243 drops another!

[Olympus]

This year, I bought a new rifle to use as my "woods" gun. I wanted something in bolt action that was short and handy, so I opted for a new Remington Model 7 CDL. I've always loved my 243, but I almost bought this new Model 7 in 260. But I broke down and got the 243 version instead. I sighted it in on Tuesday and dropped a management spike buck the very next day. I just love to brag on how the little 243 drops deer, for me at least. I'm a fairly decent sized guy, 33 years old, 6' 1" and 225lbs. I take a lot of crap throughout the year from friends and even family about how I shoot a "kids" caliber or a "girls" gun, and I'll admit it that I don't like recoil at all. That being said, I enjoy shooting my 243 throughout the year just for fun. Where I shoot hundreds of rounds of my deer caliber every year, I know a lot of guys that barely shoot over 20 rounds of their deer caliber. I know how my trigger breaks, my rifle fits me like a glove, and I know just where to slip a bullet on a deer and having practiced with it so much, I can put that bullet in some pretty tight places.

So this year, I brought my deer back to my shop to do the skinning and my neighbor helped me. He got the skin down over the entrance wound on his side and literally he started saying "oh my gosh" and "geez" and "wow" over and over. I looked over at his side and what I assumed was jellied lungs were everywhere! It was horrendous damage! He said "damn, what did you shoot this with, a 300 magnum" and I just smiled and said my trusty 243. He couldn't believe it, and based on my past experiences with skinning deer with the 243, this one was particularly gruesome.

Now switch gears to my dad, who constantly gives me grief about using the 243 and always talks about how he lost 2 nice deer with a 243 when he was younger. I always bring up the fact that it was 30 years ago when that happened and a lot has improved in bullet technology since then, but he never acknowledges that point. This year, he decides to take his XP-100 pistol in 35 Remington with him to the woods because he's so tough he's going to only carry a pistol and kill his deer. What happens? The biggest buck of his lifetime walks up behind him on his right side and slightly quartering away. He's sitting in a climber stand and because the deer is to his right, he can't twist enough in his climber and aim the pistol right to get the eye relief right. He takes a hail Mary shot at all of 15 yards and shoots right over the top of the deer! The deer doesn't know what happened, so it ran about 40 yards and stopped and looked around, still within shooting range for my dad and his pistol. So he slowly ejects the case and grabs another from his coat pocket and goes to lock the bolt down on his pistol and guess what....the bullet he grabbed out of his coat pocket was a 308 shell and he tried to forced the bolt down on it and it locked his action up! So he was forced to watch that big old buck just walk off.

So I guess the morale of my story is that you shouldn't judge others by what caliber they shoot. It's time behind the trigger and knowing your firearm that I believe is WAY more important than what caliber you should shoot. I see these threads all the time about what caliber to choose and I constantly see people who claim that the 243 is too small to use for whitetail hunting. But if you spend the time shooting and getting to know your rifle, a 243 is FAR for effective than a 35 Remington that you shoot once a year.

 

[JRWhit]

This was my first year hunting with the 243. I will second that it is a great white tail round. I took a 130-140lb spike with it at 125yds and was more exited to see what the bullet did than what I had harvested. It was a front profile shot placed between the shoulder and breast. I felt like a surgeon when I realized that the bullet made it through to the lungs and main artery over the heart and came to rest before tearing through intestine. I know from past experience that had I been hunting with my 06 that I would have had a terrible mess on my hands. My hunting counterparts were a little perplexed when they found out I dropped him in one shot with a 95gn hand rolled SST.
To my surprise the wound channel through the front breast was massive and left a golf ball sized gaping hole through the rib cage. It also helps that anything inside of 250yds is a cross hair shot with a 200yd zero.

 

[buck460XVR]

While I agree completely with the last paragraph of the OP, the problem is, if some folks didn't feel the need to chastise others for what caliber/model they use, or the need to justify/defend their own choice to others, there would be very few threads/posts on these type of forums.


......just sayin'.

 

[Eleanor416Rigby]

I was at a camp that had a similar father and son argument over caliber. Father was trying to talk the son into moving up from .243 to a "man's gun." Father was in his late 40s and son was in his early 20s. Son had already shot several nice south Texas bucks DRT with his .243 and he liked it just fine. Son had also filled up freezers with big feral hogs. Dad, nonetheless, kept on touting the "knock-down power" of the 30-06. I noticed that dad had a thick quilted pad on the right shoulder of his hunting shirt. Finally, they agreed to disagree. Later on, I decided to stay in as they went out after dark to look for the feral hogs. On the way out the door, dad was telling son that they had to use the 30-30 with open sights because the scope won't work at night. (Not kidding.) Restless in the cabin alone, I was looking around for something to read and I found dad's managed recoil 30-06 cartridges. According to the box, they were loaded down with 120 grain bullets. Remington advertises their managed-recoil 30-06 as having less recoil than regular .243 with 100 grain bullets.

