JagMagMan

I'd pick the .308 over the .243 if you are going to be taking longer shots.
All the calibers that use the .308 case are good deer getters!
.243, .260, 7MM-08 and the .308! You really can't go wrong with any of them for deer! The .260 and 7MM-08 give you great .308 preformance with flat trajectory too! Give 'em a look!

Worc

I'm with jamesB. The .308 for sure over the .243. For deer I also like the .260 and 7-08 that he mentioned. All three will be fine out to your maximun distance. They are all very close ballisticaly and physical cartridge size.

mainehunt

Trebark,
I have both the .243 and the .308, I have killed deer with both, ranging from 60-150 yards. If you let 200 guys give you advise, you'll get too many opinions to count. Try to find someone who will let you shoot those two cartridges. Then you can form your own opinions. Who knows, you might endup hating one of the rifles for some reason.

I like them both, but the last few time that I went out, I grabbed the .243, I just have confidence with it. It hasn't failed me yet. If you're recoil shy, by all means go with the .243. You can always use the .243 as a varmint rifle also, especially if you handload, you can put a 55 grain bullet in it.

zrexpilot

I luvs me .243 LOL The .243 is faster and flatter shooting than the .308 With the right bullet the .243 is awsome. I't upsets my friends who shoot magnums and have deer run off a little ways, only to see me drop them in there tracks with my .243 Dont be duped into the knockdown power theory, theres no such thing.
read this. http://www.udarrell.com/ultimate_dee...dge_guests.htm

zrexpilot

A .308 is not more powerfull then a .243. just because it's a .30 caliber. and just because it claims more energy does not mean that either. Energy is derived from a mathmatical equasion. It does not show actuall damage from a bullet impacting tissue.. In my opinion from years of hunting, a bigger bullet traveling slower will not do as much damage as a smaller bullet traveling faster. Within reason dont compare a 40 gr. to a 140 gr. The .243 will leave some tremendous damage believe me ,and will penetrate too, with the right bullet selection.
I took a big boar last year at 240 yds with a complete pass through the neck head region and dropped him right there.
This is also why I beleive anything better will have be a 7 mag, they share similar characteristics.
The 7 mag is chunking bigger lead faster, this is where tissue dammage will occur.
To me these are the two best guns to own. A 7 mag and a .243 and you'd be set for anything.


Read this too http://forum.hunting.net/asppg/tm.as...#459864#459864

mainehunt

zrexpilot,
That is a good couple of posts. Too many people assume that just because a bullet is "small", or that the "down-range energy" is too little, that a certain cartridge isn't big enough for a certain sized animal. Talk to people who use it on a regular basis, and see how they like it.
I have seen tremendous damage caused by a 100 grain bullet out of a .243. I have had complete pass throughs on whitetail deer where it also took out one or two shoulders.

nevets

I would go with the .308

camp_13

I have 7mm-08, slighly better ballistics than a 308, and has milder recoil, worth a look. My next gun will be a 243 cause it has great history, is excellent for deer, and it would be a fun gun to bring to the range.

herman

I have a 243,260,7/08 and 308 all of them are great deer calibers,but the 260 is one hell of a deer rifle/

Smitty_nc1

I bought a Rem. 700 in .308 last Febuary. Shooting 150 grain ballistic tips. Shot 3 deer this year and the first fell in his tracks. The second took about 10 steps not knowing what had happened then fell. The third was running down a farm path when I whistled at it. The deer stopped dead still in the path and was looking away from me trying to figure out where the whistle came from. When I shot, he took his last getaway run into the field toward me and crashed 25-30 yards from where he first stopped. All 3 shots were well placed behind the shoulder, taking out the heart and both lungs. I have been impressed with my new found .308 friend. I would highly recommend great consideration for this round. I will attach a Pic of the last one shot on 12/13/03.

Smitty