What's a Good Bolt Gun Caliber In-between 243 and 308?

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Oct 11, 2020

The two best calibers all around than can do all anyone can ask are the .22LR and .30-06 or .308 as an alternative. But...for an inbetween caliber that is a jack of all trades I'd say the 6.5x55 Swede. It's accurate to all reasonable ranges, easy recoil-wise and pretty well available...more so than some the more exotic and longer ranging calibers.

Biggfoot44 · Oct 11, 2020

The arguments for , and virtues of 6.5 x 55 , and 7 x 57 are essentially interchangeable . Either one would be a good candidate to Replace BOTH .243 & .308Win .

Straightbolt · Oct 11, 2020

7.62x39

JamesDong · Oct 11, 2020

TheOriginalMexicanBob said:
The two best calibers all around than can do all anyone can ask are the .22LR and .30-06 or .308 as an alternative. But...for an inbetween caliber that is a jack of all trades I'd say the 6.5x55 Swede. It's accurate to all reasonable ranges, easy recoil-wise and pretty well available...more so than some the more exotic and longer ranging calibers.

Spot on your top two but for practicality ammo availability. For a tweener if one must have them... maybe 7mm 08 or 243. If one wants to go big bore instead of a tweener 44 mag or something like that.

One should also consider punishment, I can shoot 150 06 rounds witout hurting, that's my limit... I had a 7mm mag and it stung pretty quickly, just uncomfortable to me. People whine about a Mosin, indistinguishable to an 06 to me.

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Oct 11, 2020

To me...Mosins hurt a lot more than .30-06...especially in carbine. The Mosin has a terrible stock design and that can make the difference...just like shooting a 1903 in a service S-stock against one in a pistol grip C-stock...big difference in how the recoil gets distributed.

Matlack · Oct 11, 2020

3006 is a nice all around caliber that everyone should have at least 1 gun in.

teratos · Oct 11, 2020

Matlack said:
3006 is a nice all around caliber that everyone should have at least 1 gun in.

I have a Garand.

Huuman · Oct 12, 2020

I feel like these OP starts these threads as an excuse to justify getting a new gun...which is totally fine!!! .270, .243, 25-06.... its not the caliber that make the gun. Its the joy of shooting it. If you want it, and have the money to get it (legally of course). Your friends in this safe space will always encourage you to buy it!

OLM-Medic · Oct 12, 2020

calicojack said:
I think you are right. To be honest, I am kind of looking for justification for collecting more riles. After all, if you are hunting here on the mid-Atlantic, why would you need anything more than a bow and a 20 gauge shotgun with a rifled barrel with a cantilever-mounted scope? (and maybe a black powder rifle).

If you were shooting further I would suggest something else, but for 250y max it's going to be the same result, unless you want to get a huge magnum caliber for the sake of energy.

erwos · Oct 12, 2020

OLM-Medic said:
If you were shooting further I would suggest something else, but for 250y max it's going to be the same result, unless you want to get a huge magnum caliber for the sake of energy.

This. 308 and 243 are all getting it done at 250yds, or even 500yds. Much more of your success is going to depend on your shooting skills and your ammo choice, plus your gun's inherent accuracy. I don't hunt, but I'd be damned nervous about trying to take an ethical 500yd shot at a deer if I wasn't shooting at 500 regularly.

I would wager to say VERY few people outshoot the realistic capacity of a full-power cartridge like 243, 308, etc., especially around here. I've done it with 308, but that was at extreme long range (1000+), and it arguably was more my choice of barrel length (20") than just the caliber.

DavidA · Oct 12, 2020

The answer for me is in short action 260 Rem. Flatter shooting great selection of bullets, moderate recoil. However to really take advantage of the cartridge you really need to roll your own. If you plan on buying of shelf AMMO then go with the 6.5 CM. Really close ballistics to the 260 Rem but you can find AMMO everywhere.

Long action 270 win. Have it barreled with a 1-8 twist. You can shoot everything from 100 gr to 170 gr bullets, varmints to moose. Everything in between. You can find AMMO and components everywhere but for heavies over 150 gr you are going to have to load your own. The recoil is significantly more than the short action rifles but where versatility is required the 270 is king.

