet, very accurate. I use 4895 powder and it varies a little with the bullet. I know alot of people won't like this powder(to hard to cycle thru a measurer), but I have gotten good results. I scale each load.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

If you don't care about the fur the choice would be easy for me, 308. I have owned five or six 243's For people with one rifle who want to shoot everything from prairie dogs to deer, and are sensitive to recoil the 243 would be hard to beat.
However, I often shoot prairie dogs with a 308. You don't want to run a lot of rounds through large calibers so I often have a 270, 308, 300 Win mag, a 22-250 and a 223 that I can put more rounds through without getting it hot. I don't shoot a lot of rounds at prairie dogs through those large calibers I just like to do it once in a while to stay familiar with their trajectory. I like a ballistics chart, but it will not replace field shooting and experience.


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## philt612 (Jan 3, 2007)

:sniper: 
have had a lot of luck with 243, shot lots of deer and a bunch of coyotes
does a good job on both although bullet placement is way more important
than caliber

Question? does size really matter? :withstupid: 
answer not if you can shoot straight!! :beer: [/quote]


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> Question? does size really matter?
> answer not if you can shoot straight!!


That will only get you so far. Try something big with your 243. If size doesn't matter I want to watch you shoot cape buffalo with your 243. I know that is an exaggeration, but it was meant to make a point. 
I will agree with you that bullet placement is paramount, but the difference will come when you are slightly off, or the animal is to large for a 243. I have shot a dozen deer with a 243. I'm not being a smart a$$, how many have you shot with a large caliber? You need to experience both.
I shot deer this fall with a 223, 22-250, 270, and 44 mag. I had doe permits and was experimenting with X bullets in the small calibers.


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## sasquatch2000 (Feb 2, 2007)

Plainsman said:


> > ...I shot deer this fall with a 223, 22-250, 270...


I say split the difference and get a .270 or similar if big is what you want.

That said, .223 is probably more appropriate, and also most likely cheaper to shoot.


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## mb5oaks (Feb 2, 2007)

Thanks guys for all your help. But in the end what would you decide to shoot. a 243 or a 308?


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Philt612, I wasn't trying to be harsh with you, I hope you didn't take it that way. You are right about bullet placement being the most important thing. I see you are new, so let me be the first to welcome you to nodakoutdoors.


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## philt612 (Jan 3, 2007)

I don,t use a 243 all that often anymore, I have many rifles I use 
this year I shot a doe with a 243 Encore pistol and 2 does with a Encore 300 win mag, totally agree if you got something bigger USE IT but a 243 will easily kill whietails with a good shot!
I am not bent it was just a opinion right

its friday have a :beer: talk to ya later bud :sniper:

if you are only using for coyotes and possibly deer I personally would choose a 243, since I do not own a 308 and I have two 243s


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## sasquatch2000 (Feb 2, 2007)

mb5oaks said:


> Thanks guys for all your help. But in the end what would you decide to shoot. a 243 or a 308?


Given only those 2 choices for fox/coyote/prairie dog, I'd take the 243.


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## mb5oaks (Feb 2, 2007)

Thanks again guys, and thxs plainsman for the welcome. I have one more Q if you don't mind. whats better, 22-250 or the 243. thanks again guys.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

go back to the original question. 243 or 308 for fox,coyote and prairie dog. 308 would be a little large but very accurate, 243 would be the perfect choice of the two. Just match your gun to the game being hunted, and go have fun. The 243 is very versitile with the all the bullet choices. try the 58 grain v-max Hornady for prairie dogs, they really fly good. I had some problems with them killing coyotes, but it may have been me.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

22-250, 243, thats a toss up. a little less wind drift with the 243, a little more feet per second with the 22-250. more bullet choices with the 243. I have killed several deer with a 22-250, but I feel it is a little small.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I went back and looked at your original post. I don't know how I got off on the deer tangent. If your not shooting over 300 yards don't forget the 223. Coyote hide is much tougher than fox. I would go 223 if your going to shoot a lot of fox, 22-250 if your going to shoot a lot of coyote, and 243 if your going to have to shoot under windy conditions. They will all do a good job on prairie dogs. If you don't care about the pelt, and you don't have any of these rifles, get the 243. Down the road if you choose to shoot something bigger the 243 is more versatile. 
Cheap to shoot 223
Flat trajectory and fast 22-250
Versatile 243


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## sasquatch2000 (Feb 2, 2007)

mb5oaks said:


> Thanks again guys, and thxs plainsman for the welcome. I have one more Q if you don't mind. whats better, 22-250 or the 243. thanks again guys.


It sounds like you don't know what you want. Given those two, I'd take the 22-250. But then your next question is 223 vs. 22-250 in which case I'd take the .223.

Then, you have to ask yourself what about the .204 Ruger. It does everything the .223 does, only faster, right? The only downside is the ammo might be a little tiny bit more; but that won't matter anyhow if you reload.

Good luck.

(P.S. I'm also trying to decide, but coming up from the .22Mag to .22 Hornet to maybe .223, but I am shooting at maybe a shorter range than you as well which is maybe 75-100 yards.)


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## J154Fry (Oct 29, 2006)

Personally, I would go with the .243 if you only wanted it predator/praire dogs. I hunt with a Rem. M700 chambered in .243 shooting 60gr. Nosler Partions and it will put down any coyote you'll come across. Since you don't care about the pelt this is a pretty ideal bullet. It may not be a ballistic tip, but when you hit something with it you would swear it is. It does a damn nice job.

happy hunting

J.Fry


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