243 for Whitetails?

[elkdump]

I love the stories about ( the ones that got away), the FLAW being the moderate caliber and the bullet ,,, NOT pess poor marksmanship!

I havnt heard the story about the (one that didn't get away) , because it was gut shot with a .300 Magnum at 600 yards,,,

Please, bring it on

[crownb]

Originally Posted by elkdump

I love the stories about ( the ones that got away), the FLAW being the moderate caliber and the bullet ,,, NOT pess poor marksmanship!

I havnt heard the story about the (one that didn't get away) , because it was gut shot with a .300 Magnum at 600 yards,,,

Please, bring it on

Our family has never experienced a lost animal with that rifle, a couple of poor shots which led to a short tracking job and a follow up shot, and well a few clean misses, but never a lost animal, knock on wood because it happens to everybody.

[elkdump]

Originally Posted by crownb

Our family has never experienced a lost animal with that rifle, a couple of poor shots which led to a short tracking job and a follow up shot, and well a few clean misses, but never a lost animal, knock on wood because it happens to everybody.

It ALL boils down to shot placement !

And there are a million excuses of what went wrong,,,

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by diamonddave

Come on Oko, you are just tryin to stir the pot, you know it works just fine....

it's a joke. Go read the most recent gopher hunting thread.

[ramonmark]

Originally Posted by elkdump

I love the stories about ( the ones that got away), the FLAW being the moderate caliber and the bullet ,,, NOT pess poor marksmanship!

I havnt heard the story about the (one that didn't get away) , because it was gut shot with a .300 Magnum at 600 yards,,,

Please, bring it on

I 100% agree. When I was younger my father was on the same boat. He gave me and later my younger brother both magnums to start with. The idea being that if that little thing we all know too well 'buck fever' kicked in we'd be better equipped to take the animal. A little more forgiving so to say. As I grew older I've met many people who still require the heavier calibers not because of buck fever but mainly because of marsmanship. And, some just like the big caliber. Kind of like driving a lifted truck that is a pavement princess. Fill your boots. If I'm hunting and shooting less than 2-300 yards I use my 243 for everything. Anything further I use my 280AI. Those are my choices for my skill set. If a person has the skills and patience to harvest a animal within a stones throw away with an arrow, I'm pretty darn sure a 243 has the power to do the same. Like, mentioned earlier. It's all about shot placement. Isn't everything though? If you can't hit your mark reliably, In my opinion you shouldn't be hunting. I feel that what my father did was well thought out but I still disagreed with it. Sure it worked, but if he was unsure about our marksmanship or our mental state then he should have left us behind. Poor marksmanship or poor planning/mental state has no place in the field. I have NEVER shot anything I didn't feel I could kill right then and there. Never once have pulled the trigger with the thought of 'boy I hope that animal doesn't get wounded'. Or, 'oh well, if I miss the target at least this mammoth of a bullet will eventually kill him'. Unless you're hunting dangerous game and that prey now becomes a threat you need to extinguish. Then saying a magnum is a better choice for a light skinned animal has no footing to stand on. Since were talking about white tail deer though. Yes the 243 is a gooder. Yes the 300wm is a gooder. Although, just because one carries more horse power doesn't mean that the tried and true in now obsolete.

[BCBoy98]

I've shot 2 black bears, 2 MD bucks, and 2 WT's with my .243. Not one of them went farther than 20 yards, with the majority of them dropping on the spot. with that said, they were all within 100 yards so I can't really say much about anything longer range

[crownb]

Originally Posted by BCBoy98

I've shot 2 black bears, 2 MD bucks, and 2 WT's with my .243. Not one of them went farther than 20 yards, with the majority of them dropping on the spot. with that said, they were all within 100 yards so I can't really say much about anything longer range

Yeah the speed sure hits them hard, speed kills!!!

[BCBoy98]

Originally Posted by crownb

Yeah the speed sure hits them hard, speed kills!!!

95 gr. (If I remember correctly) Hornady hand loads! Pretty deadly in my experience.

