Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Rebarrel 243 to what?

260 Remington
6.5 Creedmoor
7-08 Remington
300 savage
308 Winchester
338 Federal
358 Winchester

One gun for all big game, mostly Wisconsin Whitetail

And perhaps, someday
Texas Wild boar
Irish Red stag
African plains game

Have had several 280s, a 338 win mag
This rifle is set up along the lines of a Remington model 7
Trim and light and handy

Any thoughts?

I would choose based on the what “is” not the “someday maybe”; if Wisconsin whitetail is the primary I would choose something that will get that done with the least amount of recoil since it is a light gun. Of your choices, I would likely go with one of the first three; and number two if I wanted to shoot factory fodder.

Why not change the barrel on your .243 to a fast twist 7.5 or 8 and shoot any weight up to 115 gr. there's nothing
more accurate than the 6mm, and there's nothing in the lower U.S. or Africa plains game you can't take with the .243 the .243 may not sound as sexy as some of the others you listed but it will do the job of all of them Rio7

708

I switched from the .243 to .260 several years ago for deer. I love the performance of that cartridge even with factory ammo. But, if you are thinking possibly of bigger game, I'd go .308 or split the difference with 7mm-08. And cartridge based on the .308 case has been a winner in every rifle I've owned.

In a lightweight like that, I'd go 20-21" 7mm-08. If a guy isn't a handloader, the argument can be made for the 6.5CM, due to the amount of factory ammo out there. Either is a winner.

I don’t know what else you have
But the 6.5 is just everywhere, cheap to shoot and low recoil.
If you want little more thump, the 338 federal would be my choice
If you re load, split the difference and do the 7-08

My vote is the 358 Winchester, 200gr SP factory ammo from Hornaday and Winchester will ruin the majority of North American game species day

All day long !

.338 Federal followed by 7mm-08 Remington.

And half again on Thursday.

I am NOT a big 6.5CM fan. However, in a light rifle, primarily intended for WT deer, as a wise man once said, "The 6.5 CM connects a lot of dots..."

21 in 7-08 No. 3 contour

GreggH

300 savage or 358, jus because they're cool classics. I jave both a 6.5 and 708... but you can get them on such good sales right now, why not do that AND rebarrel to something you won't find on the shelf?

338 Fed

I went cheap when I decide to do something about a Model 70 243 push feed that would not shoot. Found a take off barrel in 308. New rifle now.

Good choice

7-08

Never had one, but always liked it on paper. Just never ran into the right one at the right moment. Probably won't bother at this late stage.

.358 Winchester

Logically a 308 but a 7-08 is a fine round.