243 Win for Deer

[Lawdwaz]

Starting to look at some of the low end guns to see if I want to really go 243...

Checked out the Axis today and it looks extremely solid for the price. Also looked at the CVA Scout and that was very nice, too - barrel looks real good.

I may spring for one and shoot it to see if I want to get a high end 243. At worst I have a dedicated fox/yote killer.

I pass through Livingston County a bit and would be happy to let you bang away with my 243. I'd bet money on you liking a 243!!

My gun is a LH Remington 700 but that is no biggy from the bench, prone or leaning on a tree. I'll bring the ammo. 80gr Barnes TTSX or 90gr Lapua Scennars. (IIRC they are 90gr)

Send me a PM if your interested.

[Dinsdale]

I pass through Livingston County a bit and would be happy to let you bang away with my 243. I'd bet money on you liking a 243!!

My gun is a LH Remington 700 but that is no biggy from the bench, prone or leaning on a tree. I'll bring the ammo. 80gr Barnes TTSX or 90gr Lapua Scennars. (IIRC they are 90gr)

Send me a PM if your interested.

You should take Lawdwaz up on this.......he has REALLY good taste in guns and knows of what he speaks.

Like the last couple posts.....give me a TSX or similar stout construction; I'll shoot any deer, even with Lawdwaz's lefty guns shooting righty.

[KenAxe-7]

Coyote gun....nuff said. HaHaHa.....just messin'. I've seen a few pile up to a .243 with factory ammo

[ants]

Just saying!! I have shot deer with a .243 and although it works ( in my experience) its not that great.. .When compaired to other rounds!! Just one "clowns" opinion!! Thought I'd Chme in!! If you dont like the .243 you're a Clown???? BTW killer tough guy pose with that buck !!!!!

Edited April 23, 2012 by ants

[eagle rider]

Don't get me wrong, in tight cover I will reach for the 35 Marlin hands down. Sitting up in a stand where there is more time to pick out a great shot, Well that's a whole different story.

[adirondackbushwhack]

100gr. Sierra gameking sp.

7pnt State land. 40-50 yard blood trail.

Any questions?

Geeze, once or twice a year someone asks an honest question about the 243 and deer hunting. Couple of clowns always chme in about what they think it can't do or what they would use instead. Realy...

See you next year.

Yes I have a question. If the .243 is such a great deer killer how is it you had a 40 - 50 yard blood trail with a deer hit like that? If you had shot it in that manner with a big bore there is no way that deer would have gone 40-50 yards after being hit. Just saying

Your friend Bozo

[Uncle Nicky]

A .243 will kill a whitetail, no question about it. I don't like tracking, and recoil never bothered me. Given my choice, I'd rather have a little more firepower.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Yes I have a question. If the .243 is such a great deer killer how is it you had a 40 - 50 yard blood trail with a deer hit like that? If you had shot it in that manner with a big bore there is no way that deer would have gone 40-50 yards after being hit. Just saying

Your friend Bozo

I have shot them just like that with my -06 and had blood trails that long. I have seen 75 yards with a hole in the heart.

Any 243 will do if it is done right. But personally I like a bigger caliber with more powder and a ggod bullet. If I get presented a qquartering to or head on with my -06 in my had I am not worried about the bones. I know it will go through and the deer will go down.....if I do my part.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Culvercreek hunt club

[WNYBuckHunter]

Yes I have a question. If the .243 is such a great deer killer how is it you had a 40 - 50 yard blood trail with a deer hit like that? If you had shot it in that manner with a big bore there is no way that deer would have gone 40-50 yards after being hit. Just saying

Your friend Bozo

Ive shot them with a 12 ga with similar shot placement and had them go further than that. Just sayin.

[adirondackbushwhack]

Ha! I've shot turkey with a 12 ga. and lost them.

The point is folks that the .243 just doesn't have the knock down ability that a big bore has. The 06 isn't a big bore by the way. Of course fellas if ya are sayen that the .243 does have the same effect on shot game that a big bore does then......well I don't know what to say to ya. Have fun with yer .243

[Culvercreek hunt club]

You are right it isn't a big bore, but more than enough gun for a deer. The 243 is more than enough as well with the correct parameters. I would rather see a hunter with a gun they can practice a lot with, feel very confident, develop good shooting form and place a good shot. There is NO need for a big bore in the deer woods. If you choose to use one then that is great but it isn't required to make everything tick.

[Gthphtm]

One of the most accurate out of the box bolt action rifles i have had was a Remington 700 bull barrel .243 caliber.I think it was a BDL model because of the fancy wood stock it had on it.This was a very long time ago.I only went to the range with it never took it hunting.At that time we were doing a lot of stalking type hunting and it was too heavy to carry all day.

