.243 Hunting Question
 

What is the maxium range that a .243 will take a deer? I have taken one at 100 yards but was wondering if it would work at longer than that. I am using 100 gr. Remington Corelock.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

If I had a good rest such that I could be reasonably assured of good shot placement I'd not hesitate to poke a whitetail 300 yards away with a 100 grain bullet from either the 6MM cartridges...(.243 Win)

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

With the 243Win., I'd limit the range to approx. 200yds. For longer shots I want more, like a 25-06, 270Win., 280Rem., 7mm-08, 308Win., etc.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

The .243 Winchester has plenty of power at 300 yards. I personally would limit myself to a 300 yard shot or shorter, not necessarily because the gun won't kill at greater distances, but because of my own shooting skills.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

OK thanx guys. I think the most I would have a shot at would be 200 yards but just wanted to see what the range would be.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

As far as you can accurately shoot. at 500 yds it still has enough velocity to mushroom adequately. But can you place the bullet exactly where it needs to be at that distance, thats the question.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

Spike, don't listen to Zrex, he's a Win .300 Mag man.
He does'nt know much about .243's.:D

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

if set up right you can make a 300 yd shot easy.you justhave to have itset up to shot that far.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

200 yards MAX.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

Last years Buck 345 yards 95gr ballistic tip ten yards and drop where it was

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

This guy is anti .243. The .243 and .25-06 are great rounds for their size,would not underestimate their range on deer killing.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

Buwahahahahah!
..............................................500 yds
....................................FPS........... ......Ft/lbs
.243 100 gr Fed.BT..........2040...................925
30-06 150 corelokt..........1622...................876


I personnally dont give a rats @ss about energy but I posted it for those who do, energy doesnt kill. Here the 30-06 does not have enough velocity for adequate expansion but the .243 does, makeing it a more efficient killer at 500 yds than the 30-06 with the 150 gr. corelokt.
Not to mention the -06 will drop 11" more than the .243 at that distance.

Some people will never get it. Sigh........

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

About four years ago, I killed a cow elk at 537 yards (ranged) with a 6MM-284. The 100 grain Sierra Pro Hunter, launched at 3430 fps, hit the cow broadside in the ribs and blew a broom stick size hole through both lungs. She ran about 50 yards and went down. Although the .243 runs about 350 fps slower, it should have about the same amount of "pop" at close to 400 yards. Bullet placement . . . .

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

X. There you go again picking the best possile load for the 243 and a bum load for the 30-06.


243.............500 yards 925. 100 grain bullet

30-06...........500 yards 1480 ME... 165 grain bullet.

When you compare, you must use bullets of equal SD or it means less than nothing. The 30-06 load is with a Barnes 165 grain bullet. Its also available in a factory load. The Barnes load for the 243 just shows 860 ME at 500 Yards but I gave you your pet load .

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

James ,to bad energy doesnt kill. You can post energy till your fingers hurt from typing. Thats not what does the job.
yesI showed a weak load in the -06 just to show how the 2 compare.
your best load in the -06 just reaches 2000 fps at 500 yds , which would beadequate for expansion.
Without the velocity your bullet aint gonna do nothing but pierce a small hole, and that size of hole determines how well a gun kills, has nothing to do with energy. .243 has what it takes to kill well past 400 yds, if you do your part.
Why do you think magnums are great long range cartridges ? Velocity baby ! Velocity.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

IMO this is a great round! i have the twin sister to the .243 in the 6mm. the .243 can kill a deer way farther than most people need to be shooting. if you think the farthest you will be shooting is 200 yards... then practice up to 300 yards. the rifle can do it but if you KNOW!!!! you cant punch 3 shots in 3" circle at 200 yards then don't shoot.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

Two average sized White Tail does were taken on my farm last year with a .243 loaded with the 95gr CTBT. One at 330 and one at 358 both one shot both did not move from their tracks. Boys, if you put the bullet where it belongs, the arguements about which is better are all moot. Personally I like the '06 and the 7mag for deer but I'm older that dirt and stuck in my ways.:D Regards, Rick.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

The Barnes loads show the 243 @500 yds @ 1943 fps
The Barnes load for the 30-06 @ 500 yds 1967 fps.

Using the best bullet and load for many cartridges , the 243 does not have much if any velocity advantage. The 243 also lacks the frontal area and bullet weight to compare with larger capacity cartridges. There is nothing magic about any cartridge. Powder capacity, bullet frontal area , bullet weight, velocity and ME combine to do the job. Velocity is but one side of a five sided fomula. The 45-70 which certainly lacks high velocity will do the job just as will a 270 with both velocity and fair bullet weight. 30 caliber bullets of 150 grains and up expand well at 308-30-06- 300 Win Mag velocities. The 180 and 200 grain bullets expanded well at 30-40 krag velocities. Velocity helps bullets expand but most good hunting bullets will have plenty of expansion at velocities of 2500 fps or more. I have seen it for fifty years plus. I have no intention of making a 15 page debate on this subject again. It is MY OPINION that the 243 is on the light side for any big game. Small whitetail and pronhorn are an exception and I have used it with marginal success on these critters. For big game I will always lean toward the 25 caliber and up. I have used them all a lot and thats been my findings. Good Hunting.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

ORIGINAL: James B

The Barnes loads show the 243 @500 yds @ 1943 fps
The Barnes load for the 30-06 @ 500 yds 1967 fps.

