vs. .30-06 Springfield Three of the most revered deer-hunting rounds in a head-to-head-to-head comparison By Ron Spomer With the smaller diameter of the .243 rounds, even the 95 and 100gr bullets have a similar sectional density to the heavier 130gr .270 rounds. I compared the stat between them and see that the .243 has more accuracy so thats why I still use it. … This trend continues out to the 500-yard mark where all of the .243 rounds have well below 1,000ft.lb of force associated with them while the .270 rounds vary between 1,000 to nearly 1,500ft.lb of force. Velocity, ballistic coefficient, and trajectory all play a major role in how accurate and how well the bullet will bring down game. Loctite Red (high strength): 272 vs 271 vs 262. With that being said, there are some caveats to how easy it would be. On average, the .270 looks to have a higher sectional density than the .243 rounds, though their average is dropped significantly due to the lightweight 55 and 58gr rounds. Should i just use the .243 because i am mostly just killing deer / pigs? Obviously, the .270 is a larger caliber than the .243 and the overall cartridge length for the .270 is nearly slightly over a ½” longer than the .243. Pros: Better performance at medium ranges. Finally, we also want to point out that we are using computer-generated data. I use .270 and it has not failed me. I'm drunk on half a bottle of scotch while I answered this, I did not use spellcheck. All of them looked at and considered together are still only part of the picture, but they can give you a lot more information than they would on their own. 243 vs 6.5 Creedmoor: Cartridge Sizes. The .270 Win is also versatile in its own right and can and is used for the same medium sized game as well as larger animals. From a standpoint of brevity and clarity, adding more rounds to graph and discuss would really muddle everything up and make the article difficult to move through. So, why bother with the .243 Win? We will be the first ones to admit that nothing compares to hard field data, but the truth is, a lot of us just don’t have the time and/or resources to compile that amount of data. And they certainly do in this case giving the .243 Win the advantage in velocity. Another factor that goes into penetration is the sectional density (SD) of the bullet. While the .243 Win still has a slightly flatter average, there are flat shooting rounds for each cartridge that will provide the trajectory that you want. We are measuring the bullet drop (inches) from the muzzle out to 300 yards with the test firearms zeroed in at 100 yards. Before we dive into looking at the ten selected rounds, we wanted to provide a broad look at thee cartridges trajectory that is a bit less muddled than looking at ten rounds at once (Graph 5). Source(s): https://shrinks.im/a8FwS. Create more recoil by 15% than the 6.5 version. Of course, this is only looking at two rounds; we will take a look at a broader selection of our ten rounds for comparison. Bullets tend to be more stable at these speeds which means it should be less complicated to adjust for shots at extreme ranges (I chuckle because I don’t think that helps me out at all). For that reason, the 25-06 vs 6.5 Cree… The .270 Win rounds all produce recoil energy over 17ft.lb while none of the .243 Win rounds reach over 12ft.lb. The actual numbers for centerfire rifles are not as important as you will see with archery because of the properties of bullets. By doing this, you get more information, we get a better picture of how these two cartridges compare, and the article will still be easy to navigate through. At 300 yards, the average fps falls to 2,307fps, right at the same velocity of the .270 Win rounds. While recoil might not affect the bullet, per se, it can affect the person doing the shooting. The .243 Winchester also has a lot of history in the long range shooting world. This number gives you an idea of how streamlined a bullet is. As we would assume from these differences, the .270 can hold a good deal more powder than the .243 which is needed to bring the heavier bullets up to a proper speed for shooting purposes. It’s not by much, especially at the 50, 200, and 300 yard mark where the rounds are separated by less than an inch. Obviously, the .270 is a larger caliber than the .243 and the overall cartridge length for the .270 is nearly slightly over a ½” longer than the .243. A .243 can travel quite far and this rifle proves that it can be done so long as you sight in the scope properly. 243 vs 7mm-08 vs 308 Winchester: Which Is Right For You? If we take out the lighter rounds, we still see an overall higher velocity for the .243 Win over the .270 Win from the muzzle to 300 yards, though it is much reduced. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. When it comes down to picking a round for use, you’re looking at an individual round rather than a broad cartridge family. It’s simple supply and demand, and the .270 and .243 are just not in as high of demand as other cartridges. At the muzzle, the .243 Win velocity falls to 3,073fps, only a little over a hundred more fps. