Deer with .243

Higg · 11-22-2006, 04:20 PM

Anybody use .243for all of their deer hunting? What gun and bullet do you use??

nchawkeye · 11-22-2006, 04:38 PM

Nope....243 is too small...Marginal at best...Not ethical....

Lets just say that I have tried all the bullets except the ballistic tips...Inside 200 yards, the deer will never know the difference between a 100 grain CoreLokt, Hornady, Federal Premium in Nosler Partition, or Sierra GameKing...Past 200 I really like the Federal Premium 85gr Sierra GameKing BTHP...

Just my opinion from using a .243 over 25 years on 150 deer or so...

Forgot to mention...Mine is a Ruger M-77 (older tang safety) I had it rebarreled to 24 inches a few years back, its pillar bedded, freefloated and trigger set at
2 1/2 pounds. I also replaced the old Bushnell Scopechief with a Leupold VX-II 3x9x40..Which I sent back to Leupold and had the Heavy Duplex reticle put in...

I have never lost a deer with this gun.

James B · 11-22-2006, 06:04 PM

A friend of mine uses the ballistic tips in his for whitetails with pretty good results. I prefer 25 caliber and up for Mule deer. JMO

ConstructionWorker · 11-22-2006, 07:39 PM

I have taken deer with a 243 with no trouble at all. Never used b. tips. Savage Weather Warrior. Accurate as all get out. I hunt mainly with a 270 Remington 700.

Rammer · 11-22-2006, 07:49 PM

I've busted quite a few deer with 243s over the years. I have a buddy that shot a mule deer buck 2 weeks ago at 400 yards with 95gr Combined Technolgy BTsthat I loaded for him. Deer ran about 80 yards after being shot and then his legs got weak....Bullet did everything it was supposed to do, went in behind the shoulder (deer was quartering away hard), and then through both lungs, liver, stomach, and exited in front of the rear hind quarter. My vote for the 243 and deer would be the 95gr Combined Technology BTs.

Josh Sorensen · 11-22-2006, 08:12 PM

I have used the sierra 100gr SBT gameking, in reloads and federal premium loadings for 17 straight whitetails. Only one took more than one shot and it was the fault of poor placement on the first shot. I have always got an exit and have broken both shoudlers several times with this bullet. Any decent shot placement will result in a dead deer, period. It also makes a dandy coyote bullet. From 70-280 yards this combination has never failed me and its more accurate than you can imagine in my browning Eurobolt 243 w/boss. This was number 17 shot at about 80 yards. Results don't lie.

JagMagMan · 11-22-2006, 08:28 PM

With good 100gr. hunting bullets, the .243/6MM is as good a MINIMUM deer caliber/cartridge as it gets!
I have always subscribed to the theory that you can't be over-gunned! But the real truth is if your bullet is not matched to the game being hunted, bigger IS NOT always better!
Use a heavy magnum with the wrong bullets and you might as well be hunting with FMJ's! Dead animal, no blood trail!
I have never had that problem with the .243/6MM!

zrexpilot · 11-22-2006, 09:01 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Rammer

I've busted quite a few deer with 243s over the years. I have a buddy that shot a mule deer buck 2 weeks ago at 400 yards with 95gr Combined Technolgy BTsthat I loaded for him. Deer ran about 80 yards after being shot and then his legs got weak....Bullet did everything it was supposed to do, went in behind the shoulder (deer was quartering away hard), and then through both lungs, liver, stomach, and exited in front of the rear hind quarter. My vote for the 243 and deer would be the 95gr Combined Technology BTs.

Holy smokes batman. I'd say that was penetration.
We took a doe a couple years back at about a 150 yds. using the .243 with 100 gr Hornady's
Deer was facing straight at me, head down. My son took the shot and nailed it dead center. bullet went through the spine and all the way throughthe deerand out the exhaust pipe. Yuuuuuuuggh what a mess.

okcmco · 11-22-2006, 09:24 PM

Here in Oklahoma, the deer are smaller than your Mid western deer. The .243 is used here and to good effect. With quality bullets and keeping the weight at 100 grains or more it works dandy here. I believe it would be OK and ethical IF THE SHOOTER DOES HIS JOB! But I like to have a little safety margin. What if your only shot is a quartering away shot? What if you only have a moment to fire? If you only go through one lung, you will be more likely to find you deer if you are using a 30 06.
But a lot of deer are killed with the .243. Just not by me
okcmco

spencer0071 · 11-23-2006, 05:45 AM

IMHO most deer hunters are over gunned. It is common knowledge that most deer are taken inside of 100 yards. Whywould you need to hunt deer with a 300 win mag? Why are you using 3000 foot pounds of energy on a 175 pound deer when 500 foot pounds will do the job? The 300 win mag will retain 1500 foot pounds of energy at 500 yards, three times what is necessary to kill a deer at that range. I know plenty of people that hunt deer with 223 rem, 220 swift, 22-250 rem and 243 winthey have never had a problem bagging a deer. With this said if i am going to pay big bucks for a trophy deer hunt, i will go over gunned (270 win or 308 win). Shot placementis more critical than caliber regardless of what you shoot. 243's are fine for deer.