223 or 243

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223 or 243

Post by simpsonhey » 09 Dec 2018, 7:41 pm

Hey all so im loving the forum and have lernt a lot. Im looking at getting a second gun for the cabinet. I have a hmr17 which will look after the small criters and range. What would be a good alrounder for the little bit bigger crits like roos or pigs etc. Im thinking a 223 or 243
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Rod_outbak » 09 Dec 2018, 8:03 pm

simpsonhey,

What sort of distance would you be talking on average?
How regularly are you going to be shooting the pigs/roos?
Roughly how many rounds in a year do you expect?
Are you going to reload, or only use factory ammo?

.223 will nail roos and pigs, and cheaper to run.
[Great range of projectiles available.]

.243 will reach a bit further, but more expensive, and less range of factory ammo available.
[Lots of projectile options, though - 6mm/.243 has been popular for many decades.]

Either will do the job, but without knowing distance and frequency, it's hard to suggest much more.

Professional roo shooters usually use a .223 or 22-250 (or variants therof).
I dont know many roo shooters who use 6mm/.243; the .223 is cheaper to run for bulk usage.

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Re: 223 or 243

Post by bladeracer » 09 Dec 2018, 8:09 pm

simpsonhey wrote:Hey all so im loving the forum and have lernt a lot. Im looking at getting a second gun for the cabinet. I have a hmr17 which will look after the small criters and range. What would be a good alrounder for the little bit bigger crits like roos or pigs etc. Im thinking a 223 or 243


An 8"-twist .223 runs heavy 35gn to about 80gn bullets, but .243 runs 55gn up to about 105gn bullets.

If you load you're own ammo there's a pretty significant overlap between the two.
If you're buying ammo, then probably .223, followed by the .243 the following week.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by in2anity » 09 Dec 2018, 8:10 pm

Also the 243 recoils noticeably more than a 223 - have you ever shot a 243?
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by simpsonhey » 10 Dec 2018, 3:05 am

No shot neither lol just seeking. 223 was my first option. Will be shooting factory atm. 200 yard maybe 300
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by TassieTiger » 10 Dec 2018, 3:19 am

Just my opinion - obviously.

Are you going to be likely wanting a 3rd rifle OR perhaps selling the 17?
If so, I’d say buy the 223.

If you think your definitively keeping the 17 - and I can’t bieve I’m going to recommend this lol - get the 243...

Reasoning:
The 223 is a great caliber for rabbits to roo to smaller pigs. It’s cheap to run, no recoil to speak of, most rifles shoot the caliber like a laser and only a little louder than your 17 so won’t scare a mile away pollies, out of their 3rd vaginas for the evening.,,
243 on other hand - middle, jack of all trades caliber. You won’t be eating bunnies with the heavier pills unless you get lucky, they recoil at least twice as much, they are fookin loud but will do it all.

If I had my time again and knowing Id like to own approx 4 rifles / firearms for various reasons;
Pick your smallest and your largest centrefire “wants”, and then divide the remainder by 2 to get a proper spread and a good mix of specialty calibres.

Eg If .17 and say .30/06 is your spread then 243 and 284 might be your ultimate collection of 4.
Or, don’t get pizzed like I am and don’t try and rationalise it lol.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by simpsonhey » 10 Dec 2018, 3:46 am

Lol i will be keeping the 17 it will be my bunni and fox gun . Just want somthing a bit more grunnti for the bigger things i have mates with both and i do like the 243 its got balls
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by TassieTiger » 10 Dec 2018, 5:11 am

Why not go bigger than 243 then ?
If the 17 is going to satisfy small game, why not keep the options open for a small deer - something like a 270 maybe? Can load light and still take pigs
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by in2anity » 10 Dec 2018, 7:18 am

simpsonhey wrote:No shot neither lol just seeking. 223 was my first option. Will be shooting factory atm. 200 yard maybe 300


Mate i reckon go for the 223. Hot factory ammo through 243 isn't really "plink all day funzone", especially if the rifle is on the lighter side. And the 223 can be a freakin laser beam in the sort of ranges you mentioned. Entry level 223 ammo is also heaps cheaper.

If you want to chase small groups just make sure you get something with a thicker profile barrel. If you still want carryable perhaps go down to a 20". Those Howas mini-actions are pretty amazing.

