All around gun

[quackkiller]

Ok so I have a .17 that I have been using for coyotes for about 4 years now. I am looking for a gun with a lot more knock down power!! I recently bought a 300 and am going to keep that just for deer. I would love to hear some input.... I have wanted a 22-250 forever but recently have been looking into a 25-06 just so I can use it to hunt as well. Well it would be for the woman but is it a good gun? How does it compare to a 243? Any other suggestions? Thankyou very much!!

[nwwanderer]

Not going to argue caliber, a lady showed up with a 338 win mag and handled it very will, while my grand daughter is spooked by a 22.  Pick the one she handles and shoots will and yes I am working on the grand daughter, she will figure it out with a little help.

[quackkiller]

Thanks for the reply! Good idea, I am going to have her shoot a few first. Do you know much about the 25-06?

[Wazukie]

.25-06 is a great caliber.  It will not have a problem dropping anything in this country.   

[Reidus]

I'd go with a 243 over a 22-250. 55's out of a 243 will be faster and a better BC than 55's out of a 22-250. You can also shoot heavier bullets and use it for deer. 243 will be much better at longer range and in wind as well.

[quackkiller]

What about a 243 vs a 25-06?

[buckfvr]

Go to a few gun shops and see how many 2506s are on the shelf compared to .243s........also see how much loaded ammo is available for each.  Cant hardly beat a .243.  Also easy to re-barrel a Savage or Ram from .243 to .260, 7mm08 and 308 with out changing anything except the barrel.

[Reidus]

A lot more bullet options available in .243. 25-06 is a neat round too. I would say if your going to do more big game go with the 25-06 and if your going to do more varmit hunting go with a 243. I think the 243 would fill your gap between the 300 and 17 pretty well. Probably a little more velocity and recoil in the 25-06 for similar bullet weights. I think either would work fine.

[carpsniperg2]

243 or 25-05 sounds like a good choice for you.

[ribka]

And the 260 rem would be a contender too

[Bob33]

What about a 243 vs a 25-06?

The parent case of a 243 is the 308. The parent case of the 25-06 is the 30-06. The 30-06 family has a larger case and holds more powder than the equivalent 308 family calibers. They have more energy, and more recoil than their 308 family counterparts. The 30-06 family requires a long action, while the 308 family uses a short action.

They're both wonderful cartridges.

[buckfvr]

And if you decide you like the 06 family, its extremely difficult to argue against the .270................

[porcupine]

I'd vote for the .243. The .260 rem is another good choice, as well as the 7mm-08. All three use the same case and have light recoil. With the .260 and 7mm-08 you can shoot heavier bullets.

[DaveMonti]

I have both.  While I love the .243 more than any other cartridge, I'd go with a .25-06 because you can pack more powder behind it and shoot a slightly heavier bullet for longer range big game.  Plus, it really cooks with lighter bullets.  The .25-06 has been around for a while and is a fairly common round, but not as common as the .243 when trying to find factory ammo.  I reload, so finding factory ammo isn't a problem.

[bobcat]

I vote .243.

[HighlandLofts]

Depending on distance you plan on shooting, for shorter shots the 243 is a fine gun. For larger game and longer ranges I'd go with 26-06. Both are FINE CALIBERS, I have both.
As far as the cost of the ammunition goes, for the little bit you will be shooting this rifle the cost of ammunition is irrelevant. $10 a box, maybe $20 a box difference on one or two boxes a year you shot is nothing compared to the other cost of going on a hunt that you really enjoy.

25-06 I recommend the Ruger model 77 with a good scope, Great gun.

[quackkiller]

Wow thanks for all of the input guys!!! I think I may go 243 because of recoil and diversity in loads... Could they be a 600yd gun? For me for coyotes? Also has anyone shot or know of the new mossberg patriot? They have one for 499 with a vortex crossfire 2 4-9x40. Looks like a sweet little gun...?

[jackmaster]

My daughter who is a tiny thing shoots a 7mm-08 and its a tack  driver and you can get good solids for it for predators, great gun

[b23]

And the 260 rem would be a contender too

X2, the 260 Remmy is a great all around choice but I'm a bigger fan of the 6.5x55 Swede.  Tikka makes a pretty sweet shooting 6.5x55 Swede and for something that'll shoot a little faster and flatter the 6.5x284 is never a bad choice.