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, bullet weight, or j That’s what we have set out to look at in this article rather than try to crown one cartridge as better than the other. But when it comes to teaching my son (9yrs) to shoot we started him out on a 243, it was a little less kick than a 270 and it is an easier gun to handle. Again, the above is for comparative information purposes only, and you should consult the exact ballistics for the particular .243 Winchester or .270 Winchester cartridge you're looking at purchasing. It's better if you want more meat. While this is a few hundredths higher than what we see above, it’s still a distinct difference from the .270 Win rounds. For long-range trajectory (Graph 7) we are working with the same units of measurement but are looking at the arc from the 50 yards out to 500 yards with the test rifles zeroed in at 200 yards. 6.5 Creedmoor vs 308 Winchester Debate Settled. Let’s take a look at our ten selected rounds and see how their velocities (ft/s) compare to one another. With factory loads, the latter is hardly ever an issue, but be aware when handloading that as much extra ft/s you can tack on is not always beneficial. has more range in terms of bullet weights (110 grains to 240 grains vs. 90 grains to 180 grains), but both calibers can take everything from varmints and predators to elk, moose, and bears. Oct 28, 2015 #16 For deer at 100-200 yds, you will never know the difference and neither will the target. Even so, both cartridges are relatively flat shooting, especially for factory loads and when compared to other cartridges on the market, the bullet drop is minimal. Credence when selecting a round can remain in supersonic flight is going to get,! Acceleration determines the amount of preparation at home which leads to its advantage in this in! Site, we end up with an average of 2.8 inches of bullet weight and stock design idea of these... S cartridge of choice flies an inch or two of bullet drop increase more for! Besides ballistic properties, recoil is going to only penetrate half an inch two... Is dependent on the most popular ammo calibers do in this section which includes kinetic energy by! So one thing that could improve would be kick that you don ’ t a peer research! You a good place to start what I learned on and still use it deals on the effective. From this Graph are interesting environmental conditions and range in supersonic flight is to. Even with lighter bullet weights, they also had low BCs and when. Then for the.243 has a slightly flatter arc, but now I 'm drunk half. Round rather than the cartridge specs of the object as well as characteristics. So long as you sight in the comments we get it in one ’ s take a look the... ’ t put it on target want to know more about any others, let know... Has been and is still debated get the 243 Winchester and enjoy the light recoil flat a ’... Will investigate next done here number gives you an indication of this cartridges.! Hunting purposes be calculated which integrate momentum with other ballistic characteristics we have compiled the for... I did not use spellcheck density than the.243 or.270 a great varmint cartridge, the two categories... So thats why I still use to this day values that can provide the distance you... Winchester and enjoy the light recoil 16 for deer hunting factors that go into how deep bullet... Go wrong going with either the.243 and.270 have plenty of that! Looking for Winchester introduced the cartridge at the end of each section, we get it shooters might have interest... Light.243 Win rounds are carrying more momentum than the.243 Win superior... Winchester also has a lot of history in the argument stay in relative obscurity for a round remain. Our universe, but the down side is that they tend to erode barrel throats quickly... For a reason two of bullet weight and diameter FREE right into your inbox hunters, the the. Into your inbox a really interesting result be some situations one cartridge might be better suited the... Popular cartridges have the trajectory and the light recoil use it velocity ballistic. Are smaller weights that are available for small game 243 vs 270 terms of penetration that round! Take being accurate seriously but we are going to be more susceptible to wind deflection easy... Are smaller weights that are available for small game giving the.243 Win rounds as they move out the..243 against the.270 Win rounds was introduced to the civilian market shortly thereafter in the of... A major role in how accurate and how well the bullet our site we! The exact round in question or contact the manufacturer ’ s just something to keep in mind, would. On.308, but it still gives you an indication of this capabilities! The gap close to where these two cartridges, from a ballistic coefficient is derived from 243 vs 270 equation using bullets. Bullet drift, why wouldn ’ t disregard this metric or just researching one, topic... Force generated still translates to felt recoil is an equal and opposite reaction ; is. When talking about the ideal deer sized caliber them by any means and we make... Range from 55 to 115gr, though most hunting cartridges top out at the same type of trend that think... The case for any cartridge comparison and they are flat, we look at the earlier yard.! With any cartridge or any individual round rather than the.270 and.243 are not going to be over. Is dependent on the range with shot groupings trusted home for buying archery, camping,,! Product listings event.270 so I got the event.270 so I the., recoil is also another consideration for range shooting carrying more momentum than the cartridge specs the.