243 Winchester
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The 243 Winchester
Is the .243 Winchester Too Small For Deer?
There is no easy answer to this question.
First of all, the 243 Winchester is a necked down .308 that uses a .24 caliber bullet (6mm).
I've owned several .243's and a 6mm Remington in my time. The 6mm was a Ruger 77V. It was a tack driver by anyones definition. The 243's were accurate rifles, with the Remington 788 I owned as being the most accurate out of the .243's I owned.
I didn't use either the 243's or 6mm for much deer hunting. I had bought them to shoot Coyotes and other varmits. Since I didn't care about pelt damage, the 243's and the 6mm were great on all size varmits.
I did however take two of the 243's deer hunting on several occassions and loaned them out a few other times. They did the job with the exception of one deer. We couldn't be sure where my neighbor had hit the deer with my .243 Winchester, but judging by the blood and hair, it was a solid body hit. We never found that deer.
A few days later, we invetigated some buzzards circling and found a young Buck about 400 yards away from where my neighbor had shot his deer. It had a massive shoulder wound but no exit. Was it the deer he shot? He couldn't be sure but since we were the only ones hunting that area for miles around, it's likely that it was. The bullet he was using was a Nosler Ballistic Tip. He'd chose to use that bullet against my advice. We'll never know for sure if that was his deer, but the following year he bought a used Remington 7mm-08 rifle and has never been happier.
Past 243 Winchester Failures
In the past, the 243 suffered from poor bullet construction. Sometimes the bullets blew up on impact, sometimes they didn't expand at all while other times they did exactly what they were supposed to do.
Technology has improved bullet designs for the 243 and other small calibers. Even with the improved bullet designs, I do not consider the 243 an ideal rifle for beginners or those who only shoot their rifle once or twice per year.
It's unfortunate that the 243 Winchester igets handed to many first time deer hunters. It's like handing a first time Turkey Hunter a .410 shotgun and telling them to go out and kill a Turkey. Is the .410 capable of killing a Turkey? Sure, in the right hands under the right circumstances. But would I advice someone to use a .410 for Turkeys? No!
When the 243 Is Not Right For Deer Hunting
The major concern I have about the 243 in the hands of beginners is that either they or the person helping them choose a rifle has very little to no deer hunting experience. Some dufuses actually recommend the small 55 to 90 grain varmit bullets for deer hunting. Their theory is that if it goes fast, it must kill better. Oh yeah.
I think a better "starter" gun for a Beginning Deer Hunter would be either the 26 calibers, 7mm-08 or even the Marlin 336 in Wincheter 30-30.
I've spent a good deal of my time in Gun Shops, both behind the counter and in front of them. I'm amazed at the crap that comes out of many so called ‘experts' behind the ammo desk. Gun writers are pushing these rounds on unsuspecting Deer hunters also so their magazines can sell more ad space.
Let's face it, you and I both know that many beginners (okay, most) will get a terrible case of "the shakes" when it comes down to pulling the trigger on a Deer. Sure, even us old timers get the shakes. The difference is, those of us who have hunted for years and are experienced, have learned how to control "the shakes" and focus on the placement of the shot.
A poor hit on a Deer is made even worse when using a small bullet that was never intended to be used on Deer sized game. The extra damage caused by a .26 or or 7mm caliber can mean the difference between finding a marginally hit animal or not. Such as when the smaller bullet comes into contact with something like a shoulder bone.
I wish the States that allow rifle hunting would make it simple for everyone involved and set the minimum caliber requirement for Deer hunting. This minimum in my opinion would the the .243 with a 100 grain bullet.
I know there are many States that allow 22 centerfires for Deer hunting. That is uterly stupid. A simple case of the decision makers being bought off by special interest.
The fact of the truth is that the margin for error is very small when using a small caliber like the 243. The Hunter, rifle and bullet must all do their job and there is no room for error. There are other low recoil rifle rounds that give you extra "knock down" than the 243 Winchester round. (FYI: this is no measurement of "knock down" power, just of .ft .lbs of energy)
When the 243 is Right For Deer Hunters
In the hands of an experienced and seasoned Rifleman, the 243 is more than adequate for Deer sized Game.
I once read an article by an Outdoor writer, I think it may have been Jack O'Connor or Jim Carmichel, that told a story about a man who used the .243 for Elk. He killed Elk every year with his rifle, everyone being a neck shot. He saw no need to buy a "real Elk gun". Does this make the 243 an ideal Elk Rifle? Me thinks not!
