.223 .243 .270 .30-06

if those are your only choices, go 243 for sure. starting there is a good way to develope youself into a fine shooter. your first gun doesn't need to be your only or last gun, you can go bigger as time goes on. if you're only 15, your collection has only just begun! My oldest son started at age 12 with a brand new 243, he has since gone up step by step to 300 Wby Mag for hunting and you know what, he still grabs that old Micro Medallion 243 quite often on hunting day morning. His first love calls his name the loudest some mornings! Happy shooting, young fella. :)
 
How much shooting and hunting have you done? You said you just got a cooey in another thread fairly recently and honestly I would spend some time shooting that and getting to know it well before upgrading to a larger caliber. I had a 30-06 when I was 15, however I was also a big farm kid and was introduced to shooting at a young age. Get good on that .22 and over the next year give different guns a try and base your decision on what feels best for you. Good luck and welcome to CGN.
 
Character said:
Hey I getting one of these calibers I might be deer hunting and don't want something that will blow my shoulder apart becasue im only 15. Cheaper the better becasue I like to go to the range often. Thanks!:weird:
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First question you have to ask is where your situated, 223 is a no go for deer in some places.
 
i dont honestly think ive ever been in a situation where a .270 is more suitable than a .308 or a .243 ... noone NEEDS a .270 for deer unless you're trying to push past 400m .. and lets be honest.. if you're looking for a deer in the forest, we're talking 20-120m max
 
If it was me i would get a 30-30 lever or a 308 bolt action.

Most people really dont need anything more. However, its not fun to have only one rifle. Thats why we are gunnutz.
 
Why go for a 243, which is just a necked down 308 that costs as much, when you can get the real thing?

I'd get a pair of Savage Accutrigger rifles in .308 and .22lr

223 you kinda have to use super premium ammo or go for head shots to hunt deer, but it's cheap and accurate.
 
I like the .308 caliber. the commerical version of the 7.62x51mm nato round. It's also the parent cartridge to the .243. It's like a 30-06, but a little shorter the 30-06 is 7.62x63mm and the .308 is 7.62x51mm. So a .308 is 12mm shorter, so you can get a short action rifle. The 30-06 has a straighter trajectory, but the .308 less recoil. Wide variety of ammo for the .308. You can find cheap ammo for it if you want to just fire off a few at the range. Also you can find surplus rnds for the .308 usually because it's such a popular rnd. We've take whitetail, and moose with it.
 
What is a "straighter" trajectory? You mean more accurate or flatter shooting?


happykal said:
I like the .308 caliber. the commerical version of the 7.62x51mm nato round. It's also the parent cartridge to the .243. It's like a 30-06, but a little shorter the 30-06 is 7.62x63mm and the .308 is 7.62x51mm. So a .308 is 12mm shorter, so you can get a short action rifle. The 30-06 has a straighter trajectory, but the .308 less recoil. Wide variety of ammo for the .308. You can find cheap ammo for it if you want to just fire off a few at the range. Also you can find surplus rnds for the .308 usually because it's such a popular rnd. We've take whitetail, and moose with it.
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Deer hunting + 15 years old = .243 Winchester

It's easy on the shoulder, cheap to shoot, inherently accurate, and works just fine on deer. You don't need to "upgrade to something bigger" later either, as long as the gun ergonomics work for you it'll be great.

I started at 12 on my Dad's .30-06 and that wasn't the best introduction. The .243 I tried shortly after was the money.
 
happykal said:
I like the .308 caliber. the commerical version of the 7.62x51mm nato round. It's also the parent cartridge to the .243. It's like a 30-06, but a little shorter the 30-06 is 7.62x63mm and the .308 is 7.62x51mm. So a .308 is 12mm shorter, so you can get a short action rifle. The 30-06 has a straighter trajectory, but the .308 less recoil. Wide variety of ammo for the .308. You can find cheap ammo for it if you want to just fire off a few at the range. Also you can find surplus rnds for the .308 usually because it's such a popular rnd. We've take whitetail, and moose with it.
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?? I think that if you check the details, the trajectory for both are quite similar until you get into the heavier weight bullets. There is very little little difference in MV even with the 180gn bullets.
Actually, most bullets exhibit the same trajectory out to 200yds. That's why "You sight at 2" high at 100yds puts you zero at 200yds" holds so true. If the trajectory is so drastically different, that adage wouldn't hold as fact. When it matters is on the longer (400yds+) shots, but not many people are taking them.
 
rookie wildcat said:
?? I think that if you check the details, the trajectory for both are quite similar until you get into the heavier weight bullets. There is very little little difference in MV even with the 180gn bullets.
Actually, most bullets exhibit the same trajectory out to 200yds. That's why "You sight at 2" high at 100yds puts you zero at 200yds" holds so true. If the trajectory is so drastically different, that adage wouldn't hold as fact. When it matters is on the longer (400yds+) shots, but not many people are taking them.
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True, but still slighty different
federal vital shok nozler partition 180gr. .308 Zeroed @ 100 yards the drop is 16.4 inches at 300yards.

Federal vital shok nozler partition 180.gr 30-06 zeroed @ 100 yards the drop is 14.5 inches at 300yards.
 
Wouldn't it be more important that the 180 grain pill has 250 pounds more energy at 300 yards than the 2" drop?
 
1.9" ??

The only way that will make a difference is on a Friday night!:p

That is a difference between the center of the heart and the top.I think you are okay with those differences.


happykal said:
True, but still slighty different
federal vital shok nozler partition 180gr. .308 Zeroed @ 100 yards the drop is 16.4 inches at 300yards.

Federal vital shok nozler partition 180.gr 30-06 zeroed @ 100 yards the drop is 14.5 inches at 300yards.
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.223 is too small and possible illegal for deer.

.270 will get deer just fine, but it will more than likely destroy a coyote pelt. Anything bigger is just overkill on a deer.

So what is the answer? .243 win! Perfect medium between the 2 and will kill both just fine.

My hunting lineup consists of a 12 guage for birds and slug hunting here in Southern Ontario. A .22lr for grouse and squirrels. A 30-30 for bush hunting deer or blackbear in Central Ontario. And a .243 for Coyotes or Deer where I need to be able to reach out past 150m.(A rarity here in Ontario) And soon to have a .375 Ruger for Bear and Moose.(If I ever get the chance)

I see no need for those in between cartridges like .308 or 30-06.;)

The largest cartridge necessary for such things is a .270 win, and after that I will go straight to the .375 Ruger for anything bigger than a deer or blackbear. :D
 
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