243 vs. 270 opinions for general purpose rifle

[Biggerhammer]

I guess the bottom line is how well they manage recoil.

[Jonathan_S]

I guess the bottom line is how well they manage recoil.

  and if the two choices are truly only .270 or .243, I'm going to say .270.  Sure the .243 is "capable of taking any game in Washington" but tennis shoes are also capable of hiking in the Blue Mountains.  Most would choose not to pursue elk, black bear, or special draws with the .243.

[BULLBLASTER]

I would personally go with the 243. Mostly because I own one and love it! I started hunting at age 9 with a 7 mag and light loaded 120 grain bullets but in high school I bought a 243.

[Curly]

.243 would be great for a youngster to start out on, but he will probably upgrade once he gets older for a rifle that is better for reaching out there a ways.  So, if you want a rifle that he can use as a kid and continue to use as an adult, my vote is for a full size rifle in .270.   (Unless the kid is real small for his age, then maybe a youth rifle would fit better, and in that case might as well go with the .243)

A .270 with 130 gr bullets doesn't kick much, but like someone else said, you can also get reduced recoil loads or if you reload you can make your own reduced loads or load up some 110 gr E-tip or Barnes and they will not kick very much.

 

[jay.sharkbait]

Wow

I didn't know my .243 was so bad.

[bowhunterwa87]

Another .243 vote. I use one for everything I hunt and love the caliber. Just got home from mt in which I took my .243 on a successful mule deer hunt.

[Biggerhammer]

Wow

I didn't know my .243 was so bad.

Just your .243.

At least you have the right twist for a .243.

[thinkingman]

Get the .243.
No one should try to force a kid to tolerate recoil....A flinch is a heck of a thing to overcome.....I see it all the time at the range.
Furthermore, many parents use their kids rifle as a bleep-measuring contest('my kid shoots a 300WM....oh yeah? My kid shoots a .458 Lott!')
It's parent case, the 7.62X51 is known for much greater accuracy than the .270(X63) and the bullet selection is better.
The .270 shouldn't even be in the discussion.

[Biggerhammer]

Yep, I should be ashamed I started with a 7 Mag.  Slummed a Rem700 BDL at that. It was a rough childhood.

[Curly]

.270 shouldn't be in the discussion for a kid?   

Reduced recoil ammo can be used (probably should be used at first) to get the kid used to shooting the rifle.  115 gr bullet at 2700+ fps will do fine on deer and coyotes.  After the kid is comfortable shooting the gun with reduced recoil loads, he can then move up to 130 gr loads (which still won't kick very much anyway). 

Those 115 gr loads are probably going to kick similarly to 100 gr .243 loads.  What will the .243 get for MV with 100gr bullets?  2900 fps?  Reduced recoil 115 gr .270 loads will perform similarly to .243, so the .270 should be in the discussion.

By getting a .270 and using reduced recoil loads, it is like getting 2 rifles for the price of one.  Plus you get to use full loads when the need arises. 

[runningboard]

.243, just because you said intended targets are deer & coyote. from a dyed-in-the-wool .270 user for life 

[thinkingman]

Yep, I should be ashamed I started with a 7 Mag.  Slummed a Rem700 BDL at that. It was a rough childhood.

See line 3.
The apple didn't fall far from the tree.

[wafisherman]

My 3 older boys (now 10, 12, and 13) have each fired my 270 at the range.  The 12 and 13 yr old don't like.  Didn't even want to shoot the managed recoil.  But my 10yr old LOVED it and wanted to only shoot the higher grain loads over the wimpy ones.    Each kid is different and if they get intimidated at all, you have a lot of work to undo. 

My 10 yr old would hunt with the 270, but it is just a bit too heavy to even consider shooting off-hand.  So this year, I'm getting them all through hunter ed, then buying a youth sized 243 for them to share that will have low recoil, will be light weight enough to shoot confidently off-hand, and will take out a deer within 200yrds (where we hunt, that is max distance you'd find anyway).  As they get older, I'll likely pass down my 270 (i'll upgrade for myself and will likely stick with the 270 in a stainless steel rifle).  When they get tired of sharing, they can save up and buy their own 

[Orion]

REM model 7 youth in 7mm-08. And then added a full length stock. My boys grew up with it and grandkids will too. If they can get it away from grampa. Lite, manuverable, accurate and not much recoil. Will kill elk at reasonable distances and a perfect deer rifle.  Just about anything works for yotes.

[gasman]

both my kids started with a  .243 and moved to a .270 the next year, both now own there own .270. they were 12 and 13 when they started hunting and both take after there mother in size, not there fat a$$sss dad 




With that said, today I would start them on a .257 Roberts 
Low recoil, and will handle every thing you want to hunt. I put a Limb Saver slip on recoil pad on and handed it to the wife and now I dont get to hunt with it at all.