Despite the nonsense, both got nice bucks that didn't go anywhere after the shot.

 

[lastofthebreed]

.243 versus deer - the deer is gonna lose!

 

[JackSprat]

I think that most folks that feel a 100 gr.bullet with 3,000 fps muzzle velocity wont humanly kill a whitetail have pulled bad shots,and blame the gun rather than themselves..I remember when I was a teenager my Dad and me ran into a guy my Dad knew,and the conversation turned to hunting,and the guy said he had a 270,but it didn't kill very good,so he was gonna get another 30-06..It makes you wonder what kind of shots he pulled.

 

[jmr40]

I think the 243 is near ideal for deer size game.

 

[VoodooMountain]

I think a lot of the 243 detractors look at the fact the bullet weight maxes out at 100gr. and have big game on their mind specifically.Those 100gr. bullets work well on deer sized game when the appropriate bullet is matched with shot placement.

Many other calibers (most of them) offer the shooter the ability to shoot bullets around this weight class such as a 270 or 308 with 110 gr bullet (often at a bit higher velocity than the 243 as the 243 is seriously underbore) that will work just as well on deer sized game while also offering the ability for heavier bullets for heavier game.

Considering most people never shoot anything larger than deer this is of little concern to many hunters, ego aside.

 

[Coop45]

Didn't somebody say you needed a .338 magnum to kill a deer at 60 yards? Just being an asshat! Congratulations on your deer. I always wanted a 660 in .243, but never had the money when I had the need.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I didn't think much of the .243 cartridge and had chosen a 30-06 for my first caliber because I wanted it to cover everything. It has done that but all I have seen in season are deer. My hunting partner swears by his .243 and has a pre '64 Winchester model 70 chambered in it. The first time I saw him shoot a deer with it I had an instant change of opinion. That deer went down faster than I could say Anbesol! It never ran off, it was DRT. I have since changed my hunting rifle setup in favor of the .243. I picked up a Ruger American and topped it with a Leupold 3-9x40 scope. I was able to shave 5 pounds off my setup. Next season will be my first with the .243. I can't wait!

 

[Paul7]

If deer and hogs are the biggest game you'll hunt a .243 is a great choice.

 

[stringnut]

The wife has used a 250 Savage for 30 years on and off. Probably shot 20 -25 deer and a huge hog with it. I had a custom 250 built 3 years ago and have shot 7 deer with it. The old man shot around 15 with his 257 Roberts. All were with 100 grain bullets between 2800 fps and 2950 fps. used plain old cup and core bullets, Hornady inter lock, Speer hotcor, and Sierra pro hunter. None went over 50 yards. Some of the bucks were a bit over 200lbs. Pretty similar ballistics to the 243. I have heard all kinds of stupid stuff about making good hits and not recovering deer. If you can't find the animal how do you it was a good hit? A 100 grain 257 cup and core bullet has a similar sectional density to a 150 grain 308 bullet. If started at the same speed they will penatrate about the same. A 243 bullet has better sectional density so it will probably penatrate better than a 308 150 grain. Although this is fact, mostly this explanation just pisses the die hard larger caliber for deer people off.

 

[JackSprat]

The wife has used a 250 Savage for 30 years on and off. Probably shot 20 -25 deer and a huge hog with it. I had a custom 250 built 3 years ago and have shot 7 deer with it. The old man shot around 15 with his 257 Roberts. All were with 100 grain bullets between 2800 fps and 2950 fps. used plain old cup and core bullets, Hornady inter lock, Speer hotcor, and Sierra pro hunter. None went over 50 yards. Some of the bucks were a bit over 200lbs. Pretty similar ballistics to the 243. I have heard all kinds of stupid stuff about making good hits and not recovering deer. If you can't find the animal how do you it was a good hit? A 100 grain 257 cup and core bullet has a similar sectional density to a 150 grain 308 bullet. If started at the same speed they will penatrate about the same. A 243 bullet has better sectional density so it will probably penatrate better than a 308 150 grain. Although this is fact, mostly this explanation just pisses the die hard larger caliber for deer people off.