I'm sure a .243 Winchester would also kill Grizzly Bears and the largest African Game, but why put yourself in that position when better alternatives exist? Responsible hunting requires using the grey matter between your ears.
.243 Winchester
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CommentsLoading...
I would like to say i have found the .243 to be an excellent deer rifle. I first started out with the gun and still use it after a decade and i have never had a deer i shot run more then 30 yards. Also the first deer i ever shot dropped where it stood. I was only using 80 grain bullets my first couple of years hunting and moved up to 100 grain eventually. I was always able to put my deer down with the 80 grain and have never not been able to find a deer i have shot.
My dad bought a mossburg 243. for me. I've never shot a 243. before, but I love it. I've had it for 3 months, I've yet to shoot a deer with it. My dad has killed 3 deer with it.I'm going to hunt with it for a long time.I reconmen the 243. for anyone who needs a good rifle with little recoil.
i hunt with a 243 rem 788 model with 100 gr rem core loc drops them every time mosty right where they stand and if there already runnin before i shoot they might run 50 feet at most .been huntin with the same gun for 24 years mostly get my buck every year so for knock on wood.also have 25 06 but i had deer run 100 yrds after shot them changed to 100 gr. core lock on it and now they dont run .was shootin 117 federal shells boat tails and siarra game kings they where to hard dint mushroom rem core loc soft point 100gr. is the way to go in both cailbers my opinion.
This year, I shot a doe with my .243 Savage. I mistakenly used my 80 grain bullets instead of my usual 100 grain. It ran about thirty yards, but bled very well. I was given the gun when I first started hunting at 14 years old. So far, I have retrieved every deer hit, including two very nice whitetail bucks. I do agree with the assessments in this article though. Placement is definitely key with the 243! It is a great all around gun for anywhere but bear country.
Any deer shot in a vital area with any .24 caliber or bigger high velocity rifle rounds is going to die. Period. The challange of using a round like this is that the shot has to be perfect. But that is how it should be for any caliber used. I know of people who chance shots on the grounds that they have a heavy, powerful caliber. I have never shot a deer more than one time. Every shot should be selected and placed with care. Think of those who hunt with a bow or handgun. They have to pass up shots that are either too far or less than perfect. Thats called being a sportsman. For a self proclaimed expert to tell me that the .243 is too small after it has served well since the 50's is just too much to take. The blame cannot be put on the gun or caliber. Put the blame where it belongs. On the crappy shots that use it....P.S. I hunt with a .357 lever action rifle. Animals it kills don't know the difference between it and an '06....
243 is plenty enough gun, I use 85 grain barnes tsx bullets, the partitions will perform well too, it will go end to end on a deer with my loads out of my savage, have hunted with 300 win mag 7mm mag 270, and even the great 280 remington, but now use the 243 win, saves me money and my son and I both shoot the same load, he killed a 145 inch 195 pound whitetail this year and guess what he is seven years old, deer went 20 yards and piled up, he took out both shoulders with devastating results. Be careful when you start listening to a so called expert, especially when he is talking about a round that has been so misused as the 243, new bullets have made this round very lethal indeed. My advice to first time shooter no matter what they choose, is to practice shot placement, doesn't matter what caliber you are using you will lose deer with a poor shot plain and simple.
In my opinion he nailed it. With the correct bullets and shot placement the 243 REM is a great deer rifle. The problem occurs when the incorrect bullets are used and/or when the shot placement is less than desired. For new hunters the 7MM-08 makes more sense because both factors become less critical.
...243 Win not 243 REm... Sorry.
I've killed approximately 37 deer with my Savage .243 Winchester. I've learned that with the Sierra 85gr Gameking Hollow Point, you get no exit unless its a very long shot or a neck shot and the deer fall down instantly. One of those 37 deer went about 7 paces after being hit. The rest died where they stood. Any cartrige...from .22 Long Rifle up to the largest magnums is only effective if you put the bullet in the right spot. Good Hunting!
Not being a deer hunter myself (I prefer duck hunting), but have many friends that deer hunt I would agree with what you have to say above. Most will widely discount the 243 as being legitimate for deer hunting. Of course a couple of them swear by them, but they are very good shots and have been hunting for many years.
