243 and deer
05-09-2019, 04:13 PM
#72
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: texas
Posts: 1,201
I think a great deal of these discussions are primarily based on the
"oh yeah! theres no doubt my rifles better than yours... mentality"
the problem is rarely the rifle or cartridge used,
its finding the game, and getting a decent shot.
Ive seen enough elk and mule deer killed with everything from a 44-mag hand gun to a 458 winchester
to realize its the hunters ability to precisely place a shot in the vitals,
his knowledge of the games anatomy and experience too select and use a projectile,
with enough mass and structural integrity to penetrate adequately, that are the keys
almost all the center fire rifles will get the job done, at reasonable ranges and conditions.
most people can,t see the advantages of using a magnum,
simply because they hunt deer or similar game, at ranges under 300 yards,
which are rather easily killed, and few hunters can consistently hit accurately ,much further.
personally Ive yet to feel my 340 wby or 375 H&H put me at any disadvantage.
Ive also used a 257 roberts, and 358 win,and 450 marlin BLR and 44 mag marlin carbine
Ive used a 6mm rem, browning 78 single shot, and a ruger #1 in 257 wby....they all worked.
carry what your comfortable with and practice until you can hit a coke can at 100 yards off hand and youll do fine!
"oh yeah! theres no doubt my rifles better than yours... mentality"
the problem is rarely the rifle or cartridge used,
its finding the game, and getting a decent shot.
Ive seen enough elk and mule deer killed with everything from a 44-mag hand gun to a 458 winchester
to realize its the hunters ability to precisely place a shot in the vitals,
his knowledge of the games anatomy and experience too select and use a projectile,
with enough mass and structural integrity to penetrate adequately, that are the keys
almost all the center fire rifles will get the job done, at reasonable ranges and conditions.
most people can,t see the advantages of using a magnum,
simply because they hunt deer or similar game, at ranges under 300 yards,
which are rather easily killed, and few hunters can consistently hit accurately ,much further.
personally Ive yet to feel my 340 wby or 375 H&H put me at any disadvantage.
Ive also used a 257 roberts, and 358 win,and 450 marlin BLR and 44 mag marlin carbine
Ive used a 6mm rem, browning 78 single shot, and a ruger #1 in 257 wby....they all worked.
carry what your comfortable with and practice until you can hit a coke can at 100 yards off hand and youll do fine!
05-12-2019, 07:45 AM
#75
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: texas
Posts: 1,201
while I fully agree a 243 win in the hands of a decent shot,
when properly used with the correct ammo is very lethal and effective on deer are reasonable ranges
(300 yards or so) I don,t think the better magnums are "over rated"
use a tool matching the intended job. magnums do have a valid place.
theres a very noticeable difference in my experience, in
the games initial reaction and in many cases, distance traveled once hit.
if your dealing with deer size game I prefer the 25/06-270 win class of cartridges.
yes a knowledge of the games anatomy and shot placement are as always critical,
yes hundreds of people kill elk every year with a 243 win, that does not make it ideal
each of us has different experiences, and I have decades of field time that make me more comfortable using a 340 wby or 375 H&H
on larger game like elk, especially if the potential range may exceed 300 yards,and shot angles tend to be less than ideal.
yes recoil is an issue some people don,t handle well, but personally its a non-issue at that level, and I've seen,
a noticeable and demonstrable advantage, in reach and penetration,
yes Ive used the same rifle calibers on mule deer, I've yet to see a deer shrug off a well placed hit from either rifle
when properly used with the correct ammo is very lethal and effective on deer are reasonable ranges
(300 yards or so) I don,t think the better magnums are "over rated"
use a tool matching the intended job. magnums do have a valid place.
theres a very noticeable difference in my experience, in
the games initial reaction and in many cases, distance traveled once hit.
if your dealing with deer size game I prefer the 25/06-270 win class of cartridges.
yes a knowledge of the games anatomy and shot placement are as always critical,
yes hundreds of people kill elk every year with a 243 win, that does not make it ideal
each of us has different experiences, and I have decades of field time that make me more comfortable using a 340 wby or 375 H&H
on larger game like elk, especially if the potential range may exceed 300 yards,and shot angles tend to be less than ideal.
yes recoil is an issue some people don,t handle well, but personally its a non-issue at that level, and I've seen,
a noticeable and demonstrable advantage, in reach and penetration,
yes Ive used the same rifle calibers on mule deer, I've yet to see a deer shrug off a well placed hit from either rifle
Last edited by hardcastonly; 05-15-2019 at 05:10 AM.
