.243 or 6.5x55

DylanNolan96

Hi guys buying a new rifle and would like you opinion on these in performance. I'd be shootin deer to eat so any opinions will help

ecr

I'm using a remington 243 with 100 grain bullets nice round imo any deer I've shot ddidn't have much damage to the meat the 243 is a good popular round

allan450

it depends on alot of factors so explain in detail what ground,deer ect ect you want it for

Boiled-egg

This will be interesting, I've just bought a 6.5.

DylanNolan96

allan450 wrote: »

it depends on alot of factors so explain in detail what ground,deer ect ect you want it for

A mountain range and mostly fallow but would like to know I could do the job on a red

meathstevie

DylanNolan96 wrote: »

A mountain range and mostly fallow but would like to know I could do the job on a red

They'll both drop red deer stone dead if you do the job of shooting properly. Hit a vital organ with either round and job done.

fabwing

These are both very capable guns but shot placement is key for humane dispatch,i have a 243 but wished on occasions that i had a little bit more.


meathstevie;92795497]They'll both drop red deer stone dead if you do the job of shooting properly. Hit a vital organ with either round and job done.[/QUOTE]

deerhunter1

DylanNolan96 wrote: »

A mountain range and mostly fallow but would like to know I could do the job on a red

Well then go for a 308 covers everything,ammo plentiful, soft recoil,very accurate

clivej

My advice is ALWAYS get more. Go look at what ammo is available first (more so in your local RFD). Then decide the calibre.

I've not shot the 243 but have the 6.5x55 and it's a nice soft round to shoot & will kill anything in this country


308 is as good as you could want

meathstevie

I plead guilty to some bias but a .308 can do what a .243 and a 6.5 Swedish can do and than some more.

When I was looking for a deer rifle I was in two minds between a 6.5 Swedish and a .308.

The 6.5 because of initial trajectory being virtually identical to .22 Hornet to which I was very accustomed and .308 because of versatility and cost of ammo.

When a pristine CZ550 in .308 was offered to me for less than €600 the deal was done.

I'm far from an experienced deer hunter but personally I wouldn't want to use much short of 150 grains for any deer as I reckon you're starting to rely on velocity and projectile expansion and the like a bit too much for comfort.

Call me old fashioned but I like the idea of unmitigated knock down power over higher velocities and ultra flat trajectories.

But as I said earlier, both rounds on your shortlist will do the job with competent shooting.

1shot16

Just to say if the price of 243/6.5 X 55 and 308 is the same or near enough which i have seen in my local rfd why not go for the bigger caliber if ammo cost is the same!

Cass

I've owned both the .243 and 6.5 (not to mention most other calibers).

The 6.5x55 is without doubt the best penetrating round when compared to like weight bullets in any other caliber. It can be a flat shooting round and a real tack driver out to 600 yards. It's a favorite caliber of mine and i've had one in some variation for the last 15 years. The range of ammo is quite limited, especially good ammo, but there are a few like Federal Fusion 140gr. It is expensive though at €35 up per box of 20 (for any brand in this caliber). It'll do everything a 6.5 will do and what a .243 will do.

The .243 is a staple caliber and also a tack driver with flat shooting out to 300 yards. The range of ammo is more varied than the 6.5, and with proper shot placement it'll drop a Red of any size. I know because this beast was shot with a CZ in .243 a few years back.




As lads have suggested the .308 will do what both of these will do and has a larger audience with a bigger selection of ammo. As a more popular caliber the range of guns should be bigger and the resale value will hold more than other calibers.


If you are stuck on .243 or 6.5 i'd take the 6.5, but that is me.

Buggs

The .308 is a more versatile calibre IMHO, you can get both target and hunting rounds, and bullet selection is second to none.

mil dot

308 or 270 both nice and hard hitting, both with a mod on are nice to shoot.

Grizzly 45

I have a .243 but will proably change it to .308,for the simple reason of the .308 having more versatility and better ammo choice/price for paper punching.The .243 can be a tad expensive to feed here,[unless you want to use Privi partizan ammo.In that case a shotgun would be more accurate;)]and isnt well supplied for target ammo around here.Plus most of my deer hunting are reds,so some more oomph for the bigger stags is nice.

The .243 is a nice round if you are in forest are of slight statue and in the 100 to 250 meter range of things.If you want to reach out and touch abit further out to 400 meters if you are that good,go the 308.

The 6.5 ,well the Swedes have been dropping Moose with it for the last century or so,[and used it in thei rMauser military rifles,which are rated as the Rolls Royce of Mauser K98 issues] so it is a well capable caliber even for large game.If you know what you are doing.

All in all you cant really go wrong with either 3 calibers here in Ireland,and unless wild boar become prolific they will take any deer here no problem.

mrbrianj

.243 to the .30 06 and everything in between. All work well in this country.

