Calibre selection

[ShadS]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking at getting a new varmint rifle and am having a hard time finding information on which cartridges to choose from. I've narrowed it down to either the 240 wby mag or the 243 Winchester. It will mainly be used for foxes, rabbits and pigs if the opportunity is presented - I'm in Australia. I know the 240 has more punch but it also costs a fair bit more to reload, I know its more sensible to choose the 243 but the 240 is just awesome. The max range I will be shooting at is probably 400 yards. Info/pros and cons on these cartridges is all greatly appreciated.

Cheers
ShadS

 

[MudRunner2005]

Foxes, rabbits and coyotes, the .22-250 is just plain hard to beat especially out to 400-500 yards.

For pigs, I'd go with something harder-hitting, like a .260 Rem or .308 Win.

Just my opinion though.

A good all-around rifle is the .25-06, or a .25-06 AI, if you like the wildcats like I do.

 

[ShadS]

I have heard of the Ackley improved cartridges and I also LOVE wild cats, however is there anyway of getting say a 243 AI without custom building a rifle? How do I get one? And without being expensive, I want this to be a reasonably cheap build.

 

[MudRunner2005]

You can buy a factory .243 rifle, and have a gunsmith open the chamber up to .243 AI... But other than that, the only other way is to order a custom rifle. The only AI chambering that manufacturers are producing, is the .280 AI. Other than that, I have never heard of another factory offered AI caliber.

 

[RT2506]

I would pick the 243 win over the 240 WM for the simple reason that brass is really hard to find for the 240 WM and if you find some it cost two arms and a leg. You could shoot a 243 win all day for the cost of 20 rounds of 240 wm ammo.

 

[Jud96]

I love my .243 and is one of my favorite rounds. I shoot the 87gr V-MAXs and have shot them out to 700yds with excellent results. I use mine for practice, groundhogs, coyotes, and zapping crows and black birds at distance. It's accurate, deadly, and cheap and easy to load for. My cousin has a .240 and it is nice, but brass is $1.50-$2.00 a piece and it burns a lot of powder.

If you are only going to shoot to 400yds, than you can shoot the 75gr V-MAXs in the .243, or go to the .22-250 like Mud suggested. The .22-250 is just as easy and a little cheaper to feed. A 53gr V-MAX with a .290 BC and traveling 3800+ fps will smash anything you are after from 400yds and in and be a flat shooter for sure! gun)

 

[ShadS]

Hey mud runner

If I do open my action to a 243 ai will I have to get a new barrel for it as well?

Cheers

 

[BEEMAN]

Not changing the action. You would need to order a 243 AI reamer and re chamber your existing 243 barrel to 243 AI. Unless your gunsmith already has a 243 AI reamer.

 

[Predator 22]

22-250, 243, 260 or the ackley version of any of these will get the job done.