Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Help me choose? .243 OR .308 for whitetail deer in the east.

Hard not to like the 243 and 95 Ballistic Tips in this application.

HB,

Either is a fine choice for whitetails.
Man, Cooper's website leaves MUCH to be desired.

The Excalibur stock is far more streamlined but if the JH fits the bill for you, have at it. Either way you'll have a super rifle.

And, a piece of advice that you didn't ask for;

Why are you aiming at a Cooper?

Is this the rifle your looking at?


From what I see in the picture I don't prefer:
A. Lack of checkering on the forend.
B. Lack of CRF
C. Lack of a good safety. Seems to just have a trigger safety.
D. Expensive $2,650.00
E. Rollover cheekpiece.

Actually, this is the rifle--minus the rail and scope....and it's $1619 NIB.

Don't know much about those rifles, but that thing looks nice!

PS, if only hunting deer it is hard to not like the 243. Only reason I carry something larger is I usually have an elk tag in my pocket due to where I live.

heavybarrel: gitchu one of the cooper classics in .250 savage.

I have a Jackson Hunter in 25-06, love the accuracy and feel of the gun, but it is a little on the heavy side. The Model 54's seem a pound lighter?? They are also a little shorter, and would be perfect for my style of hunting. Do I need another? NO, but I sure would like to have one in the short action. Ifn I can sale or trade a couple rifles that I have not used in a long time I will buy one, just unsure about which caliber. Never had a .243, but I have had several .308's.

I am also waiting to see how Cooper handles the customer service issue I am having right now. Sent my 25-06 in for an on going ejection issue, they are in the process of changing out the bolt to the new style ejection (plunger style). If they handle this situation to my satisfaction, I will own another.

Seems like the 95 NBT is a fairly popular bullet for the .243. How about the 80gr TTSX? Anybody use it on whitetails?

Thanks
HeavyBarrel

WGAS?

Both are fine rounds and if you're strictly going to hunt deer I'd say go 243, but you might decide after deer to go after something larger, which in that case the 308 would serve you better and you'd be covered for both.

Seems like the 95 NBT is a fairly popular bullet for the .243. How about the 80gr TTSX? Anybody use it on whitetails?

Actually, I used it on three last year. Yardage was from 20 to 150ish. All three were complete pass throughs and yes, they left a nice blood trail. First one (doe) went about 50 yards downhill. Second doe went three falling steps. The third one, the buck below, I shot 3/4 facing me. Stumbled backwards at the shot, turned sideways and collapsed. He was the 150 yard shot. The bullet exited the flank.

Nice buck! Looks like a heavy bodied sucker.

I will flamed for this, I am sure, but, for serious deer hunting, I would DEFINITELY take the 308. There is no situation I can think of where the 243 will best the 243, and I can think of at least a couple where I would opt for the 308.

I would use either.Since it's one or the other...308.

The 243 kicks less, is fun to shoot, and easy to watch longrange hits through scope.

Ditto

Either are good depending on twist rate and therefore bullet choice. The .308 will be more forgiving twist rate wise as the bullets will for the most part be capable. A 14 twist barrel in the 6 will potentially leave you way too light in my opinion

Yup. Especially considering her "experience".

+ 10 to that...Don is what the stock market calls a " Contra- Indicator"

My vote is for the .243...I killed a couple arks full with a .243 and they all looked the equivalent of " .308 dead"....

Like my kids say............."must be opposite day..".

Poobah & a few others got it right....243

Until a couple years ago the biggest I'd used in the last twenty years was a .223 & I had no problems at all...then I tried the .257 WBY koolaid (which I really liked) but it was costly to shoot. For the past couple years, I've carried a Kimber .243 & it will likely be one of the few guns I still have to pass down when it comes time...

10T for both.. I think I would have more fun with that investment as an all-arounder as a 243....

W