Deer with .243
11-24-2006, 02:22 PM
#41
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 2,862
RE: Deer with .243
I will go out on a limb and agree with JamesB that the 243 SHOULD be the minimum legal firearm. In SD you can shoot deer with a 222 if you want, not that I reccomend it. I have shot a few deer with 60gr Nosler Partitions out of my 223, and I DO NOT reccomend it. All shots were placed perfectly, and every deer ran off not showing any signs of being hit. They ran anywhere from 50-250 yards then tipped over. All deer I have shot with my 243 have been anchored on the spot but one, and that one only went 40 yards or so. I have shot probably 20 deer personally with a 243, and I have 3 buddies that use them exclusively and have had no incidents of wounding/losing deer with any of them.
11-24-2006, 02:35 PM
#42
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: Deer with .243
ORIGINAL: Chantecler111
Cascadedad, you are fortunate that I haven't blown a gasket, with the outright disrespect you have show me on this forum.
Cascadedad, you are fortunate that I haven't blown a gasket, with the outright disrespect you have show me on this forum.
Pot meet kettle.
ORIGINAL: Chantecler111
zrex, you are about the most immature person on this forum, it's bad enough you lie about what game you've harvested, but to act like a child only makes it worse.
zrex, you are about the most immature person on this forum, it's bad enough you lie about what game you've harvested, but to act like a child only makes it worse.
11-24-2006, 02:43 PM
#43
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: Deer with .243
ORIGINAL: Rammer
I will go out on a limb and agree with JamesB that the 243 SHOULD be the minimum legal firearm. In SD you can shoot deer with a 222 if you want, not that I reccomend it. I have shot a few deer with 60gr Nosler Partitions out of my 223, and I DO NOT reccomend it. All shots were placed perfectly, and every deer ran off not showing any signs of being hit. They ran anywhere from 50-250 yards then tipped over. All deer I have shot with my 243 have been anchored on the spot but one, and that one only went 40 yards or so. I have shot probably 20 deer personally with a 243, and I have 3 buddies that use them exclusively and have had no incidents of wounding/losing deer with any of them.
I will go out on a limb and agree with JamesB that the 243 SHOULD be the minimum legal firearm. In SD you can shoot deer with a 222 if you want, not that I reccomend it. I have shot a few deer with 60gr Nosler Partitions out of my 223, and I DO NOT reccomend it. All shots were placed perfectly, and every deer ran off not showing any signs of being hit. They ran anywhere from 50-250 yards then tipped over. All deer I have shot with my 243 have been anchored on the spot but one, and that one only went 40 yards or so. I have shot probably 20 deer personally with a 243, and I have 3 buddies that use them exclusively and have had no incidents of wounding/losing deer with any of them.
Thats exactly why I call BS on what James said, he said a .243 and a 223 are equal on deer, Pfffffft !
He will bash the .243 any chance he gets and idiotic statements like that discredit him.
11-24-2006, 02:55 PM
#44
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wall SD USA & Jamestown ND
Posts: 11,474
RE: Deer with .243
As Rammer stated, the 222 is legal in SD. One of the first rifles that I ever bought myself was the Savage O/U with the 222/20 Ga. Barrels. I used it for deer for several years but you have to realize that as younguns, we hunted all the time if the gun you had would kill deer at 100 yards Max, then you used it when you got close enough to do the job. My remark abut the 22 Hornet was in reference to the 222 not being a decent rifle from someone who uses an even smaller rifle. I also used the 22 Hornet for a few years before I found out that it was not legal in SD.
I have also used the 6mm Rem and 223 for deer but unlike Rammer, I have seen quite a few big mulies hit with the 243 that didn't go down and a few that were never recovered. Not Many, but a few. Over the years I got a bad tatse for the 243 and no longer use anything smaller that the 25 caliber for deer. Also the deer where I hunt are 95 percent big bodied mule deer which probably take a little more killing tham the smallish whitetail here in ND where my wife works.
If you are careful with your shots, the 222. 22 Mag. 223 ,22 Hornet will kill deer but as a minimum for state laws the 243 should probably be the minumum. If I were making the laws, the 250 Savage would be the minimum. However for small deer, small rifles seem to work. Yes Back when, I shot plenty of them with a 22 LR. However, back then, there was no deer season where I lived and no legal or illegal guns for deer. When we needed meat, we shot it.
