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Best Rifle Caliber For My Needs
- Thread starter Maverick0621
- Start date
LOL! Selection of the 308 has a lot more to consider that just ballistics. When talking about cartridges in this range of capability, 243 up to 308, the real effect on game of deer size out to 300 yards is so close that it's almost irrelevant which one you choose. The reason the 308 is so popular is actually because it is so popular. It's so common that the selection and availability of both ammo and firearms is better than any other cartridge in it's category. That's the deciding factor in favor of the 308. Also, the recoil of the 308 is still rather light, so unless someone is very recoil sensitive, the lighter recoil of the other cartridges really isn't much of a benefit.
As for exterior and terminal ballistics, I personally think the 270 is as close to a perfect deer cartridge as exits, but the other factors still make the 308 the winner for someone that is looking for a general cartridge for the purposes the OP listed.
Also, in the spirit of full disclosure, I am not recoil sensitive at all and prefer to be a bit over gunned so I can handle the unexpected or difficult shots better. My go-to deer rifle is a light weight 300 WSM bolt action. This is not what I would recommend to the OP.
25/06 would be my vote, shoots extremely flat, very light recoil and ammo is readily available.
Saying the .308 Winchester has a greater choice of loads available for it is like saying that there are more brands choices for size "AA" batteries than size "C" batteries, and you'll base your choice of portable radio on that factor.
WHo cares?
The .243 Winchester is one of the most popular hunting rifle rounds in the last half of the 20th century. It's EVERYWHERE. Midway USA's website shows 60 different kinds of .243 ammo in stock.
https://www.midwayusa.com/rifle-ammunition/br?cid=690
Now, there ARE 150 different kinds of .308 ammo, and even several 7.62 x 51mm on top of that, so what you say about "more choices" isn't WRONG. It's just irrelevant. 60 choices is enough for any hunting situation.
Some of those choices may include 105+ grain VLD bullets that can win national championships at 1000 yards.
(I've seen top-level champion John Whidden put on a demonstration shoot with his .243 match rifle, at 1000 yards.)
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017...-whidden-uses-243-win-for-long-range-shooting
If you looked up a few posts above yours, you'd see mine that contained these lines:
The .243 Win (with 85 gr. Nosler Partition bullet) still has 900 foot/pounds of energy at 300 yards.
The .260 Rem (with 125 gr. Nosler Partitition bullet) has 1500 foot/pounds at 300 yards.
I didn't bother listing the .308's kinetic energy at 300, but we can assume it's up there with the .260 Rem, quite a bit more than the .243 has that far out.
But still, I say 900 foot/lbs. is enough. Plenty of killing power at distance without unnecessary recoil.
P.S. I just ran the .308 numbers for energy at 300 yards.
150 grain ballistic tip bullets hit with 1640 ft/ lbs.
165 grain ballistic tips hit with 1660 ft./ lbs.
150 grain ballistic tip bullets hit with 1640 ft/ lbs.
165 grain ballistic tips hit with 1660 ft./ lbs.
7mm-08
Thank me after you shot one. Your shoulder will send me a gift basket. You can get a Bolt gun or a Browning BLR. It is a great caliber and easier on the shoulder than .308 and produces more velocity for distance shooting.
7mm-08's parent cartridge is the .308 so you can build an AR10 to fire it very easily. Just a barrel swap.
Thank me after you shot one. Your shoulder will send me a gift basket. You can get a Bolt gun or a Browning BLR. It is a great caliber and easier on the shoulder than .308 and produces more velocity for distance shooting.
7mm-08's parent cartridge is the .308 so you can build an AR10 to fire it very easily. Just a barrel swap.
Perhaps 900 ft/lbs is enough, but more energy in this case is nearly always better is it not? I'd rather have a large overkill of ballistic energy in a hunting situation than less and lose a wounded animal. Often conditions are not ideal (tired, cold, excited, buck fever, wind, brush, etc) so that larger 308 round with extra umph might save the day when a 243 would not have cut it.
One consideration I don't believe you touched on was rifle availability. I don't know of many choices for a semiauto (assuming we want one for hogs, fast follow-ups, flocks of deer lol) in 243 or 260 rem, while there are dozens of choices in 308.
I think the OP has lots of good choices for rifles/calibers. For me it has to be a NATO round *shrug*.
Dollar store water pistol full of piss and vinegar.
