anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
11-07-2004 | 08:42 AM
#11
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
RE: anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
While I myself would not care to hunt deer sized game with an 85 grain bullet, I have nowhere near the experience you do, and it is important to remember that shot placement is probably the single most important factor in humanely taking game. Experience, lots of it, is the best teacher. W.D.M. "Karamojo" bell took literally hundreds of elephants in his time, and many of them were felled with single shots from 7x57 and 6.5x55 rifles. He placed his shots exactly wherethey needed to be. A buddy of mine routinely takes his deer every year with a .22-250, something he can drive nails with. I wouldn't care to risk this, but he is routinely successful. He can hunt and shoot much more often than I can by virtue of the way he makes his living.
Many of us don't get to hunt as much as you do, and while I would in no way care to hunt deer with such a light load, you obviously know what you are doing and your record speaks for itself.
Many of us don't get to hunt as much as you do, and while I would in no way care to hunt deer with such a light load, you obviously know what you are doing and your record speaks for itself.
ORIGINAL: nchawkeye
According to Sierra...the people that make the bullet...They get calls every week on how well this bullet is for deer...Look up their 800 number on the net, and give them a call on Monday...I guess the 21 deer that we have killed with this bullet over the past few years will just open up the freezer door and walk out...As I reported in "Need Advice for .243 Bullet" post...I have killed at least 125 deer with my .243 since 1980...never lost a one...One of my buddies in Eastern NC is a farmer...He has killed 3 black bears with this bullet...one went over 350 pounds...Pretty good for a varmit bullet...I didn't believe it either...until I tried it...As far as me being ethical....Do you have a rifle that has never failed you in 24 years of deer hunting???? It doesn't take a 300 Mag to kill deer...Not if you know how to shoot in the field...One of the worst hunters I know keeps buying bigger guns...He can't admit that he flinches...
Like I said in my original post on this bullet...If ranges over 200 yards are anticipated...this is The Bullet...If ranges are under 200....Any good factory loading in 100 gr are fine....
According to Sierra...the people that make the bullet...They get calls every week on how well this bullet is for deer...Look up their 800 number on the net, and give them a call on Monday...I guess the 21 deer that we have killed with this bullet over the past few years will just open up the freezer door and walk out...As I reported in "Need Advice for .243 Bullet" post...I have killed at least 125 deer with my .243 since 1980...never lost a one...One of my buddies in Eastern NC is a farmer...He has killed 3 black bears with this bullet...one went over 350 pounds...Pretty good for a varmit bullet...I didn't believe it either...until I tried it...As far as me being ethical....Do you have a rifle that has never failed you in 24 years of deer hunting???? It doesn't take a 300 Mag to kill deer...Not if you know how to shoot in the field...One of the worst hunters I know keeps buying bigger guns...He can't admit that he flinches...
Like I said in my original post on this bullet...If ranges over 200 yards are anticipated...this is The Bullet...If ranges are under 200....Any good factory loading in 100 gr are fine....
11-08-2004 | 06:49 PM
#12
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 815
Likes: 0
From:
RE: anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
I use 90gr Barnes-X bullets in the short barreled rifles my kids use and 100gr Nosler partitions for my rifle w/ a 26 inch barrel. I do use the 6mm and not a 243, which is a slightly hotter cartridge w/ the same bullets. I also handload em hotter than factory.
11-09-2004 | 07:04 PM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,344
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From: Rockford Michigan USA
RE: anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
I shot an antelope with my .243 this year at 350yds. They were federal 80gr softpoints. I would watch out for a deer shoulder with this round though.
11-09-2004 | 09:14 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,929
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From: Oakland OR USA
RE: anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
I have been using the 85 gr bullet in a 243 Win for years on deer and antelope and have never lost an animal . The buck I shot this year was trotting at 200 yards when I shot him . Top of the shoulders ,broke both shoulders and shattered the spine with a Barnes triple shock bullet ,about a one inch exit hole . If anyone can tell me of something that would have done a better job I would be interested to hear of it . Hal
11-11-2004 | 02:55 PM
#15
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,357
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From:
RE: anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
I'm using my Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .243 for deer and pronghorn antelope. I'm zeroed in 2" high at 100 yards, which should about place the shots at zero at 200 yards. My pronghorn hunt is over, and I took a doe at 240 yards. I'm using Winchester 100 grain power point cartridges. Someday I would like to reload my own cartridges, but I have found this commercial load to be acceptably accurate in my rifle.
