.243 capability

[cfnewfie]

This year I've decided on .243 win for my deer rifle I've tried a few loads seems like this rifle will moa just about whatever I feed it. Im planning on factory loads and wondering if anyone has experience with clean kills, pass through, good blood trail etc

[Hunter4ever12]

Give this thread a look over,lots of good info provided from guys that have and do use .243 every season.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=279076

[LKILR]

If you can't kill a deer with the .243 then you need more target practice.

[58thecat]

This will kill from moose to mice, right bullet, shot placement and the freezer will be full!

[ForwardBias]

The 243 is made for deer hunting.

[JustMe]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

This will kill from moose to mice, right bullet, shot placement and the freezer will be full!

Point taken, but stats indicate the "average" hunter can't hit a pie plate with a free hand shot at 100 yards. Never mind the added excitement when he sees a deer or moose!

The 243 is a great little deer gun..... Will it kill a moose? Absolutely! Would I or any other conscientious hunter recommend it as your primary moose or elk rifle? Likely not....

[elkhunter11]

I have killed several deer with a 243win, and I have seen moose and elk killed with the 243win. With proper bullet selection, and proper bullet placement, it's a good choice for deer sized game, but I wouldn't choose one as my primary moose/elk cartridge. I have a Ruger number 1 in 243win that I may choose to shoot a deer with at some point, but that would require leaving my Ruger Bavarian Carbine in 6.5x55 at home, which would be tough to do.

[RBI]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

This will kill from moose to mice, right bullet, shot placement and the freezer will be full!

Originally Posted by ForwardBias

The 243 is made for deer hunting.

I have read this sort of thing , many times on AO , that being that , ... with proper " shot placement " , just about anything will kill anything .

I , personally , have to question this kind of thinking .

But what about ... just off a little/lot " shot placement " ... for whatever reason ?

For all the experienced hunters out there , I would assume it's fair to say that not every single shot that you have fired at a animal , has hit " exactly " where you intended it to hit , whether it deflected off a small branch , more cross wind than you thought , too fast/excited , target moved , whatever ...

Hence , not getting the proper " shot placement " .

Oh , it may and in most cases , probably still did the job , but I have to say , ( in my limited experience ) I can't image that anybody would actually trust that a " .243 " would be what one would take for a Moose hunt , I would even question , Elk hunt .

For those of you who are going to jump on me for this , ( cause you have shot plenty of big, Big game with a .243 ) , I'm not saying it can't/hasn't been done , I just saying that I don't see it as an " eithicial caliber to recommend for something as big as a Moose or perhaps Elk .

Oh , and 58thecat, I'm not pointing specifically at you , it simply was that your post was easy to quote .

.... My thoughts , maybe not yours ...

[ForwardBias]

Originally Posted by RBI

I have read this sort of thing , many times on AO , that being that , ... with proper " shot placement " , just about anything will kill anything .

I , personally , have to question this kind of thinking .

But what about ... just off a little/lot " shot placement " ... for whatever reason ?

For all the experienced hunters out there , I would assume it's fair to say that not every single shot that you have fired at a animal , has hit " exactly " where you intended it to hit , whether it deflected off a small branch , more cross wind than you thought , too fast/excited , target moved , whatever ...

Hence , not getting the proper " shot placement " .

Oh , it may and in most cases , probably still did the job , but I have to say , ( in my limited experience ) I can't image that anybody would actually trust that a " .243 " would be what one would take for a Moose hunt , I would even question , Elk hunt .

For those of you who are going to jump on me for this , ( cause you have shot plenty of big, Big game with a .243 ) , I'm not saying it can't/hasn't been done , I just saying that I don't see it as an " eithicial caliber to recommend for something as big as a Moose or perhaps Elk .

Oh , and 58thecat, I'm not pointing specifically at you , it simply was that your post was easy to quote .

.... My thoughts , maybe not yours ...

I do agree that it isn't my first choice for large game, I'd prefer something with a little more weight. Saying that the 243 is a perfectly fine deer cartridge.

[antlercarver]

Depends on the person, not the gun. If you can not handle much recoil then shooting a larger calibre may cause more animals being wounded than a more confident shot from a light recoil like the .243

[albertabighorn]

Good for deer, i would choose a 30 cal for larger game.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by albertabighorn

Good for deer, i would choose a 30 cal for larger game.