243 can come later, once you start handloading :thumbsup:
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by marksman » 10 Dec 2018, 7:28 am

just get both, jobs done :drinks: :drinks:
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by bigrich » 10 Dec 2018, 8:08 am

marksman wrote:just get both, jobs done :drinks: :drinks:


good reasoning :thumbsup:
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by lukeass » 10 Dec 2018, 8:54 am

Dude i have used a 223, 22-250 & 243 and they are great, but if you using factory loads i say use a 22-250...They a great flat shooting rifle and will kill pigs no probs depending on the ammo you use right out to 300-400 yards. They similar in sound to a 243 (virtually no difference at all) but have less kick. With a 22-250 you getting the best of both worlds although again its similar in price to run as a 243. just think you gonna get the best bang for your buck with 22250 man and i am speaking from experience as have used all these calibres a lot.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by bigfellascott » 10 Dec 2018, 9:14 am

Just get a 308 it will cover all bases and is cheap enough to run either with factory or reloads.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by JimTom » 10 Dec 2018, 9:51 am

Mate if you are going to restrict yourself to the one centrefire then I’d say go the .243, good all rounder for what you have mentioned.
Ideally mate I would get a .223 and a .308.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 10 Dec 2018, 10:11 am

Lol great suggestion marksman.... I reckon the best
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by lukeass » 10 Dec 2018, 10:26 am

JimTom wrote:Mate if you are going to restrict yourself to the one centrefire then I’d say go the .243, good all rounder for what you have mentioned.
Ideally mate I would get a .223 and a .308.


yeah what he said ^. pretty economical and a very accurate round. i think a 17hmr will fix any foxes and rabbits but a 308 is ideal for pigs man...stops them dead in their tracks a long way out.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by brett1868 » 10 Dec 2018, 12:41 pm

.223 or .243....shoulder them both and get what feels better that fits within the budget.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Archie » 10 Dec 2018, 12:53 pm

Only rifle I kind of regret buying is a 243 - BUT - thats only because I later went on to buy a 223 and a 308 so the 243 is kind of without a job. And for 90% of what you're likely to do in Australia (except the really big and the really small stuff - sambar and rabbits - the 243 will be just as good as either). 243 was my first centrefire and back then (when I assumed I would only every buy one centrefire, how stupid was I...) it was the right choice. If you are only going to buy one centrefire in the next few years then that is what I'd go with personally, just because its a bit more flexible. I do agree that in terms of pleasant to shoot and cheaper to run, the 223 is better, but thats the tradeoff with lighter calibres usually.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Member-Deleted » 10 Dec 2018, 1:09 pm

JimTom wrote:Ideally mate I would get a .223 and a .308.


+1 to both although my agreement with JimTom may be my 'confirmation bias' because that's what i did... first rifle was a 223 (which is such a pleasure to shoot all day and makes me look better than I am, cheap to run too), then #2 was a 308.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Stix » 10 Dec 2018, 2:17 pm

If you're gonna shoot more of the smaller stuff...roos bunnies, foxes cats & also wana plink away at the range...& the odd ham here & there...
223 for first centrefire without question...!

If mostly just smashing pigs & a few roos with an occasional hit at cousins of bambi...243.

But a 223 will do them all with the right ammo & ability. :thumbsup:

You might get a bit longer out of the 223 barrel as well so thats a bonus for the novelty of a first centrefire. :thumbsup:

243's are considerably louder too...so if you're into the spotlighting game with noise sensative vermin around, volume may also be a consideration...

In general...223 for your first...
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by JimTom » 10 Dec 2018, 2:26 pm

Member-Deleted wrote:
JimTom wrote:Ideally mate I would get a .223 and a .308.


+1 to both although my agreement with JimTom may be my 'confirmation bias' because that's what i did... first rifle was a 223 (which is such a pleasure to shoot all day and makes me look better than I am, cheap to run too), then #2 was a 308.