[Woodchuck]

I have been a "big-bore" guy for most of my life. That said, I picked up a 25-06 last summer because the cartridge always intrigued me. I love that rifle and chambering, it is quickly becoming my go to. 

[300rum]

Either one, it isn't going to make that big of difference.  But, with the ammo shortages that we have had over the years, I would lean towards the .243 or even .308. 

[theleo]

For a deer round I love my 243 and if you are a hand loader, you should be able to stretch out to 600 yards without to much hassle. Some of the bullets they use in the 243 for long distance stuff may not stabilize out of a factory barrel though. The 243 has never really been used by the masses for bullets heavier than 100 grains, so if you go with a factory rifle keep that in mind.

For rock chucks and coyotes I love my 22-250. while the 243 has extremely mild recoil the 22-250 has next to non. The only way I notice recoil with mine (Remington 700 VLS) is that with the scope cranked all the way up I don't get to see the splat. It gives me pretty decent "Hammer of Thor" type performance on coyotes out to about 300 yards with my 55 grain V-MAX loads. On chucks and squirrels the 22-250 really causes the fur to fly.

I have both and love both, but they get used for different applications. The 22-250 doesn't shine as a deer round like the 243 loaded with 90-100 grain bullets does, but the 243 doesn't shine like the 22-250 does with 55 grain bullets and lighter do for varmints. A 55 grain .243 bullet of the same design as a 55 grain .224 has a lower BC than the .224 bullet, the 243 does not magically get to ignore this basic fact. 

[Reidus]

A 55 grain .243 bullet of the same design as a 55 grain .224 has a lower BC than the .224 bullet, the 243 does not magically get to ignore this basic fact.

In the case of the nosler ballistic tip the 55gr 243 has a better BC due to the jacket thickness. You can also get more velocity out of the 243 because of the larger diameter.

[theleo]

A 55 grain .243 bullet of the same design as a 55 grain .224 has a lower BC than the .224 bullet, the 243 does not magically get to ignore this basic fact.

In the case of the nosler ballistic tip the 55gr 243 has a better BC due to the jacket thickness. You can also get more velocity out of the 243 because of the larger diameter.

The .243 emphasizes the boat tail more in the BT's. Saying a 55gr .243, as a rule, has a higher BC than a .224 is entirely wrong. Look up V-maxs and the situation is not the same as your BT example. As an example compare a 168 gr .308 SMK vs a .284 160 gr SMK.

You are correct about pushing it faster out of the 243 but your idea of a shorter fatter bullet of the same weight having a higher BC of a longer skinnier one doesn't hold water.

[Reidus]

Was just stating the case of the nosler BT since it is counter-intuitive to fact that almost always the bullet with the larger diameter of same design and weight will have a lower BC like you stated. Can't say I've seen another instance of this.

[ArcherTL]

.25-06 , 6.5x55, 7mm-08, 257 Robert's, and 243 are all very good light recoiling general purpose calibers.

[quackkiller]

Thanks for everything guys! Making it a hard decision tho!! Don't know if I should invest in a flatter gun or a more diverse one... Hard choice!

[birddogdad]

I have been a "big-bore" guy for most of my life. That said, I picked up a 25-06 last summer because the cartridge always intrigued me. I love that rifle and chambering, it is quickly becoming my go to. 

ahh woodchuck, a man after my heart! I too love my big bores, tough to have just one "go too" gun though. A "go too" gun for the particular application more suits me I think. to OP, be mindful of minimum caliber restrictions for an "all" applications weapon based on available game in North America for example.

[theleo]

Thanks for everything guys! Making it a hard decision tho!! Don't know if I should invest in a flatter gun or a more diverse one... Hard choice!

Live without regrets, buy both!

[Bigshooter]

I think the most important thing for female shooters is finding a gun that fits them.  Then worry about calibers.

[SkookumHntr]

- For all around gun, my vote goes for probably 270win! Ive killed blacktail, Mulies, Elk and Bear with mine! Wide Range of Bullets, mild recoil, my daughter shoots it with 130grn ammo!

[jasnt]

I'd go with a 243 over a 22-250. 55's out of a 243 will be faster and a better BC than 55's out of a 22-250. You can also shoot heavier bullets and use it for deer. 243 will be much better at longer range and in wind as well.

  can't go wrong with a 243

[quackkiller]

Well I guess I'm going to go have her pick up a few this weekend and go from there. Has anyone used or heard about the mossberg patriot?