308 vs 260 vs 243

I am going to throw in my favorite, 7.5 x 55 Swiss

Not to get a barrel for it, you have to go to Walther and have them do the barrel and the easiest is to put it on a Savage action.

good part is you can shoot full boat loads as its modern steel.

Not sure on ammo, my plan is to reload anyway.
 
any of the afore mentioned calibers will kill deer ,so get what you like. i like a light 7mm mag in SS and 24" barrel and if you load like i do you call load for any animal in north america. from ground hogs to bear. eastbank.
 
I just do not want to buy a gun that 10-25 years from now is very expensive to shoot or impossible to find ammo for.
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Is it my imagination or are there very few rifles being offered in .260 Rem.? There seems to have been way too many chamberings what have gone to the wayside factory ammo wise...even some of the formerly more popular ones. Unless my perception is wrong and the .260 has increase in popularity, I can envision a hard time finding factory ammo (or new brass cases) for it in 25 or so years.
 
dahermit said:
Is it my imagination or are there very few rifles being offered in .260 Rem.? There seems to have been way too many chamberings what have gone to the wayside factory ammo wise...even some of the formerly more popular ones. Unless my perception is wrong and the .260 has increase in popularity, I can envision a hard time finding factory ammo (or new brass cases) for it in 25 or so years.
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Just at one of my distributors, there are 20 different rifles chambered in 260. Now most of those are just different variations on the same rifle, but still a decent number. But when I look at the number of 6.5 Creedmoor rifles from the same distributor, there 60 different rifles. So that's three times as many factory offerings for the 6.5CM than the 260.

I would never worry about ammo for thr 260 if I was a reloader. It uses a 308 case. But if I only shot factory ammo, I'd probably be concerned. But you can get a good reloading setup for very little money these days, so the 260 is probably a safer long-term bet. The 6.5CM uses 30TC brass, which the 30TC was a flop from the very beginning so not much parent brass to be found. The future of the 6.5CM looks strong, but trends change. 30 years from now it may be surpassed by something else and brass could be difficult or expensive to find, whereas the 308 brass for the 260 will still be abundant.
 
Marko all I can say is your sons are exceptional shots. Are the offhand 3" groups at 100 yards or longer than that?
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Offhand is 100 yards, 3 shots with a Ruger American in .223.

The only reason that they can do it is that they practice and put in the work. I guess that is the exceptional part. :) The 12 year old actually beat the 14 year old on the rifle stage at the American Marksman Regional, going 1 for 1. The 14 year old won the Regional and goes to the finals in January, the youngest competitor to make the finals.
 
While Remington has a long history of coming up with some very, very good cartridges, that history also contains a lot of truly boneheaded moves, shown by the market performance of some of their designs.

Also the long, long rivalry with Winchester meant both companies have been ...reluctant..to chamber their rifles in the other guy's cartridges, UNTIL/unless market success means they have to, or lose money.

.308 Winchester is one such. Winchester "grabbed" it from the military, and put in on the civilian market as their own. It's such a good round, Remington literally HAD to follow suit.

When Winchester came out with the .243, Remington (a fateful year or so later) came out the their round, the .244 Remington. Based on the 7x57 Mauser case (via the .257 Roberts, still at that time a wildcat).

Remington screwed up, with their concept, however, misreading the market, badly. Warren Page and some other gun writers were touting the 6mm bore size as being excellent "dual purpose" rounds (deer and varmints). Winchester listened, and gave their .243 a fast twist, so it would stabilize the 100/105gr deer bullets. Remington considered the .244 a varmint round, and used a slower twist that did not reliably stabilize deer bullets. .244 sales were...unimpressive to start, and never got better, even when, after a couple years production they went to a faster twist barrel.

Remington tried to save their round, renaming it the 6mm Remington, and using the faster twist in the rifles. Didn't work as well as Remington hoped, and while the 6mm Rem isn't dead, yet, its been on the endangered list for a long time.