:-) exactly what I did too mate.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Blr243 » 10 Dec 2018, 4:38 pm

Years ago when I had to hand in my mini 14 semi auto 223 I intended replacing it with a lever action 223 but there was only a 243 in stock of the lever gun that I wanted. I’m glad I have the 243 now ( wild horses nz thar fallow and reds. and the occasional brute of a boar )
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Oldbloke » 10 Dec 2018, 5:50 pm

JimTom wrote:Mate if you are going to restrict yourself to the one centrefire then I’d say go the .243, good all rounder for what you have mentioned.
Ideally mate I would get a .223 and a .308.



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Re: 223 or 243

Post by RoginaJack » 10 Dec 2018, 8:23 pm

If you still want carryable perhaps go down to a 20". Those Howas mini-actions are pretty amazing. :thumbsup:[/quote]

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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Bruiser64 » 10 Dec 2018, 9:00 pm

JimTom wrote:Mate if you are going to restrict yourself to the one centrefire then I’d say go the .243, good all rounder for what you have mentioned.
Ideally mate I would get a .223 and a .308.


I totally agree. In the unlikely event you will stick to one centrefire rifle, get the .243 as it is very versatile. Having said that, I doubt you will stick with one. I would agree you are better of cutting to the chase and get a .223 and a .308. The Howas are very well regarded and excellent value, so it won’t be too expensive to one in each calibre.

I have a 243 and I love it. With the shooting I do, I am finding I am using my .204 a lot more than the 243. I also have a 17 Hmr which I took out for the first time last night. I shot a fox and several rabbits with the Hmr and three foxes with my .204. There is obviously a huge difference in hitting power between the hmr and the 204. I intend sticking to the 204 when targeting foxes in preference to the hmr.

Whilst l love my 204, the ubiquity of the 223 is a more rational and cost effective choice in my opinion. So in my experience your 17 hmr, a 223 and a 308 is likely to easily cover most game species in Australia. I would, however also add the 22 lr as it is almost treason not to own one in Australia.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Faedy » 11 Dec 2018, 12:24 am

Mate - you will buy more. Its a fact of life ..lmao.
With the 17hmr in your lot, is a no brainer to go to the .243 for the extra range and hitting power.
Down the track when you got a few extra sheckles, add the .223 then, plus a .300 winmag :-)
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Diamond Jim » 12 Dec 2018, 1:30 am

I also can't believe I'm going to say this because my .223 is a laser, but if you are going to keep the .17 then you already have a lot of the .223 ground covered. I don't own a .243 but my brother (farmer) does and it is his "do all" rifle. Superbly accurate (Win 70), doesn't put a huge number of rounds through it and they are tax deductible anyway so he doesn't reload. The .243 covers the gap before you need a seriously "big" rifle - everything from fox to deer. I'd be thinking seriously about the .243. It does bark though.
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by simpsonhey » 29 Dec 2018, 9:39 pm

Ok so on the weekend i shot a couple off 22s fun all day. Im still waiting on my pta for my 17. I shot a remington 223 and the tikka 223 wow nice guns and powerfull. So i dident get to shoot a 243 but i shot a 270 and a 30-30. The 270 was solid and had a lot off whip(im only new to shooting first day out). The 30 -30 was a pig short leaver action and punched hard. Id love to shoot a 308. So my mates have a lot off guns that i could borrow to shoot with them and im looking at a 223 and a cheep 22lr this will cover everything atm .
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by pomemax » 29 Dec 2018, 10:18 pm

brett1868 wrote:.223 or .243....shoulder them both and get what feels better that fits within the budget.

then buy .222 .223 .243 .22-250 .270 .308 30-06 300 wsm 375 45/70 357 / 38 S and be just like the rest of us lol make sure you get the biggest safe you can Times 3 or 4
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Re: 223 or 243

Post by Sawyers » 29 Dec 2018, 11:15 pm

simpsonhey wrote:Ok so on the weekend i shot a couple off 22s fun all day. Im still waiting on my pta for my 17. I shot a remington 223 and the tikka 223 wow nice guns and powerfull. So i dident get to shoot a 243 but i shot a 270 and a 30-30. The 270 was solid and had a lot off whip(im only new to shooting first day out). The 30 -30 was a pig short leaver action and punched hard. Id love to shoot a 308. So my mates have a lot off guns that i could borrow to shoot with them and im looking at a 223 and a cheep 22lr this will cover everything atm .

Dont cheap out on the 22lr, you'll end up shooting it more than any other firearm you own and you'll only end up wanting something bettet
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