Pelt Dammage .243
12-27-2009, 04:52 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 460
Pelt Dammage .243
Will be using my 243 on coyotes, will a 100gr. cause considerable damage to the pelt. Just wondering if its worth dropping to a 50-60 gr. since I will probley be mounting. FWIW I am looking at a .223. Thanks
Last edited by whitetail_fanatic; 12-27-2009 at 05:41 AM.
12-27-2009, 07:03 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Elizabeth Colo. USA
Posts: 4,413
The chances are "mostly likely" that you will have conciderable damage from ANY bullet out of the .243. It's a crap shoot at best.
Even the .223 can and will cause conciderable damage from time to time, but not nearly as much or as often as the .243.
Even the .223 can and will cause conciderable damage from time to time, but not nearly as much or as often as the .243.
12-28-2009, 05:54 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Elizabeth Colo. USA
Posts: 4,413
No one, and I repeat NO one should be using FMJ for any hunting. PERIOD!! There are too many good choices to even conceder them.
One of my local coyote calling partners uses the 55 gr. ballistic tipped winchester rounds, and sometimes he gets pass throughs with minimal damage on the exit, sometimes he gets a softball sized hole. Every now and then, he has no exit with them. I've used 75 hp's out of my .243 wssm. and had the same results. I've seen a few shot with soft point 100 gr. bullets, and they always exited, but sometimes the exit wasn't much more than a silver dollar. It's a crap shoot.
The .223 with the right ammo. is a pretty good choice. The .22 mag. will and can work, but you'll be limited to shot distance and you better make the shot count when you take it. Expect a few to run off, like the wind, and then die with very little blood to trail. You won't have to worry about exit holes, BUT you might not find all the ones that you hit.
One of my local coyote calling partners uses the 55 gr. ballistic tipped winchester rounds, and sometimes he gets pass throughs with minimal damage on the exit, sometimes he gets a softball sized hole. Every now and then, he has no exit with them. I've used 75 hp's out of my .243 wssm. and had the same results. I've seen a few shot with soft point 100 gr. bullets, and they always exited, but sometimes the exit wasn't much more than a silver dollar. It's a crap shoot.
The .223 with the right ammo. is a pretty good choice. The .22 mag. will and can work, but you'll be limited to shot distance and you better make the shot count when you take it. Expect a few to run off, like the wind, and then die with very little blood to trail. You won't have to worry about exit holes, BUT you might not find all the ones that you hit.
12-28-2009, 07:42 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 2,862
I have shot alot of coyotes with my 243, and once I found the 60gr Sierra HP the damage went away. I actually wreck less furs with that load than my 223s do. As long as you don't hit a major bone 90% of the dogs I've shot with my 243 you can't even see a hole, alot of them don't even make blood on the snow. I have those lil bullets cranking at 3600fps.
I've also shot alot of dogs with 95gr Combined Technology BTs and as long as you stay away from shoulder blades I only get about 1-1.5" exit holes.
I've also shot alot of dogs with 95gr Combined Technology BTs and as long as you stay away from shoulder blades I only get about 1-1.5" exit holes.
