.243 vs .243 WSSM for black tail and mUle deer?

[darkknight]

I am thinking about getting a .243 or .243 WSSM i got an offer for a stainless browning A bolt for a great price and i have a choice of which one. The rifle will be used for black tail, mule deer, small wild pigs and varmints? They both have over a 1000 ft lbs left after 300 yards with a 100 grain rounds. I have been told you need at least that much to make a humane kill, is this true. Since the foot pounds are close to the same from what i see am i right for thinking the .243 is better. Im sure the WSSM has more velocity. But does the cost really justify the limited slection of ammo. I have a deer rifle already but the deal is a steal and it doesnt hurt to have a backup plus its lighter then my deer rifle and would see plenty of use. It ll put me back for buying an sks but if they make them illegal it really wont matter. Give me your opinions i could use them.

 

[K3]

.243 has taken many a deer. Not a thing wrong with it. I'm not into the WSMs or WSSMs. It seems to me to be the latest fad. Those raving about the new cartridges almost make it sound like .270s, .30-06s, etc can't kill deer anymore. Is there a new breed of armored deer that I haven't seen yet? Hell, I've killed a whitetail with a .223. It was every bit the humane kill even though I was shooting a 55 grain HP. Shot placement...

My advice is to stick with the basics. Stick with the tried and true stuff. It works, and ammo is everywhere.

 

[Macchina]

I had a .243 WSSM for a year. It was my only rifle (a heavy barreled Model 70 with chrome lined barrel and laminate stock), and I love shooting, so I put about 500 shots through it. Out of the 500 shots (5 different bullets and 3 different powders) I only got a handful of 5 shot groups that were under 1". That cartridge is very high pressure, and I had amazing bolt lift problems. I also had a primer burn through at 2 grains below maximum! I could never get my gun to feed properly, making a quick follow up shot was questionable. I found the cartridge to be poorly designed. I wanted it to be a miracle round that would beat all my friends, but it dissapointed me a lot. I sold that gun (for a profit ) and moved onto a Savage in 7mm-08 this year. I love the 7mm! Normal pressures, proper feeding, and I am able to use inexpensive unbonded bullets (at 3200 FPS, the WSSM would blow up regular bullets). I say go with the normal .243. The .308 case that it is based off of was designed to be short and fat in the first place. It's fun to think about 4000 fps, but don't let hype tempt you.

 

[marksman13]

I don't see any advantage that the WSSM has over the plain jane .243 Win. A buddy of mine has a Model 70 Winchester in 243 WSSM and it groups like buckshot. He is planning to sell it and buy a Remington Model 700 in .243 Win. On top of his less than accurate rifle experience, I don't know that the WSSMs will be around for long. Looks like a fad to me. Stick with the old
.243 Win and you won't be dissapointed.

 

[highlander 5]

If you're in the boonies and you need ammo what are the odds of finding 243 WSSM ammo? I'd say 2,slim and none

 

[MCgunner]

.243 is a fine deer rifle 300 yards and under. If I feel like I want more, i ain't gonna add a buncha letters behind it, I'll buy a bigger gun. 7mm08 is more gun than the .243 and is light in recoil. The .260 is ditto the 7-08. The short magnum stuff is cool where you need magnum power out of a short action, easily carried gun, but I can't think of a real reason to magnumize anything under 7mm, tell ya the truth. Yeah, the faster gun will shoot a little flatter, but I won't take a shot in the real world too much further than 300 yards. I wanna get closer. My .308 will reach out there about as far as I need it to for medium game.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Unless you handload youd better get the STD .243 as I doubt that there will be any WSSM factory ammo avalible in 5 yrs

 

[Jimmy Newman]

michaelmcgo,
I shoot a 7mm-08 as well, but the ammo I use (Hornady Light Magnum) shoots a 139 grain bullet at 3100fps... not much less than 3200 . Hornady's .270 loads, which I shoot sometimes, shoot a 140 grain bullet at 3200.

My gut feeling is that the .243 is alright for white tail deer but that it would be marginal for big mule deer. That's just how I feel about it, I'm sure it would work, but I would like a little more power.

 

[Art Eatman]

I've killed a good many whitetail with the .243. I guess that for mule deer, I'd use a 100-grain premium bullet (for best penetration) and be selective about my shot. I wouldn't really think a body shot beyond, say, 200 yards, would be all that smart. If it's reasonably close on a standing deer, I'd take a neck shot.

I don't think there would be any particular advantage to more velocity than the standard .243 povides.

Art