Which caliber would you pick

[Burdy]

Given the choices and small amount of info, .243 is the choice.

 

[Bear44]

RedX, the OP didn't ask about hunting on safari in Africa.
Nor did he ask for a good all-around cartridge to hunt "any game animal in the lower 48 states."

Hayata, he did not ask about ringing steel at 1000 yards.
He said 100 yards most of the time, but he wants it to reach to 300 just in case.
And it's only for small and medium sized game. I assume that means up to a whitetail deer upvto 180 lbs, or a feral hog of similar size.

A 6.5 Creedmore is overkill. It's like using a 30-06 to hunt woodchucks or a 338 magnum to hunt elk. It may kill the animals, sure, but it it unnecessarily loud and powerful and EXPENSIVE used as such.
With 120 gr. bullets at 3100 f.p.s., and 2500 ft./lbs. of energy at the muzzle, this is a lot of wasted power to pop a coyote at 100 yds.

Hmm, you're obviously not of the school of "use enough gun". A 6.5 Creedmoor is not overkill for deer size game. Not at all. A 338 Lapua mag is way more than needed for elk, but if you're referring to the 338 Win Mag, that cartridge was developed specifically to hunt elk and is considered by many to be the perfect elk cartridge.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

6.5 is overkill for deer at 300 yards.
You could drop the velocity by 500 f.p.s. and the deer would die just as fast.
The velocity and high BC don't do you a damn bit of good under the circumstances the OP asked about.
Especially when this will also be a small game /varmint / predator elimination rifle too.

 

[Bear44]

6.5 is overkill for deer at 300 yards.
You could drop the velocity by 500 f.p.s. and the deer would die just as fast.
The velocity and high BC don't do you a damn bit of good under the circumstances the OP asked about.
Especially when this will also be a small game /varmint / predator elimination rifle too.

Our definition of overkill is different. Yours seems to be anything beyond minimum necessary. Mine is a round that does unreasonable meat damage on the game. I also think our definition of small game may be different. It is illegal in Georgia to use a center-fire rifle on actual small game animals, so I'm assuming the OP doesn't actually mean a game animal, but rather a varmint or predator. Meat damage is not an issue with these animals.

When selecting a cartridge for hunting, I always hope for the best, but plane for the worst. That's why my go-to deer rifle is a 300 WSM. If I ever have that monster buck in my sights, but all I have is a Texas Heart Shot or nothing, I'll drop him. Use enough gun... even for the worst conditions.

 

[Burdy]

6.5 is overkill for deer at 300 yards.
You could drop the velocity by 500 f.p.s. and the deer would die just as fast.
The velocity and high BC don't do you a damn bit of good under the circumstances the OP asked about.
Especially when this will also be a small game /varmint / predator elimination rifle too.

If 6.5 is overkill for deer, then what is the .270?
Velocity does matter, but honestly the 6.5 is not a high velocity cartridge, so I am not sure the point you trying to make...?
High BC, also translates into high Sectional Density in the case of the 6.5CM, which is very important in killing effectiveness and expansion.
Is the 6.5 overkill for yotes? Yes. But that is assuming you want nice clean pelts, otherwise, it doesn't really matter.
.243 for yotes and deer is the best choice here, add hogs to mix and I am back to the 6.5CM

 

[whiskerz]

.243 or 6.5 . I would probably buy a CZ or a Savage or a Howa.

 

[ngcsugrad09]

6.5 Creedmoor for the win.

 

[Edog537]

I'm wanting to purchase a new rifle and have narrowed down the calibers im interested in to the 22-250, the 243, or 6.5 creedmoor. It will be for hunting small to medium sized game at distances of no more tha 300 yards. Which would you choose and what manufacturer. Need price to stay under $800

Howa Mini Action in .223 - yes it kills deer handily with proper bullet selection. If your not comfortable with a .223 it is also made in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62x39.

If you stick with a .243 look for an older Remington Model 7 with the 18 1/2 barrel.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

.270's overkill for Georgia deer at normal distances of 100 yards, too.
At 300 it's still more round, more velocity, than you need.
Same for 7mm-08, and 7mm Rem Mag, and .300 Win Mag.
But all of them are good choices for deer, just not ideal for a close to medium range rifle that's for coyotes and groundhogs too.

Now, up the distance to 500 yards and the extra velocity is very useful, even necessary.

 

[BIKER13]

On WMA hunts 300 win mag.