I've killed some pretty good whitetail with the 87gr. Hot-cor,I figure a couple to be 200+lbs

 

[Kingcreek]

I've taken deer and antelope with the .243win. Its one of those rounds that performs better in the field than the books and charts would indicate.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I'm a believer in the .243 Win.
I picked one up for the wife because she's a little thing and couldn't handle the recoil of the '06 and I've been impressed.

I killed a big doe with it and it only ran about 20-30 yds before expiring. She shot a little nubbin head and it never made it out of its own shadow.
Wound channels nearly as big as the '06 makes.

 

[horsey300]

After 2 years of not getting to fill her tag, 3.5 years and countless rounds downrange practicing out to 300 yds, the bosslady put a 100gr prohunter ~2970 out of her 20" youth barrel into her first ever deer, she stalked for about an hour watching him get beaten up by a smaller(but older) buck defending a particular doe (the smaller one is a kinda pet we watched for 2 years), and moved to his exit trail. He sighted her at 100yds and moved in to investigate, she couldn't scope him prone through the 36" grass and sunflowers, so when he trotted in to investigate the strange creature and stopped about 50 yds hard quartering to, she simply sat up and put the bullet (uphill angle) low in the chest leaving a grazed and unattached heart and half a lung. From 80 yds farther back we watched him make two surprised lunges and buckle. The far ribs just inside the diaphragm looked like a grenade detonated with bits of lead surrounding the area on their way out, one sliver of jacket sliced a neat slit in the offside ham and we have loads of jerky now! (She wanted lots of snacks). After missing several chances with his 7Russian (that he had never fired before) the teenager who had tagged along asked to use her lil .243 for the rest of the weekend and while he was not offered another shot, he resolved that his first rifle purchase for himself would be of the same caliber. I will never disavow the attributes of this caliber and am always happy to see another taking pleasure in a tried and true classic, ignoring those who just don't get it. Congratulations to you on your success and may you have many many more!

 

[Captcurt]

I have ran the gauntlet with different calibers for deer, from pistol rounds like 357, 45LC and 7mm TCU to 300WSM and 257 Weatherby. Guess what? They all work. Probably killed the most with 270 followed closely by 300WSM. A few years back I bought a nice Rem700 ADL synthetic in 243. It is a tack driver and to date has taken 16 whitetails. Everyone of them were one shot kills. Now I see a lot of DRT post concerning different calibers. They happen, but, personally, I have seen deer run 50 to 100 yards with every caliber that I have used. One will bite the dust on the spot and the next one may run 100 yards with the same shot placement.

With the proper bullet and decent shot placement a 243 will work fine. Been there, done that.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

I'm a believer in the .243 Win.
I picked one up for the wife because she's a little thing and couldn't handle the recoil of the '06 and I've been impressed.

I did the same exact thing for the same reason. I think I now have more trigger time with it than she does. Here is a pic before I mounted a scope on it.

 

[Hookeye]

I like .35 rem, and loaded hot in a little TC Contender carbine I thought it no big deal.
The factory synth stock has a decent recoil pad. It put my deer down pretty fast.
My hunting bud runs a CVA .35 Rem and his three deer, over three years, have a combined bloodtrail length of two steps.
Of course it matters where you hit them, one of his was spined. One double lunged (dressed 200#) and the other shot in the neck.
Mine ran a short ways each, both double lunged. Bloodtrails were decent.
200gr Hornady what I ran, Barnes what he ran.

So this yr I use a .243 win. Factory WW 100gr. Not impressed, deer went 50 yards, stopped and acted as if missed. Went another 50 and fell over.
Could let things go but moved in and sped his demise. Boom- over with in probably 5 secs the coup de grace.

Bloodtrail not that great, and lung damage (double lunged) was not much. Looked like you stuck your index finger in for the hole.

Not going to judge a cartridge based on 1 data point. Will be running a premium bullet next yr. My rifle loves the factory load accuracy wise.

Also don't think moving from one rifle to another a big deal, am not a big guy and shoot boomers with no problem. Since good form is good form I'm not getting the need to shoot one rifle 200 times before deer season. Sight it in and hunt. Of course sighting in should also entail checking drops at the yardages you'll be shooting.

Am not a believer that folks that hunt with a bolt rig, need a bolt rig .22 for practice. I run pumps, break opens, autos and bolt rigs, plus single shots...........and never have flubbed the safety or control locations. I just know what I'm using that day. Plug in the "disc" and hunt.
Even jumping deer, high stress stuff..................never flubbed it.