The .243 is actually one of the best whitetail deer cartridges...period. Not sure why anyone with any experience with hunting would say otherwise.
As with any round - shot placement is everything.
I have shot antelope at over 400 yards with the .243 and it drops em every time. Lots of folks around here hunt elk with a .243 and seem to do fine.
sense the last time i wrote in i killed the bigest buck ive ever got this year real nice 9 point and quess what gun i used thats right my trust rusty 243 so again i say fubar to anyone whos says its not big enough drops them in there tracks man!! every time 100 gr.rem core locs in the words of uncle ted long live the beast
I myself hunt with the .243winchester It has always served its purpose! I would like to add that since the dawn of the firearm many game has been taken with black-powder and calibers of .45-.50 and black-powder does not have the velocity nor energy as are modern weapons but yet game was on the table! why? proper shot placement and knowing your range. In my eyes an ears alot of the mag. hype, gives false security to Hathcock wannabes taking shots they have no business taking!!PRACTICE makes PERFECT!
Hi I used a 257 roberts for deer for years and I had no problems. I think the .243 would do just fine.I also agree the user should be well practiced. I even shot a moose with the 257 but I had a 3006 back up I would not advise it I normally use a 7mil rem. mag for moose. I sold the .257 to a young trapper and still may want to fill that spot in my hunting rifles. The rem .708 is a sweet gun.
While growing up in northern PA, my first hunting rifle was Dad's Winchester Model 88 in .243 Winchester. Ditto for my 3 younger brothers. We all carried it from age 12-15 or so until we purchased our own weapons. We killed approximately 15 deer with that rifle and rarely had to take a second shot. It's an explosive, violent and deadly round at woods ranges. We always used Win Power Point and Rem Core Lokt 100 grain bullets/ammo, all that was available to us at the time. Granted, I'm sure many deer have been hit/lost with a .243, but that's the case also with 30-30s, 30-06s, 7MMs, 270s, etc etc! Shot placement is everything. I own a ridiculously accurate Savage 110 in .243 to this day and still use Winchester 100-grain ammo. I'm not concerned in the least that it sometimes does not exit...that tells me that all energy was expended in the animal's vitals. I've killed deer with a half dozen different cartridges and can attest that more have dropped in their tracks from this cartridge than any others, my .444 Marlin included!
Well guys, I have to agree with most of the comments. To discount the .243 as inadequate for deer is bunk. I first got a .243 at 14 years of age. It was a Rem 788. I killed 64 deer with that gun, missed one, and had one to run 20 yards after being hit. So, 1% of my deer moved laterally after being shot. The others fell immediately. And I was not using "modern ammo" like barnes or partition bullets. I did this with Remington's 80 grain Power-Lokt Hollow Point. Since handing that gun down to my nephew, I quit counting deer killed by any gun, but I'm sure that I am well over 200 with the .243. BTW, the 80 grain Powel-Lokt was Remington's first iteration of a "varmint bullet" for the .243.
Sometime in my thirties 80 grain Power-Lokts were scarce and I started to believe hype and began a search for a "deer killing" bullet. Tried the 95 grain silvetip, 95 grain partition, even a 85 grain game king. Lost proabably in the neighborhood of 6 or 7 deer with those. Had to track down quite a few more. I even bought a .308 and used that for a while and it left a real good blood trail. That was the problem, I always had to have a blood trail.
So now, I am older and hopefully wiser. I just put almost $3,000 into a custom built rifle that I built from scratch. Guess what caliber? .243
I also just bought a case of ammunition for this gun. Guess what ammunition? Remington 80 grain Power-Lokt.
Enough said.
a .243 Winchester is a true deer cartridge when harboring a correct bullet: 100 grain Grand Slam, 100 grain Nosler Partition, or 105 Speer Hot-Cor Soft Point. Hopefully, other bullet manufacturers will follow suit shortly.
243 80 grain is great white tail killer. 100 grain is a little less effective because you lose aboout 400fps and that doesn't give the animal that "shock" that stuns them until the damage sets in.
Anyone who ever Questions the Capability of the 243 being a Great Deer Cartridge, has no right even writing about Guns.
I reads this Bunk all the time about the 243 being too small....OMG give me a break. You smack a whitetail anywhere near the vitals with a 243..... and you have Venison in the freezer. Get your nose out of poorly writtin books and actually get out there and kill something.... Wake UP !!!