I have also used the 6mm Rem and 223 for deer but unlike Rammer, I have seen quite a few big mulies hit with the 243 that didn't go down and a few that were never recovered. Not Many, but a few. Over the years I got a bad tatse for the 243 and no longer use anything smaller that the 25 caliber for deer. Also the deer where I hunt are 95 percent big bodied mule deer which probably take a little more killing tham the smallish whitetail here in ND where my wife works.
If you are careful with your shots, the 222. 22 Mag. 223 ,22 Hornet will kill deer but as a minimum for state laws the 243 should probably be the minumum. If I were making the laws, the 250 Savage would be the minimum. However for small deer, small rifles seem to work. Yes Back when, I shot plenty of them with a 22 LR. However, back then, there was no deer season where I lived and no legal or illegal guns for deer. When we needed meat, we shot it.
11-24-2006, 04:06 PM
#45
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: Deer with .243
ORIGINAL: James B
. My remark abut the 22 Hornet was in reference to the 222 not being a decent rifle from someone who uses an even smaller rifle.
. My remark abut the 22 Hornet was in reference to the 222 not being a decent rifle from someone who uses an even smaller rifle.
ORIGINAL: James B
Over the years I got a bad tatse for the 243 and no longer use anything smaller that the 25 caliber for deer. If I were making the laws, the 250 Savage would be the minimum.
Over the years I got a bad tatse for the 243 and no longer use anything smaller that the 25 caliber for deer. If I were making the laws, the 250 Savage would be the minimum.
No disrespect, but you just keep making stupid statements. The .243 outclasses the .250 and .257 by leaps and bounds. The .243 killed those calibers, it's by far a more efficient deer gun. Thats why you can only find a .250 or .257 in pawn shops. LOL
I am sure you'll come back with " a .257 handloaded will blah blah blah"
99.9999999999% of hunters dont handload. So whats the point.
11-24-2006, 05:00 PM
#46
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wall SD USA & Jamestown ND
Posts: 11,474
RE: Deer with .243
You might have a point if a guy was hunting paper. You won't see those calbers in pawn shops because they are to good to get rid of. I don't care what percent handload or don't so why they hell would that matter to me. I don't handi-cap myself by sticking to factory loads. When I can improve a load by hand loading it then of course I will hand load it. I have had every bit as good results with the 222 and 223 as I have with the 243 so I quess tome that is not a stupid statement. If the 243 is so great, why do you use the 22 hornet? You will find that the 250 Savage and 257 Roberts have their followers and for very good reason. Its guys that didn't jump on the WW marketing of the 243.
11-24-2006, 05:09 PM
#47
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: Deer with .243
I hunt a few suburbia areas, and my shots are very close so I use the Hornet or bow in these areas. If I hunt open places I pack the .243 I took a pretty large hog 2 weeks ago with the Hornet, 40 yd shot to the head, dropped him instantly. The Hornet is a small, light, short distance cartridge on deer and hogs, I dont have to worry about hitting a house a 1/2 mile away. I use 45 gr Hollow points and neck shoot the deer, and head shoot the hogs. I havent wounded anything with it or any other rifle, ever.
Cant say that about my bow. I wounded one yesterday. Good thing is he will live. I made what I thought was a perfect shot, but the deer ran with the whole arrow sticking out and then the arrow fell to the ground, I obviously hit the shoulder or elbow bone. I had absolutely zero penetration and not a speck of blood on the arrow. The deer will have a soar @ss shoulder for a while. My bow is shooting 286-292 fps. I cant believe that bone would stop the arrow like that.
Cant say that about my bow. I wounded one yesterday. Good thing is he will live. I made what I thought was a perfect shot, but the deer ran with the whole arrow sticking out and then the arrow fell to the ground, I obviously hit the shoulder or elbow bone. I had absolutely zero penetration and not a speck of blood on the arrow. The deer will have a soar @ss shoulder for a while. My bow is shooting 286-292 fps. I cant believe that bone would stop the arrow like that.
11-24-2006, 05:33 PM
#50
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,290
RE: Deer with .243
I see the .243 as good for girls and children as it does not hurt too much when fired, at least with ear plugs. But it is too noisy as a poacher round, and that is where the 22 hornet, triple deuce and old pipsqueaks like the 32-20 came in. At best I see it as a good varmint round where wind is a factor and ranges are longer. The 250-3000 and the .257 Roberts get into a different class by frontal area alone.