Buying a new rifle for an antelope hunt but my also use it for Mulies and whitetail.
Whats everyones opinion? 243, 270 or other?
Thanks!
Whats everyones opinion? 243, 270 or other?
Thanks!
270 or 243
- Thread starter GOSHENGRUNTER
- Start date
Musket Man
Veteran member
Both good calibers. Im kinda partial to the 270 Winchester and it is what I shoot most of the time but if I was buying a new gun I would get a 270WSM. What do you have now? You dont need a new gun for antelope. I killed an antelope last year with a lever action 30-30 Winchester model 1894 made in 1896 with 1 shot!
6mm Remington
Very Active Member
Both you mention are good. Here are some more to consider.
6mm Remington
257 Roberts
25-06
7mm-08
280 Remington
6mm Remington
257 Roberts
25-06
7mm-08
280 Remington
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Checkout the Guns, Muzzleloaders, Ammo threads. There are lots of opinions and recommendations there.
Myself...25-06 is my caliber of choice for all deer and below sized animals.
Myself...25-06 is my caliber of choice for all deer and below sized animals.
Topgun 30-06
Banned
***25-06 is a very underrated cartridge and I'll put my heavy barrel Ruger M77 up against any of the others for up through deer sized game just like you mentioned. It's a necked down 30-06 in case the OP isn't real familiar with it. I reload 117 grain Hornady BTSPs and they buck the wind out in Wyoming better than the .243, which I also use mostly for antelope on down through varmints with 100 grain Hornady BTSPs. The thing I like about the 25-06 is that it has plenty of poop way out there, but the recoil is such that I could shoot it all day off the bench. For bigger game than deer I move up to several 30-06s I have and all three of them are fed 150 grain Hornady BTSPs.
sticksnskullsia
New Member
My wife has killed mule deer, whitetail, and pronghorn with her .243. You have to be confident in what you shoot. I've been using a 7mm-08 the last few years and really like it.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I have been shooting a 25-06 since the early 60's before it was a factory cartridge, called a .25 Neider then. Bought a new Ruger M77 in 25-06 in 1976 and have been shooting it since then. Like you, I really like the 117 BTs, but I shoot Sierra bullets. I have shot over 50 deer and probably that many antelope. Also use it on wild hogs too. Hard to beat it.
Thanks everyone for their help. I don't see many people mentioning the 270...any reason why in particular? Keep in mind most of my rifle hunting has been done in KY where 200 yards is the max- that said im very confident behind a bolt gun.
I have a 30-30 and know I don't NEED another gun but I cant let an excuse to buy a new rifle go to waste!!!
I have a 30-30 and know I don't NEED another gun but I cant let an excuse to buy a new rifle go to waste!!!
I personally shoot a 243 for antelope and whitetails. I've found an 80 gr TTSX load in front of Ramshot Hunter that shoots about 3415 fps. I've yet to catch a bullet from about a dozen animals I've taken with this combination over the last 3 years out to roughly 275 yards. Very reliable and I have 100% confidence in this load.
I also have a 7mm-08 and would look at it as my secondary rifle for your use.
I also have a 7mm-08 and would look at it as my secondary rifle for your use.
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Topgun 30-06
Banned
***If I was going on up to a .270 I'd just go ahead and buy a 30-06 because for all around game on the American continent, except for possibly the big bears, it's the perfect one with lots of bullet weights available depending on the animal you're hunting. That's why I have it as my username and I have three real good ones in my safes.
Elkoholic307
Banned
I see and hear questions like this fairly often... 243 vs. 270
Whatever happened to the 6.5? In my opinion, it's better than both.
Whatever happened to the 6.5? In my opinion, it's better than both.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Antelope aren't tough. Any of these calibers will work well out to MPBR.
If going past there, I would go with a 6.5 or 7 of just about any flavor for the better BCs.
If going past there, I would go with a 6.5 or 7 of just about any flavor for the better BCs.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
florida boy
New Member
- Aug 21, 2012
- 8
- 0
I like the 7mm-08. Have used it on Wt's for about 6 years, antelope year before last. Low recoil, flat shooting with good bullets.
I think it is under- rated. Often thought of as a round for kids or women because of low recoil.
I think it is under- rated. Often thought of as a round for kids or women because of low recoil.
Musket Man
Veteran member
Any legal caliber with a good bullet will kill them as long as you hit them in a good spot. IMO the caliber and gun you choose is more of a personal choice then anything.
Im not at all familiar with 6.5's. Ill have to do some research. Will the 6.5's suffice for mulies as well? Im pretty familiar with the 7-08's ans know they can do the job but i wasn't sure on the flatness of the bullet
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
While I don't own one, or have any field experience with the 6.5's, I do hunt with friends that do and they love them. I studied the ballistics on Hornady's and others websites and reloading blogs and found that beyond 300 yds. the 6.5 Creedmoor retains more velocity and energy than any comparable short action cartridges. The .308 and 7mm/08 are the ones the Creedmoor outperforms.
And does it with less recoil than either. Ammo is harder to find if you don't reload I suppose, I do so that's not a factor for me.
I plan to buy a rifle in 6.5 as soon as I find a smoking deal on one, or if one goes on sale. Ike & Guy Eastman both shoot 6.5's.
I shoot a DPMS in .260 Rem (6.5) and love it, so I purchased one for my wife, a Remington Model 7 (youth/womens model 700 basically) and I really like that gun too. Both are very accurate and have good long range capabilities. Low recoil, and plenty of knockdown for a deer or antelope. She has killed two deer so far with hers and I've killed numerous coyotes with mine. I reload and haven't had any problems getting supplies for it. I do believe the Creedmoor is a little better for long range than the 260 rem. but I have had 0 complaints. The .260 rem is a .308 sized down or a .243 sized up. Here is this years buck that fell to her 260.
I'd lean toward the 270 since you mentioned muleys and whitetail also. I have used both the 243 and 270 with good results on many animals. The heavier bullet the 270 will push at the same speed penetrates much better on tough angles on large bodied deer. I use the 140gr accubond and have taken muleys at hard quartering angles, plus my best elk with them. I really like the 243 and shoot it a bunch, especially for coyotes and on antlerless deer hunts. I am not worried about the buck of a lifetime giving me a hard quartering shot there, I wait for perfect broadside shots and it works great. I use 100gr Sierra Gamekings, but have some 90gr accubonds I'd like to try.
The 6.5 is great, my 264 win mag is my favorite rifle. The 270 is much lighter so it goes to the steep country, the 264 gets used for all my plains hunting. It or any of the 6.5's are plenty for muleys.
If you shoot factory ammo throughout the shortage 270 win was the only thing available every time I checked around home. That's also a pretty good reason to own one.
The 6.5 is great, my 264 win mag is my favorite rifle. The 270 is much lighter so it goes to the steep country, the 264 gets used for all my plains hunting. It or any of the 6.5's are plenty for muleys.
If you shoot factory ammo throughout the shortage 270 win was the only thing available every time I checked around home. That's also a pretty good reason to own one.