RE: best deer gun ?
 

You guys have no clue on what your talking about.
Claiming a .270 and 30-06 is a real gun and a .243 is not not. Let me give you the ballistics on 4 guns @ 500yds

--------------------- 500yd-----velocity----energy----drop zeroed@200yds

.243 100gr. federal sierras.--------2040--------925-----------39.9"
25-06-120gr corelocks-------------1825--------887-----------44.1"
.270-130gr corelock----------------1801--------936-----------43.3"
30-06-150gr.corelock--------------1622---------876----------50.9"

wind drift 10 mph crosswind @ 500yds
.243----18.4"
.270----19.7
30-06--19.7

The .243 is an excellent deer gun at long ranges surpassing all 3 guns listed here with the bullets compared. For one energy is not what kills, velocity does and the little 100 gr bullet traveling that fast at 500 yds will mushroom better and do more internal damage than the other 3 guns listed here with there bullets. 500 yds is far but dont think it cant be done I regularly take deer to 300 yds with my .243 like nothing, and they never go past 40 yds. 500 yds aint far fetched. my 16 yr old shoots out to 200 yds regularly and has taken several deer at that range. I have never lost a deer with my .243. In my opinion it is the best deer rifle.
You can keep your bullet lobbing 30-06 . I'll stay with what works better.

RE: best deer gun ?
 

No disrespect intended Zrex, but the loads (depicted by you) factor in some pretty broad assumptions on user choice and your graph didn't denote additonal calibers mentioned in previous posts either.

The fact of the matter is we should be speaking of ballitic tables concerning two-hundred yard ranges and under while discussing whitetail hunting as a rule. Doing that, the 30.06, 7mm mag, and 300 win mag all deliver tremendously more ft-lbs from muzzle through 500 yards...ridiculously more at 500 yards by the way. The .270 enjoys more ft-lbs as well and is only slightly slower fps wise. The 7mm mag and the .300 win mag also blow the .243 out of the water in the fps category ...again, from 100-500 yards and virtually tied even at the muzzle. The .300 win mag also enjoys some 7 inches less bullet drop at 500 yards.

All this talk about 'best deer gun' and '500 yard shots' is rather pointless, I hardly think the two could euate into an intelligent argument. Furthermore, whomever might be seeking a 'best deer gun for 500 yard shots' would never be a hunting partner of mine.

By the way, don't take my word for it, click the link and compare any three guns at a time, you may wish to enter calibers/loads the proponents of other calibers/loads would likely use too...

http://www.remington.com/ammo/ballistics/ballistics.htm

RE: best deer gun ?
 

7 mag and the 300 mag are awsome calibers and I wouldnt dream of trying to compare them to a .243
My point was that the .243 is just as capable of killing as a 30-06 or .270. and it just erks me when someone says "Get a real gun like a 30-06" Puhlease! Just wanted to show how a .243 surpasses a 30-06 at long ranges. Pretty good for a gun that has no umphh huh ? LOL.

RE: best deer gun ?
 

A 243 surpassing a 30-06 at long range?

A 243 with proper bullet and loading versus a 30-06 with crappy low BC bullet yes. But head to head both with similarly matched loadings, not hardly.

Go back to federals website where you got your 243 data from. This is what the site has on it.

243 100gr SGK 2960fps@ muzzle 2040fps@500yds w/925ft.lbs. 39.9 inch drop

30-06 165 SGK 2800fps@muzzle 1910fps@500yds w/1340ft. lbs. 45.2 inch drop

This is still a bad comparison because these two bullets have basically the same BC(notice almost identical vel. drop) with the .308 having a slight advantage. The .308 should be much higher.

I am failing to see the grave advantage that you say the wonderful 243 has over the helpless 30-06. Both of the bullet drops would preferably have to be dialed in as 3 feet of holdover with a low power hunting scope would be tricky. That leaves the 400ft.lb. difference in energy that the 30-06 has over the .243.

Im not doubting the killing power of a properly loaded 6mm bullet in the hands of a skilled rifleman with accurate ranging techniques, but I wouldnt suggest 500 yard shots on deer with the low BC bullets that are factory loaded along with a low power non-target turretted scope.

RE: best deer gun ?
 

I feel like the lone ranger here- my gun depends on where im hunting, one spot i hunt is very wooded with about only 75 to 100 yds here i use a 44 rem mag carbine or pistol with 240 grain jhp, which i really like for the knockdown power(i hate trackin) but another spot i go has 300yd shot possiblities i carried a mauser 98 barrelled to 270 BUT this last year was introduced to the power of a 300 win. model 77 ruger and a 7mm win.short mag. both very nice guns the 300 left a hole as big as the 44 in the deers chest. and the 7 was a tack driver at 100 yds 200yds a 1 inch group and a 2 inch goup at 300 ---amazing
dad shoots a 30-30 as does my bro, nephews -- no ammo left for me

and BROWNING308 (also a nice gun) i scratched a fleas back on top off a deers back at 6 miles ---if your gonna lie ----lie big---adolf hitler

RE: best deer gun ?
 

a .308 is a great deer cartridge, at least i think so.

RE: best deer gun ?
 

castman, even when you compare the 30-06 with a premium bullet it doesnt have the advantage over the .243. Out of 4 comparos the 30-06 only takes one. At 500 yds the .243 has better wind drift, has more velocity and has less bullet drop. the 30-06 has more energy, and energy is not what kills animals. there is no such thing as knockdown power.

What will mushroom better a 165 gr bullet going 1900 fps or a 100 gr bullet going 2000 fps. Theres more to just ballistics. The .243 will have better devestation on internals.
The .243 has a lot of umph. I've proven it twice. next question please. LOL

RE: best deer gun ?
 

Anyone who knows ANYTHING about firearms will tell you a .243 is not a great choice at 300 + yards. the 100 grain bullet drifts in the wind alot more than a heavier .30 cal bullet. its common sense. a .30-06 makes a helluva lot cleaner kills when place in the chest area than a .243. thats like saying a .22 will stop a deer better than 12 gauge slug at 50 yards.

slayer

RE: best deer gun ?
 

Slayer your always spewing stuff you know nothing about. When you learn to read look up the ballistics I already posted. the .243 has less wind drift then a .308, 30-06 .270 and more.

RE: best deer gun ?
 

zerx i think u the one that doesent know anything. a 30. cal rifle has way more hitting power then a pea shooter of a 243. were always talkin about ethical kills i wouldnt say a 243. kills a deer ethical my uncle shot manys of deer with a 243 and and most the time the bullti just goes clean threw because its so small and goes too fast u should read up more on this b4 go critizisig slayer he right the 308 and 30-06 are real guns. shot a deer with my 308 last week and looks like a cannon hit the front shoulder

think b4 u speak zerx