[Cowtown guy]

The fact that some seem to think a gut shot deer is better if it is shot with a larger calibre is hilarious. I was witness to a Waterbuck that was chased around for 2 1/2 days by more than 7 people because of a crappy shot. And that was with a 378 Weatherby Mag.

Bad is bad. A big bullet is no better than a small one with a marginal shot. Learn to shoot the gun you want to hunt with and just go and do it.

[Tactical Lever]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy39

I think that the reason the guys with the 6 mm Remingtons were having better success with the 85 grain bullets was because the twist rate for the early 6mm Rems were too slow to stabilize any bullets that were longer (heavier).

That was the other factor that put it in 2nd place, but I believe the 85s were the preferred bullet in .243 also.

[Sitting Bull]

I took a mulie doe at about 150yrds with my .243 one shot no problems. This was my first animal with it and was very impressed with the performance.

[birdslayer]

Ramonmark, just read you piece about your father teching you , being you have never wounded an animal is a testimony tto your dad teaching you right. This father`s day be sure to thank him for teaching you about shooting and hunting , he did a pretty good job in my books. People ask about whhat gun or calibre to use and I tell them the same thing everytime , the one you shoot the best with.

[score]

Of course one of the consistently best selling and popular rounds that have been slaying game for many years is still a good choice, especially with better and modern bullets. Mess up an deer's vitals and it will die. I always get a chuckle from these kinds of debates. Use the 243 with confidence and enjoy the hunt.

[nelsonob1]

The .243 for whitetail is about as good a caliber match to a specie as one can get. If all I hunted was whitetail deer it would be the only hunting caliber I owned.

[Madman1]

So, two seasons later, 243 has worked really nicely. Got one for my daughter now too. Wife got an X-Bolt, daughter has a TC Dimension. Between my girls, 4 deer in the last two seasons. Shots taken from less than 100 yds to 313 (yes they practice) all four DRT with pass through every time, quite impressed with the terminal performance of the barnes ttsx as well. Thanks all for the comments.

[Schroedes13]

So far I've taken my first black bear and my first two WTs with my a browning x-bolt in .243! Great for smaller critters too


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[elkdump]

Nov 2016 , mature cow elk, 140 yards, hit right left shoulder, broke front leg, blew lungs apart, stopped at far side against hide just behind left shoulder, elk dropped on ground, kicked a couple times and was dead,

.243 Win, 90 grain soft point, remaining bullet weighed 60 gr ,
The dressed 4quarters weighed 396 lbs,
Not the first elk I've killed with same bullet,same caliber, end results the same

But maybe a bit light for whitetails in the hands of experts,

[bubba300]

I have shot a few whitetails with a BLR 243 and a 90 gr partition.They don't go far.
I now use a 6.5 creedmoor in a vanguard s2 and a 129 LRAB.
I had a s1 vanguard in 243 win also that I used for coyotes and some target.It was a great rifle also,but never did that great past 500 yards.
I also shot a 270 win for quite a few years with great results.
Friend of mine was thinking a 243 awhile back,my logic is why shoot 6mm when you can shoot 6.5(260,creed or swede)you can get a factory 1-8 twist in the creedmoor in just about any rifle chambered in it not so much in a factory 243 to shoot the heavier bullets.
But that's just the way I think now,I kinda got the 6.5 bug after shooting a 6.5 -06 for the last few years.
Always wanted to try a 7-08 , maybe neck the CM up to 7mm might be great also.

[Rio56]

the 243 is on the edge .. that is of being capable , at long distance .... Imagine the 270 and compare ... ya, ya .. proper placement is equal

[Pathfinder76]

I'm not sure many 200lb men would want to take any projectile shot from a 243 square in the chest at 700 yds. But many of these same men think you can't kill a deer with it. Silly.

