270 or 243

[shootbrownelk]

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.

View attachment 7590

Wapiti, from what I've read the .260 Remington has a larger case capacity than the Creedmoor, but the Creedmoor has a longer neck so you can seat those long 6.5's deeper to fit in the magazine, but not encroach on powder charges. Pretty much equals in the field. I've narrowed down my search for a new rifle in either of these calibers.

 

[wapiti66]

Im not real certain because I haven't done much reading on it, but that makes sense. I don't think you would be disappointed with either. I liked the .260 simply because of availability of lots of brass (.308)...being it is my coyote calling gun of choice I sometimes sling a lot of lead out there. It's a heavy brute but it is solid on a bipod and coyotes don't stand a chance.

http://www.dpmsinc.com/assets/images/firearms/RFLR-65.jpg

 

[wapiti66]

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.

That's a good point if you do not reload, getting ammo is as important as anything as we've all learned.

 

[mcseal2]

Yeah, there are some really good factory loads for the 270, and even the standard "cheap" loads from the big companies are really effective on deer. At real long range in heavy wind (which being from KS you know all about) the higher BC bullets start to really take over.

I find running the ballistics program and shooting in real life that I'm better off deciding how far I want to be able to shoot and weighing that against how fast I need to be able to shoot. Until you get to extreme range the short time of flight a high velocity gives you often beats the efficiency of a slower, higher BC bullet.

For example for coyotes I use a 70gr ballistic tip from a 6mm at 3824fps with the Hodgdon Superformance powder. It lets me hold dead center out to 350yds and stay within the vitals, no guessing at hold-over, no dialing, just shoot. Past that the low BC has the velocity dropping off, wind drift increasing, and it's easier to make hits with some of my other rifles. Coyotes often feel safe enough to stop and look back for a second somewhere in the 250-350yd range where other hunters might pass on a shot. If I'm ready to shoot the instant they stop to look back I get a lot of dogs others don't. For an antelope or deer hunt I'm hopefully shooting prone or from a bipod at a animal with no idea I'm there, plenty of time to range it and use the wind meter and wind chart, dial the 264 correctly and send a 140gr Berger right where I want it. I can shoot farther with greater precision, but it takes more time to set-up properly for the shot.

Hopefully some of this will help the OP, really think about what you want the rifle to excel at and plan it accordingly.

 

[480/277]

243
257 Roberts
270
7mm08

pick one go kill stuff

 

[tdub24]

243
257 Roberts
270
7mm08

pick one go kill stuff

Or buy all 4 and kill lots of stuff.

 

[MWScott72]

If the question is between the .243 and .270, I'd go with the .270 which would be a better "all around gun" from varmints to elk. The 243 will kill elk, but you'd better hit them in the right spot, or you're in for a long track job (as with any poor hit on an elk). The .270, I believe, also shoots flatter, so there's not as much drop at distance. I'd just go with the .270 - especially if you want to hunt animals bigger than deer or antelope with it in the future.

This said, I don't have a .270 (but I want one REALLY bad). I do have a Win. .243 feather weight, and it shoots like a dream. My other favorite for deer/antelope is a Sako .25-06. IMO, that caliber is about as good as it gets for anything deer size and down.

 

[Bucky19]

I've shot whitetails with my 243 with a 100grain barnes x bullet and it knocked them down. They are a tough customer but it is all about placement. I wouldn't shoot more than a couple of hundred yards at anything deer sized with the 243. I do most of my hunting with a 7mm mag with a 140 grain barnes triple shock and it is awesome.

 

[Snydly]

As a former big game guide in Wy I really am partial to the .243. Just about everyone in my family has taken deer and antelope with the .243 with about 98% going down in their tracks no second shot needed. Some of us even use it for Elk although you have to know your gun and its limitations Sierra 100 grain bullet at about 3000 feet per second. Wife has needed a second shot once in 40 years on antelope and deer.