Remington hit a fair winner with the 7mm-08, the .308 case size and 7mm bore are a very good match. SO good, Remington didn't bring out the .260 for a long time after most of us figured they should have.

Possibly they delayed the .260 to keep 7mm-08 sales up there, possibly not, but either way, they ALMOST waited too long to bring out the .260.

What the .260 has going for it is the .308 parent case (fitting short actions, and available everywhere) and the long proven ballistics of the 6.5x66mm Swede round.

what the .260 has working against it is the other rounds that offer close to the same performance, and were made to work in AR pattern guns.

In a bolt gun, a round with a length optimized for an AR (10 or 15) doesn't have much, if any, advantage. Especially if your bolt gun has a longish throat. The high BC of the 140 and 160gr 6.5mm spritzers gives a very flat trajectory (comparatively speaking) at even moderate velocities.

The 120+year success of the 6.5x55mm Swede proves a flat shooting, mild recoiling round quite capable of taking down moose, and everything lesser is a reality. The .260 Rem, in a bolt gun, will do just as well, and uses a common case, designed for short actions.

If I didn't already have a couple of 6.5x55 Swedes, I would get a .260 Remington.
 
.308 is a great round and also can be shot with light loads for the beginner.

7mm08 is also a great round with lighter loads available.

.243 can be thought of as a 6mm08, can have the lightest loads of the 3 but still a heck of a deer rifle
 
I have 308, 260, and 243 reamers.
I have a lot of rifles.

If you turned a million beginners loose to go deer hunting, the ones with the 243s would do best.

I remember in 1997 Bart Bobbitt shot a 3.25" 20 shot group at 800 yards with a 308.

Bart was no beginner.

I think I am closer to the beginners than I am to Bart. I do better with the over bore cartridges:
1) I can hunt to 600 yards with 6.5-06
2) I can hunt to 500 yards with 7mmRM, 300WM, 25-06, 6mmBR
3) I can hunt to 400 yards with 260, 257RAI, 308, 270

That is based on paper targets. In reality I have killed deer much further, but should not have, given the holes in the paper.
 
The OP has a 30-06, so there's no real need for a 308. That brings us to the 243 versus the 260. If recoil, lack thereof, is the main driver, go with the 243. If reduced recoil and max effectiveness on deer are the drivers, go with the 260. I've shot enough deer with 100 and 120 gr bullets to be firmly convinced that the 120's are more effective than the 100's. With the 260 you can shoot either bullet weight, which I do. Go with the 260 or the 6.5 Creedmore.
 
Good problem to have.
I have a 30-06 for elk and went with a 260rem for my antelope/deer stopper (and backup elk rifle).

243 would be a good choice if your need is antelope/varmints.

If I ever get a yen to chase varmints, I have a .223.
 
I'm brand new to the forum and this thread caught my eye first.

Nice thread....thanks to all for the contributions. I am new to the forum and one research area for me is the exact same decision to make, but for different reasons. I want a reasonably priced bench rest, long range rifle.

I am also leaning to the 243, because I already have the dies and about 50 pieces of brass. The other reason I am leaning to the 243 is for lower recoil. I have learned that I shoot my Savage Model 12 in 223, better than any rifle I own, except maybe my 17WSM. When that trigger can break without even the tiniest flinch, you can get the best groups your gun and ammo will allow.

But all my reading is telling me that I should go to the .260 or the 7mm-08 for the ballistics and availability of great target bullets with high BC's.
 
I've shot enough deer with 100 and 120 gr bullets to be firmly convinced that the 120's are more effective than the 100's. With the 260 you can shoot either bullet weight, which I do.
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With the .260, you can go up to 140 (even higher if you handload and have an action that can take super-long bullets). I load mine with 128 gr Hornady SPs which seem to be just right.
 
