Is the .243 win on the way out?

[MELEX]

I have 4 of them. One is a Ruger RPR. Love it. No prob shooting 105s at 3200 fps. My other favorite is a Rem 788 that used to shot lights out. Fast twist barrel that is shot out, so now considering rebarreling in 6SLR. This looks like the easiest/best 243 wildcat for long range.

 

[snox801]

I hunt Idaho, utah, montana and Wyoming every year. I will shoot a lead fishing weight before I shoot a hammer. Out past 500 yards its like pulling a parachute. Its all relative I guess - if your longest shot is 300 yards it doesnt matter what you shoot. You can shoot cheap soft point bullets at the distance with a 223. I see shots over 600 yards regularly with 1000 yards shots always an option. I am always going to choose a highest BC bullet I can trust to get the job done.

Well then It does not fit you, you ask why would anyone. I just pointed it out, and not be be that guy but if you are shooting 600-1000 on the regular the 6mm creed is also a terrible option at some point you run out of speed to open the bullet reliable and energy.
Now this is all related to you personally.
I based my choice on hammers for where and what I hunted after having less than optimal performance on several game with high bc heavies I switched. If I was put in your situation the 6mm anything wouldn't be my option.

 

[RD57]

I don't see the 243 Win passing away into obscurity. What would help keep it alive and kicking is if manufacturers would provide an option on rifling twist rates such as 1/10 and 1/8. I'm a close range hunter snob, I like getting close with my bow, black powder and centerfire rifles. I like being a sneaky bastard that enjoys the hunt, I do not prefer setting up for long range shots on animals. My definition of long range is over 500 yards for hunting, it was over 900 meters when I was sniping in the military. With that in mind, my 243 will remain my primary antelope and whitetail cartridge.

 

[Zen Archery]

No. It's a great entry level hunting gun.
Not enough boxed ammo for the 6 to make it viable for hunters (as of date).

 

[6fatrat]

No, are you guys north of the border still allowed to own a .243?

 

[Capt RB]

I have 5 243's and 1 243ai. A 110smk or 115dtac a 3200. I shoot the 105amax in the ai and run it at 3290. It's toast and when the grandbaby comes it will get redone and set aside. I like the XC and the creed is for the flat brim crowd but for me I'll stick with it. It will do anything you ask it do. Want a fast contest gun for coyotes? Want to run the speed limit in prs with a 110 or 115? Want a kid or expert hunter? Ammo everywhere to hunt light recoil and great brass. I like the ai because I wear out the brass before I need to trim it.
It is limited in factory form. Of any crowd anywhere this one would be least affected by that limitation. There are more customs, rebarreled rifles and handloaders in this community than all the others. The other comunities that would compete are also a part of this one.
For you younger folks you really have no clue how good you have it so don't screw it up

 

[ButterBean]

I have 5 243's and 1 243ai. A 110smk or 115dtac a 3200. I shoot the 105amax in the ai and run it at 3290. It's toast and when the grandbaby comes it will get redone and set aside. I like the XC and the creed is for the flat brim crowd but for me I'll stick with it. It will do anything you ask it do. Want a fast contest gun for coyotes? Want to run the speed limit in prs with a 110 or 115? Want a kid or expert hunter? Ammo everywhere to hunt light recoil and great brass. I like the ai because I wear out the brass before I need to trim it.
It is limited in factory form. Of any crowd anywhere this one would be least affected by that limitation. There are more customs, rebarreled rifles and handloaders in this community than all the others. The other comunities that would compete are also a part of this one.
For you younger folks you really have no clue how good you have it so don't screw it up

The Flat Brim Crowd......... Couldn't have said it better myself

 

[UplandFreak]

Well then It does not fit you, you ask why would anyone. I just pointed it out, and not be be that guy but if you are shooting 600-1000 on the regular the 6mm creed is also a terrible option at some point you run out of speed to open the bullet reliable and energy.
Now this is all related to you personally.
I based my choice on hammers for where and what I hunted after having less than optimal performance on several game with high bc heavies I switched. If I was put in your situation the 6mm anything wouldn't be my option.

