Is the 243 a good long rangs coyote gun??

Just for the record I have killed quite a few deer with a 22-250 it is more than capable. Like many others I like both but the nod may have to go to the .243 only because of bullet selection.
 
I have a 22-250 and a .243....the 22-250 has a slow twist rate and doesnt like anything heavier than a 55gr pill. The .243 has a faster twist and can send bigger pills down range and they buck the wind better. I find that with the 22-250 once I am past 400yds, the wind comes into play quite a bit. Not as much with the .243.....Like already said, you already have a .243....The recoil on the .243 is a tad more than the 22-250. JME....
 
Love my .243 win
A friend of mine decided to go with 22-250,he wishes he had gotten a 243. most 22-250's don't have a fast enough twist to shoot the larger bullets that buck wind better.
58g v-max @3710
 
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Originally Posted By: Jeepdude1987If your talking long range at 300-500yrds I would probably go .243, but if you want to shoot longer than that I suggest you look at a .260rem.

They use the same parent cartridge (.308win/7.62x51NATO), but the .260 is a the clear winner in real long range scenarios. .243 is going to shoot real flat out to the 5-600yrd range with light projectiles, but those bullets have very poor ballistic co-efficients and bleed velocity quickly. The BC's on the 6.5mm bullets of the .260 just keep chugging along because they have great BC's.

Well of course high BC 6.5mm bullets will outperform low BC 6mm bullets, but you are comparing apples to zucchinis. Lets compare apples to apples. (Assume 100yd zero, 3163' el., 45 degree F)

A .243 shooting a 105 gr. A-max (BC 0.500) @ 2800 fps has an initial energy of 1827.8 ft-lbs. @ 1000 yds with a 10 mph crosswind the bullet drops 323.1", drifts 82.1", has 431.8 ft-lbs of energy and is traveling 1360.9 fps.

A .260 shooting a 140 gr A-max (BC 0.550) @ 2700 fps has an initial energy of 2266.1 ft-lbs. @ 1000yds with 10 mph crosswind the bullet drops 317.2", drifts 68.7", has 681.1 ft-lbs of energy and is traveling 1480.3 fps.

The .243 retains 23.6% of its energy and 48.6% of its velocity. Bullet drop @ 1000 is only 6" more (0.5 MOA) than the .260 and drift is 13.4" more (1.25 MOA). The .260 retains 30.0% of its energy and 54.8% of its velocity.

So, while the .260 has a slight edge (it has a slightly higher BC with the two bullets compared) it also comes with more recoil and more powder. I would hardly say the 260 is a "clear" winner. Two more clicks of elevation isn't much. Both are awesome cartridges, both calibers have VERY good long range bullets but limiting the .243 to 500 yds is selling it short.

So, to the OP's question, I think the .243 is an excellent long range coyote rifle.
 
I run a slightly modified 243 with the 115gr dtacs at about 3100 or so and to say it is a great long range gun may be an understatement. Gets to 1000 about as flat as most big boomers and has some legs on it after that yet.
 
well said Timberbeast7

also look at the ability to find 243 brass or factory loaded ammo.

I have a rem R25 in 243 1/10 and shoot the 58gr superformance and would like to build a 1/8 top end for the 105's
 
Originally Posted By: Timberbeast7Originally Posted By: Jeepdude1987If your talking long range at 300-500yrds I would probably go .243, but if you want to shoot longer than that I suggest you look at a .260rem.

They use the same parent cartridge (.308win/7.62x51NATO), but the .260 is a the clear winner in real long range scenarios. .243 is going to shoot real flat out to the 5-600yrd range with light projectiles, but those bullets have very poor ballistic co-efficients and bleed velocity quickly. The BC's on the 6.5mm bullets of the .260 just keep chugging along because they have great BC's.

Well of course high BC 6.5mm bullets will outperform low BC 6mm bullets, but you are comparing apples to zucchinis. Lets compare apples to apples. (Assume 100yd zero, 3163' el., 45 degree F)

A .243 shooting a 105 gr. A-max (BC 0.500) @ 2800 fps has an initial energy of 1827.8 ft-lbs. @ 1000 yds with a 10 mph crosswind the bullet drops 323.1", drifts 82.1", has 431.8 ft-lbs of energy and is traveling 1360.9 fps.

