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RE: 243 and deer

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the thing i found out...or at least for myself is that the higher caliber guns dont have much KE(kenetic energy) especially at close range, they just blow right through the deer...

These are deer camp wives' tales. By definition the higher caliber guns have more kinetic energy and even MORE at close range.

Blowing through the deer is a myth, too. The more power, the more hydrostatic shock and the more bullet expansion. The only way to "blow through the deer" would be with a slower moving solid.

RE: 243 and deer

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ORIGINAL: chr103yod

I was always a little worried about a 243 being too small for deer but after reading this I'm going to buy one for my son. The exit hole pic sold me for sure.

thats the deer my son shot last year, 190+ yd shot.
Heres the same deer out in the field. I dont always get exit wounds like that, sometimes its just a small hole, but a lot of bruising and internals are mush. This deer did require a follow up shot, I walked up to him and shot him in the neck.

RE: 243 and deer

Never seen a deer killed with a .243 have you big???

RE: 243 and deer

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ORIGINAL: NC_DeerDropper

A .243 aint no joke...Thats what i use and i've been usin it for about 6 yrs...and its just a Savage .243...I had a .300 mag and still chose the .243 over it...the thing i found out...or at least for myself is that the higher caliber guns dont have much KE(kenetic energy) especially at close range, they just blow right through the deer...or at least it seems like it..with my gun 13 does, and 6 bucks have went down from were they stood to no more than 45yds(<--gut shot)...including a 2 stepper from 179yds..so i say hell yea to a .243...you get a hell ofa punch w/o all the recoil..

only thing...long shots over 200 yds maybe a lil different..

You obviously don't know what you are talking about, the higher velocity cartridges, like the .300 Win Mag, with the right bullet, will usually do severe damage to the internal oragans of a deer, without even exiting, so to say the higher caliber guns have less kinetic energy at close range, is incorrect, it depends on the bullet used, as to the effect on game.

RE: 243 and deer

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that a 243 probably delivers as much energy on target on deer/antelope size game as much more powerful cartridges do, like the 300 win mag. Yes the 300 has a much more power, but once it passes through the deer, it's not of any use any more. This is just a guess though, as I've never read any credible sources that proved this argument.

That said, I do not believe energy means much when it comes to killing power. For example, a 45 LC pistol only has about 300lbs ME but will cleanly kill any deer out to 50 yds with a 300 gr cast bullet. I believe shot placement and wound diameter are most important.

I've never seen a 243 used on deer, but have seen a 257 Roberts, and it is pretty much the same thing. It works just as well as my 7 Mag, 30-06, 308, and 45-70 inside of 200 yds, and better than my 44 Mag and 30-30.

RE: 243 and deer

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ORIGINAL: ths78

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that a 243 probably delivers as much energy on target on deer/antelope size game as much more powerful cartridges do, like the 300 win mag. Yes the 300 has a much more power, but once it passes through the deer, it's not of any use any more. This is just a guess though, as I've never read any credible sources that proved this argument.

That said, I do not believe energy means much when it comes to killing power. For example, a 45 LC pistol only has about 300lbs ME but will cleanly kill any deer out to 50 yds with a 300 gr cast bullet. I believe shot placement and wound diameter are most important.

I've never seen a 243 used on deer, but have seen a 257 Roberts, and it is pretty much the same thing. It works just as well as my 7 Mag, 30-06, 308, and 45-70 inside of 200 yds, and better than my 44 Mag and 30-30.

That is truly the worst theoryI have ever heard, look at the ballistics, the .300 Win Mag has a lot more energy, it just depends on what bullet you use, as far as pass throughs go, so, no, the .243 doesn't have anymore contact power then the .300 Win mag, it's impossible. And, energy does mean quite a bit in killing power, bullet diameter doesn't, I used to have the mind set, that the 45-70 was superior to the 416 Rigby, and similar calibers, because it had a larger bullet, that is not true, the 45-70 just cannot match the .416 Rigby, when it comes to power, I'm not gonna argue with you, as it would be a waste of time, if you think those big bullets, with their rainbow trajectory, kill game better, then that is your problem.

RE: 243 and deer

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ORIGINAL: Chantecler111

And, energy does mean quite a bit in killing power, bullet diameter doesn't,

Wrong. Energy means nothing, but velocity does, so does expanded bullet diameters. The reason and only reason a .300 mag would be better than a 30-06 is out at long distances the 300 will still have the needed velocity for adequate expansion, Velocity=expansion=big hole. Bigger holes mean faster death.

RE: 243 and deer

Ok, zrex, tell me, would you rather use, a .338 Win Mag, or a 7mm Mag, on a grizzly bear? Or do you even own a magnum caliber? If what you are saying is true, then, the faster 7mm mag, would surely blow a bigger hole in that bear right? Because it expands more due to higher velocity.

RE: 243 and deer

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ORIGINAL: Chantecler111

Ok, zrex, tell me, would you rather use, a .338 Win Mag, or a 7mm Mag, on a grizzly bear? Or do you even own a magnum caliber? If what you are saying is true, then, the faster 7mm mag, would surely blow a bigger hole in that bear right? Because it expands more due to higher velocity.

No thats not what I am saying, you have to compare expanded bullet diameters. A 338 is already starting off bigger in diameter than the 7mm. Fire both into an animal and recover bullets and measure expanded diameters, the .338 is going to leave a bigger hole and penetrate more with the heavier bullets. Compare a 7 mag to say a 7-08 at 500 yds, the mag will have the needed velocity for expansion, see what I am trying to say ?