[adirondackbushwhack]

You are right it isn't a big bore, but more than enough gun for a deer. The 243 is more than enough as well with the correct parameters. I would rather see a hunter with a gun they can practice a lot with, feel very confident, develop good shooting form and place a good shot. There is NO need for a big bore in the deer woods. If you choose to use one then that is great but it isn't required to make everything tick.

I can agree that a big bore isn't REQUIRED. Certainly the 35 does a great job and the 06 has long proven it's effectiveness. BUT even you have to preface the .243 to be within certain paramaters. Yes there is that thing about the .243 not kicking that makes it so popular. Do ya really think evryone who uses it practices all that much or that those who use a big bore don't practice? I'd be willing to bet that the majority of hunters who shoot the .243 shoot a single box of ammo a year if that. In that case are ya still thinking the .243 is the go to gun for them? Newbies, especially those who maybe put 20 rounds a year down range might not be the best shooters to put the likes of a .243 in their hands. .35 rem might be a better choice in my oppinion. But I'll stick by my belief that the .444 does a better job of knocking deer down then the .243. If ya can't admit that than so be it.

[Setters4life]

I can agree that a big bore isn't REQUIRED. Certainly the 35 does a great job and the 06 has long proven it's effectiveness. BUT even you have to preface the .243 to be within certain paramaters. Yes there is that thing about the .243 not kicking that makes it so popular. Do ya really think evryone who uses it practices all that much or that those who use a big bore don't practice? I'd be willing to bet that the majority of hunters who shoot the .243 shoot a single box of ammo a year if that. In that case are ya still thinking the .243 is the go to gun for them? Newbies, especially those who maybe put 20 rounds a year down range might not be the best shooters to put the likes of a .243 in their hands. .35 rem might be a better choice in my oppinion. But I'll stick by my belief that the .444 does a better job of knocking deer down then the .243. If ya can't admit that than so be it.

The .243 (and 6mm Rem.) are great rounds you can practice with ALL year with and never tire of. Both are easily suitable for varmints as well. If you handload they are also a bit cheaper to shoot than those bigger rounds. But I will agree with you and admit that the .444 does knock down deer hard. But it's not a fun gun to plink with. It was when I was young; but brass, bullets, primers and powder costs have me dizzy with disbelief!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

What I am saying is....practice with a 243 is cheaper. The ammo is more readily available. the 243 is a softer shooting round. so. If we use you hunter that doesn't practice that much and only sends a box a year down range....I THINK that a harder hitting round may make them a flincher and effect their accuracy.

I do believe that no one can predict what caliber would be shot more by shooters...but I bet that the cheaper the ammo the more likely they are to shoot.

as far as admitting....If I were choosing between the two for me I would go for the 444 too. But. There are a bunch of calibers I would pick ahead of the 444 if other choices were available. Nothing wrong with the 444 and bigger may be better but how big is too big for deer? are there different levels of dead? If we keep the logic going let's butch up and lock and load the 700 Nitros

Edited May 8, 2012 by Culvercreek hunt club

[adirondackbushwhack]

The .243 (and 6mm Rem.) are great rounds you can practice with ALL year with and never tire of. Both are easily suitable for varmints as well. If you handload they are also a bit cheaper to shoot than those bigger rounds. But I will agree with you and admit that the .444 does knock down deer hard. But it's not a fun gun to plink with. It was when I was young; but brass, bullets, primers and powder costs have me dizzy with disbelief!

Agreed. The .444 can beat ya up a bit. I switched from a Marlin 444ss to a TC custom Encore with their flextech stock to minimize recoil. With todays modern stocks I've found the recoil to be managable even with my bad shoulder. I don't like to use it but I also have a limbsaver I can slip on for those days when the shoulder is acting up. For pure shooting pleasure at the range I have a Sako in 25-06 that is a joy to shoot.

[adirondackbushwhack]

What I am saying is....practice with a 243 is cheaper. The ammo is more readily available. the 243 is a softer shooting round. so. If we use you hunter that doesn't practice that much and only sends a box a year down range....I THINK that a harder hitting round may make them a flincher and effect their accuracy.