Using the best bullet and load for many cartridges , the 243 does not have much if any velocity advantage. No it doesnt have the advantage but it's not at a disadvantage either. The 243 also lacks the frontal area and bullet weight to compare with larger capacity cartridges. It has what much larger bores do, SD, Velocity, good expansion. There is nothing magic about any cartridge. Your right for once, a bullet through the vitals is a dead deer. Powder capacity, This is where your wrong, small cartridges can achieve what larger cartridges can do, small cartridges burn efficiently giving great ballistics with half the powder, take the WSSM's for instance.bullet frontal area , bullet weight, velocity and ME combine to do the job. Yes, except for ME it has no bearing on killing. Velocity is but one side of a five sided fomula. It is the root of the formula, it is the key ingridient.The 45-70 which certainly lacks high velocity will do the job just as will a 270 not at 400 yds, and that is what were talking about, long distance with both velocity and fair bullet weight. 30 caliber bullets of 150 grains and up expand well at 308-30-06- 300 Win Mag velocities. The 180 and 200 grain bullets expanded well at 30-40 krag velocities. Velocity helps bullets expand but most good hunting bullets will have plenty of expansion at velocities of 2500 fps or moreso what happens at 500yds when velocity is around 2000 fps I have seen it for fifty years plus. I have no intention of making a 15 page debate on this subject again. It is MY OPINION that the 243 is on the light side for any big game.Tell that to roskoe who took an elk at 500+ yds with a wild cat 6mm Small whitetail and pronhorn are an exception and I have used it with marginal success on these critters. For big game I will always lean toward the 25 caliber and up. An animal wouldnt know the difference in .01 frontal area or 15 gr. of lead, thats not even the size of a .177 pellet, do you know how much 15 gr. is ? that is just silly. I have used them all a lot and thats been my findings. I have been using the .243 for 20+ years and it does whatmuch largercalibers can do, sometimes even better. Good Hunting. To you too.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

Good reply Z!!;)

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

An Indian girl killed a very large grizzly with a 22 long rimfire. That don't make the 22 RF a grizzly gun. An elk killed at 500 yards does not make the 243 an elk gun and such shots are irresponsable as hell. Your idea that velocity is the only thing you need to make a clean kill is disproven BUNK. Go ahead and live in your bubble, I have no more to say on this subject.[:'(]

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

ORIGINAL: James B

An Indian girl killed a very large grizzly with a 22 long rimfire. That don't make the 22 RF a grizzly gun. No butthat does make her a better hunter than you. ;) and proves it dont take much to kill An elk killed at 500 yards does not make the 243 an elk gun Then what does, killing a rhino at 500yds. Will that gun then be adequate for elk. and such shots are irresponsable as hell. Only if the one making it has not practiced at those distances.Your idea that velocity is the only thing you need to make a clean kill is disproven BUNK. It is at 500 yds, a 45-70 is not a long range gun, a .243 is, It was designed for antelope at extreme ranges, so was the 25-06, and eventually the 6mm rem. Go ahead and live in your bubble, I have no more to say on this subject.[:'(] The voices in my head dont like you. ;)


( notice the smiley winks)

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

Hehehe nothing like a 243 to get things cookin on here. :D

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

James B. - I was not advocating the use of a 6MM rifle for general purpose elk hunting - even at medium distances. I think those guns begin with the .270 calibers - and only then with premium bullets. Having seen about 10 elk killed with various .243's and 6MM, I would describe their performance as "marginal". Requires very precise bullet placement - no shoulders or angling shots - broadside through the lungs or high in the neck. But I wouldn't go so far as to characterize it as "irresponsible"

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

To each his own. I have seen to many hunters try to hit an animal even at 300 tards to condone shots that long with such a light bullets. The only good thing is that most hunters couldn't come close enough to an animal at 500 yards to even hit it and wound it. I have seen a lot of first time steel shilouette shooters who can't come within 50 yards of hitting the 500 meter Ram which has a body about the size of a deer. I am all for 500 yard shots at targets but not at game animals. The 243 will seldom knock down the Ram at 500 meters. Just not enough bullet weight. A lot of guys tried their 243's including me.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

ORIGINAL: James B

To each his own. I have seen to many hunters try to hit an animal even at 300 tards to condone shots that long with such a light bullets. Like I said before I think it's silly for you to think 115 gr of lead is ok but not 100 gr. The only good thing is that most hunters couldn't come close enough to an animal at 500 yards to even hit it and wound it. I have seen a lot of first time steel shilouette shooters who can't come within 50 yards of hitting the 500 meter Ram which has a body about the size of a deer. I am all for 500 yard shots at targets but not at game animals. I agree,95% of us should not be shooting at game at 500 yds. The 243 will seldom knock down the Ram at 500 meters. It will if it's a live ram, and you hit it where it counts.Just not enough bullet weight. A lot of guys tried their 243's including me.
It's just silly for you to say the .243 would be limited to 200 yds, it's not a 30-30 that falls off the scale after 200 yds, it is one of the most flattest shooting cartridges available, retaining it's path and velocity for a long long way. It has the SD and BC needed for long shots too. It is a long range caliber, for deer and antelope and anything smaller.

RE: .243 Hunting Question
 

Remington round.. not sure of the weight.
My dad shot a mule deer(18 pt) at 280 yards, dropped it.
.243