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sgt23preston · Oct 12, 2020

Personally I think you have it completely covered with the .243 & .308...

hobiecat590 · Oct 12, 2020

Mdiesel said:
25-06

^^Second this^^^ My favorite whitetail round using 120 cor lokt. Laser beam accurate. Does not destroy meat kuje a 7mm mag. 2nd choice is 6.5 Swede.

From Gundata.org:

Ballistics and Drop for the .25-06 Remington
.25-06-remington

Cartridge Type: Rifle
Height: 2.494"
Width: 0.473"
Average FPS: 3123
Average Energy: 2360
Average Gr: 109
Recoil: 1.57
Power Rank: 3.4 of 20

The .25-06 Remington design was standardized from a wildcat round in 1969, and is based off a 30-06 Springfield cartridge that is narrowed down to fit a .257 (6.5mm) caliber round. The case was designed by Remington Arms Company, and is still currently in production. The ballistic performance based off three grain type velocities are 3,230 ft/s (100 gr), 3,000 (115 gr), and 2,990 ft/s (120 gr).

The .25-06 cartridge is a medium game hunting round that can deliver deep penetrating wounds on targets as big as deer up to 250 yards. The bullet can deliver clean kills on medium sized game up to the size of Elk, but works best on quicker kills with medium game such as deer. Rifle production for the .25-06 has slowed on the market, making the .25-06 lose ground over the years to other rifles, but the cartridges are still available and in use today.

There is multiple options for factory ammo purchases including types such as the 100 grain Core-Lokt, 90 grain Positive Expanding Points (PEP) which are used for varmint hunting. Other manufacturers such as Federal and Hornady also produce commercial .25-06 rounds for use. Hand loading brass is also available from Hornady, Sierra, Barnes TSX or XLC projectiles in addition to other types.

hobiecat590 · Oct 12, 2020

calicojack said:
I am leaning towards a 7mm Rem mag or 300 Win mag. If 7mm mag is sufficient, I would rather go that route. Still thinking it over.

If you are gong bigger, I prefer the 300 Win Mag. Less snappy than the 7mm Mag. I took a Black 450# Black Bear w/ one a few years ago. Both are great calibers.

Stevie Boy · Oct 12, 2020

I have a 7mm-08 that I like very much. One son has a .270 and the other son has a 25-06. My brother has one in 6.5 Creedmore. If you plan on using it for hunting, all of these (and others) will work just fine out to 250. I'm still partial to the 7mm-08 but I'd have no problem using any of the others if necessary.

E.Shell · Oct 13, 2020

calicojack said:
What do you think of the 338 Federal?

Almost as good, potentially a little flatter shooting, but I'm partial to the .35s...

One of the earlier posts said "250 yards", but later I see "...out to 500 yards"...

If you're looking to hunt out to 500 yards, you will want a flatter shooting cartridge than the .308 necked *up* to anything, and if you don't want to neck it down (.260 or it's ballistic twin/copy, the 6.5 CM) you really really should be looking at a 270, 280, .30-06, 7mm mag, etc..

IMO, a 7-08 isn't enough different from a .308 to provide any substantial advantage (bullet weights almost the same, velocities almost the same), while the .260/6.5CM will deliver noticeably less drop/drift, plus greater long range energy retention that increases as you get further out. The downside is the rather light bullet weights vs larger game, but this can be largely overcome with good bullet design/selection and precision placement. One of my former students quite successfully uses a .260 with Barnes bullets to cull elk.

Ilexopaca · Oct 14, 2020

I would look at the CZ American 557, especially if you are looking for value:

https://cz-usa.com/chambering/243-win/

It comes chambered in 243, 308 as well as 270, 30-06, 6.5CM and 300W short.

I have a CZ 550 FS in 6.5 Swede that I am very happy with. Well made rifle.

Maverick0313 · Oct 14, 2020

Try looking at the 6mm ARC. :-)

Speed3 · Oct 14, 2020

Maverick0313 said:
Try looking at the 6mm ARC. :-)

In a bolt platform, much better choices. In an AR platform, shows promise. I hope to have my upper this week.

D_S · Oct 14, 2020

260 or 6.5 CM... latter has a cool sounding name... almost same ballistics...7mm08 I love mine. but lots are available in the 24-30 cal range.. and depends on if you handload or not. 270 is a great round also.

What's a Good Bolt Gun Caliber In-between 243 and 308?

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