DG, the reality is that the facts you speak of are not absolute truths and are very much open to debate. That's why it's hard to answer with pure "facts" and not to temper them with ANY opinion or personal experience.

And that's also the beauty of exchanging such opinions and experiences on a forum ~ otherwise anyone can buy a copy of Cartridges of the World or one of the specialized books on cartridges for game such as Boddington's N. American hunting rifles and get all the answers there.

I agree with you that youngsters should be presented with facts; but I think they would also find value in some of the opinions derived from the facts.

Fact: the .243 is a "good gun for Deer". Under the proper conditions and within its limitations. So is the .223, the .22-250 (an absolute favorite in TX), the .32 Special, the .44 Magnum and a host of other calibers many of us would consider marginal for difficult shots.

But the 7mm-08, the .308, the .270, the .280, the 30-06 etc. are more versatile calibers for deer ~ that's a fact too. Why? Because a "deer" can in fact vary in size and weight to the point where a .243 becomes marginal for a difficult body-shot, especially on the larger varieties.

Fact: the heaviest bullet available for the .243 only weighs 105 grains and its Sectional Density (SD) merely grazes the 0.250 mark. As you know, SD is correlated to a bullet's ability to penetrate. But this is where we use objective facts to make personal judgment-calls: based on these figures I would not choose to take a .243 against the largest deer, especially if it was an expensive trophy hunt and a tough shot was anticipated. That's me. Perhaps you would, and perhaps in your experience that has worked every time.

Tough shots happen. And sometimes, that's all you get ~ that's why I cited the personal example about my mulie.

"Good" is a very inaccurate, relative term. Something can be good but not ideal, especially when there are other choices. "Deer" is also a somewhat generic term, for, as you know, the big mid-western monsters are quite a different critter from some of their more svelte cousins. And their larger body-mass requires more penetration.

Bottom line: yes, the .243 is a good gun for Deer Hunting. But I think there are other choices, some of which are factually more apt for deeper penetration and therefore perhaps objectively "better" for all-around conditions.

Let me give you two "extreme" examples:

Condition A: perfect for the .243
You live in a state where you have a good, long season, and you can hunt deer in your own property or nearby. You are not a trophy hunter, and you can pick good shots or pass up difficult ones without too much regret. No reason whatsoever not to use a cartridge like the .243 ~ and you'll probably kill a deer every time you pull the trigger.

Condition B: not so good for the .243
You live in a big city, and you are a trophy hunter. You shell out the better part of $10,000 to hunt a trophy mulie in Utah. One shot at a monster is all you may get ~ no telling at what angle. You would be MUCH better served with a cartridge throwing a heavier bullet!

Tom


Edited by - .333 Nitro Express on 12/27/2002 13:48:37