But all my reading is telling me that I should go to the .260 or the 7mm-08 for the ballistics and availability of great target bullets with high BC's.
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There are as many good high BC target bullets for the 6mms as the 6.5mms. With 6mms and 6.5mms in the rack, I grab the 6mms a lot more than the 6.5s when shooting matches and targets.
 
wilderness, if I was looking at a gun specifically for longer range target shooting, I would look long and hard at the 6.5 creedmore. I guess, I also look long and hard at the guns that were available in my budget and offered by a maker I favored. The added weight of a proper gun will offset the slight increase in recoil. Of course a 243 will always be less recoil and probably cost less to shoot. No easy answers. Just saying the OP will be well served with a 243. I am sure you will be fine also in a 243. Only you can judge how much you value pleasant shooting vs greater effective range. Then how long is your range? I just say dont discount all those other opinions. And then they might be looking at 1000 yards and you only need 500. More is not better with guns, optimum is better. You might start another thread. Others know a lot more than me on this subject. Or just make up your own mind and get a 243.

I have been back into rimfire shooting and I agree it is very relaxing. I also think the reduced cost per shot helps put the mind at ease.
 
The .260 might be the best choice for someone who handloads. The .308 or the 7mm-08 would probably be better if you wanted to use it on Elk. But based on your post and the fact that you don't plan to load your own, I'd say the .243 best fits the need you describe.

If you don't mind a long action, the 25-06 and 280 Remington are fine as well, except factory ammo for them isn't quite as plentiful as the .243 or .308. There is the .270 Winchester also, and factory ammo for it is rather plentiful. But overall, the .243 is a great little number for the purposes you describe.
 
To the OP....your desire for a round is very similar to mine, but I do not need a "kids hunting gun". Your stretch from wanting a 1,000 yard rifle to a kids deer gun is a tough one. When I think of your challenge, my mind keeps going back to a gun I have been checking out at a local gun store.

The Howa 1500 Hogue Kryptek Full Dip would be handy for hunting with the 20" barrel, would have lighter recoil for the kids and be heavy and solid enough for your bench rest needs.

This gun comes in a 243 and 7mm-08...along with 25-06 and 270.

http://www.legacysports.com/catalog/howa/howa-hogue-kryptek-full-dip-rifle/


For me.....I want a 12lb gun and a 26" barrel that is dedicated to long distance target. I am still undecided, as I want exceptional, stable long range....but I also want low recoil. Most of the 260 rifles are pricey. 243's are very reasonable. Remington has a Varmint in a 243, 26" heavy barrel for under $600. I am leaning toward it, except its twist is loose and it will probably have difficulty stabilizing a bullet over 100gr. choices....choices......


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Thank you for all of the well thought out replies. I think for now I will throw out he .308. I will buy one some day but yes I realize it's to close to the 30.06. I just wanted something different than the 30.06. :)

I know achieving 1000 yards and being a kid friendly gun is a very wide range of needs. And honesty I have a tikka .223 on a MDT chassis and magpul accessories that is probably better suited for the long long range shooting.

I have thought more practical and decided the 25.06, 260, 6.5cm and 243 would be better suited for my needs; shooting medium sized game up to deer (I use my 30.06 for deer) up to roughly 500 yards and being that I will probably not reload for a while the 243 is my best bet. Agree? I think most people have their favorites but I want a Tikka for the Sako action (going to switch out the chassis to MDT) therefore that leaves me the 243 and 260 again. I just can't make up my mind :). Like my wife picking out a dinner spot :)
 
This has been an interesting read. I would think, as has been pointed out, that with improved bullets in factory ammo, the .243 Win has truly evolved. I simply do not know enough about the .260 to even comment on. There is always the .257 Roberts, but the OP did not bring that one up, and only a very few rifle's chambered for it. Excellent cartridge tho. I believe the .243 will work just fine for the stated purpose. Not sure for the 1,000 yd stuff, but everything else, fine. Well, there you have it.
 
Outdoorsmin said:
I want a Tikka for the Sako action
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While Tikka might be owned by Sako, it isn't a Sako action. If you go compare the two actions you'll see there aren't very many similarities. If you want a Sako action you're best bet is to buy a Sako.
 
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