243 Cal
10-11-2002, 10:17 AM
#21
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wheat Ridge Colorado USA
Posts: 60
RE: 243 Cal
Yes but the .30-30 has a heavier bullet that's been perfected for a century to perform well terminally within it's velocity range. Energy isn't the only consideration, especially when one is evaluating field performance. However, you're entitled to believe whatever you like. I see no reason to quibble about it.
Whatever's wrong ain't the bow and whatever's right is the archer.
Whatever's wrong ain't the bow and whatever's right is the archer.
10-11-2002, 10:23 AM
#22
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471
RE: 243 Cal
Yep on paper the 243 looks like a wimp but it is one of the really underestimated deer rifles in the entire spectrum of deer rifles. I know an aquaintance that owns a Sako Finwolf(lever action ) in 243 win. Between hunting the Catskills and Poconos every year he ended up killing over 30 deer with a string of 1 shot kills. Then there was the 180 class Mule Deer at the meat Locker in Colorado that was shot in a Hayfield at 300 yards by a Young Lady toting a Remington 700 Varmint rifle and using a Harris bipod as a rest. Worst disease(s) in the world are "gunwritertitis" or "extrememagnumitis" costs us Sportsman billions in dollars and keeps the gun manufacturers in business.
10-11-2002, 02:32 PM
#23
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Port Neches, Texas
Posts: 5,514
RE: 243 Cal
I was about to say the same thing that Frizzellr said! He took the words straight off of my keyboard!
Its funny to see those defend the 30-30 and bash the .243/6MM! Besides carrying more punch, the .243/6MM is more accurate.
While the .243/6mm should be the minimum caliber for deer, the word "mimimum" really doesn't fit the .243/6MM well! As long as you do not use varmint bullets, the .243/6MM will take ANY whitetail deer you shoot it at!
I usually take lung shots, and on a couple of occasions, I've had deer bleed less and run farther when shot with my .308 and 7MM mag than with my 6MM Remington!
Its funny to see those defend the 30-30 and bash the .243/6MM! Besides carrying more punch, the .243/6MM is more accurate.
While the .243/6mm should be the minimum caliber for deer, the word "mimimum" really doesn't fit the .243/6MM well! As long as you do not use varmint bullets, the .243/6MM will take ANY whitetail deer you shoot it at!
I usually take lung shots, and on a couple of occasions, I've had deer bleed less and run farther when shot with my .308 and 7MM mag than with my 6MM Remington!
10-11-2002, 08:27 PM
#24
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: A shack in Arkansas
Posts: 2,029
RE: 243 Cal
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>The .243 ballistically is in the same class as the .30-30 but shoots flatter <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>
Humor ! now thats funny!!!
SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL
Humor ! now thats funny!!!
SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL
10-12-2002, 11:21 AM
#25
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jenkinsburg Ga USA
Posts: 41
RE: 243 Cal
I think the .243 is a perfect round for whitetails. I,ve been shooting one for years.
As for the people on this forum who say that a .243 is inadequate for deer,read on. First lets put all of this into a different perspective. Lets take a .243 traveling at 2900 feet per second.(I know this a little slow in velocity but im saying that its low so no one will freak out.) Okay lets convert that to miles per hour. If anyone wants to they can check the conversion but 2900 f.p.s. translates into 1977 m.p.h.. Yes you read that right, one thousand,nine hundred ,and seventy seven miles per hour I dont care what anyone says,but you can shoot a deer with a frozen pea at that speed and kill it. But if you go to a more toward the actual speed of a .243,(anywhere from 2960-3400),you can range anywhere from 1900mph to upwards of 2300mph.
And another thing, alot of people around here bash the .243 and go with the 7-08. (im not bashing the 7-08 here) But in all reality the .243,7-08,& .308 are all of the same case. And even though there is some bullet weight differences they are the same round. But then again some people will argue that the bullet weight differences mean more knockdown power and they do.To an extent. But if you hit ANYTHING at this kind of speed,it is going to go down. Given it is hit properly.
Also if you don't hunt with a certain caliber,dont bash it. Because you apparently dont know what you are talking about. And if you think a high powered magnum is needed to kill a deer. Go to the range and practice. Because if you need a gun that big to take them down, you are not hitting them right.
Lets see how many people I can get torqed up with that last statement!