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by chuck

I'm not sure many 200lb men would want to take any projectile shot from a 243 square in the chest at 700 yds. But many of these same men think you can't kill a deer with it. Silly.

oh the experience of Chuck ... never ends ..... silly goose

[super7mag]

Originally Posted by Rio56

the 243 is on the edge .. that is of being capable , at long distance .... Imagine the 270 and compare ... ya, ya .. proper placement is equal

The only edge I worry about when hunting with either the 243 or 6mm R.E.M. Is a sharp one in the pack for field dressing.. lol

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by super7mag

The only edge I worry about when hunting with either the 243 or 6mm R.E.M. Is a sharp one in the pack for field dressing.. lol

and what do you shoot ... Mr super 7 mag ...lmao

[gs100bert]

Being from BC my father got me a 222 rem when i was about 14 to hunt deer with on vancouver island imaging my disappointment to find out i cant hunt deer with it in alberta , however the consolation prize is it makes a great coyote and gofer gun.
any back to the op post i was hunting WT with a friend who was using a 243 and i saw first hand the destruction that little gun did to a wt deer and would not hesitate to recommend one or use one in the future to hunt deer .

[super7mag]

Originally Posted by Rio56

and what do you shoot ... Mr super 7 mag ...lmao

Well I shoot several different rifles and cartridges , and yes the 7 mm RM is one, I guess trying to come up with a decent user name on the spot back in 07 that's what I came up with!! I guess if that's all you got for a comeback??
The last 4 deer I have shot in the past 3 seasons have been with my 243 win , mostly cause that's what I had when a shot presented itself. I packed around a new to me 300 Bee that I swear is cursed cause I never see any game when I have it. Pushing a 200 gr partition at 3000 fps I have no doubt about the ability to bang flop, no willing participants. It seems when I take out ol faithful (my 7mm) or my beat up truck gun (243win) the deer co-operate better.

[bubba300]

Originally Posted by super7mag

Well I shoot several different rifles and cartridges , and yes the 7 mm RM is one, I guess trying to come up with a decent user name on the spot back in 07 that's what I came up with!! I guess if that's all you got for a comeback??
The last 4 deer I have shot in the past 3 seasons have been with my 243 win , mostly cause that's what I had when a shot presented itself. I packed around a new to me 300 Bee that I swear is cursed cause I never see any game when I have it. Pushing a 200 gr partition at 3000 fps I have no doubt about the ability to bang flop, no willing participants. It seems when I take out ol faithful (my 7mm) or my beat up truck gun (243win) the deer co-operate better.

I am with you on the 7mm RM, I have always had one and probably will always have one but they are a little much for close range whitetails.
I used to think I had to have a 300Rum for long range shooting but just about went broke buying retumbo.

[Coiloil37]

Originally Posted by elkdump

Nov 2016 , mature cow elk, 140 yards, hit right left shoulder, broke front leg, blew lungs apart, stopped at far side against hide just behind left shoulder, elk dropped on ground, kicked a couple times and was dead,

.243 Win, 90 grain soft point, remaining bullet weighed 60 gr ,
The dressed 4quarters weighed 396 lbs,
Not the first elk I've killed with same bullet,same caliber, end results the same

But maybe a bit light for whitetails in the hands of experts,

Is that a typo on the weight or have you got a special scale? It takes a larger then average bull to make that weight, most mature cows go 270 lbs dressed.

[Bowtech1]

My daughter and wife have shot lots of nice WT bucks with the .243

[C & C]

Originally Posted by chuck

I'm not sure many 200lb men would want to take any projectile shot from a 243 square in the chest at 700 yds. But many of these same men think you can't kill a deer with it. Silly.

I love this quote and it really sums it up nicely.

Been 3 or 4 year now for my wife shooting with her 243, all dead animals. I am pretty sure it will be my next rifle in something nice that will be my go to cal/rifle for my hunting future.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Rio56

oh the experience of Chuck ... never ends ..... silly goose

I'd happily shoot any deer that walks with a 243. For an awful long ways. If you shoot a deer with a good bullet in the 243 and you lose him, you flat out missed.