You can still shoot light fast bullets out of a fast twist 6mm. So once again there is no benefit of a 243 over a 6mm. Also, You need to run some comparisons - the 6mm outperforms the 6.5 CM out a long ways. I have had great luck with the 6mm on mulies, whitetails, coyotes, black bears,at those distances. Those 105gr bergers and 108gr eldms pack a punch. You can't shoot those bullets in a factory 243 with slow twist rates. But like you said, your longest shots are 300 yards, so you don't have to be as picky with your bullets.

 

[snox801]

Correct sir, I actually love 6mm stuff but the 6 creed was not widely available when I did my 6.5 and it was more to have the same carry gun as my dad and brother while hunting. Now I just don't want the headache of trying to sort 6.5 and 6mm brass.
I run my 6.5 out to 600 on game that's important to me and I'll go way out on pigs. 800-1000. Because that's pest control.

 

[Muddyboots]

The .243 just has a lot of options to shoot 55 gr right up to 108 or so which makes it really nice to have in safe for yotes up to whitetails if you so choose. Pleasant to shoot. Easy to reload, cheap to reload, not a barrel burner so what is not to like. So I like my .243 Cheapmoor.

 

[Exarcher]

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.

Nah, it won't,,, it's funny the 243 knocked the 250 savage off its popularity, now the creedmoors are popular, which based on 6xc (which was based on 22-250, from 250 savage).. see what i'm getting at,, "circle of cartridge life"! I built a 250 savage because my "xc" was so great (before creedmoor's became a named cartridge which came of age because of Tubbs 6xc). I also built a 6.5 xc. but there are too many .243's, & 06's, & .270's around for them to be obsolete.. your right, though, the 30 degree shouldered rounds are a bit more accurate on paper, but for practical purposes, (hunting) diff is absolutely in the eye of the beholder. In psychology, its called novelty. keeps one interested in an activity, shooting in this instance. sorry for being so "wordy"

 

[Exarcher]

Nah, it won't,,, it's funny the 243 knocked the 250 savage off its popularity, now the creedmoors are popular, which based on 6xc (which was based on 22-250, from 250 savage).. see what i'm getting at,, "circle of cartridge life"! I built a 250 savage because my "xc" was so great (before creedmoor's became a named cartridge which came of age because of Tubbs 6xc). I also built a 6.5 xc. but there are too many .243's, & 06's, & .270's around for them to be obsolete.. your right, though, the 30 degree shouldered rounds are a bit more accurate on paper, but for practical purposes, (hunting) diff is absolutely in the eye of the beholder. In psychology, its called novelty. keeps one interested in an activity, shooting in this instance. sorry for being so "wordy"

I know the creedmoor is based on a Hornady proprietary cartridge, but it is so close to the "xc" diff is almost non-existent. (I have rifles of each, xc and creedmoors). & if xc hadn't won so much, creedmoor prob wouldn't have been considered from that brass (30 tc)\

 

[73driver]

The 243 is great for varmint shooting or hunting with 95-100 bullets. Mostly a hunting rifle for the recoil shy/smaller of stature. 243AI and 243's built to shoot heavier bullets are custom jobs so basically wildcats and thus not a standard SAAMI 243. The 6mmC is purpose built with a specified twist rate to shoot the heavy for caliber bullets. 6MM C for long range target/coyote/varmints or custom out a "wildcat" 243 to shoot the heavier bullets far. For me if I want a handy compact hunting rifle it will be a 6.5C or a 7-08, just prefer to hit my game with more authority and the recoil for these calibers is plenty mild. Its funny that this article basically says the 6C is the way to go for long range & PRS matches and implied long range coyotes im-not-buying-6mm-creedmoor. Recall the 250-3000 was the hot new shiny thing, then the 270 then the 243 it was all about that magic 3000fps number. Like Remington messed up their 244/6mm Remington by initially running a slow twist now Hornady has bested Remington by brining out well designed 6.5 and 6mm cartridges designed with a faster twist. The 243 fits a great nitch and won't go away but is relegated to a narrowed lane. BTW the only "hype" I ever hear about the Creedmoor is how easy it is to hand load for accuracy.

 

[rundmm1]

Heck, maybe I got it wrong cuz when I bought my AI, I got a 308, 6.5 creed and a lowly 243 barrel to go along with it. The 243 is not going anywhere anytime soon. I load mine with 95 gr's up to the 115 dtac's and it doesn't give up anything to any of the other factory 6 mm's, except for the 6 mm rem.