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The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker #7768262 03/11/20 12:45 PM
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Texas Dan Offline OP
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Took this hog yesterday evening using my Savage Axis XP II chambered in .243. I picked the rifle up several years ago when Academy had them on sale with thoughts I would make it my utility rifle. The .243 carries one heck of a punch for such light recoil that I'll never understand why so many seem to opt for the much weaker .223. Yes, the folks at Savage continue to roll out firearms that perform as good or better than higher-priced models, and they're made right here in the old USA.

All three of these hogs were taken when my Savage .243.

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Last edited by Texas Dan; 03/11/20 01:05 PM.

"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7768285 03/11/20 01:18 PM
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I searched high and low for steel cases .243 Win ammo - can’t find any...

Cheapest factory rounds are $ 14.99 a box for the PPU

That’s why people choose .223 over .243 - Economy shooters in high volume applications come out looking smarter.

I like .270 win too - same dilemma


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Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Pig_Popper] #7768313 03/11/20 01:45 PM
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Texas Dan Offline OP
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Originally Posted by Pig_Popper
I searched high and low for steel cases .243 Win ammo - can’t find any...

Cheapest factory rounds are $ 14.99 a box for the PPU

That’s why people choose .223 over .243 - Economy shooters in high volume applications come out looking smarter.

I like .270 win too - same dilemma


Yes, I can see that being a key driver for those who reload and want something more for the range. When it comes to taking down a large boar hog, I like something that carries a greater punch in terms of bullet weight and the powder behind it, while still being light on a 61-year-old shoulder.

The next time I'm at the range shooting my .243, I'll see if there are any reloaders nearby who might want the brass.

Last edited by Texas Dan; 03/11/20 01:52 PM.

"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7768337 03/11/20 02:22 PM
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Not sure about which cartridge is the most overrated, but I think the 243 might be the most underrated. I don’t own a 243, but often hunt with my 260 and 100 gr bullets. It seems to take down deer and hogs as well as the 120 gr bullets I use most often. MV of the 100’s in my 260 is around 3000 FPS, and I know a 243 can equal that.

And, before deer season, I showed my neighbor how to reload 243 for himself, and he used 100 partitions. He and his daughter killed a few deer, and later got some hogs. Since he had never cleaned a deer, I helped him with the first one, and was impressed by the wound channel that partition made. More destructive than I had expected.


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Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7771182 03/13/20 08:29 PM
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I don't mean to turn this into one of those passionate caliber discussions that go south, but I will throw in my $0.02. I spent my childhood hunting in South America with a .243 and shot every large animal there except for jaguars. I think calibers sometimes fade, marketing for the latest fad round kicks in, and over time people switch over. As Pig Popper pointed out, economics AND availability come into play, too. I spent a ton of time researching the super trendy 6.5 Creedmoor and when you break it down to pure ballistics, it's not a significant enough upgrade from the .270 and 30-06 that I already own to buy a new rifle and scope and stock one more caliber. Nothing against the 6.5C, it's a great caliber and if you're just getting started it might be a wonderful hunting caliber.

A lot of people out there believe in heavier-than-needed calibers (especially for hogs) but ultimately, it falls to personal preference.

I loved the .243 I grew up hunting with and put down a lot of deer, hogs, capybaras and tapirs with it.


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Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7771332 03/13/20 10:43 PM
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And I thought this was about the .378 Weatherby ...


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Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7771412 03/13/20 11:58 PM
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I really like .243 myself. Never lost and animal shooting the 100 grain Hornady American Whitetail ammunition. At $20.00 or less per box it’s economical enough for me.

Not sure if they’re the most underrated, but Ruger has been putting out some real winners. The Ruger American, Ruger Precision and Ruger PC Carbine are some great rifles. Not the prettiest rifles, but highly functional and accurate.


Last edited by bigjoe8565; 03/14/20 12:02 AM.
Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7771415 03/14/20 12:00 AM
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A lot of the time a smaller caliber kills better than a bigger caliber because of the nut behind the trigger. Small diameter bullet put where they should be put trump big diameter bullets because of placement. I have always felt that a lot of hunters would shoot better & kill more by down sizing the cartridge they shoot. Thanks Daniel





Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7771834 03/14/20 02:35 PM
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.243 Winchester was StepDads goto and serious hunting rifle.
He hunted hard with it until he couldn't hunt anymore and almost always brought home venison with it.

It was one of my Brother's favorites too until later when he got wrapped up in a matched set of Remington BDLs in 22-250, 25-06 and 7mm.

When you suck at accuracy, it's very easy to blame your caliber as being inadequate.
It's also easy to shoot groups off the bench while held in place by bags and gadgets.
That's how you check the accuracy/grouping/sight in of your rifle.

After you get sighted in, shoot it without the bags and gadgets just like you are hunting with it.
Try it and you will probably see a slightly different POI than a fully supported rifle.


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Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Exiled] #7772573 03/15/20 02:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Exiled
I spent a ton of time researching the super trendy 6.5 Creedmoor and when you break it down to pure ballistics, it's not a significant enough upgrade from the .270 and 30-06 that I already own to buy a new rifle and scope and stock one more caliber.


The 6.5 Creedmoor is definitely a "me too" rifle, along with the Hornady 140-grain ELD-X ammo that so many tout with equal passion. I purchased a Savage Model 110 bolt-action Creedmoor just to see what all the hype was all about and found the round to extremely finicky, something that others have quietly discovered as well. Never seen any caliber that will scatter groups of different loads as widely as the Creedmoor. It was during my last trip to the range that I saved a guy from buying a new scope when he couldn't get his new Creedmoor to group as he thought it should. I told him that while every caliber will produce groups with some variance using different loads, he might find his Creedmoor will shoot a group that falls off the paper. I guess such inconsistency from one load to the next is the price you pay for caliber designed to punch holes in paper with a specific load at extended distances. Try something a little different and you're suddenly checking screws and bases. Thankfully, a little trial and effort using different loads ended up pointing me to Winchester's 125-grain Deer Season XP ammo. I found it to perform as good or better that the heavily worshiped Hornady loads and at a much lower price.

Last edited by Texas Dan; 03/15/20 02:52 AM.

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Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7772616 03/15/20 03:32 AM
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cheers got the Savage .243 & .270
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Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7772674 03/15/20 12:12 PM
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The wife and one daughter hunt with a 243. They both shoot heavy barreled rifles and love them.


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Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: DLALLDER] #7774705 03/17/20 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by DLALLDER
A lot of the time a smaller caliber kills better than a bigger caliber because of the nut behind the trigger. Small diameter bullet put where they should be put trump big diameter bullets because of placement. I have always felt that a lot of hunters would shoot better & kill more by down sizing the cartridge they shoot. Thanks Daniel


x2 up

Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7775499 03/17/20 11:27 PM
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Remington 700 .243, 100 grain Remington Core Lock ammo, $11.87 at Walmart. Cheap and efficient! Deer, coyotes and hogs. Kills em dead in their tracks. It’s with me wherever I go on the ranch. I have a .223, Yes, it’s a great, flat shooting gun, but seem to have to chase em more with it than the .243. I know, bad shot! Can’t beat the .243!

Re: The most underated cartridge from the most underrated rifle maker [Re: Texas Dan] #7775897 03/18/20 04:44 AM
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243 is one of my go to rifles, I have several in 243, quality ammo available inmost places.


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