A .260 shooting a 140 gr A-max (BC 0.550) @ 2700 fps has an initial energy of 2266.1 ft-lbs. @ 1000yds with 10 mph crosswind the bullet drops 317.2", drifts 68.7", has 681.1 ft-lbs of energy and is traveling 1480.3 fps.

The .243 retains 23.6% of its energy and 48.6% of its velocity. Bullet drop @ 1000 is only 6" more (0.5 MOA) than the .260 and drift is 13.4" more (1.25 MOA). The .260 retains 30.0% of its energy and 54.8% of its velocity.

So, while the .260 has a slight edge (it has a slightly higher BC with the two bullets compared) it also comes with more recoil and more powder. I would hardly say the 260 is a "clear" winner. Two more clicks of elevation isn't much. Both are awesome cartridges, both calibers have VERY good long range bullets but limiting the .243 to 500 yds is selling it short.

So, to the OP's question, I think the .243 is an excellent long range coyote rifle.

Try running those numbers again with the 115 dtac and some more speed and you will see the 243 jumps ahead. I run a 6mm Competition Match now but it started as a 243. That 243 would do almost everything my 6cm does now.
 
LWILLIAMS, absolutely with heavy the dtacs or bergers the .243 only improves. I was just trying to use the same bullet in each cartridge with very similar BC's and the average fastest velocity from the Hornady manual to illustrate the difference, or lack thereof.
 
Originally Posted By: Timberbeast7LWILLIAMS, absolutely with heavy the dtacs or bergers the .243 only improves. I was just trying to use the same bullet in each cartridge with very similar BC's and the average fastest velocity from the Hornady manual to illustrate the difference, or lack thereof.

Timber, maybe I came across wrong. I was actually appreciative that someone knows and posted about true ballistics instead of some regurgatayed garbage they heard or found on the internet. My suggestion would of just showed the 243 pulling ahead and coming out on top. Not falling on its face at 500 like someone else indicated. Thanks for your informed.post.
 
Originally Posted By: the impactzoneLong range? 243 105 gr V-max out to 1000 yards

you said long range right?

Didn't the 243 beat the 6.5 creedmoor last year at a shoot. Can't remember which shoot but want to say the distance was 1200 yds. But if I'm wrong I'll tell you.
 
I've had 5 decades field experience with the 22-250. I had a custom 22-250 rifle before Remington brought it out in their Mdl 700. The ballistics of a 22-250 are burned in my brain and are second nature to me. You probably could fill a moving van with the critters I've put down with a 22-250. I have a cabinet filled with predator and varmint rifles. But if I were only limited to only one rifle for coyote hunting it would be a 22-250, hands down. I've seen too many coyote hunters who have been burdened with a heavy, varmint weight 22-250. For me, the perfect coyote rifle is a walking/calling rifle around 7 lbs or less with scope. I've found a quality 4x12x40 variable scope to be the perfect scope on such a rifle. I am aware that the 223 AR is now probably the most popular rifle used in coyote hunting but most veteran coyote hunters I know also prefer a 22-250.
 
Originally Posted By: coyote6974I've used both the .243 Winchester, and .22-250 extensively for coyotes. The coyotes here average 30-35 pounds for mature females and 35-40 pounds for mature males. I've found that the .22-250 and .243 seem very equal in killing power. Seems that what the .22-250 lacks in bullet weight it makes up for with velocity. And what the .243 lacks in velocity it makes up with bullet weight.
My .22-250's and .243's, are my go to bolt action rifles for coyotes.

Nice post!
 
Another thing that really made me reconsider the 22-250 was the availability of .22 cal bullets when we had the panic.Anything 22/30 cal was scarce.6mm bullets were way easier to find.I also think the 6mm bullet lineups are the best of all calibers.
243 hands down!
 
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