Is a .243 a good deer gun?
10-31-2007, 05:49 PM
#21
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: New Orleans, La. USA
Posts: 400
RE: Is a .243 a good deer gun?
I used to own a Saiko .243 probably one of the most accurate guns made non custom.
Yes it can kill, but it just doesn't drop them. I am getting to old to want to track on purpose.
But it was a great gun! I have hit large whitetails in the spine at 100 yards and the bullet didn't
pass through the bone. As a matter of fact, here is a picture of a six I shot at 100 yards.
Notice i had the cartridge and the bullet.
Yes it can kill, but it just doesn't drop them. I am getting to old to want to track on purpose.
But it was a great gun! I have hit large whitetails in the spine at 100 yards and the bullet didn't
pass through the bone. As a matter of fact, here is a picture of a six I shot at 100 yards.
Notice i had the cartridge and the bullet.
10-31-2007, 06:34 PM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: Is a .243 a good deer gun?
I have been using the .243 for about 25 years now and havent had any problems, the .243 is a great deer cartridge. I have also noticed that it makes soup of internal organs. out of probably 100 kills I think I have had only 2 that didnt get an exit. My kids use my gun, its the only high powered rifle I own. I have seen them make some absolutley beautiful shots on deer. My 8 year old at the time put one on a spike at a tad over 200 yds, which dropped on the spot, my older boy 16 at the time put one through a doe at about a 190 yds, the doe was facing us head down feeding and he placed it right between the shoulder blades, the bullet exited the poop shoot. Wont be doing that again, I have takensome splendid shots with it as well, 200lb hogs at 250 yds, dropping them on the spot. The .243 aint no joke, she will put any deer down for the count, I am not one for hard angle shots, I dont care what caliber you use. I have seen a 7 mag be stopped by the gut of a deer. A deer with a full belly is like a sandbag and can stop just about any round, if you take a hard quartering away shot and dont retrieve your deer dont blame the caliber.
Just get the .243 you will be pleasantly surprised with it accuracy, low recoil, and efficient killing.
Just get the .243 you will be pleasantly surprised with it accuracy, low recoil, and efficient killing.
10-31-2007, 07:09 PM
#23
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 15
RE: Is a .243 a good deer gun?
For 10 years my boys and friends kid have use .243 with 100grain bullets and have not lost one yet. It will drop in there track even if you hit center of the south boundend of a north bound deer. Its messy but the smile on the face on a kid makes worth it. I cut off 4" of the stock and added a magnum butt pad. Kids love it.
11-01-2007, 12:35 AM
#24
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: AK
Posts: 252
RE: Is a .243 a good deer gun?
If you know how to shoot, the 243 is more than enough for deer. I'm taking my 243 WSSM loaded with 85-grain TSX bullets to go chase some deer on an island that has been known to take a few 10' brown bears on the occassion.
11-01-2007, 08:20 AM
#26
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 215
RE: Is a .243 a good deer gun?
ORIGINAL: ipscshooter
You're joking, right? A .257 Roberts is "perfect", but a .243 is "pretty good if you want to practice tracking"? Really?
The .243, with a 100 grain bullet, at 100 yards has over 1600 ft. lbs. of energy. The Roberts, with a 117 grain bullet, at 100 yards has 1363 ft. lbs. The .243 has almost as much energy at 200 yards as the Roberts does at 100.
But.. Yeah... that extra 17 grains of weight and 14 thousandths of an inch of diameter turn the Roberts into the Hammer of Thor.[/sarcasm]
BigDawgWill: If anyone tells you that the .243 is no good for whitetails, it's because (a) they've never shot a deer with a .243, (b) they're a lousy shot or are so afflicted with ADHD that they don't want to wait for a good shot, or (c) they simply don't have a clue what they're talking about and are just making crap up as they go along. I used to hunt with a .30-06. I switched to a .243 a couple years ago, and the deer I've shot have actually gone less distance after the shot with my .243 than they did with the 06. Just pick your shot.
ORIGINAL: USAF_hunter
Depends on where your hunting. A .243 is pretty good if you want to practice tracking deer. .257 Roberts or a .260 will work to perfection.
Depends on where your hunting. A .243 is pretty good if you want to practice tracking deer. .257 Roberts or a .260 will work to perfection.
The .243, with a 100 grain bullet, at 100 yards has over 1600 ft. lbs. of energy. The Roberts, with a 117 grain bullet, at 100 yards has 1363 ft. lbs. The .243 has almost as much energy at 200 yards as the Roberts does at 100.
But.. Yeah... that extra 17 grains of weight and 14 thousandths of an inch of diameter turn the Roberts into the Hammer of Thor.[/sarcasm]
BigDawgWill: If anyone tells you that the .243 is no good for whitetails, it's because (a) they've never shot a deer with a .243, (b) they're a lousy shot or are so afflicted with ADHD that they don't want to wait for a good shot, or (c) they simply don't have a clue what they're talking about and are just making crap up as they go along. I used to hunt with a .30-06. I switched to a .243 a couple years ago, and the deer I've shot have actually gone less distance after the shot with my .243 than they did with the 06. Just pick your shot.
I know what I have used and know what has worked for me. Now I guess if I was down in texas shooting golden retriever sized deer a .243 would work out. But I am not. Ballistics don't tell the whole story.
11-01-2007, 11:06 AM
#29
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: The Republic of Texas
Posts: 12,181
RE: Is a .243 a good deer gun?
ORIGINAL: USAF_hunter
Wow I must of touched a nerve. So far I have ADHA, a bad shot and make crap up as I go along.
Wow I must of touched a nerve. So far I have ADHA, a bad shot and make crap up as I go along.
I was quoting you to argue about the relative merits of the .257 Roberts vs. the .243 Win.
I know what I have used and know what has worked for me. Now I guess if I was down in texas shooting golden retriever sized deer a .243 would work out. But I am not. Ballistics don't tell the whole story.
I'm not arguing that the .243 will do everything that a .25-06 will. But, factory loads for the .243 CLEARLY outclass factory loads for the .257 Roberts. By a wide margin. I suppose you may be correct that my opinion of the .243 is tainted by the fact that I hunt in a part of Texas where bucks average a little less than 200 lbs. And, I suppose if I was hunting 400 lb. corn-fed Iowa or Nebrask bucks, I might think about stepping it up a notch. But, I don't believe there is any circumstance under which I would consider a factory loaded Roberts to be a "step up" from the .243.
11-01-2007, 08:42 PM
#30
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ARKANSAS
Posts: 190
RE: Is a .243 a good deer gun?
I think the 243. would work great for small deer varments and cyotes to but i think the 270 would work even better for you could use it for deer elk even all the way down to varment by the way the tikka T3 will garantee 3 in a inch at a hundred
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