I don't even remember flipping the safety off my Ruger #1 this season. Or today, rabbit hunting, popping it off to line up on a bunny (he didn't stop so no shot). 10/22. Last yr TC Contender, nice buck, had to boogy..........don't even remember cocking the hammer. Fast stuff, dead deer.

.35 rem with about 20 shots don it all yr.

But hey, if folks think (or really need) a lot of rounds on the range, so be it. Whatever works. Confidence is definitely a plus.

 

[LoonWulf]

Some of my most impressive (to me) shooting has been done with a .243, not the animals take just the shooting. Last time I used it I got 5 sheep running at 200-250 with 5 shots, I KNOW I couldnt have recovered fast enough with one of my larger guns. Took a nice axis doe, with a shot thru a 2-3" hole in trees at about 75yds standing free hand. Ive made longer shots with other guns, and trickier shots, but those stand out because of the conditions.
The gun is actually my Wifes, so i dont use it that often, and shes taken Deer, Goats, and an 800Lb Cow..yeah Moo cow, with that rifle.

Never underestimate that little round. With premium, and not so premium bullets, There isnt alot that the .243 cant do. I love to hear other people having such good luck with it. Before the sheep day, the one buddy i hunt with (who uses a .270, where as i usually use a magnum), would give me crap every time I brought the gun out, He dosent anymore.

 

[BigBore45]

Well. I tried a .243 today for the first time. I'm not all that impressed to be honest. 100gr. SGK max load, gun 18" bolt action. Shot 135-150 yrds. Deer went down,. Got up stumbled 30-40 yards then laid down head up for 30 seconds till I shot it in the head. I believe the same shot with my .308 would have incapacitated the deer immediately. I think the SGK bullet was to hard as the picture is of the exit wound. It was quartered away from me and level. Entrance hole is about 2" higher and behind front shoulder. Minimal lung damage and not much heart damage either. May try a different bullet,. Kinda an experiment before the wife uses it.

 

[BigBore45]

The wife has used a 250 Savage for 30 years on and off. Probably shot 20 -25 deer and a huge hog with it. I had a custom 250 built 3 years ago and have shot 7 deer with it. The old man shot around 15 with his 257 Roberts. All were with 100 grain bullets between 2800 fps and 2950 fps. used plain old cup and core bullets, Hornady inter lock, Speer hotcor, and Sierra pro hunter. None went over 50 yards. Some of the bucks were a bit over 200lbs. Pretty similar ballistics to the 243. I have heard all kinds of stupid stuff about making good hits and not recovering deer. If you can't find the animal how do you it was a good hit? A 100 grain 257 cup and core bullet has a similar sectional density to a 150 grain 308 bullet. If started at the same speed they will penatrate about the same. A 243 bullet has better sectional density so it will probably penatrate better than a 308 150 grain. Although this is fact, mostly this explanation just pisses the die hard larger caliber for deer people off.

Why would you want that much penetration on a deer? I would rather transfer max energy expand as big as possible as to get through a shoulder and stop on the other shoulder. Max destruction to vitals no two holes with mediocre expansion and energy transfer

 

[LoonWulf]

I use 100grn sierra and hornady PSPs on pigs, the .243 will punch them clean thru a med/large hog.
Personally i use the 85-90grn sbts for deer. If your gonna use the 100s go for shoulder bones.

 

[JRWhit]

Well. I tried a .243 today for the first time. I'm not all that impressed to be honest. 100gr. SGK max load, gun 18" bolt action. Shot 135-150 yrds. Deer went down,. Got up stumbled 30-40 yards then laid down head up for 30 seconds till I shot it in the head. I believe the same shot with my .308 would have incapacitated the deer immediately. I think the SGK bullet was to hard as the picture is of the exit wound. It was quartered away from me and level. Entrance hole is about 2" higher and behind front shoulder. Minimal lung damage and not much heart damage either. May try a different bullet,. Kinda an experiment before the wife uses it.

With an 18" barrel that rounds not getting up to full speed. I would look at a little softer bullet for that gun. Something that expands well at around 2000fps.

 

[BigBore45]

With an 18" barrel that rounds not getting up to full speed. I would look at a little softer bullet for that gun. Something that expands well at around 2000fps.

I agree after this test. I'm over the crony at 2821 but when I read Sierra's website on this bullet it said medium game out of all 6mm guns so I figured I was good at that velocity. I figured wrong. None the less it was dead within 1 1/2 minutes and did not travel very far. Also managed to be without substantial meat loss thanks to shot placement.