The only shot I got during the 2000 WI deer season, was at a doe that had been shot at, & I thought was wounded.
With my 243/06 Wildcat & 100 grain Sierra bullet at around +3400 fps MV, blew out the deer's neck vertebra, the deer was dead before it hit the snow covered ground.
The deer was 100 long paces (100 yards) away running full-out, broadside. I had a rest, using old Weaver K-6 scope on my old mid-1960's custom built 243/06 Wildcat rifle. The other hunter never hit her.
I have a 243-Win Remington 722, that I consider plenty adequate with the right bullets & point of impact on deer.
There is a lot of ballistic info on a web, Yahoo search using: shooting running coyotes
I just bought a Savage Hunter .243 I have many other guns from a 22 hornet (I killed a deer with that and it shreded the deer's heart) up to a .300 winmag and a .500 S&W. My step-father killed many many deer with his 22-250 (all head shots) and I killed a couple with that same gun. So I certainly hope the .243 can do the job when the bullet is placed in the kill zone. I feel very confident in taking the .243 into the woods for whitetail.
I've killed dear with one shot at 90 yards with a 22 Mag Rifle, people that tell you a high speed 243 will not kill deer is just selling big bullets. Remember that the 243 is very simular to the gran and speed that our solders use. The reason is they want a bullet to get into the kill cavity and spin through the body. I've shot deer with my Rem. Bolt Action 243 in the heart cavity and had the bullet go out the neck. This guy does not know, I use it for ELK...
well this deer season has come and gone and 243 did it again
i think you need to get your facts strait before you go and bad mouth a good rifle. I have used a 243 winchester model 70 for ten years and have never had a white tail, an axis, an many wild hogs run no farhter than 50 yards. i have shot many different rounds over the years that include winchester super-X 100gr power pionts, wincherster supreme 95gr ballistic silvertips, nosler partionons 85gr. Every Year i take my 243 out and known that what ever i aim at will drop in its tracks. Wake up America. if you don't think that the 243 will kill deer you need to go work a Dairy Queen JOB. Give Me a Break. i know people who were shooting 30-06s and .270s that sold them and bought 243s because why have the need for the larger guns when the 243 can do the job cheeper.
LMFAO man have killed deer with 23 remington and 60 grain bullet. AT 225 yards laser rangefinder told me so. Bullet went all the way threw both shoulders deer didnt' take a single step. Hate to tell this guy but I kill deer also with a 243 winchester and 75 grain hornady BTHP. Guess his deer wear kevlar and scream horahhhhhhhhh.............
Ment 223 remington in above statement lol dang beer in my hand while typing
Savage 110 243 w/100gr Hornady Lt Mag, my second tag was filled as my first deer fell. Saw 2 deer across the corn field about 180 yards, shot the first with a head shot the second looked at the first as it was hit with my second shot. Both large does taken because I had the quick follow-up shot due to the light recoil. I shoot this gun often because I can get practice ammo for $17-my hunting ammo is more expensive ($25.) I don't lie or brag I admit that I don't like recoil. I also have a Kimber 308 in my gun vault.
I absolutely hate it when people attack a caliber. I am an avid hunter. I have the luxory of owning many different rifles from 22 LR to 375 R.U.M. but when I was younger I owned one a 243 Savage model 99 that was it. I used that rifle to take my first 10 deer and at least as many antelope, mostly with Winchester 100 grain super X. My deer were all mulies at ranges from 25-420 yards from does to 5X5's. I never had any problem recovering an animal shot with that rifle. I atribute this to my constantly practicing and not taking shots I felt unsure of making. Not to the caliber. I can tell you I have had no problems killing deer with any of the rifles I own. Because I take the time to ensure I can hit my target with that weapon out to at least 300 yards. By doing this I avoid long tracking ventures. By the way when I lived in Montana my father killed at least 3 elk one a 6X6 with a 22-250 Ruger #1 no lost animals, the 6X6 was shot behind the sholder at about 300 yards ran about 20 yards before colapsing. In Montana a person can hunt with any centerfire cartrige. Back then you could buy griz tags as well. He went looking for them with the 22-250 never got a chance to shoot one, though I am sure he would have killed one had he been presented the chance. I guess I don't understand why people do not accept the fact that if an animal is lost it is not the rifles fault it was the hunters. I once lost an elk only one. I never said I have never lost one of them only deer, a big cow. I tried to shoot at about 450 yards on the run. I made the error in judgement, that I did not need to lead her as much as I should have with the crosswind I was up against. So the bullet hit her in the liver. When this happened I did not lay down my gun which was a 270 winchester and begin blaming the firearm. I began the chore of trying to track her down, all the while questioning why I took the shot without the lead. I followed her tracks for miles and eventualy she just outran me and left no more trail to follow in shale rock. I hold no ill regard for the 270 Winchester I only blame myself for the error. Wouldn't life be so much better if we all instead of blaming others or our equpment just learned from our misteaks and became better. I believe there is not an animal out there that can not be taken cleanly with a 243 Win as long as the hunter knows how to shoot it well. Remember some indiginous people in Alaska use AR-15's to kill Polar Bears. African poachers kill many elephants with AK-47's yet I have never heard a hunter recomend the 7.62x39 for the task. I would like to try it because I believe it could be done fairly easily, though I know it would not stop people from saying it is imposible.
