223 or 243

[Wazukie]

Well, ok, I just checked and its not a 55gr bullet but a 40 grn in the .223, but still just over 4k fps, that's what my records say anyway.  But what ever.  Again why not have both?

[C-Money]

If you want a pure coyote/varmint gun, .223 is a great way to go. I would shoot the factory ammo, find the one the rifle shoots best and don't look back!

[thinkingman]

Screw .223 on anything but a AR platform. .243 is going to be the ticket to cover you for all varmint scenarios and second as a deer rifle.

It scares me when I agree with TinyHammer...But .243 reloads cover everything under 300lbs and do it well.
For my AR, 6X45 is on the docket.

[FALFire]

Well, ok, I just checked and its not a 55gr bullet but a 40 grn in the .223, but still just over 4k fps, that's what my records say anyway.  But what ever.  Again why not have both?

Just out of curiosity......Have you actually speed tested the loads you are talking about? Because in the nearly 40 years of my reloading I have never been able to get 4000 plus FPS from a 223 using any powder including BLC2 and a 40 grain bullet.


What brand of Chronograph are you using? 

[Wazukie]

I do use a F-1 Master Chrony.  Could it be off a little, yes, but that is what it said, at least what I wrote down 

There are a lot of people on the net who claim to push well over 4k fps, not sure I'd want to push mine much more than what I do.  Wolf primers are known to be hard primers and I do get signs of just beginning flat primer, but no cupping or blow outs.

Nosler gives a max load of 23.5 grs of RL7 with their 40 gr varminter at just over 3.6k fps.  Is it really that un-realistic to push that load another 400 fps?  I don't think so.

Hornady lists there factor 223 Rem 35 gr NTX® Superformance at 4k fps at the muzzle and the 53 gr. at 3.5k fps.  Does it really do that?  Don't know but possible.

Maybe in your 40 years of experience you have not pushed the extremes with your rifle, I have a habit to do so.  Dangerous? yes, very.  I would not recommend it to most, it is something you have to decide for yourself. 

Again back to the OP, I like to have both a 223 and 243 and even the 25-06.  The .223 is nice to have when you can not have anything bigger in the field. just my 

[grundy53]

If it's an AR then go .223. Bolt action I would say .243 although I love my .25-06 shooting CT ballistic silver tips in 85 gr.