Is the .243 win on the way out?

Hi all, every 2 months it seems someone posts a "is the .270 dying" post (and is met with an emphatic "NO!") but I don't actually see much talk about the plain vanilla .243 Winchester, either of it's popularity or lack thereof.

the 6mms are in general a bit more of a "love it or hate it" cartridge family, neither fish nor fowl, over and underestimated, some regarding them as little more than the .22 centerfires and some regarding them able to do anything the bigger diameters can do, both probably wrong (according to me anyway ) - for a long time where I live the .243 was the minimum legal caliber for big game hunting and I personally feel changing that was a mistake, gotta draw a line somewhere and that made sense - there's also lots of shots I've taken with my .270 that I would have opted to pass on with my .243.

but with the advent of rounds like the 6 creedmoor and the advent of truly high bc 224" projectiles and cartridges to launch them fast along with the ever rising popularity of the 6.5s which some could argue don't recoil notably more, I wonder if many will be questioning the point of the old .243 win with its now anathema stubby neck and gentle shoulders and less than extreme twist rates.

any big .243 fans or shooters on here?

what do you think the future holds for this old workhorse?

I think if the long range trend continues, the 243 Winchester may have difficulty keeping up if the rifle manufacturers refuse to offer it in faster twists. This is one of the reasons the Creedmoor family has been successful. That said, it has been around so long, so many guns existing, and superb brass availability, I think it will be around for some time. My latest build was an AI version, but that's for a multitude of reasons. I don't see day when I will not have some form of 243 Win in my future.

Agreed. The .243 Win will be around for many, many years to come. It is too well established & entrenched to go away. Besides, its an awesome little round. The 6mm Creedmoor is the latest "shiny" new thing, which is fun, but it won't take out the classic .243 filling safes around the world.

The 243 Win is not going any where. Here to stay.

Many to choose from in 6mm. I will stay with the 243 win. I am old and already have a 243win with a 27" barrel. But a faster twist then a 10 would be nice.

The 30.06 will die and become obsolete well before the 243 or 270.

243 WIN was the first rifle I ever had. Savage 110. When I did my SML barrel on the Terminus Zeus I had a 1-8, 243 barrel spun up to go with it. Im a big fan of the classics. I know I can always find ammo for them.

For hunting the answer is no.
For bragging or punching holes in paper....probably, but so will the darling of the day. There is always a new toy that will make some drop the old toy....only to find the old toy wasn't so bad after all.

It will slow in popularity but it won't die out. With All the new 6mm there is only factory support for the 6 creed. The rest of the new are still custom shop stuff. Factory will still be supporting .243 for a long time.

I agree the 243 win will say with us, have a Ruger Precision Rifle. Twist is 1:7.5. Will do everything a 6 Creedmoor will do. It's to bad Ruger choose to stop offering in 243.

Thanks for chiming in everyone so far.

my own 243 is an old savage 99 I inherited from a great uncle. It's a sentimental and practical firearm. It is surprisingly accurate (for a rear locking lever gun) - better than minute of milk jug at 400 .

I'd like to own a bolt gun with a faster twist in this caliber but figured I'd test the water and see if any of the other 6mms catching on were in fact any better In the eyes of this forums knowledgeable shooters.

Calvin45 said:

Thanks for chiming in everyone so far.

my own 243 is an old savage 99 I inherited from a great uncle. It's a sentimental and practical firearm. It is surprisingly accurate (for a rear locking lever gun) - better than minute of milk jug at 400 .

I'd like to own a bolt gun with a faster twist in this caliber but figured I'd test the water and see if any of the other 6mms catching on were in fact any better In the eyes of this forums knowledgeable shooters.

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I would never let another's opinion influence my decisions. The only drawback of factory offerings of 243 are slower twist barrels, as talked about.
There are some pretty neat 6mm cases out today, most with different shoulder angles than the 243, making them slightly more efficient, less powder-equal speeds. Most have less case capacity because of this. If I was to build a 6mm for hunting, it would be a fast twist 243. Though if I was building a target rifle, the 243 would never enter my thought process. Don't ask how I came to that conclusion, lol.

The ballistic chart above showing the 6 creed blowing the 243 out the water is wonky. Load the 243 and 6 creed to same pressure with the same freebore, and 243 out runs it. More case capacity, simple as that. Now a 6creed shines the in availability of many types of high BC match ammo for cheap prices. And the coal is shorter than 243 with heavy bullets loaded out. Off the shelf 243 are slow twist for lighter bullets, all 6creed come from 7-8 twist allowing you to utilize the heavies. Modern cartridges have evolved and most manufacturers have evolved the rifles with them. The old classics are still stuck in the rifle configuration from 2 decades ago.

This 243 barrel would take me out to 800 yards, I think.

Lee Goodwin said:

This 243 barrel would take me out to 800 yards, I think.

EABCO Accuracy Barrel fits Savage 10/110 and Axis, 243 Win, 1:8, Blue

Upgrade your rifle with the Varmint Trigger w/Safety. Pre-set to 1.0 lb, adjustable from 12 oz to 1.5 lb. Compatible with Weatherby Vanguard, Howa Legacy, and Smith & Wesson 1500.

www.eabco.net

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That barrel right there with a 105-115gr bullet will take you to 1500 yards shooting targets with ease. On game, you would need to make that decision.