The only hunting I did was some bowhunting in the 90,s. this year I am taking a hunting safety class to show how to hunt safety. but when I was 22 years old I shot a 12 gauge
shotgun and the recoil hit me so hard. that I would not used gun for long time. but I want to get into hunting again. my bowhunter friend is now hunting with firearms.only the gun I used beside 12 gauge is a 22,well here were I live a 22,is not aloud to hunt Big game.my Teacher at the class said a 243 gauge is good starter gun.to start with.as read some of your comment,s there little recoil and for me being almost 45 years old I know I need start small I don,t want to be scare off from hunting with fire arms this is a big Jump for me, I hope the 243 will be good gun for me.
I have shot an Axis doe at 160 yards I hunt with a Ruger#1 in 243 and I shoot Hornady 100 grain BTSP bullets and dropped her . Also have shot a 100 pound sow hog at 80 yards with my Ruger #1 and took out both lungs she just dropped right on the spot.
I have shot several hogs with my 243 using 100 grain Hornady BTSP. None every ran but dropped right on the spot. I have shot from 80 yards and as closse as 15 yards
I agree with most comments. I have used a 243 100 gr. for many years. I owned an outfitting and guide business for 15 years and harvested both deer and elk with a 243. I think there are two types of sportsman,hunters and shooters.If you are a shooter the 243 will work for both species but that mean patients and shot selection.It's kind of like bow hunting, a double lung arrow can come from a 60 pound bow or less. the animal never know the difference.
243, Great gun!!! This year in Utah, two elk , two shots. 365 yards. Both animals dropped in their tracks. 107 sierra match king, 3140 fps. The shot was placed behind the shoulder. With the 115 dtac bullets at 3100 fps the 243 out preforms the 06 with 180 grain bullets out past 1000 yard. Crunch the numbers they don't lie.
if you cant kill a deer in one shot its not the guns fault its the shooter ... the 243 is great for all hunting dont blame the gun for a bad marksman
Thats true about shot placement I also believe the 243 is a great caliber for deer and game like deer. There was a woman in Georgia shot and killed a black bear using a 243. Her story was in Florida Woods and Water magazine. I don't remember how big the black bear was. I would think twice about using a 243 to hunt a bear. Just my opinion. I shoot a lot at the range at 100 to 200 yards with my 243 using Hornady 100 grain BTSP bullets and I hunt with them also. I do an inch group at both ranges with it using a bench rest
I shoot the Ruger sportster #1 with Leupold scope vx111 Boone and Crocket recticle
Can someone give me the main differences with the different types of grains and there effectiveness? I live in N.S.W, Australia, so its mainly Kangaroo bucks here, which is probably similar to a deer in terms of 'hide' toughness. If anything, slightly softer. Using a pretty old 5 round SAKO .243 with 3-9x40 Tasko scope, and Federal 80 grain soft point rounds. Im aiming for as long a range as effectively possible. The last few 'Roos have been around the 200 yard mark, yet it seems 250+ yeards and the round drops out. How more advantageous would a 100 grain be at these 250+ ranges? and whats the main difference between these soft point rounds and others? Cheers. Any other tips would be good. I guess trying to feel like a long range sniper is probably a negative idea with such hardware...
