jas0n wrote:Dad has had his .243 for about 18 years and loves it. has killed at 650 yards.
.243 would be more popular here if not for the minimum calibre laws for deer hunting in many states requiring people shooting a .270 or higher calibre rifle.
Put a few figures through the calculator...
.243 95gr velocities with 3000 fps MV
100m - 2762 fps
200m - 2528 fps
300m - 2307 fps
vs
.270 130gr velocities with 2600 MV
100m - 2372 fps
200m - 2148 fps
300m - 1937 fps
and
.243 95gr energy100m - 1609 ft lbs
200m - 1348 ft lbs
300m - 1122 ft lbs
vs
.270 130gr energy100m - 1624 ft lbs
200m - 1332 ft lbs
300m - 1083 ft lbs
.243 shoots faster and flatter for easier shot placement, it's a hairs breadth behind the .270 in terms of energy at close range and potentially has a fraction
more at mid-range distances but is illegal because the calibre is "too small"
300 Win Mag Tikka T3 Lite.
4-12x42 Zeiss Terra.