russell moore

Which would be better for a youth on southeastern whitetaila 257 roberts ora 243win

338

Both are good but for deer size game the bob gets my nod ..

nchawkeye

Look at the ammo charts...How many rounds does Remington, Hornady, Federal or Winchester load for the Roberts???

The .243 made the Roberts and the 250 Savage obsolete...

mouthcaller

If you don't handload get the .243

I took my .243 hunting for the first time yesterday. This gun is primarily set up as a coyote gun but I didn't overscope it(I mounted a Bushnell 4X12 Elite 3200 on Talley one piece mounts) thinkingmyboys may want to us it for deer. I shot a 9-point yesterday and it performed flawlessly. Double lung broadside shot at 145 yards. The buck back-kicked then turned and took off and I could see blood running out of the exit wound. The deer ran about 75 yards before piling up and it left a blood trail anyone could follow.

I'm using good bullets (Federal Fusion 95 grains) which I think is a wise option with small caliber guns for larger game. This is a bonded bullet that helps ensure the "in one side and out the other" performance that leaves an exit wound.

Based on yesterday's experience I think that I may deer hunt with this gun more often. It is pleasure to handle and shoot.

Mouthcaller

millerhunter13

go with the 243 alot more ammunition and been around the block longer.

bronko22000

Both are excellent deer chamberings. The 243 is more popular but the 257 is no slouch. I've used the 243 fro whitetails for years with no complaints. But the 257 has a bit more 'thump'. A good 120 gr bullet from the 257 or a 100 grainer from the 243 is more than adequate for your southern deer. Basically its a toss up.

DM

I reallydon't care how many different loads are available for a cartridge, just as long as there was a decent one for what i was hunting...

I'd pick the 257 Roberts every time, as it gives a bit more leedway on marginal shots, and if the owner ever wants to move up to a little bigger animial, he already has the gun for the job!

There's no problem at all getting ammo for the 257...

DM

SwampCollie

Why not a 260 or a 7-08?

I like the .243 just fine, but really I'd pick the 257 as a cartridge over the .243 Win.

driftrider

Might want to recheck your facts. The .257 Roberts started out in the 1920's as a wildcat of the 7x57 Mauser developed by Ned Roberts. Remington domesticated it in 1934.

The .243 Winchester was introduced in 1955 in the Winchester Model 70, based on the .308 Win which had itself only been introduced 3 years prior in 1952.

So the .257 Roberts has 21 years on the .243 Win, and that's just counting the years since it was standardized as a commercial cartridge. If you count it's wildcat days, it's got the .243 by another 10.

One thing to remember too about the current .257 Roberts factory ammo is that it's typicall loaded to the much lower pressures than modern rifles can handle to be safe in the old and much weaker Model 93 Spanish Mausers that were commonly rebarrelled in .257 Roberts back in the day. New production rifles chambered in .257 Roberts can handle higher (+P) pressures which allow the .257 Roberts to sneak up pretty close to the .25-06. But you'd have to handload to take advantage of this.

Mike

ipscshooter

Yeah, that 14/1000ths of an inch will make a huge difference.

With standard factory loads the .243 is significantly faster and delivers more energy than the Roberts. The Roberts gets a slight edge for handloaders.