I do believe that no one can predict what caliber would be shot more by shooters...but I bet that the cheaper the ammo the more likely they are to shoot.

as far as admitting....If I were choosing between the two for me I would go for the 444 too. But. There are a buch of calibers I would pick ahead of the 444 if other choices were available. Nothing wrong with the 444 and bigger may be better but how big is too big for deer? are there different levels of dead? If we keep the logic going let's butch up and loack and load the 700 Nitros

That (flincher) may also be possible I suppose it would depend on the individual shooter involved. Certainly it is most likely with the .444 but likely less so by a wide margin with the 35 rem.. It is for that reason that I THINK the 35 rem. might be a best compromise between knockdown and recoil for the newbie. Lets not forget that the newbie might need to track too and if there isn't complete pass through the .243 leaves a vary small hole for blood to leak out of. The 35 is much better there too.

Agreed on cheaper ammo as being an influence for shooting more. But it is only one of many reasons for not shooting. I believe I can get .243 ammo for $16 a box, $20 for .35 rem. for factory ammo so there isn't that big of a difference in price and with a little searching either might be found cheaper.

The levels of dead thing doesn't resonate with me. Shoot a deer with a .22 and it will die but certainly you know why it isn't a good idea. I switched from using a 30-30 to a .444 because the 30-30 didn't drop them all right there and I had some run off to die and lost a few and one REALLY BIG one was the last straw and that caused me to switch. I did a lot or research back in the day and had my choice of any caliber. Without going through the whole process here I finally settled on the .444 as being ideal in thick cover and woods where shots would be 200 yards and under for dumping them right there. It has worked for me and I've not had a deer run farther than 20 or so yards after being hit with it. It does the job I wanted it to do. A .243 can't boast that for my requirements but it certainly will kill deer.. Now the .444 is what I use and for my requirements it does exactly what I want so in that respect it is the perfect round. Maybe something like a 35 Whelen might be it's equal under those conditions but I just don't know as I've never tested it. Some pick their cal by one thing or another but my requirements were simple. It had to be flat enough shooting for 200 yards and it had to have the ability to plant the deer in it's tracks and if not, leave a hell of a blood trail by the entrance hole alone. I don't think the 444 is over kill for those requirements although the 700 nitro might be.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

LOL. The 700 was tongue in cheek. The 444 is a great round and in the NE woods it is really at home. I have shot the 35 Wheelen and it is a grat round too. The Wheelen is just necked up 35 and I think the case on the 444 is almost identical to the -06 just necked up even further.

[adirondackbushwhack]

LOL I knew ya were playen about the 700; it would do the job though.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

yup...all ground up and ready to place in the vacuum sealer

[eagle rider]

Eskimo's hunt Polar Bear with 223's and shoot them in the ear. Boers used to hunt and kill elephants with 7x57 Mauser's. I've seen two 300 pound plus black bears fall to a 25-06 and half a dozen wild boars to 243 Win. I paunch shot (by accident) a whitetail doe with a 270 WSM a few years back. It ran well over a mile on me. Its all in the placement. I think the bigger you get in the boiler room the faster it maybe. But dead is dead, and some guilded meatl going through the lungs will do it every time.

[Setters4life]

Eskimo's hunt Polar Bear with 223's and shoot them in the ear. Boers used to hunt and kill elephants with 7x57 Mauser's. I've seen two 300 pound plus black bears fall to a 25-06 and half a dozen wild boars to 243 Win. I paunch shot (by accident) a whitetail doe with a 270 WSM a few years back. It ran well over a mile on me. Its all in the placement. I think the bigger you get in the boiler room the faster it maybe. But dead is dead, and some guilded meatl going through the lungs will do it every time.

It still comes down to the Indian, not the arrow.

[adirondackbushwhack]

Eskimo's hunt Polar Bear with 223's and shoot them in the ear. Boers used to hunt and kill elephants with 7x57 Mauser's. I've seen two 300 pound plus black bears fall to a 25-06 and half a dozen wild boars to 243 Win. I paunch shot (by accident) a whitetail doe with a 270 WSM a few years back. It ran well over a mile on me. Its all in the placement. I think the bigger you get in the boiler room the faster it maybe. But dead is dead, and some guilded meatl going through the lungs will do it every time.

And poachers still shoot deer with 22's. Dead certainly is dead the only difference is how much time and distance there is between where the animal was shot and where it died. Put a 45 cal rifle through a deers boiler works and it's going down in a hurry; put a 22 in the same spot and it's likely to die someplace else later.

[ants]

All im saying is that there are better cals. out there with similar recoil. Thay will down deer way faster, and leave a better blood trail. The 243 will kill any deer any time, with a good hit. Why not use a round that folds them up way faster???( If recoil is the same)

If all you have is a .243... Go for it...It will work.

Good luck,

Clown

[moosemike]

I've used the 243 for deer hunting through the years. Never killed any deer with one. I know others who kill deer with them and they work. I prefer the .30-06 myself.