Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

I know that shot placement is paramount, but aside from that will a .243 "drop" a deer? I know that at .243 can kill a deer, but I don't want to be irresponsible and have it wander off and die because I didn't have a large enough caliber rifle. Thanks.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

some call it the perfect deer rifle...it'll drop one quickly and painlessly if you make a good shot...if you're worried about caliber, bump up to a .270

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

i think it kinda depends on what state you are in..if your in northern states the deer have thicker winter coats and more fat..so im not to sure about how it works up there..but i hunt in arkansas and the 243 is all i ever use to use for a while..its a very accurate rifle..i dropped a deer 300 yards out with it..and many more..within the 100-200 yard range..but in the south the deer do not have as thick as a fat layer or winter coat..thats my experience with it..i even use to hunt with a 22-250while back..it mainly depends on shot placement..put it in the vitals and they are not goin far.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Yes, thats all the women in my family shoot and have had no problems with deer or hogs in my 20 years.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Wait a minute, was that a shot at my manhood? Just because I don't want my shoulder dislocated every time I shoot my gun.[&:]

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Countrymudder, where u at in Ark.?

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Brother, if you were refering to whatI said...NO!!!! That is what my mother, my wife and my daughter all shoot,I have been bow only for the last 10 or 12 years.I was not saying it is a "girls rifle" I was simply stating that that is what thewomen in my family all shoot! I do all the sighting in for themand it is a nice shooting round for sure....

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Just kidding texasbowhunter:D!I have always liked the lighter rounds I used to hunt with a 25-06 which I loved killed a truckload of deer with it. I also love bowhunting!! WOO PIG SOOEEE! GO HOGS BEAT THE LONGHORNS!

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

I hope it can, lol. Going to pick my new 700 SPS .243 up Monday, cant wait. I have only used a 30-06 150g. up until this year. Seems like I never even shoot over 80 yards, so I gonna give the .243 a try.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

i know firsthand it will, dropped more than i can count in their tracks with a .243, but as others said shot placement is the number one factor. a lot of ppl have the misconception that a large caliber will make up for a bad shot, but it won't. just my two cents

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

yep. My little cousin shot her first doe with it, it went about thirty five feet. It was not the best shot, but it worked great.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

If it wouldn't then I wouldn't have been shootingit since 1980...I would have change years ago...

It will drop them just as quick as any cartridge out there...

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

I beg to differ about the larger caliber not making up for poor shot placement. I hunt with a 243wssm, but my brother hunts with a rem. 300 ultra mag. I believe that he could shoot one in the hoof and it would drop in its tracks, the cartriges look like missles.lol:D

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Wow, honestly, what do you think? Of course it will drop a deer, a .22 will drop a deer, you just have to hit it in the right spot.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

two seasons ago my buddy popped a doe with his 300 ultra, the entrance hole was tiny but the exit hole looked like a waterbuffalo had just trampled through it... the doe ran around in circles for about 15 second before falling over...

while this was going on i managed to pop another larger doe, and a buck... both dropped in their tracks... with, my .243


i've killed many a colorado mulie with it, and have made a few 350+ yd shots with it with no problems...

i contemplated buying a .308 to replace it but WHY, when it works oh so well:D

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

While I'll stick to my .30-06...the .243 is plenty for whitetails...even here in WI.

"Dropping" a deer has alot to do with theplacement of the shot and a bit from the shockof the load you're firing. Worry more about shot placement and less about dropping the animal in it's tracks. While little or no tracking is always nice....it's part of hunting, and will make you a better hunter overall. If it was all about laying an animal down...we'd all be sporting .416 Rigbys.

Good day and good luck.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Bullet selection is fairly important. A good 100 grain softpoint, like the Sierra Pro Hunter or the Hornady Spire Point, is best. I have had poor results with Barnes X and Nosler Partitions. The 85 Sierra HPBT Gameking, as well as the 87 gr. Hornay Spire Point, are also good bullets if you like a little lighter pill. Try for a broadside lung shot and stay away from the shoulders.

I have killed six elk with a 6MM. Pretty marginal, IMO, but do-able with good shot placement and a good controlled expansion bullet. For deer, it is solid and reliable for the disciplined hunter.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

I have two good friends that only hunt with the .243. Neither of them have ever had a problem dropping deer. One still uses open sights!

I've never hunted with a .243, but I doubt a guy would ever be undergunned with one.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

this is to bcward..im from cabot arkansas..bout 30 miles north of little rock..but i entered the air force back in january so im stationed in california..witch really sucks..for huntin anyways..its much harder and more expensive here

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

A .243 will drop a doe right in her tracks.
A .243 will drop a small 4 point fork-horn right in his tracks.
A .243 will even drop a nice 6 pointer.
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But a .243 might drop a 250 lb monster 10 pointer where he stood, you'd just have to be real accurate with your shot.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

A few years ago I looked for a gun that my young kids could shoot well (minimal recoil) and was adequate for whitetail. I ended up with a Remington in .243 with a youth stock.

Fantastic! It is light, compact, accurate, and fun to shoot.

I have used it exclusively myself for hunting whitetail the past 5 years. No complaints about effectiveness. It dropped in its tracks a "monster" 8-pointer.

Definitely does not look "macho" when standing next to the guys with the win and weatherby mags. But the results speak for themselves. Plus I don't complain about lugging around a heavy rifle all day like those guys do.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

I'll call BS on this...After over 150 deer and 5 black bears, two that were pushing 350 pounds I know better...

