Help me decide - 223 or 243?

Barnes_270

Barnes_270

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So, I'm thinking the next purchase is going to be a cheap Savage Axis in either .223 or .243 - and I'd like some input. I could go either way at this point - there are pros and cons for both.

.223
Pros - cheap to shoot, surplus ammo, easy to find brass, cheap FMJ bullets for reloading, light recoil for the kids to shoot
Cons - would need to buy small rifle primers (everything else I have uses large), buy shell holders for press and hand primer tool, somewhat marginal for kids to use as a first deer rifle, even with TTSX loads.

.243
Pros - great first deer rifle for the kids, already have shell holders since I reload for .308, have a World's Finest Trimmer for 308 which works for .243, no need for different primers
Cons - brass and cheap FMJ bullets are harder to come by, no surplus ammo.

Powder selection is a wash, since I'm already running H4895 (.223) and H4350 (.243) in quantity.

I know the right answer is "get both" :) so maybe the question here is "which one do I get first?"

Thanks for the input guys. Let's hear your thoughts.
 
Bolts don't shoot the norc surplus ammo to well. I get 5 or 6 miss-fires per box, 700 BDL.

Didn't know that when I bought the crate, but I guess it's common knowledge.

If you reload and want kids to hunt deer I'd go 243. If it's more for plinking I'd go 223.
 
I don't know what laws are there for hunting but in SK for big game it has to be larger than .22 cal. So .243 is the smallest popular calibre. I would get .243 for the bullet selection and ease of reloading for you. When I used mine for gophers I just loaded some 58 grain z max and it hardly moved when I shot it. And you can go all the way up to I believe 117 or 107 grains for deer or even moose with the right bullet and a confident shot. Sounds like you've got better calibers built for that task though.
 
Here in BC you can hunt big game with any centerfire, so that's not an issue. The little island blacktails the gun would be used for are all of 120lbs soaking wet unless you get really lucky (on gulf islands - these are small islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland, the deer on them make the Vancouver Island ones look like giants). I have larger stuff covered with a 270 and a 308, as well as a 30-30.
 
Based on your information I'd go .243.

Not having cheap surplus ammo to shoot will be made up for by not having to buy the extra reloading stuff you mentioned, and by the fact that you are reloading anyway, so you won't save much (anything???) by buying surplus. You can download the .243 for the kids if you really want to.
 
I think either would be fine for what you want it for. Its a tough choice, the 223 might be a little easier for plinking with cheaper factory ammo, but your all set up to reload for the 243. Tough call, flip a coin to see which to get first.
 
.223 first... then .243. The .223 is cheap to shoot and a great trainer rifle... it is also nice for varmints and predators... the kids (and you) will enjoy it for years.
 
nice choice! I have the Model 11 combo in 243 with the weaver scope and the accutrigger. Good value and the trigger breaks nice
 
RVG_Don said:
nice choice! I have the Model 11 combo in 243 with the weaver scope and the accutrigger. Good value and the trigger breaks nice
Click to expand...

How's the scope? I have a spare Redfield Revolution 3x9 that I'll probably swap for the weaver that comes with the Savage.

Yeah, the value was there. The price of the Axis plus a decent trigger upgrade was about 80% of the cost of this 11F combo (which is coming with 2 spare mags - i.e. three mags total) plus the guy had dies and bullets to throw in. :)
 
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