Next step after 243

B

BigBraz15

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
101   0   0
Location
N.W. Alberta
This is more or less just gathering thoughts and opinions. I have a few of my own, but wanted to gather some others. My son is just old enough to hunt big game this year, and has been practicing a fair bit with the 243. He is doing good with it and always wants to shoot something bigger. I know a lot of this is just seeking what he can handle. As we get past this year and into the next year or two, what is the next reasonable step up? I don’t have a lot of selection for him, most of what I hunt with are a stretch in recoil for a light framed youth.

We will be chasing elk and moose when we got into the next couple years so looking for a bit more than the 243 will offer with our style of hunting.

Any thoughts on chamberings are welcome, and maybe what was effective for you.
 
30-06 offers lots of flexibility. I just made my dad some low recoil loads sporting a 125grn bullet and minimum powder charge. On the other end of the spectrum I’m using a 190 grain with a stiff charge under it. Lots of room for tailoring it to your needs.

Edit: it’s probably more useful to think of what cal you want to step up to and start there. 25, 6.5, 270, 7mm, 30.
 
Last edited:
Another vote for the 308.

The tweener might be the 7-08 but if u have one of those, you might not even need the 308.

The 6.5 creedmoor is also a tempting option.

All of these are capable of moose and elk. Just use the right bullet and hot them in the right spot.
 
Easiest to find at any shop that sells ammo would be .308. If he can shoot .243 then he'll be alright with .308.

I'd actually recommend 6.5 Creedmoor before .308, but ammo availability, which is still pretty good, won't be as abundant as the selection one would be able to source in .308 from your local gun shop. It'll likely still be adequate for the task at hand mind you.
 
2025 and people still refer to buying a hunting cartridge from the point of view of access to avilbilty of purchasing ammo the days of buying ammo a corner stores or even hardware stores are gone
the pitching of ammo and buying a rifle are two of the same
As far as the next step in a hunting rifle for all big game would be the 270 win flat shooting soft recoil the 140 gr load is capable of all big game
 
Kalen P said:
Im a fan of .308 powerful, easy to get ammo, and the recoil is nothing crazy.
Click to expand...
Very versatile short action.
I've got a 308 Rem Model 7 and love it.
Using it this year with 180 Federal Fusion for Moose.
Sold my X-Bolt 300 win mag a couple of weeks ago.
The model 7 is a little sports car compared to the X-Bolt
 
DGY said:
308, 6.5 of any kind, 7x57, 7mm08….
308 is probably the easiest to find and to feed!
Click to expand...
7-08 ammo is ridiculously expensive

You can find a quality 308 ,150gr soft point at almost any vendor for $35 a box and knock down deer quite easily.
Im using 308, 180 for Moose this year
 
7mm-08, 7x57, 308 and a few others ...
You checked alot of boxes in the quest for recommendations.
What style of hunting, stalk and shoot, ambush ??
I shot a .22 before buying a 30:30 and a few years later stepped up to an aught 6.
A 30:06 might be to huge a step from .243, but that is just my thought.
 
The rifle matters more than the cartridge, the rifle has to fit him and not be so heavy that he doesn’t like it but not so light that it kicks the stuffing out of him…the fit, weight and butt pad play a huge role in that which builds confidence and leads to good shot placement.
No cartridge can overcome poor placement so I’d focus on the right fitting gun and one that has an easy ability to add LOP as he grows.
As for cartridges 6.5CM, 270, 7-08, 308, 30/06 are all mainstream offerings that would work great, and a ton of others would as well.
The 30/06 might be above his recoil threshold with a 180 but everyone has one so maybe find a guy willing to let your kid take a poke with it to gage if it’s out of bounds for now. If he likes it, it is the most powerful with the most versatility.
If he can’t then the 270 is also likely out of bounds but does recoil lighter and is a fantastic round.
308 is low recoil, very versatile and plentiful so a solid option.
Ditto for the 6.5.
While I haven’t owned a 7-08 yet I’ve had several interactions with guys who have set up their wives or kids (new shooters/hunters) with one and the general consensus is that they’re deadly with them…the only part I never understand is several years later they try and move them to more powerful cartridges. Why? They’re confidently flattening everything they point it at…and they like using it…I think it could be a really good choice.
Awesome you don’t want to put him in too much gun, great to see.
 
BigBraz15 said:
This is more or less just gathering thoughts and opinions. I have a few of my own, but wanted to gather some others. My son is just old enough to hunt big game this year, and has been practicing a fair bit with the 243. He is doing good with it and always wants to shoot something bigger. I know a lot of this is just seeking what he can handle. As we get past this year and into the next year or two, what is the next reasonable step up? I don’t have a lot of selection for him, most of what I hunt with are a stretch in recoil for a light framed youth.

We will be chasing elk and moose when we got into the next couple years so looking for a bit more than the 243 will offer with our style of hunting.

Any thoughts on chamberings are welcome, and maybe what was effective for you.
Click to expand...
Are you a handloader?

Do you plan on handloading in the future?
 
pick the rifle first then the cartridge
Interarms has hundreds of good bolt guns at a price that leaves room for ammo purchase
wood/blued is good for instilling proper handling and maintenance habits
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom