243 winchester

Anyone here shoot the 243 for deer? elk? coyotes? grizzly? What do you have and what bullets do you use? What about for wolves?

I figure it's time to start a calibre debate. been a while.:rollin

Coyotes & Wolves - sure why not - any bullet will do

Deer - 100 grain (or 90 gr Barnes)

Elk - only on perfect broadside lung or brain shot. Otherwise its insufficient. Therefore not recommended. My brother has done it with moose, but perfect standing broadside, 2 bullets through heart.

Grizzly - Sure go ahead - you deserve to get ravaged if you're that silly.

Have shot deer and antelope every year for more than 30 yrs with my 243 blr. Tried a bunch of different loads, 87 gr, or now 85 gr nosler seem to work best, and most accurate for us.
Coyotes, 70gr is great. Wolves same. I personally wouldn't consider using a 243 for anything bigger than deer.
Fast and flat doesn't begin to describe it. You'll love it. It's like a mini 300mag. If you can see it you can kill it.
Just make sure not to hit a shoulder or hip bone. A 243 will Not penetrate them. Heart/lung; neck, or don't take the shot.
You'll love it.

good for just about anything in alberta except grizz. i shot my first black bear and white tail with a 243 Win. bear went 25 yds, deer went 75 yds. ive heard of people taking on elk with them but i would prefer something like a 7mm or bigger

This is a great caliber. My dad purchased my oldest brother a Cooey 243 from K Mart in Calgary back in the early 70s. This gun is still in the family though it's completely shot out now. It went through 4 boys, it doesn't owe us anything. My oldest brother purchased another 243 since then and so have I.
My wife has the Remington model 700 youth in 243. She has taken 2 antelope and a cow moose.

Antelope, Wolves, and Coyotes - Absolute Death

Deer - generally run no matter what the shot distance was before collapsing.

Elk/Moose - must be less than 100 yrds and broad side.

The moose she shot was about 75 yrds and broad side. The 100 grain Speer Grand Slam went right through it taking out a rib on the exit side. It ran about 50 yards and collapsed. I'm confident she'll shoot many more with this gun. I'm not recommending this caliber for Elk and Moose, but it works if your disiplined enough and have the time to always wait until the perfect standing still, less than 100 yards, and broad side shots present themselves.
Every hunting family should have one.

Our varmint bullets are 58 gr. Hornady V Max

Gotta love this gun.Have a rem 700 vls that has taken a number of deer,not one has gone more than 20yrds,cow elk at 125 broadside that dropped on the spot.very accurate little caliber,wouldnt trade it for the world

I've gone to the 243 as my dedicated coyote rifle and have no complaints. I shoot the 75 gr V-Max and have shot coyotes out to 487 yds with it and the rig below. As you can see, those bullets aren't pelt friendly so I'm going to give the 55 gr BT a whirl. An ADL McMillan stock is on the way and will round out the rifle nicely.

I'm sure the 85 gr TSX would be death on most big game out there.

I just bought a .243 and killed a whitetail buck at 250yards one shot this year and cow moose at 100 yards one shot. 90% of the the time, its the time you spend with your gun at the range knowing its limits as well as waiting for the right shot.