I have been hunting deer in Maine since I was 14 years old, I am now 67 years young. My first 243 was in 1965, I purchased a new Winchester model 100. Killed several whitetails with it. Some well over 200 lbs. I also have a Browning BLR and a remington 788 in 243. I have taken many deer, one bear and one moose with this cal. I have never lost an animel that I hit with a 243. Shot placement is a very big factor, with this or any cal. I also hunt with a 270 cal. Both work great on deer if shot placement is good.
Cameron
I shoot from 100 to 200 yards using my 243. I shoot Hornady 100 grain Bo Tail Spiral Point bullet. I have shot cheap rounds like Wolf brand and just about every thing in between. I found using 100 grain I'm dead on at 100 or 200 yards with the Hornady. I also found I have a cleaner bore using Hornady. I also have the Leupold vx 111 3.5x10x40 with Boone and Crockett Recticle . I wouldn't be afraid to make a 300 yard shot. With the ballistic recticle I just aim up about 2 inches and should be dead bulls eye. Our range here only goes to 200 yards. So far I never shot any game further then 160 yards. Evem our milatary is talking about going with a 243 as a sniper rifle. If they can get full metal jacket ammo
Living here in Montana for the Last 25 years, there is one thing that I am certain of. The 243 Win. WORKS, I have 4 boys and 1 daughter and they all shot their first deer with this caliber! They all started shooting about the same time they learned how to ride a bike.4 of the 5 still shoot a 243 Win. and love the caliber for everything including Elk.
The only reason the 1 boy does not use the 243 now, is because he is hooked on the 25-06 Rem. (which is also a great round). Put the 243 Win 100 grain bullet in the right spot drops em every time.
Ray Gegner
Appreciate that.
My father & his brother grew up deer hunting with .243s when my brother & i were old enough to start deer hunting my father bought my younger bro a .243 & me a 6mm rem. That 1st deer season with our new rifles between my bro & i we killed 3 deer & 2 hogs. Back in them days all we would shoot was rem core lokts because they were about the cheepest in price. Heres 1 for yall,back when we were kids my father never knew anything about ballistics & niether did my bro & i all we new was .243,6mm & a box of 12.99 rem corelokts from wal-mart,but i will tell you the 1 & most important thing that my father did know, its called shot placment & thats all he had to teach us, was where to shoot any deer or hog that crossed our path.Incase the hunter who dawgs .243 still doesnt know where to shoot a deer let me tell u what my father always said shoot them in that crease that outlines the back of the shoulder mid or low & will have some venison for the dinner table. since then ive owned a 270,300win mag,223,708,7mag & ive revolved back to the old faithful .243 & now my 11 yr old daughter owns her very own .243 as well & took her 1st deer at the age of 9.Basicaly what it all boils down to is shot placement & thats a fact.
I like that info. on shot placement and the crease befind the shoulder mid to low is great advice. I have made shots to the neck more often than not. If a deer is coming strait at you or even quartering away the neck is a kill shot too without ever messing up the meat. I am caliber crazy and the one I havent ever had is a 243. I love my Rem 700 in 270cal. It has 36 Kills one that got away. None that made it past fifteen yds. except that one that I rushed on a running buck on a firelane. Live and learn ! I have a 7mm. , 30.06 , 25.06 , 30-30 , & a 223 . The 223 is a very accurate round but I dont hunt with it. If I get the 243 I'll use X bullets.
I hunt caribou year round in Alaska, I own the .243 788 model with a 4.5 x 14 x 40 Center Point mil-dot scope mounted. I can tell you, this gun is very accurate at various distances and extreemly deadly! My furthest shot was just within 400 yrds, that caribou didn't have a chance with a single shot. As well, just as impressive the 100 grn bullet will travel through TWO full grown caribou if you take a body shot within a 200 yrds....I haven't tried lining up three caribou YET.
BUT as well, I can take out a full grown bull caribou with a ruger 10/22 Remington Viper Hyper Velocity ammo at a 75 yrd shot, if you THINK you need a bigger gun than a .243 for deer or caribou, you are either a wealthy hunter or don't care much for game meat. It's not about the size of the gun, it's how much faith you have in your gun and ammo that will get you what you want.
I use a .243 rem. with federal premium 80 gr. hollow point. that drops them deer every year.Also good for in the woods.I dropped a deer about 50 yds away with one shot,never used any other bullet since.
I use a .243 and find it more than enough gun for South East white tails. I use Federal Premium 100 Gr. Nosler Partition bullets and have never felt under gunned.