I don't even own a .308" caliber rifle any more. If a .284" bullet won't get it done in Alberta, you are doing something very wrong. I wouldn't hesitate to use my 6.5x55 for elk or moose.

[Jamie Black R/T]

My wife shoots my 243 very well. I load a 100gr partition for it and have no hesitation letting her shoot elk or moose with that gun and load. Stay within your, and the cartridges, limitations and good results shall occur.

A flinching shot from a 30 cal would not be an improvement. Seen many poorly placed shots from magnums that resulted in lost animals or at best lengthy, horrible, recoveries with messy field dressing.

[DJS]

I love the .243. Is it the best calibre for larger animals...? probably not but it can be done. Someone earlier in the thread said it depends on the person, not the gun. Very true statement. In the hands of someone steady the .243 is deadly. In unsteady hands marginal hits will usually result in animals not being found. My son has killed 3 deer and 2 bears in the last 4 years of hunting. All with .243. In the right hands...

[cfnewfie]

All great information, I'm limited to lighter calibers due to a broken collar bone that still likes to give me trouble sometimes. I've tried a few loads so far with roughly the same results, fusion 95gr being the most accurate at a 5 shot group measuring .78 I feel comfortable this will be adequate up to a large wt/mulie but I think if I decide on using it for larger game I will bump up to partition or trophy copper ( I have a soft spot for federal loads) not enough free time to get into reloading/development just yet.

[raised by wolves]

I have used a 243 mostly for coyote, fox, and rabbits on the snow, but no problems for deer with a 100gr bullet. My first rifle was a 6mm Rem so same caliber, but a bit more velocity. I used that "puny", "undergunned", "non-magnum" to harvest around 150+ whitetails, 40+ mulies, a moose, and a couple of elk. There's a pile of retards out there that will tell you a 300 magnum is a requirement for mule deer and larger, but the 243 would not be the most common starter rifle for North American big game if it were not up to the task.

If you want something a bit heavier but without the recoil, check out the 7-08 as it is very similar to the 243 in kick. Even a 270Win is mild as long as you have a solid stock and a quality recoil pad.

[DJS]

Originally Posted by raised by wolves

I have used a 243 mostly for coyote, fox, and rabbits on the snow, but no problems for deer with a 100gr bullet. My first rifle was a 6mm Rem so same caliber, but a bit more velocity. I used that "puny", "undergunned", "non-magnum" to harvest around 150+ whitetails, 40+ mulies, a moose, and a couple of elk. There's a pile of retards out there that will tell you a 300 magnum is a requirement for mule deer and larger, but the 243 would not be the most common starter rifle for North American big game if it were not up to the task.

If you want something a bit heavier but without the recoil, check out the 7-08 as it is very similar to the 243 in kick. Even a 270Win is mild as long as you have a solid stock and a quality recoil pad.

150+ Whitetails, 40+ mulies....that's some good success...

[bighornram]

I bought my son a tikka 243 when he was 12 years old and he loves it, very accurate ,hardly any recoil. Good overall cartridge and popular for reloading. he moved up to 270 now and my daughter soon to be 12 years old will be using the 243.

[reloader]

Ya -- a 243 is a fine cartridge for small deer sized game. Fact of the matter is that I started with a 243 Win and used it for all of 5 years . I have since acquired a 30/06 in a mod 70 Winchester and had it re-barreled to 284. Super caliber for all game be it elk ,moose ,deer, or bear. Long action allowed me to seat my bullet at col .at 3.050 Love my gun

[JustMe]

Originally Posted by DJS

150+ Whitetails, 40+ mulies....that's some good success...

What would all us "retards" know? Listen to the one that knows it all I guess?

[D.A.C]

The girlfriend and I are looking into a 243. I never shot one so I cant tell her , good bad this and that.
due to we only shot a 30-06 (like every man and his dog) 7.62X39,22LR.
we hunt whitetail every year and waiting for a moose draw. Lastly predatos when they wont leave the yard and such . So we dont go looking for them type thing . Can someone truthfully share there experience with shoot the 243. Where did you hit your target, at how many yards,
Did it go down fast. Did it jump around and fall, did it go 10-40 yards.etc
And I know with a good shot anything with go down I understand that but every harvest is different. Thanks

[roger]

cfnewfie,
an 80-100gr bullet almost regardless of the cartridge name that propelled it, will kill almost anything it pointed at.
if your concerned about wounding so maybe try hunting from a ground blind set your limits to the range your comfy with. let the animal come to you, wait for the perfect presentation and control the moment. if the moment comes and goes without a shot...thats ok too.
getting involved in a highly mobile grunt and rattle session in heavy cover which any animal could show up in any time, distance or place. these are conditions that are what are somewhat out of your control.
exciting yes...but asking for trouble when your having to assess on the fly regardless of your caliber, bullet weight or camo pattern on your pants.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by LKILR

If you can't kill a deer with the .243 then you need more target practice.

Only if you're a precision shot and get it just right. Most people aren't. Hell of a good varmint cartridge though.

Grizz

[elkhunter11]

So those of you that don't think that a 90-100 gr bullet out of a 243win is adequate for a 250lb deer, would you consider a 130-150gr bullet out of a 270win adequate for a 1000lb moose?

[roger]

Only if you're a precision shot and get it just right. Most people aren't. Hell of a good varmint cartridge though.

yes thats true but why is it that we dont have the same respect for a gopher, coyote or wolf or the neighbours german shepard chasing a cow as we would for a 200" whtetail. i need to be just as good of shot for all regardless of what we are pointing it at.
a broadside fox is multiples more difficult to hit than a broadside moose with a gallon pail for a heart.
onward !
roger

[spoiledsaskhunter]

Originally Posted by cfnewfie

This year I've decided on .243 win for my deer rifle I've tried a few loads seems like this rifle will moa just about whatever I feed it. Im planning on factory loads and wondering if anyone has experience with clean kills, pass through, good blood trail etc

what's with all the chatter about elk and moose......he seems pretty clear on what he's going to hunt.

[catnthehat]

I have never used s 243 for hunting but have used the 6mm Remingyon with great success .
That being said, I like heavier bullets than what the 6mm's offer.
Cat

[kujoseto]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

So those of you that don't think that a 90-100 gr bullet out of a 243win is adequate for a 250lb deer, would you consider a 130-150gr bullet out of a 270win adequate for a 1000lb moose?

Compelling argument.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by RBI

I have read this sort of thing , many times on AO , that being that , ... with proper " shot placement " , just about anything will kill anything .

I , personally , have to question this kind of thinking .

But what about ... just off a little/lot " shot placement " ... for whatever reason ?

For all the experienced hunters out there , I would assume it's fair to say that not every single shot that you have fired at a animal , has hit " exactly " where you intended it to hit , whether it deflected off a small branch , more cross wind than you thought , too fast/excited , target moved , whatever ...

Hence , not getting the proper " shot placement " .

Oh , it may and in most cases , probably still did the job , but I have to say , ( in my limited experience ) I can't image that anybody would actually trust that a " .243 " would be what one would take for a Moose hunt , I would even question , Elk hunt .

For those of you who are going to jump on me for this , ( cause you have shot plenty of big, Big game with a .243 ) , I'm not saying it can't/hasn't been done , I just saying that I don't see it as an " eithicial caliber to recommend for something as big as a Moose or perhaps Elk .

Oh , and 58thecat, I'm not pointing specifically at you , it simply was that your post was easy to quote .

.... My thoughts , maybe not yours ...

Maybe the sharp stick with the little blade I use on moose should not be used based on your logic.
Archery tackle, shot placement, 30 yards dead moose/elk
243 cartridge, pick your rifle, shot placement, 200 yards dead moose/elk
Freezer full...just saying
Oh my the little 30/30 has done it too

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by spoiledsaskhunter

what's with all the chatter about elk and moose......he seems pretty clear on what he's going to hunt.

I think if he/she wanted to take the 243 rifle on a hunt for moose then it would be discussed heavily here.
I mentioned it before in a thread that I had the privilege to hunt with a one rifle old gentlemen who hunted all across this country with his little 243, rest his soul, and his freezer was full of moose or elk or deer or...every winter.

We younguns were toting our magnums, snot shocking macho good ol boys, we shut up after his off hand one shot kills on deer that fall

The pile of antlers, elk,moose, mule deer, whitetails behind his shed all piled up that most of us would have full mounts done were victims too to the little 243.