Just wondering what the max distance you would shoot a deer with a 243 is?

The .243 is certainly capeable of killing deer to 400+- yards if the proper bullets are used like a 100 grain Nosler partition.

The person behind the trigger is another story entirely

I hunt with the 243 Win all the time and wouldn't recommend it on deer over 300 yds . It drops pretty fast beyond 300 yards on a rifle zero'd at 200 yards .

Well, as noted, it is capable of 300 and 400yd. on deer, but the terminal ballistics are getting pretty low that far out. As anyone can tell from other comments I've made elsewhere, I figure the 243Win. to be best used as a varmint rifle/cartridge. Yes, it
can do for deer, but IMHO it is MINIMAL. I'd limit the range to 200yds., 250max.
Use premium ammo/bullets (ex.: nosler partitions), and broadside heart/lung shots only.

If you want long range performance for deer, get a 270Win., 270WSM, or 7mmRem.Mag.

I'm with Virginia on this one.

That doesn't mean a 243 Win. won't kill deer, but it really "is" a bit on the light side, "UNLESS" you do everything right!!

Would you be willing to pass up a nice buck standing straight away from you at 150 yards???????

Drilling Man

I have a Rem 700 BDL .243 w/ custom laminated stock. It's a fine rifle for taking deer. I would pick it any day over all these heavy magnum cartridges. Before one goes hunting he needs to learn to shoot, a good shooter is fine w/ a .243 for deer, shot placement is key. I think more people need to learn how to shoot, rather that blowing deer up w/ all these magnum loads.

Ohh sry, to answer your question to can "shoot" a deer at 1000 yds but to effectively and humanily take the deer, I would keep it in the area of under 300 yds.

I wouldn't attempt that shot even if I were useing a 300 magnum. The only shot you would have would be a shot in the back of the neck to break its spine and the .243 would do that just as easily as any cartridge made today. IMO there just ins't a large enough target to attempt that shot on a live MOVING animal.

Your obviously using the wrong bullets. Check out federals 100 gr. sierra gameking BT, or even their 85 gr. sierra Gameking HP. They both shoot flatter than just about every non magnum cartridge, with plenty of velocity and enough energy out to 500 yds great BC too, bucks the wind great.

i would say 300 yards, past that how can you correctly idenitfy game anyway?