Of course, if you have more experience with the round than I, please feel free to correct me...:D

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Of course a 243 will kill deer consistently, heck a 22 will kill a deer. Its all about shot placement.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

What about a 220 pound 10 pointer? what will it do to that? I think I know the answer;)

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

in a heartbeat litterally

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Just like any caliber, a deer hit in the right spot will go down, but the .243 is still a girly gun.:DThat being said, I will stick with my .270.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Rory/MO.... Nice buck! :D

Did the .243 literally drop that 10 pointer in his tracks, or did he run, say, 50 yards before he dropped?

Guys, I'm not bashing a .243 okay? It's a great rifle. I own a .308 which I love dearly. The .243 is just a necked down .308and is accurate as hell. But then the .308 will drop anything on this continent too, with proper shot placement.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

It's my brother's, and yes, straight down.
I actually moved up from a .243 to the .308 and am glad I switched, but I still wouldn't be afraid to pull out the old .243 either.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

was that your bro's first deer?

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Theres no gun that will kill any quicker, most deer shot broadside behind the shoulder will sprint a little ways, 10 to a 100 yds with 50 being the average, I dont care what caliber you use, Ive used 7 mags and 300 mags and they sill run a little ways, no closer or farther than a .243. the only shure way to drop a deer in its tracks is a neck or head shot, high shoulder shots do it too but you ruin the shoulder meat.
Ive been using the .243 for about 30 years and my dad 20 before that, he actually went from a 308 to the .243 back in the 1960's and weve never looked back. Between him me and my brother who also uses the .243, weve killed literally hundreds of deer with it. It is very affective and will surprise you on the internal damage it does, makes soup of the lungs.
I dont care if your der weigh 400 lbs they cannot shake off the .243, many elk that go 1000 lbs have been killed with the 243. Ive shot hogs that have skin as much as 1" thick and it does nothing to stop the .243, hog skin is 10 times tougher than deers.
There are many caibers thaat are great for deer that are mild in recoil. you wouldnt go wrong with a .243, 25-06, 7mm-08, .270, .257 roberts, .250 savage, 30-30 and a bunch in between, all are affective and a deer nor you would no a diffrence.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

You put it through both air bags and it should not go more than 100 yards!

I have shot a yearling with my 180 gr. .30-06 @ 15 yards through the complete chest (lung-heart-lung), including the far shoulder blown to pieces and she ran 75 yards.
Amazing as it seems, some deer have a stronger will to live or just massive adrenaline??!! It still makes me scratch my head.:eek:
Unfortunately i didn't wind up with much meat.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

"Unfortunately i didn't wind up with much meat."

Thats they exact reason I am switching to a .243 this season.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

i call it the perfect one. i used it last year but this year i plan on using my 30-06 this coming season. cant wait

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Fascinating thread! I grew up shooting a Remington in .243,and loved it. That rifle has a place of honor in my gun safe,but don't shoot it any longer..... As I grew as a hunter and learned more about bullet performance,I ultimately decided that a larger caliber suited me more. Nothing against the .243,but to me it's all about bullet weight and down range energy....... Let's say you drive a Mini Cooper into the side of a building at 45 mph... Major damage,right? Now,instead of the Mini Cooper, drive a Ford F350 into that same wall at 45mph...................Total destruction!

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

My dad exclusively deer hunts with a Savage .243, been using it over 20 years, no lost deer, just dead deer right there!! Deadly, especially with 100 gr. Rem. Core-Lokts.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Take shot placement over caliberwhen shooting whitetails...

35lbs bows can bring em down with correct shot placement...

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

You never know how far a deer will run unless you're skilled and confident enough to shoot it in the brain or spinal chord in the neck. Otherwise, you can hit a deer double lung + heart with a 300 mag and it can still run an unbelievable distance. Or it might drop in its tracks. Case in point (but with a 3006, not a mag):

A half dozen deer run up through the woods as I watch. I decide to shoot the first one that stops (too excited to "pick the big one"). One stops broadside, and I nail a good chest shot. It runs 50-100 feet, hits a tree and falls over thrashing. The rest of the deer run off except for one that stops facing me. I take my time and hit her in the center of the chest. She drops on the spot and doesn't twitch.

First deer was TINY doe. (yearling I'm sure). The lungs were a bloody mess, totally destroyed. Huge wound (luckily no meat damaged though). Still it ran.

Second deer: one lung hit, no heart damage. Small, .30" wound and thumb sized exit. Dropped dead.

Why? I have no idea, but I've seen so much variability in what an animal does after it's hit well that I never think that "drop it" is a criterion for a successful caliber or bullet. The only animals that consistently drop on the spot - regardless of caliber - are spine shots, forward enough to either kill it or take the legs out.

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

when i went on a trip to kentucky there was a local guy "poacher" the outfitter was telling our group about that would drive around in his car and he had a 6mm which is basically the same thing as a 243 and this fella would basically see how far he could shoot. he has been known to kill deer from over 600 yards away with his rifle. but unless the deer was close enough he would just let them lay. i never saw him thank god cause that is a waste of good meat to just do that

RE: Will a .243 "drop" a deer quickly?
 

Probably my most trusted deer rifle. Last year I took this 10 pointer, he was in a dead run at about 150 yards. When I shot he did a flip end of story