Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Confessions of a former 243 basher...

Travis,haven't you finished that milk carton yet! Lol keep the stories comming ,enjoying my 243 More n more !!! Great thread 🤔🤔🤔

I have always used std c&c bullets mostly core loct and they did fine all one shot kills. I only caught one a perfect mushroom under the skin of the offside after going thru both shoulders. I do only use 100 gr bullets as many of the lighter bullets are really designed for varmints.

I've been a 24 caliber fan for years. Especially the 6mm Rem. Recently I had a 243 build completed with plans of staying with the 100gr. bullet, but I've seen several mention the 85gr. Partition. I've heard that they can be difficult in working up an accurate load. Has anyone found this to be true?

I got mine as a 16 year old cause the guy sold it too me very cheap. It's a rem mod 7 stainless. . I figured I would flip it for money. Shot a few deer and realized it was like Thor's hammer. It replaced my .307 win and 30-06 as my go to deer rifle. Never did sell the rifle and now it sits in a mcmillan stock. I use it more than any other rifle and have never had a deer run out of sight. Most are DRT. I am going to try my 6br with 105vld when I get the chance. Betting I get the same results. I now also have a custom 260 that I need to bloody. Funny thing is all my buddies think 243 is a youth caliber. Then when they shoot it or see what it does they end up with one. Next I am gonna step down to 223 and give it a go for deer. Got 2 little boys coming up that will probably start with that

No way. All I use is Federal blue box 100's and I even carry that gun for bear sometimes. That load is a penetrator.

Hmmm... I have been itching to try one and this thread may be the excuse to try ne.

The 243 has always been a 50/50 caliber where I grew up. Love it or hate it.

The only case where I know its came into doubt was my young gunsmith shot a deer and it took a 1/4 mile before he found it. He was high up in his deer stand on a close shot with a fat MN whitetail. The shot angles steep from above, but never went out the bottom so minimal blood trail.

We've seen heart shots on whitetails with 3006 that they still go 40 yards so its a matter of what the bullet hits. Its nice to have two holes to leak.

Having said that... My brother in law shot a young doe for my father in law and I helped him process it. We never notices a exit hole... and that was with a 270.

I would lean towards shooting copper in a 243 if I try one.

WOW! Thats really a nice mule deer for Tennessee!

+1

Conventional CNC bullets are better than ever now too....with minor exceptions...

The US Military spent a LOT of ammo while it was developing the .223 to try to improve accuracy, etc., the .222 Remington was far better accuracy wise. Recently some recommended the .243 replace the .223 for military rifles. That didn't get very far. But for hunters the .243 is usually a better hunting round than .223 if there is any possibility it would be used for deer or the like. The .223 is today a very good light round. There are so many .223s out there that ammo is a good deal! But I myself don't own a single .223 and will keep my .222 for my life. To many the .243. is a good light round. Personally if I had to chose between the .22-250 or the .223 I'd take the .223. But the .243 is more versatile.
However to the reloader the 6mm offers a lot!

The military could do worse IMHO than to use the 6x47 or 6.5x47 Lapua, but it will never likely happen in the AR platform as too much history in 556. Sure would be a nice change/swap for 308 bolts.

Regarding factory Rem ammo - read some data where 100 CL only shot around 2700-2800. Not to it's potential, enough for many shots, but not ideal for the longish shots. When you get down to it, the few rounds fired on game pales in comparison to all other expenses. A few boxes of say WW 95s will be plenty to sight and hunt a couple of seasons.

The rounds you mention were considered better in the second round of deliberations over the .243, yet the dependence on .223 is pretty heavy, but the specialty teams almost always use a different round. .308 for longer shots and recently some other rounds that anyone who follows sniper use would recognize. .243 still is one of the most effective light rounds for the hunting rifle. In his book titled the Hunting Rifle Jack O'Connor stated that both the .243 and .244 (6mm) were very useful rounds but he would himself take a .257 Roberts, or the round that he titled " Big Punch in a Small Case" the 7x 57. The situation now though is the .243 is easier to get anywhere. The .257 Roberts is a round though that has made a amazing comeback. In fact I will be looking a a Select Kimber 84M in .257 but will once again probably leave the store with the .243.

6mm Remington running an 85 grain HP Game King.

Great Pic, Mackay!

I got my first 243 barrel earlier this year from the classifieds, you've nudged me to get it swapped and start shooting.