Is the 243 Winchester dying?

Agreed, but not in the premium models of those companies.

Like which ones? Other then Bergara (which are just run of the mill cheaply produced cast receiver production rifles BTW, nothing premium there).
CZ/Rem/Win/Browning/Weatherby/Savage/Ruger/ etc all have deluxe versions of their rifles in 243. Literally everyone makes a 243, higher end like Cooper/Barret/Kimber/Sako/Steyr, they come in all styles and flavours so I'm lost at where exactly you are looking?
 
Hands down my favourite rifle cartridge. I dont see it going anywhere in respect to hunting, competion and target shooting has new flavors. Perfect deer gun with proper bullet selection. Fun long range shooter too.

North
 
I think they have their place like anything else. Not going anywhere. Make a great deer rifle for ladies or youths starting out or for anyone that is recoil shy. I had one for about 10 years as a backup deer rifle but it never filled a niche for me so I got rid of it. Whether I was deer hunting or coyote hunting I always found myself grabbing something else and it was seldom used.
 
.243 is sticking around.
It's a reasonably flat flying round ranging in bullet weights from 50 to 100 grains. That in itself gives it great diversity with regards to target and field applications.
(It will push premium or hand rolled 50 grainer's out the pipe reaching 4000fps and sustain supersonic flight at 1000 yards)
Readily available and reasonably priced ammunition.
I would say dollar per dollar, the .243 is a formidable caliber.
 
The 243 only "limitation" for longe range shooting is most oem barrels are 1/12

Rebarreling with a 1/8 twist barrel and it will shoot heavier bullets and stretch its legs

It is THE ideal Canadian hunting rifle...capable of killing everything shy of the largest carnivores...using readily available inexpensive ammo....shoots flat likely making the average hunter more likely to make hits with it.....and especially so if a fella is limited to 1 rifle.

Long Live the 243 :)
 
The 243 only "limitation" for longe range shooting is most oem barrels are 1/12

Rebarreling with a 1/8 twist barrel and it will shoot heavier bullets and stretch its legs

It is THE ideal Canadian hunting rifle...capable of killing everything shy of the largest carnivores...using readily available inexpensive ammo....shoots flat likely making the average hunter more likely to make hits with it.....and especially so if a fella is limited to 1 rifle.

Long Live the 243 :)

1/10 is the standard 243 twist, good for up to 100gr, some 105gr that are not too long.
Not ideal for the 105+ VLD's.
 
Hey folks,

Shopping around for a pair of new rifles and part of me kind of wants them matching (I know, I’m wierd).

I notice that once you get out of the bottom price offerings of most every company, the 243 is no longer available.

As an example, the Bergara B14 hunter, yep 243. B14 wilderness hunter? Nope, same for premier.

Weatherby is the same, browning similar, Tikka has a few but most not.

Seems only savage carries it mostly everywhere.

Is this a cartridge on its way out of favor?

Not by a long shot (no pun intended). Check out Ruger American and Ruger Hawkeye rifles. .243Win is offered in several different models at reasonable prices even when converted to Can funds.
 
It won't go anywhere, but I wouldn't use one to kill a deer again.

25-06 is better, IMO.

agreed 100% but that didn't stop me from buying a 243 as a backup to the 25-06 deer gun :) and the 243 also doubles as a backup to the 22-250 coyote gun

also a lot more pleasant to shoot on the range then the 300WM, 325WSM, and 338WM, and ammo is reasonable.
 
1. .223 Remington/5.56mm NATO
2. .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO
3. .30-’06 Springfield
4. .30-30 Winchester
5. .270 Winchester
6. .243 Winchester
7. .300 Winchester Magnum
8. 7mm Remington Magnum
9. 7.62x39
10. .300 Winchester Short Magnum
11. .22-250 Remington

Its in #6 for USA ammo Sales ! Another Great cartridge made BETTER by AI ing it ! RJ
 
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.
 
6.5 started out as wont be able to find ammo or ammo too expensive. now its the top seller at big box store last year.. also can get a cheap box for 22$, even in the midst of a pandemic .
if you want .243 grab a .243 ! nothin wrong with that. but most stuff coming off assembly lines the more they can produce the cheaper it will be. if they are only gonna sell 50 .243 a year in the $1500 price range it might not be worth it when they sell 1000 , 6.5 at the $1500 price range. if the demand was there , they would do it
 
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