Why the 243's will fade...
 

With the advent of the 6.8 mm SPC, a necked down version of the 30 Remington, we will eventually see the .243 class of rounds fade in popularity. Here is why:

Military cartridges find a commercial role; the 45 70, 30 40 Krag, 30 06, 308 and .223 are in current production and will stay that way. Once commercial rifles come out with the short action, handy 6.8 rounds, we will have:

Greater bullet frontal area
Sufficient velocity and trajectory
More thump at practical hunting ranges

The 243's will fall back to varminting. And, out west where the shots can really be long, hunters will be using the bullets with the higher ballistic coeffecient anyway. (7 mm's on up.)

My prediction.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

I am going to have to disagree slightly. First off the 6.8 SPC is just that. A special purpose cartridge. It will not be adopted as a general issue cartridge. Second, it really isn't that impressive. If I want 270 Win performance in a short action I use a 7mm-08 Rem.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

I know nothing about the new 6.8mm. What will be the velocity of the round? I have not kept up on my reading the last few years. Thanks.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

Two cartridges will always be around, standard length (30-06) and everything thats built off of it and short length( .308) and everything thats built off of it. these arent ever going anywhere.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

James if I remember right, the 6.8 SPC has a velocity of about 2600 FPS. As Frizz said, the the 7MM-08 will out preform the 6.8 hands down!
As for the .243/6MM fading out, I seriously doubt that! It is a great starter gun, and doubles very well as a varminter. Whitetail deer are not all that hard of a kill, so the .243/6MM's with good 100gr. bullets is a very good minimum caliber for deer.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

I dont agree with you the rounds are so similar i dont see people with 243s already running out to buy a rifle chamber in 6.8 heres some ballsistc compairisons off the remington site so everyone can see. I know i wouldnt trade my 243 for the 6.8 SPC
The 243 the higher ballistic Coefficient, well using these 100 gr loads from remington they only ones offered on hte compairison

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

In my oppinion, theres no way the 6.8 spc will have any effect on the 243's popularity.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

Sierra has a match 105 gr .243 bullet that has a BC of .500
handloaders woud smear that 6.8

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

Thanks for the info gentlemen.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

I agree there.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

Not sure if that's where the 243Win. will fall back to, but I'll agree - varminting is where they belong!

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

The 243 win. has been here since 1955. It has survived numerous "hot new" cartridges. It will be here for a very long time. And the
6.8 is nothing remarkable out of a bolt gun. It was designed solely for more power out of the m16.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

I don't know if Winchester wants that 1955 cart to be around for a long time.

Winchester seems to be toting the .243 WSSM in all there new rifles now. Who knows, maybe the .243 will be faded out with the even shorter .243. Either way, there is a need for a 24 cal.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

I could jump from the 224 to the 25's with no problem at all. I have a 243 but it sits around a lot anymore. I use the 223 or 22-250 for varmits and jump to 25 cal Minimum for deer and bigger game. However there are a jillion 243's around and I think they will stay around. I don't know how sales of the 243 WSSM are doing. I have not heard of anyone around here that has either the 223 or 253 WSSM. There are most likely a few though.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

What about a cartridge for Coyotes? .22-250 or a .243 win?

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

FastShootingCarts, I wouldn't waste a large bullet on yotes, thus if I needed both range and speed, and economical bullets, I would stick to the .22 centerfires. Hands down, though, the 243 and 25-06 bullets are better at bucking wind at long ranges IMO.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

I was thinking of the wind factor as well. I was thinking a 80-85gr .243 win for the job over a 55gr .22-250 I own. Anybody?

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

You might be correct about the military adoptin' the 6.8, but it ain't much. Now a round like the .260 could replace both of the current military standards, with a 125 grain bullet at 2800 a similar round danged near won acceptance between WWI an WWII when the Army officially adopted the 7mm and Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur nixed the change due to the amount of .30-06 ammo in storage. The 6.5 Grendel could well be that cartridge, but Army ordinance ain't known for smart thinkin'. :eek:
As for the .243 fadin' away, that's purely wishful thinkin', its been chambered in too many popular rifles and has sold well in all of them. Millions of folks have one and use it for both vermin and deer huntin'. It is adequate at both roles, and the standard owner ain't a rifle looney who cares about somethin' else bein' superior. ;)

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

The .243 isnt going anywhere. It will take the 6.8 too long to catch up to the .243 in popularity. Another thing is it will probably go through a name change like the .280 remington did. It started out as 7mm-06 then went to 7mm Remington Express then finally the .280 Remington over several years. The 6.8 Will probably do the same if you give it time.

RE: Why the 243's will fade...
 

I agree there. Looking at the .243 win as a in-between cart for Varmit and target shooting mostly.