05-12-2019, 04:43 PM
#76
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: texas
Posts: 1,201
one old geezer that taught me to hunt , back in the early 1970s,,
used a 257 Roberts in a pre 1964 Winchester, for decades,
he used to constantly joke about my 340 wby,
and how I used to have to carry several extra pounds of rifle ,
when his Winchester was all that was needed.
he killed more than his share of deer and occasionally an elk.
I helped him drag or pack out several, over several decades.
on one occasion we were sitting on the edge of a clear-cut,
that had started to re-grow and there were lots of 3-5 foot tree-lings,
over several acres, a legal elk slowly entered the area we watched over,
the old geezer only had a deer licence that year,
so I was sitting with my bi-pod on a large fallen log,
with the cross hairs on the area high but just over the the heart,
behind his shoulder, when it became obvious he was the only legal bull ,
I estimated the range at about 170 yards
I fired, the elk dropped like a demolition on an older building.
the older guy looked at me and said...
..damn , that was impressive
..I've never seen any elk convinced so fast that he was dead before.
most elk I shoot want to consider the matter ,
think it over ...... maybe cover 40-50 yards.!
then conclude I was right!
kid that was impressive!
" that made my day "
used a 257 Roberts in a pre 1964 Winchester, for decades,
he used to constantly joke about my 340 wby,
and how I used to have to carry several extra pounds of rifle ,
when his Winchester was all that was needed.
he killed more than his share of deer and occasionally an elk.
I helped him drag or pack out several, over several decades.
on one occasion we were sitting on the edge of a clear-cut,
that had started to re-grow and there were lots of 3-5 foot tree-lings,
over several acres, a legal elk slowly entered the area we watched over,
the old geezer only had a deer licence that year,
so I was sitting with my bi-pod on a large fallen log,
with the cross hairs on the area high but just over the the heart,
behind his shoulder, when it became obvious he was the only legal bull ,
I estimated the range at about 170 yards
I fired, the elk dropped like a demolition on an older building.
the older guy looked at me and said...
..damn , that was impressive
..I've never seen any elk convinced so fast that he was dead before.
most elk I shoot want to consider the matter ,
think it over ...... maybe cover 40-50 yards.!
then conclude I was right!
kid that was impressive!
" that made my day "
Last edited by hardcastonly; 05-12-2019 at 04:45 PM.
05-13-2019, 12:24 PM
#77
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,745
Well if you're looking to trade it in the .270 and the .30-30 are proven deer killers. But all I ever had during my teens and through college was a left hand Savage 110 in .243. Using 100 gr Hornady bullets pushed by 40.5 gr of IMR4350 I killed a lot of deer with it (all but one was DRT) and quite a few groundhogs. To this day even though there are better cartridges out there I wouldn't hesitate to use the .243 on deer. As far as factory ammo goes I probably use a 100 gr load by Federal. I think it just better ammo than Rem or Win.
05-14-2019, 06:07 PM
#79
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Martin, TN
Posts: 854
Y'all realize this thread is 12 years old, right?
Add me to the list of people who prefer the 25-06/270 type cartridges for deer hunting. Unless its with a handgun, in which case I admit I suffer from Magnumitis.
Add me to the list of people who prefer the 25-06/270 type cartridges for deer hunting. Unless its with a handgun, in which case I admit I suffer from Magnumitis.
Last edited by TN Lone Wolf; 05-14-2019 at 06:10 PM. Reason: Add