If you are shopping around the RFD's find the rifle that you feel most comfortable with, as long as its in one of the popular deer calibre don't worry too much which one. Ammo availability is not too much of an issue if you are shooting to eat only - how many boxes a year will you go through? settle on a good quality brand that works well in your rifle and stick with that.

I have 234 and now 308, I would not shot any differently if I went back to the 243, but all my shooting is below 200yrds

yubabill1

DylanNolan96 wrote: »

A mountain range and mostly fallow but would like to know I could do the job on a red

I have owned neither, but I know an estate stalking guide who would bet his life on a 6.5 x 55. I would not be surprised if he has shot more deer than most - does a lot of culling.

If you're shooting open country, the 6.5 bucks the wind really well - others will confirm that the 6.5/287(?) target round is hard to beat out to 1000.

Stalker uses Remy expanding ammo (160gr Core Lokt -? out of my comfort range here).

Jayzesake

1shot16 wrote: »

Just to say if the price of 243/6.5 X 55 and 308 is the same or near enough which i have seen in my local rfd why not go for the bigger caliber if ammo cost is the same!

One possibly important consideration which hasn't been mentioned here so far is the fact that (presumably) the bigger the cal., the more difficult it would be to obtain a licence? (Particularly if, for example, it was your first centrefire.)

German pointer

The size of the calibre should not be an issue with obtaining a licence.

Personally i think the .270 is a fabulous round for any game or vermin in ireland

323

German pointer wrote: »

The size of the calibre should not be an issue with obtaining a licence.

Personally i think the .270 is a fabulous round for any game or vermin in ireland

Aye, agree 100%, for almost any game anywhere else in the world too.

As to OP, .243 or 6.6x55, both will work, though never owned either, have hunted with friends rifles in both these calibers and seen a lot of deer and game shot in Ireland and abroad with both calibers. Take the piss with friends who own them but can't knock either.
You even considering reds, the 6.5 would be my choice from experiance/observations and summed up pretty well by Cass earlier. 243 will do the job, the 6.5x55 will do it much better.

Spaniel heaven

Must agree with 323 i own a .243 nice gun and hasn't let me down, knocks skia on the mountain easily but im going to change next year it lacks the punch that a 6.35x55 carries.

If you are going to be stretching out your shots or going for a big red you have a responsibility of a clean kill so id go 6.5x55

deerhunter1

DylanNolan96 wrote: »

A mountain range and mostly fallow but would like to know I could do the job on a red

well then go for a 308 covers everything, large availability of ammo and firearms,soft recoil,great calibre

FISMA

DylanNolan96 wrote: »

Hi guys buying a new rifle and would like you opinion on these in performance. I'd be shootin deer to eat so any opinions will help

Dylan,
Before you buy, I would head to the local sioppa and try to source ammo. See what is available and its cost.

As mentioned before, if you are going to be dedicated to deer, you will not do much better than the 308, which is what I would recommend for Eire.

I have a 30-06 in Eire. I like that I can go as low as 100gr or high as 220gr.

I don't have either, next on the list is the 338LM or maybe the 338Edge :cool:. However, if I had to buy one, all things considered equal. I would go for the 6.5x55. The lads I know get great long range results, 600+, so why not?

If you are shooting inside of 400ya, go with the rifle that you get the best deal on and can easily source good ammo.

Zxthinger

Well i nearly bought a 6.5:55 once! But it's escaped me!
I did read thought that they are not as good as claimed! Low muzzle velocity related to low pressure loading to suit older arms means that the end up just punching pun holes in game. Lethargic kills is how some pundits have put it!
As I say I never owned one!
I would consider the 308 after having owned one or two guns in chamberings for which a poor choice of ammunition was available. It's a real PIA when you buy a few boxes of ammo and get your charts all drawn up for that ammo only to find it's not on the shelf next time!!

Another thing IMO to be aware of is the notion that you'll have one gun and you might use it for deer and then for foxes etc etc! I found it a real PIA changing/checking zero after ammo changes. Like to be honest you can't really be out shooting vermin with trophy-bonded bullets unless you have perfect backstops!!
My advice to any and all is to have a designated full time vermin gun! And a separate deer gun. Now, that sort of flys in the face of the 243 idea fir some user!.
Here is a link to an extract from ballisticstudies. Read what he had to say about 6.5/55.

<SNIP>

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/6.5x55.html

Mauser 308

I have had both, and both will do a perfect job on any Irish deer once you do your piece.
My main gripe with the 6.5x55 was the amo availability and selection. If you are prepared to buy by the slab and wait for it to come in it wont be such an issue. But the 243 amo tends to be more readily available and better selection off the shelf.

I also have a 308 and find it great, its my favorite round but I do struggle to find an occasion wher the 243 would perform any less.