 

[Joseph]

My Tikka t3 featherlite in 270 win is my main hunting rifle, whitetail, mule deer, elk, and black bear. It's accurate, not terrible recoil and inexpensive to shoot. I would think the 270win is a more versatile caliber than the 243.

 

[Musket Man]

Guess Im gonna have to like the new guy from Canada since he likes the 270 Winchester! lol

 

[Orion/CO]

If you MUST pick ONE caliber to use for BOTH deer and antelope and those are your ONLY 2 choices then I would say go for the 270. However, as others have pointed out, if you are more flexible with your choices then I would agree with the 25-06 as a better option for both deer and antelope. My personal preference is to use a more optimal caliber for each, in which case I use a 243 for antelope, a 7mm mag for deer, and a 338 mag for elk.

 

[Joseph]

Guess Im gonna have to like the new guy from Canada since he likes the 270 Winchester! lol

My first big game rifle was a Savage 110 in 30-06, my little brother sold it while I was away overseas(we've had many discussions about that, even though it was 25 years ago forgiveness comes hard), my Tikka 270 was a present from my last employer when I quit, and my last new rifle I purchased was a 25-06rem. I guess I'm just partial to the 30-06 family, I'm thinking I would really like a 338-06 if I'm ever drawn for bison or grizzly. Whatever the OP picks whether it be a 243 or a 270, it's not really about the caliber it's more about shooting it well under all sorts of conditions and various (sometimes awkward) positions.

 

[Musket Man]

I find it very interesting that the 30-06 that was developed 108 years ago (actually 111 years ago when it started out as the 30-03) is still the caliber that every caliber developed since is compared to. With all the new technology in the last 100+ years we really havent come very far. Realistically if no other calibers had ever been made after the 30-06 there would be just as many dead animals today as there are with all the ones that have come out since then.

 

[MaxPower]

Win - Win. I own both and love both. I will say that the 270 provides more peace of mind if I'm taking a rare 300-400 yard shot.

 

[Ghostrider6]

My Tikka t3 featherlite in 270 win is my main hunting rifle, whitetail, mule deer, elk, and black bear. It's accurate, not terrible recoil and inexpensive to shoot. I would think the 270win is a more versatile caliber than the 243.

Joseph,

Getting ready to pick one of them up. Any issues with the trigger?

Read both good and some bad on the trigger.

Also, did you out a limbsaver recoil pad on it or staying with factory?

Thanks,

GR6

 

[D.Turvey Jr]

.270 hands down. I've personally taken everything from prairie dogs to bull elk with that caliber and it has worked flawlessly. Now that said, if you're interested in something other than one of those two, I would get a .30 cal of some sort. You can't go wrong with a good .30-06. As for myself, I am going to try a .300 WSM this fall.

 

[Fink]

Joseph,

Getting ready to pick one of them up. Any issues with the trigger?

Read both good and some bad on the trigger.

Also, did you out a limbsaver recoil pad on it or staying with factory?

Thanks,

GR6

The trigger on my T3 .270 is awesome. The gun is very accurate, and isn't too terrible to shoot, despite the light weight. I'll probably never buy another rifle. Unless I decide I need a GA Precision of course.

 

[Joseph]

Joseph,

Getting ready to pick one of them up. Any issues with the trigger?

I've had no issues with the Tikka at all. I've had it for 8 years now and it's been on quite a few mountains. I've never heard of any trigger issues with the Tikka T3, I left mine just the way it came out of the box. No creep at all that I can tell and very crisp. I left the gun totally the way it was, I don't find the recoil bad at all. I'll often put 20 rounds through it at the range and don't even notice. It is after all 'only' a 270. For a scope it came with a Bushnell Elite 3200 3x9 and it does the trick nicely so I haven't felt the need to upgrade that either. If you do buy one I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

[Ghostrider6]

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to picking it up this month. Going to put a Vortex scope on mine. We have been testing them and they are very good optics.