deerslayer223

Which caliber do u guys feel would be better for deer? a 243 or a 6mm? i know they are on the lighter end of the spectrum but they sure knock the heck outta a deer! [8D]

thndrchiken

6mm = .243, the 243 winchester ammo would be more readily available.

trailer

The 243 Win. ( I assume) and the 6mm are both the same caliber but different cartridges if I’m not mistaken. I’m looking into getting the 6mm Rem. for deer and for varmint. Something with low recoil but heavy enough for deer if I so choose. Using a good bullet such as the Barnes or Nosler would not be to small in the 243 caliber. I have no experience but from what I have been reading it should do fine.

timberjack82

I always thought they were the same cartridge too.

zrexpilot

I personally would not ever give up my .243. If you compare the same loads from a 6 to the .243 the 6 is gonna show a very slight advantage over the .243. However if you start to use some of the better loads for the .243 like the 90 gr.sirocco in Remington, the advantage is gone. The .243 will have 10 times the available ammo for it and you can find it wherever you go also.
The small caliber packs a helluva punch, I have taken many deer and hogs with it. I have shot big hogs out to 250 yds, with one dead in there tracks shots and have complete pass throughs as well, even at those distances. You have to use the right ammo though, stay away from ballistic tips or core lockts. The core locts are suppose to be improved now with a different bullet but havent found them yet. I prefer 100 gr. hornady's myself. The .243 has been rated by some as the best deer caliber. Lots of people even prefer it for Elk. One other advantage is the gun inherent accuracy and low recoil. The confidence alone makes you a better shot. Put it where you want an squeeze. It'll will be there. I have about a 1 to 2 " grouping at 200 yds with mine. Factory loads too. Nothing done to the gun either. Let us know what you decide.

hunting_is_my_obsession

.243 for sure but make a good placement and both will be sure 2 knock em dead

Todd1700

Ballistically the 6mm is superior but for some reason its far less popular than the 243. So, the slight advantage of the hotter shooting 6mm is offset by the 243's more varied and widely available ammo.

halcon

There isn't a lot of difference between the two in my opinion maybe 0-150 fps at the most . I doubt there would even be that much on factory ammo . They are both good deer rounds , at least they have been for me .

JagMagMan

I had a 6MM Rem. for years and wish I had it back! I consider the .243/6MM to be the minimum for deer, but a great minimum they are!
If I were buying another one today, it would be the .243. The 6MM hold only about 100 FPS advantage over the .243, so the difference would be in ammo availability! You will find 10 times the selection in .243 that you will in 6MM!
That, coupled with the fact that the .243 is a short action round, tips the scale in favor of the .243.
The .243 and the 6MM are both the same bullets in different cartridges.
The 6MM Rem. got its start in life as the .244 Remington. Because of rifle twist rate, the .244 Remington was not as accurate as the .243 Winchester. Remington discontinued the .244, and came back out with the 6MM Remington, which with a better twist ratio, it was every bit as good as the .243's! But alas, with the bad reputation that it started life with, the 6MM Rem. never caught up to the popularity of the .243 Win.

zrexpilot

heres a link with some comments on the .243.
http://www.udarrell.com/ultimate_deer_cartridge_guests.htm