Is the 243 Winchester dying?

[AlexF]

243 Win like 30-30 Win will never die but there are newer cartridges which are better low recoil medium range deer cartridges.
With deer hunting being the most important "serious" hunting in North America, you can expect sales to move to other cartridges but it will never die.
Personally, I use the same Tikka T3 243 Win "laser beam" rifle as my light walking varmint rifle and light walking deer rifle.
It's light, very accurate and very low recoil (no 6.5 cartridge can match the low recoil of a 85gr Barnes bullet for deer hunting)

 

[Suther]

243 Win like 30-30 Win will never die but there are newer cartridges which are better low recoil medium range deer cartridges.
With deer hunting being the most important "serious" hunting in North America, you can expect sales to move to other cartridges but it will never die.
Personally, I use the same Tikka T3 243 Win "laser beam" rifle as my light walking varmint rifle and light walking deer rifle.
It's light, very accurate and very low recoil (no 6.5 cartridge can match the low recoil of a 85gr Barnes bullet for deer hunting)

And what would you consider a better low recoil deer cartridge?

When recoil is considered a serious factor in your decision, I don't really see anything that bests the 243win spitting a 90-100gr soft point, except maybe another 6mm like the 6mmCM or 6x47lapua, which only seem to be popular in the target crowd...? 6.5s will have more recoil to match the SD/BC/Velocity combo of a 243, and going the other way you're looking at 22cals which are certainly capable and low in recoil but they're not legal in many jurisdictions and many people would consider that to be undergunning yourself...

 

[Gatehouse]

And what would you consider a better low recoil deer cartridge?

When recoil is considered a serious factor in your decision, I don't really see anything that bests the 243win spitting a 90-100gr soft point, except maybe another 6mm like the 6mmCM or 6x47lapua, which only seem to be popular in the target crowd...? 6.5s will have more recoil to match the SD/BC/Velocity combo of a 243, and going the other way you're looking at 22cals which are certainly capable and low in recoil but they're not legal in many jurisdictions and many people would consider that to be undergunning yourself...

One of the best if not the very best low recoil deer cartridges today is the 6.5 Grendel.

 

[Suther]

One of the best if not the very best low recoil deer cartridges today is the 6.5 Grendel.

But is it really any better than the 243? It might recoil slightly less, but really, if you can't handle a 243 then the very slight reduction offered by the 6.5grendel is unlikely to do the trick either I would think?

Looking at Nosler's load data online, 243win has 9 loads over 3000fps w/100 gr bullet. Meanwhile, the 6.5 is maxed out at just under 2750 with the same weight bullet - and the 243 has better SD and better BC, which means not only does it start out faster but it will hold velocity better AND aught to penetrate better.

The 120s have a much better SD/BC, but their initial velocity is so low that their trajectory suffers - max load from Nosler only got to 2520fps.

On the other end of the spectrum you could spit a 90gr 234cal accubond at 3200+fps, which would give the user a fantastic MPBR for a gun with so little recoil.

 

[257Roberts]

Deleted

 

[New Camper]

243W is definitely not going extinct. The phenomenot you are observing is just manufacturing and publicity stupidness: there is a new crop of Slobermores flooded onto the market, advertised and pushed at every turn which have taken cuts out of the old reliables. Frankly, the optimum chambering for varmints to black bear is 250Savage but it got squeezed fifty years ago when the Slobermore of the day was .243".

Charles Newton's brainchild is still kicking after 100years, Winchesters 243 after 50... the short action ultra magnums appeared and most have withered. The 6mm and 6.5mm CM might be around for a long time as they are good rounds: after all, they are a product of plagiarizing the 100year old impeccable design of Newton, copied Ackley's method of improving that, then necked it up and down. If they stayed put and just put the effort into broadening the 1/4" bore's bullet offerings, they'd be at the same spot. As Frank Barnes commented on a particular cartridge in Cartridges of the World (a paraphrase of something King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes: "There really isn't anything new under the sun..." just different loud speakers proclaiming it.

 

[SuperCub]

And what would you consider a better low recoil deer cartridge?

As an owner of a 257Roberts and 6CM, I don't think there is any better low recoil deer cartridge out there than the 243 for the non-handloader who needs to get their ammo fix at CDN Tire.

 

[Markus]

But is it really any better than the 243? It might recoil slightly less, but really, if you can't handle a 243 then the very slight reduction offered by the 6.5grendel is unlikely to do the trick either I would think?

Looking at Nosler's load data online, 243win has 9 loads over 3000fps w/100 gr bullet. Meanwhile, the 6.5 is maxed out at just under 2750 with the same weight bullet - and the 243 has better SD and better BC, which means not only does it start out faster but it will hold velocity better AND aught to penetrate better.

The 120s have a much better SD/BC, but their initial velocity is so low that their trajectory suffers - max load from Nosler only got to 2520fps.

On the other end of the spectrum you could spit a 90gr 234cal accubond at 3200+fps, which would give the user a fantastic MPBR for a gun with so little recoil.

