Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Four peas in a pod

After having owned and shot a few of each, the 250-3000, 257 ROB, 243 WIN, and 244/6MM REM strike me as being a lot more alike than different when it comes to in the field performance on varmints and deer. There is a little bore diameter, case capacity, velocity potential, component bullet selection, and factory ammo differences between them, but in the field performance seems to be more dependent on the shooter than the cartridge.

What do you think?

PS - My first one of these was a Remington 660 in 6MM REM, a gift from my Father who thought that the 244/6MM case design was better than the 243's.

Maybe it’s just me but as I have gained more experience with various cartridges and various animals I see less difference in killing ability between them than I would have thought before. Stated another way, it seems to me based on my experience that it requires a very drastic change in performance to notice even a small change in killing efficiency.

Well, yea, but who's wanting to get us all to agree on which one to keep and which to eliminate? I could make a similar argument about my 5 brothers, but I'd rather enjoy looking at their differences instead.

Yep, Eeny, meeny, miny, moe....

Unless ammo availability is an issue as most of the time it is.

Older I get, I keep migrating to smaller and smaller calibers.

In the 80s I thought I needed a 300 Win Mag to drop a deer.

Last couple of years, I think my hunting life time will probably end with me using the 6.5 Grendel and the 6 x 45.

both take deer as well as anything else I've ever used...

I like the 6mm Rem on a long action, over a short action...but I own a few 243s, that get used and have taken a lot of deer with... never been a 25 caliber guy.. but not to say I couldn't or wouldn't use a 250 Savage or a 257 Roberts if either one came my way....

Heck most of my hunting could be accomplished with 30 grains of IMR 4198 or RL 7, in about any caliber from a 243 to a 338 Win Mag....or in my trusty old 444 Marlin...

I have a 250 Savage, 250 AI, 257 Roberts, and several 243’s. They are all deer killing machines with good shot placement. A good friend of mine has killed a pile of deer with a 6mm Remington. It’s the only rifle I have ever seen him hunt with and he has killed a bunch of deer with it.

Love them all because they are all good, efficient, low recoil cartridges that cross over well for varmints and predators. I would hate to have to choose my favorite.

I agree 100%, but the 6mm Rem is still best!😁

I don't disagree with the above statements, bullet match up for the speed and shot placement will produce a lot of very similar results in a range of calibers.

I will say I notice a measurable difference so far with deer shot with a FP or RN 35 caliber, in my case 35 Remington. Not necessarily dramatic bang flops, although had a couple of those as well, but on deer hit at varying angles I've yet to get a flat out run off. Some try, but are slowed way down like their legs just wont work with their brain on shots with no major bones hit, and subsequently don't get anywhere.

Others may argue it makes no difference, but I've shot deer from 6mm up through 30-06 and got the occasional runner with all of them. Something about that bigger 35 caliber and the bullet designs made for the 35 Rem that is generally not dramatic, but is consistent about majorly disrupting their motor skills.

I don't think it matter inside 500 yards. Pick one that "speaks" to you and rock on. Of the four, my favorite is the 250 Savage, so that's what I'd roll with. But that has nothing to do with "numbers," it's strictly my sentimental favorite. If I wanted something practical in this class, I'd go with a 6mm CM or 6.5 CM and completely ignore the four rounds in question.

Just curious, but what makes the 6 CM more practical that the 243? I've seen very little 6 CM factory ammo in any of the gun shop that I've been to recently in CO, KS, MO, NE, and SD. In opposite of the spectrum availability, there is lots of 6.5 CM factory ammo everywhere, but none of the 90 grain Federal varmint loads. If I was going to recommend a dual-purpose varmint and medium game cartridge for someone who doesn't reload, I'd recommend the 6.5 CM too.

I’d have to agree with stick and parrot his “bullets matter more than headstamps”.
Any one of those could out perform the other dependent on bullet choice, and bullet choice would be dependent on use. At some point it all becomes ridiculous and personally I’ve gravitated towards availability.
The bulk of my rifles and handguns are chambered in the widely available .223, .243, .308, .30-06, 9mm, .45acp. Plenty of others, but these outnumber the others. Any well constructed bullet between 100gr and 180gr traveling 2,500-3,000fps will kill most anything I’ll likely need to dispatch on 2 or 4 legs.
KISS

I have both the .250-3000 and .243 Win, but I have kind of migrated to the 6mm Creedmoor. While I still like the other two and they are as effective as they ever were, the 6 Creed is just a better version of the old classics.

If I had to choose between the four mentioned by the OP, I'd probably go with the .250 Savage.

I have all of them and yes it is somewhat redundant as one will do what the other's will. A deer won't know the difference between a 250 Savage and a 6MM. BUT what's the fun in having only one of them? Some of mine are bolt guns some single shot's I take whatever I'm in the mood for. It's just the Looney in me I guess and I can live with that.

Just my opinion, but odds are the 6mmC will come with a 1:8 or 1:7.5 twist, so IF you want to play with the high BC bullets it's a better starting point.

I'd also agree with Brad, that IF starting from scratch I'd skip the initial 4 mentioned. There's no reason not to take advantage of recent cartridge design developments, IE available match quality brass and shorter cartridges lengths to take advantage of higher BC bullets.

The more practical part of the 6 cm is the ammo availability quality and price. Like most all of us here I handload but online I have seen much more creedmoor ammo being available. Not to mention that the factory ammo is loaded with bullets that we were once having to rebarrel to use. That might not be a pro for everyone but it’s not a con for anyone either.

I still have load for and use more than one 243.

Well put. My wife shoots a 250AI that I had Mr Coleman put together for her graduation present. The 6.5 creedmoor was probably already introduced but I didn’t know about it if it was. She loves the gun and it’s a perfect deer rifle for her. I won’t ever change the barrel on it. If I was building the same gun today it would be a 6 or 6.5 creedmoor just so factory ammo could be used if something happened to me.

I will always have a .243. However, of the four mentioned above, it is much more about the Indian than the bow...