243AIor 257AI

[Dirtrock]

Here is the deal guy's, I have a Win70 in 300wsm, love it ,use it mostly as my Elk gun. Now here is my dilemma, I also have a 243 wssm that I use for deer. Love it taken it deer hunting 3 times, 3 shots, 3 dead Mule deer. I am giving that to my son who will b hunting with me in 2 years. I have a Ruger no1 in 243 that will b my deer/antelope gun, Been thinking about turning it into a 243AI or re-barreling it to 257AI. Any thoughts, comments, would be helpful. I have read a lot of past posts on here and I narrowed it down to those 2. Thanks, I live in Nevada so there will be long shots. Chris

 

[MudRunner2005]

Do yo want to keep it a short-action cartridge? With the #1 you can make it just about anything you want.

I'd look into the .257 Weatherby Mag, or a .280 AI. Both are excellent deer cartridges.

 

[Dirtrock]

I have thought of the 280AI, also the .284. But I already have the 300wsm. So I was thinking more along the lines of the short actions. I also have thought hard on the 7mm-08. Thanks for the ideas

 

[Terry Scott]

For me this would be a no brainer. 260 AI will shoot really high BC Bergers (140gr) @3000fps not much recoil, plenty of medicine for deer or even the occasional Elk.
Super pleasant to shoot.

 

[skyfish25]

Sticking to your question. I grew up shooting a 257 Roberts, so I'll go with the 257AI, I assume you talking the Roberts AI. It should be easy to shoot 115-120gr bullets at 3000fps with modern powders and +P pressure. (It's still much lower than a 25-06 or a 243).

I really don't think any deer will know the difference between your 2 choices. There is more bullet choices for the 6mm, but that quarter bore always interests me.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Know what you mean fish.....Something about a 115gr bullet pushing 4K that gets me going. That's why I love my .257 Wby Mag. It puts some serious whomp on deer & yotes, for a lightweight (comparative) bullet. It puts almost as hard a hit as my 7Mag pushing a 160 around 2800-3K.

 

[Dirtrock]

I agree with the quarter bore. it to has intrigued me for awhile also. Nave a friend who I hunted with has a257 Rob, that thing was a deer slayer. that's why I have this conundrum,

 

[Outlaw6.0]

Gotta vote for the 243AI out of the two cartridges. Lapua brass, MUCH higher BC bullets (which also yield higher SD). Win-Win. The Roberts is an intriguing little cartridge but the 6mm walks it's dog in all aspects except barrel life.


@Terry Scott also made a fantastic (& better yet) suggestion in the 260AI.


t

 

[Dirtrock]

I will look at the 260AI know.

 

[Clark]

I have built two 257RAI and two 243W rifles for myself.

I shot 4 mule deer with a 257 in 2012.
The 115 gr Nosler ballistic tip 257 bullet at 3050 fps muzzle [49 gr H4350 =~ 56kpsi] zero'd at 200 yards, scope 1.5" above bore:
At 500 yards this will have a 7 moa elevation correction, 3.6 moa windage correction for 10 mph cross wind, 2087 fps =1112 foot pounds

While I only shot the deer out to 400 yards last year, the cartridge has plenty of power at 500.

 

[Dirtrock]

Thank you Clark for the info