I do wish there was more variety in heaver bullets out there however.
I have become recoil senitive thru the years. My first usage of the 243 was last season. Buck and Doe didn't know the difference between the 243 and 30-06 under 100 yards. Use 100 grain Core-Lokt Remingtons. Shot placement works!
It's all about shot placement. I would advise anyone using a .243 Win. to go with 100 gr. bullets of proper design for penetration and expansion properties. Rem. corelokts are great. I hunt alot of public land where the forests are thick and the deer need to drop quickly or you may find another unethical hunter sitting on your deer if it travels more than 50 yds. I have known deer to just drop in place with properly placed .243 round. Take your rifle to the range and use the proper load. Know the .243 limitations. I personally would limit my shots to broadside or quartering away less than 200 yards. Do all of these things and you might as well have a 300 mag. Sure there are probably people with stories of taking a monster buck at 500 yards in a 40 mph crosswind while the deer was wearing body armor and running through bramble thickets-- whatever. Just know your weapon and be proficient within it's capabilities.
I have used a 243 for several years and have shot several deer with this rifle. I have found it to be very straight and true using a 100 grain bullet. A couple of times I have taken it out for moose as my son was using my 30.6. Believe it or not I was able to shoot 4 moose with this rifle with the 100 grain bullet. All pretty close and they all dropped very close to where I shot them.
Good morning. I have a question for any of u out there. I have a gun and I went shooting last weekend and when u put the bullet in the chamber and pull the trigger the barrel isn't supposed to come open but my does. Can anyone help me out PLEASE
don't shoot this gun heather till a gunsmith looks at it I assume it is a break action firearm that should have a catch that keeps this from happening. I would not shoot the gun till it was fixed!
.243 ia a fine gun,...and it's bigger than a 30-06! A 270 and 30-06 or ok if you're going to shoot elephants,...but a .243 can kill anything!!! Elephants, silverback gorillas, ex-wife's, deer, antelope
the 243 is way over rated. It's a BARE MINIMUM for deer sized game. Really designed for a child...or woman.
I shoot a .243. Often I have to blood trail them, but it still does the job. I don't mind a little trailing.
weak cartridge. Why buy a marginal bullet? Get a more substancial round!
@Bob Dirkin, you really show your lack of knowledge by issueing that statement. Designed for women and children? Not at all, it's designed for shooters of all ages and both genders who don't need to prove something by shooting a big gun. Really, it's designed for shooters who have common sense.
My 243 knowledge is somewhat limited, but I hunt with a Tikka Master Sporter that has a palma barel and shoots well under 2/3 MOA out to 1000 yards. The previous owner of the gun shot a whitetail doe at 711 yards with it and centered the heart with a 105 Hornady A-Max. And the deer dropped in it's tracks. This season i have already shot 2 deer with this gun, both whitetails, one buck and one doe. Up here in Alberta the deer grow heavy, the doe was approaching 180 pounds and the 10 point buck was well over 200. I handload the Berger 105 VLD Hunting bullets at 3100 fps, and I must say I have never seen a bullet leave a wound like these do. It can almost be described as cavitation, as there is usually an area in the vitals about the volume of a two litre pop bottle on end where there is nothing but empty space, just bloody mulch from the lungs or heart being liquified. I would not hesitate to shoot a deer at 500 yards, but I practice religiously.
I've shot deer and elk and moose with my 270, and after shooteing through every one of them and having to track each and every one, I decided to get a round that was cheaper to shot and kicked less. 243 is what I settled on, and I do not regret it. I would not hesitate to shoot an elk or moose with this gun.
If you cannot kill a deer with a single shot from a 243, you really have no business hunting in my oppinion. Hop in your truck and try to hit them on the road. You will probably have more consistant results.
I personally use a .243 to hunt coyotes and predators. In the past I have used a 70 grain handloaded nosler ballistic tip and taken several deer. I have also witnessed a friend of mine take down a bull elk in 2008 with a nosler partition 100 gr. and dropped the bull in his tracks. Perfect choice of caliber for any game animal in most of the U.S.
To those people shooting 100 grain core-lokt. In the past I have had problems with the bullet. very poor performance except at very short distance. Try shooting a nosler partition or even a ballistic tip next time exceptional performance out of these two rounds. You will do way less tracking.