Edited by - 3.5mag on 10/12/2002 12:24:53
Edited by - 3.5mag on 10/12/2002 12:25:22
As for the people on this forum who say that a .243 is inadequate for deer,read on. First lets put all of this into a different perspective. Lets take a .243 traveling at 2900 feet per second.(I know this a little slow in velocity but im saying that its low so no one will freak out.) Okay lets convert that to miles per hour. If anyone wants to they can check the conversion but 2900 f.p.s. translates into 1977 m.p.h.. Yes you read that right, one thousand,nine hundred ,and seventy seven miles per hour I dont care what anyone says,but you can shoot a deer with a frozen pea at that speed and kill it. But if you go to a more toward the actual speed of a .243,(anywhere from 2960-3400),you can range anywhere from 1900mph to upwards of 2300mph.
And another thing, alot of people around here bash the .243 and go with the 7-08. (im not bashing the 7-08 here) But in all reality the .243,7-08,& .308 are all of the same case. And even though there is some bullet weight differences they are the same round. But then again some people will argue that the bullet weight differences mean more knockdown power and they do.To an extent. But if you hit ANYTHING at this kind of speed,it is going to go down. Given it is hit properly.
Also if you don't hunt with a certain caliber,dont bash it. Because you apparently dont know what you are talking about. And if you think a high powered magnum is needed to kill a deer. Go to the range and practice. Because if you need a gun that big to take them down, you are not hitting them right.
Lets see how many people I can get torqed up with that last statement!
Edited by - 3.5mag on 10/12/2002 12:24:53
Edited by - 3.5mag on 10/12/2002 12:25:22
10-12-2002, 07:52 PM
#26
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
Posts: 315
RE: 243 Cal
As stated already,the .243 will be fine as long as your son does his job and puts the bullet in the boiler room!
You won't see me get torqued up at your statement....I tend to agree!
The supermagnum fad is certainly out there.....before you know it...the .50 BMG will be the "minimum" caliber for deer!!
PS...I'm only kidding!!...The big mags DO have their place,especially when you want to reach way out and get a deer's attention...but you don't NEED a .300 Ultra to kill a deer @ 100 yards.
You won't see me get torqued up at your statement....I tend to agree!
The supermagnum fad is certainly out there.....before you know it...the .50 BMG will be the "minimum" caliber for deer!!
PS...I'm only kidding!!...The big mags DO have their place,especially when you want to reach way out and get a deer's attention...but you don't NEED a .300 Ultra to kill a deer @ 100 yards.
10-13-2002, 09:12 AM
#27
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: dedham mass USA
Posts: 78
RE: 243 Cal
The .243 with a 100 gr Nosler partition will handle any deer that walks.I started with a .243,and never had a problem killing deer with it.Get your son out to the range and shoot the same loads that you'll be hunting with,and just get the rifle sighted in and get him comfortable shooting it.
10-14-2002, 08:13 PM
#28
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Elizabeth Colo. USA
Posts: 4,413
RE: 243 Cal
3.5mag, might want to add to your "thinking". If speed is all it takes to kill, then we'd all be using .17 rem., or 220 swifts. It takes bullet weight, ability to retain that weight on impact, and speed to do the job. Doesn't it? Heck, why not just use a 50 gr. silver tip out of the .243 at 4200 fps, according to you, that would work too. Also, in your "miles per hour" thinking, not too many bullets will stay in flight for an hour, so what the heck does that have to do with anything. Why not break it down to minutes, would be more reasonable, or better yet, leave it in seconds, 'cause that's what we all no and understand!
10-15-2002, 04:59 AM
#29
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Nowhere
Posts: 262
RE: 243 Cal
Ive been shooting deer on a regular basis for over 35 years, and I started out with a 243. I never lost one shot with it either, but every time I read about somebody using light bullets in small calibers it makes me cringe. The statement always comes up that a "properly placed shot will do it every time", well, a properly placed blow with a mop handle will kill a deer too. Anyone using a light caliber(I am talking about bullets weighing less than 150 gr. needs to be very conscious of the fact that the vitals on a deer cant be reached from just any angle. Premium bullets will assist the smaller calibers in penetrating to the vitals. I dont think most folks really look at what has happened inside a deer after its been shot. Take a careful look at the wound channels and try to draw some conclusions for yourself. The way I see it, just because a deer died from one of my gunshots doesnt mean that the bullet didnt fail or that its too light for the job. What I am saying is that if you are going to use soft bullets in light calibers, you need to know what they will and wont do and make yourself pass up those shots at angles that might not reach the vital organs. Figuring this out ahead of time is the trick.