11-12-2004 | 01:22 PM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,695
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From: Texas
RE: anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
ORIGINAL: Virginia7
This is NOT a deer hunting load. The 85gr. BTHP is a varmint bullet - period! It is an
excellent load for chucks, and even does a terrific job on coyote, as well as, of course,
prairie dogs. Used it a lot when I was in Wyoming.
NO RESPONSIBLE OR ETHICAL HUNTER SHOULD USE SUCH A LOAD FOR DEER!
Even Federal lists it as a varmint loading.
ORIGINAL: nchawkeye
...I have been using the Federal Premium 85gr Sierra BTHP for the last few years...
...I have been using the Federal Premium 85gr Sierra BTHP for the last few years...
excellent load for chucks, and even does a terrific job on coyote, as well as, of course,
prairie dogs. Used it a lot when I was in Wyoming.
NO RESPONSIBLE OR ETHICAL HUNTER SHOULD USE SUCH A LOAD FOR DEER!
Even Federal lists it as a varmint loading.
Dont go spewing stuff you know nothing about. This load has been tested on deer and is ranked the number one bullet for dropping deer in there tracks, it has out performed 7mm mags and such .
back to the question I use 100 gr. Hornady's and I'm sighted dead on at 200 yds, I can put a 100 gr core-lock in it and its dead on at 100 pretty weird but it's true I dont know why the hornady hit higher than the remingtons but they do, its like they have more velocity because they have the same POI at 200 yds as does the 85 gr sierras.
The only reason I dont use the 85 gr sierras is they are more subceptible to wind drift. I was at the range testing diffent bullets at 200 yds. I had a 10-15 mph crosswind that was pushing my 100 gr. hornady's to the left around 2 inches while pushing the 85. gr sierras around 6 inches to the left
heres a link on the sierras. http://www.billsaccuracy.com/art1-p1.htm
and heres some testamonials http://www.udarrell.com/ultimate_deer_cartridge_guests.htm
11-14-2004 | 08:07 PM
#19
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 49
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From:
RE: anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
this was my grandfather's "primary deer-getter" ( his words) that I inherited 4 years ago upon his death. A 1971 vintage Weatherby Vanguard with the Leupold 3x9 Vari-X 2 that he bought new. He used just plain jane Remington core-locks for as long as I can remember, and I inherited 2 and a half boxes of those. I got a box of Hornady "Light Magnum" .243 in a 100 grain load, just to play with. They shoot just a tad tighter ( .779" best group for 3 shot groups) than the Core-Locks, but then the last group I shot of those was .845, so SHOOT! I measured them outside to outside, then subtract the bullet size, right?
Took this buck at 127 yards (measured with a Bushnell range finder) and they worked just fine, or so the buck acted like!
Ken B
Took this buck at 127 yards (measured with a Bushnell range finder) and they worked just fine, or so the buck acted like!
Ken B
11-15-2004 | 01:02 PM
#20
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
RE: anybody using a 243win for deer this season?
I'll be shooting the .243 this year. sighted in at 100, most of my shots are within 200 yards. I use an 95gr balistic tip. I belive that it's a nosler. I purchased the ammo in 1990 at a gun show and still have 1 box of it. Never had any problems with game recovery. Tend to have a gelatin for vitals, 60 - 70% of shots have large exit wounds.
Rarely "drops'em in thier tracks" maybe 5 or 6 of all the deer I've shot with the .243.
Due to our hunting land we also have to use shotgun or M-Loder. So I use a TC Encore 209x50 for hunting in that area. Drop in tracks nearly 100%
4 days till opener
Rarely "drops'em in thier tracks" maybe 5 or 6 of all the deer I've shot with the .243.
Due to our hunting land we also have to use shotgun or M-Loder. So I use a TC Encore 209x50 for hunting in that area. Drop in tracks nearly 100%
4 days till opener