Who hunts with a 243?
 

I have always shot deer with a 270. I am considering adding a 243 cal rifle for deer hunting as well as varmit hunting. I have no concern the gun will perform well on coyotes, but, all things considered, how good is a 243 for deer sized game?

I recognize shot placement is important, but I just don't want to hunt deer with the 243 if it's marginal. Thanks

RE: Who hunts with a 243?
 

That was my first rifle growing up. Small exit wounds but I killed deer. Made me learned how to track animals without getting excited running around the woods like a chicken with its head cut off.

RE: Who hunts with a 243?
 

Had a Rem 700 in 243, but I sold it because I never hunted with it. I liked to shoot it at the range though.

RE: Who hunts with a 243?
 

I hunted for years with a 6MM Remington, which is basically a .243 + 100 FPS! It is a good deer cartridge. I've never had a problem.
Don't use anything smaller than the 100 grain bullets and you will be fine!

RE: Who hunts with a 243?
 

The .243 is a fine deer cartridge but one must be precise and know the cartridges limitations. I carry my .243 for deer 90% of the time. For most average sized whitetails it will do a fine job, with 100 gr balls, as Frank said.
My favorite deer rifle just happens to be in .243.......and my largest whitetail ever (dressed out around 210 lbs) was taken with a .243..... BUT I never found a single piece of that 100 gr bullet and it did not exit....it blew up!
Now, when I am after a particularly large and specific animal, I carry something just a little bigger.

RE: Who hunts with a 243?
 

My 12 y/o hunts with mine and killed one with it this year. deer ran about 25 yards.i alway shot 70 gr ballistic tip or 87 gr hornady spire pts in my 6mm rem . i can tell you as long as you dont hit any brush,twig or a blade of grass between you and the animal it works like a charm. i dont usually hunt with a 243 dia bullet for deer but i will testify they work. i shot a hog with the 6mm in the head (87 gr hornady) and the hog never took another step.i am going to give the 243 another year with the little deer slayer and then make up my mind though.

RE: Who hunts with a 243?
 

I have used one for a few years and think its very good for deer . All one shot kills on everthing I've shot except for one antelope that I had to shoot twice . A few over 200 yards and no problems .

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Who hunts with a 243?
 

243 was and still my first deer rifle.that has been 35 years now,have only shoot one I did not recover.
my wife shoot 243 also and she has never lost one.
I shoot Winchester 80 grain psp bullets.
great deer gun.


I am not a hunter I am a whitetail population reduction specialest

remember keep your back to the sun, your knife sharp, and your powder dry.

RE: Who hunts with a 243?
 

Dougk,

I also bought a 243 for coyote/deer hunting last year. Killed a nice 7 point using 100g speer grand slams. The exit hole is not as big as a 30.06 but it did the job. The internals were just "mush". Blood trail was just as good as with any other rifle. Went about 30 yds. You will do just fine with a 100 grain bullet.

It's a magnum world right now so you might catch a little flak about the 243. Don't let this bother you.