.243 vs 6.5 Creedmoor for Whitetail and General Hunting

Zipspyder - But have you tried Elk? It's better than steak! I have no idea where to get elk in Anytown USA, but fundamental "truths" always supersede specific requests! And to heck with context! ;-)
 
I have used the 243 a lot and found it lacking when it comes to exit holes and blood trails. This doesn't mean much in the open but in the thick east Texas forest you can lose a deer if it makes it 75 yards into the blackberry laced thickets. And I have had many deer go that far hit with much bigger rifles but I still had some blood to track. Even the 100 gr. Partition made little exit holes. Personally I would use the reduced recoil loads in the 308. Or load some 150 gr. flat nose bullets loaded to 2500 fps.
 
a 243 is just fine for deer, there's no real world difference between it or any other common deer cartridge under most hunting conditions.
The 6.5 offers nothing that has not been tried before.
 
1897 - 6.5x55mm Swede, driving a 140gr bullet in the 2700fps range
2017 - 6.5mm Creedmore driving a 140gr bullet in the 2700fps range.

We are told this is progress! :rolleyes:

The only "progress" is delivering the same down range performance in a smaller, higher pressure package that will fit in specific existing rifles.

Now, that's not a BAD thing, but neither is it any reason to crow that the latest 6.5mm wonder cartridge is the greatest thing since sliced bread and canned beer, either.
 
The Creed like the 270 is a better all around deer and feral hog cartridge than the 243. Exit holes without premium bullets.
 
rickt300 said:
The Creed like the 270 is a better all around deer and feral hog cartridge than the 243. Exit holes without premium bullets
Click to expand...

You obviously don't have much experience with the .243, you don't need premium bullets to get exits on deer. Also a premium bullet doesn't guarantee an exit 100% of the time from any cartridge. Shot placement kills regardless of an exit wound or not, exits are nice but far from necessary for a successful hunt.
 
I would find it hard to believe that you have shot as many deer and hogs with a 243 as I have. I have also used many other cartridges for deer and hogs with the 243 just not even in the same class as the 7x57 or the 308. Mass and diameter do count. Sure on a broadside hit on a skinny deer the 243 will exit but that is not the shot you get all the time.
 
My personal deer hunting firearm is a .243 win in a 15" encore.
I am giving up 300 fps over a .243 rifle, but have never had a problem with it on the big fat corn fed farm deer in upstate NY. I have yet to recover a bullet from any deer in 20 years.
YMMV, but I use it with full confidence.

TC243002.jpg.html
 
Last edited:
If a .243 kills a deer, does a 6.5 CM kill it any deader? :D

I see nothing "wrong" with the 6.5, but I've tagged a couple of dozen bang-flop bucks with my .243. Never ever have had to track a buck.
 
"I see nothing "wrong" with the 6.5"
Gee, that's big of you Eatman.:)

However, the 6.5 has a better chance of killing a deer than the .243.

You should try it some time.:D
 
My pick is for the 243. Yes the 6.5 uses a heavier bullet slightly larger in diameter. But bigger doesn't mean it kills faster or better. Shot placement is what is important here. Also, ammunition for a 243 is available almost anywhere and everywhere. A lot of deer have fallen to our 243, all one shot kills. Both are great calibers and will kill deer. And if you reload, cases are readily available, and cheap. You can find them at shooting ranges, sometimes not always, for free. So my vote is for the good old 243.
 
However, the 6.5 has a better chance of killing a deer than the .243.
Click to expand...

And if we follow that line of logic by itself, we should all be hunting deer with 50 BMGs. The acceptable "chance" of killing a deer has been reached with the .243. For states that don't allow .223 for deer, .243 is the threshold. All states that allow center-fire rifle calibers allow .243, except for perhaps one. So once the tool passes muster, it's just a discussion of situational suitability and good ol' American preference/freedom of choice. Until we're only allowed one option, all other debates drown in the mire of personal preference. :-D
 
I see the 6.5mm Creedmore being more versatile. It opens up larger game options and longer distances if one were to want such. But it’s also more expensive with fewer options at a store, and possibly lacking options in the back country stores. And with higher BC bullets longer ranges don’t have as much wind drift, and the higher SD allows for better penetration if one were shooting bigger game or farther downrange.

The .243 Win works well enough on deer and such, and also works as a nice varmint round as well. It’s typically cheaper and more readily available with plenty of options.

I’m not much of a varmint hunter as such so I’d opt for bigger opening my hunting options. To me the 7mm-08 Ackley Improved is about as good a cartridge like that that a person can want. But then that wasn’t an option here so I voted for the 6.5mm...
 
.243 has been knocking them dead for many decades and with good success. I started my oldest daughter with my Remington .243 but after 3 years and 4 deer, she wanted to try my 30-30 carbine. Now she has her own 30-30 and loves it!

Jack
 
44amp said:
1897 - 6.5x55mm Swede, driving a 140gr bullet in the 2700fps range
2017 - 6.5mm Creedmore driving a 140gr bullet in the 2700fps range.

We are told this is progress!

The only "progress" is delivering the same down range performance in a smaller, higher pressure package that will fit in specific existing rifles.

Now, that's not a BAD thing, but neither is it any reason to crow that the latest 6.5mm wonder cartridge is the greatest thing since sliced bread and canned beer, either.
Click to expand...

Love me the Swede. Kinda scarce to find new rifles chambered in it, though. I would love one to fill my (perceived) rifle gap below my .30-06. More versatile than 6.5Creed or .260Rem, in that 160gr pills are no big whoop.

===================
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top