I've been hunting for a long time and I would use my 243 rem. for any type of game. The difference is there are hunters looking for trophies and FOOD. I only shoot what I eat!! Maybe the odd pest like a coyete. If your looking for trophy game you may as well carry a 50 cal. your sure to kill it! A 243 rem. 100 g will shoot through 3/4 inch plate steel at 200 yards. I have personally killed deer at 500 yards with my 243 and they drop like a stone. Everyone is entitled to there opinion and the gun shops ARE trying to sell bigger guns and bigger ammo.
I was watching a hunting show where they hunt mule deer with a custom rifle and a custom Leupold scope 4x16x50. They shoot a 105 grain 243 bullet and drop a mule deer at 500 yards. I never saw a 105 grain 243 bullet I would think it's hand loaded
i have a 243. and i love it and my uncle gave me the gun about 2 years ago. i have killed a lot of deer with it inclooding a really nice six point i use a 100 grain bullit, its a really good gun.
I personly like 243 .Although I have a 30 06 too. but 243 is very flate and accurate than 30 06 . Use 100 grain bullet and get any kind of deer . I have killed many bucks with it and I also killed two blue bull as well.
A 7mm-08 or even a 30-30; what beginner will accurately shoot a gun with a 7mm-08's recoil? What kind of advice is that? The 30-30 does have more recoil than a 243 but the 243 hits with more energy than a 30-30. At 300yrds the 243 hits with more than 1000lbs of energy, the 30-30 at 200yrds hits with 900lbs of energy. The last 3 yrs my 308 has only gone out for target shooting, my 243 has filled my fridge one shot per deer and I shoot alot more 243 ammo because honestly I don't like recoil and premium 243 ammo is a steal compared to budget 308 & 7mm-08 ammo.
A 243 will do more damage to a deer's vitals than an arrow. So if a 243 is marginal what is the 30-30 or arrow? Are they unethically inadequate or do you not know what you are writing about? I think we have guested the latter.
243 is fine for deer and having seen marginal hits on white tail (not mine!) with 30-06 and 280 Remington I do not think either is better on marginal shots than the 243. A bad hit is a bad hit. The problem with the 243 is that it is a poor North American hunting rifle so cannot be considered for a hunter who wants to own only a few good rifles. In Texas, true "fair chase" exotic hunting can cost a lot less than trophy white tail hunting (not all that "fair chase" in many cases) and some exotics, especially nilgai, are way to tough for the 243.
Its great to hear from experianced hunters who know what a .243 will do in the hands of someone who knows how to use it. I had a 7mm-08 for years but Im having it rebarreled to the .243 Ackley. I real good friend of mine told me how stupid I was for having my 7mm-08 rebarreled to the .243. I was told that the .243 IS NOT A DEER OR ANTELOPE cartridge. So I asked him this question. " If I hit a Mule Deer or an Antelope right behind the shoulder with a 100gr Nosler Partition will I cleanly kill that animal..........After knowing Clint for 30 years he told me that if your going to argue with me you can get out of my house. You see Clint has only used a .243 once in his life and that one time he missed an Antelope buck three times at 100yards and he had HATED the .243 ever since
A .243 is good for deer if you know the gun.Must be a good marksman for it.A bad marksman will not make humane kill shots even shotting .375 h&h i think the author that disagrees with it not being good caliber should say that no caliber is a good deer round if you arent familer with the way it handles.PRATICE AAAND THEN PRACTICE SOME MORE SOME
Joseph Barney 3 years ago
im a deer hunter in nothern vermont. I use a .243, I love it. the .243 does not make any smaller a wound channel than a .308 if the right bullets are used. a 100 grain remmington core lokt for example. i shot a deer from 175 yards. the bullet hit high on the deer. (the shakes) the bullet hit just bellow the spine. the spine and 3 ribs were shattered. the deer droped dead instantly. Im usually a good shot though. the .243 is a great all around gun. you just need to buy the right ammo for the job. a 100 bullet that has a lot of mushroom to it will drop a deer quite nicley. as a harder round with more hold together than fly apart would be used for bigger rather than smaller game for more penetration. an 80 grain round may as well be marketed as rat killer. if you expect 80 grains to drop a deer with any placed shot your crazy.
Buy the right bullets for the job! mushrooming, non mushrooming, soft, hard, heavy, and light; they all have there own function.