Nailed it here. And the only advantage that the 243 doesn't have is a 1 in 8 twist for the newest high BC bullets. Unfortunately many manufacturers are still using a 1 in 10 twist with a couple using 1 in 9 1/8 twist. It's now suffering from a similar issue that it brought to the 6mm Remington

 

[SuperCub]

And the only advantage that the 243 doesn't have is a 1 in 8 twist for the newest high BC bullets.

So it's very much NOT the 243 that lacks, but it's the rifles that it comes in that have fallen behind.

 

[Gatehouse]

But is it really any better than the 243? It might recoil slightly less, but really, if you can't handle a 243 then the very slight reduction offered by the 6.5grendel is unlikely to do the trick either I would think?

Looking at Nosler's load data online, 243win has 9 loads over 3000fps w/100 gr bullet. Meanwhile, the 6.5 is maxed out at just under 2750 with the same weight bullet - and the 243 has better SD and better BC, which means not only does it start out faster but it will hold velocity better AND aught to penetrate better.

The 120s have a much better SD/BC, but their initial velocity is so low that their trajectory suffers - max load from Nosler only got to 2520fps.

On the other end of the spectrum you could spit a 90gr 234cal accubond at 3200+fps, which would give the user a fantastic MPBR for a gun with so little recoil.

You asked if there is any better “low recoil” deer cartridge and then want to ignore that the Grendel is lower recoil? You don’t make much sense.

Sometimes you have to look past the numbers and apply some common sense. The Grendel will easily kill a deer past 300 yards. It has less recoil than a .243. Therefore it’s a better low recoil deer cartridge.

Lots of kids balk at the recoil and blast of a 243 but have no problem with a Grendel or 762x39 or .223.

 

[SuperCub]

But is it really any better than the 243? It might recoil slightly less, but really, if you can't handle a 243 then the very slight reduction offered by the 6.5grendel is unlikely to do the trick either I would think?

Are 6.5 Grendel rifles and factory ammo easy to find where you are?

 

[Markus]

So it's very much NOT the 243 that lacks, but it's the rifles that it comes in that have fallen behind.

Absolute truth there

 

[TT1900]

Nope. Alive and doing well, as evidenced by most if not all premium manufacturers offering it nearly across the board.

I think what you’re seeing is reflective of targeted demographics for “premium” economy rifles. In my limited experience the people interested in economy rifles with a bit of lipstick at double the price are the same ones who turn their noses up at classic cartridges in favour of the trendy ones. Same folks who scoff at the .270 Win then praise the 6.5CM for its reduced drop.

 

[TT1900]

Someone needs to offer factory 243s with a faster twist bbl and try to grab back some sales from the 6.5CM.

Tikka has a long action. This would be perfect for a fast twist 243 with a longer OAL to reach the lands.

Barrett Fieldcraft in .243 came with a 1:7 twist and 3” mag box. Kept my eye out for one but not sure if any made it north of the border before they ceased production. Unfortunate.

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

The .243 will be with us for a good spell. No worries.

 

[john-brennan]

My son and I both have .243's along with others, they are a fantastic low recoil, accurate and easy to find factory ammo calibre. I would find it hard to think it's going anywhere.

 

[Suther]

Nailed it here. And the only advantage that the 243 doesn't have is a 1 in 8 twist for the newest high BC bullets. Unfortunately many manufacturers are still using a 1 in 10 twist with a couple using 1 in 9 1/8 twist. It's now suffering from a similar issue that it brought to the 6mm Remington

Outside of competition style bullets are there many bullets over 100gr in 6mm though? Id do some looking but I'm on my phone... Besides, the 90-100gr pills work just fine on game, I'm not sure you need heavier?

You asked if there is any better “low recoil” deer cartridge and then want to ignore that the Grendel is lower recoil? You don’t make much sense.

Sometimes you have to look past the numbers and apply some common sense. The Grendel will easily kill a deer past 300 yards. It has less recoil than a .243. Therefore it’s a better low recoil deer cartridge.

Lots of kids balk at the recoil and blast of a 243 but have no problem with a Grendel or 762x39 or .223.

Im not ignoring it. I'm asking if the difference in recoil is worth the difference in ballistics. Better is obviously subjective, but it's certainly not solely dictated by recoil, and the vast majority of hunters can shoot a 243. I bet there are certain situations where it would be better, such as someone who can't tolerate a 243, but I don't see a lot of 8 year olds deer hunting... Hell, If recoil is all that matters then a 223 would be the best from the pictures I've seen you post!

 

[Suther]

Are 6.5 Grendel rifles and factory ammo easy to find where you are?

I live in Greater Vancouver, so you can probably find a rifle and ammo somewhere around here, as there's a fair number of options. Thanks to Canadian Tire, Walmart, and the fact that some of the rural gas stations sell ammo there's probably 50+ places within an hour of me you can get 243win though.

 

[MiG25]

I've never seen 6.5 Grendel ammo anywhere but the internet.

 

[Brutus]

great for caribou as well do not see it gone soon.

In Inuvik I know of at least two trappers pretty much exclusively use 243 rifles. And one of them stopped/killed a barren ground grizzly attacking him early spring of 2004.

Not much Creedmore or Grendel thereabouts.