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Joined: Oct 2016
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Campfire Greenhorn
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OP
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 58 |
Hi. I recently acquired a 243 I plan to deer hunt with.im used to hunting with bigger rounds and am curious if the 243 leaves adequate blood trails with deer bullets. I'm using 95 grain nosler ballistic tips and 100 grain federal factory ammo. Should I have any problem getting blood trails? Or should I go back to using my 9.3x62mmMauser?
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,264
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,264 |
No. It will be more than enough. The 95 Nosler is money for deer sized game You will be converted to the 243 club I’m sure after shooting one with it
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,248 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
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You are going to get a lot of different answers here.
If I want somewhat consistent blood trails with a smaller caliber like .22, 6mm, or .257, I generally go for a controlled-expansion bullet to improve the odds of getting an exit. If it's more of a dual-purpose bullet, like something for a truck-gun or range toy, I may use a softer bullet that is cheaper or more accurate and just live with the fact that penetration may be more limited at times. I've had to run grid-searches in thick brush many times with deer shot with soft 6mm and .257 bullets that didn't exit on chest shots that weren't really hard angles. Not a fan for a dedicated deer hunting rifle. Make that same cup/core bullet a heavier 6.5mm or larger, and it'll likely punch on through. Same goes for a 6mm mono-bullet or Partition.
Now with even more aplomb
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
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I load 80 TTSX for grandkids, punches through shoulders, lots of blood. They don’t go far, mostly DRT
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Joined: Sep 2004
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2004
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You should have no problem. My wife has a 243, and I a 6mm Rem , we go out west for mule deer , we never have one go 50 yards, most went bang flop.
Well we're Green and we're Gold, and we play better when it's cold. All us Cheese heads have our favorite superstar. We love Brett Favre.
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
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You should have no problem. My wife has a 243, and I a 6mm Rem , we go out west for mule deer , we never have one go 50 yards, most went bang flop. Ive used a .243 a lot and was never impressed with a good blood trail. On the positive side, like Wheleman says, they sure don';t go very far!
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Jan 2012
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
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You should have no problem. My wife has a 243, and I a 6mm Rem , we go out west for mule deer , we never have one go 50 yards, most went bang flop. Ive used a .243 a lot and was never impressed with a good blood trail. On the positive side, like Wheleman says, they sure don';t go very far! Made the switch to my [beautiful] Boat Paddle MKII .243 a few years back running Federal Fusions[95]. Tracking has not come up so far. Of the 10-12 whitetails shot nary one has gone out of sight prior to going down.
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Aug 2017
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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If you want dead deer the .243 works great. If you always want a blood trail there are better options.
I have zero experience with the two bullets you mentioned but a fair amount of experience with Bergers (105) and Barnes (85 TSX and 95 LRX) and some experience with a couple basic cup/core soft points in the 100 grain range. These have been fired at deer/antelope from youth model .243s with stubby barrels and pedestrian velocities up to 6mm-06 speeds. Ranges from inside 100 to 400+
-Barnes gives two holes most of the time (I have caught two) but not particularly large holes so blood trails aren't always spilled paint bucket type deals. Caliber in, quarter ($0.25) out seems to be the norm.
-Bergers sometimes give one hole, sometimes two but tends to kill decisively even with just heart/lungs. On the occasions they do exit it can be dramatic, bordering on excessive.
-Cup/Core Soft Points often exit but not always. I don't remember any large exits.
YMMV
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Joined: Dec 2020
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Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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In my opinion try the 100 gr Nosler partition and you won't have any trouble. Just my 2 cents. Thanks & good luck.
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Joined: Dec 2016
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,799 Likes: 8 |
A 243 Win just kills! And with today's bullet technology, you're good to go! Best to you and enjoy the results with a 243 Win!
Last edited by DeanAnderson; 10/28/21.
It isn't what happens to you that defines you, it's what you DO about what happens to you that defines you!
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2009
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.243 works well for me culling Whitetails, 100 gr. SGK Or 105 gr. Scenar, 1 serving per customer. Rio7
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2003
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I can't say about a blood trail because I 've never lost sight of one I shot with my hand load with 100gr Rem Corelokts. YMMV
The Karma bus always has an empty seat when it comes around.- High Brass
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Your blood trails will be less and longer than your 9.3.
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Joined: Jun 2012
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I shot a 243 Short track with the 95 gr bt a few years back when I was running dogs on occasion. The deer that wasn’t drt had plenty of blood to follow. I would shoot them without worries.
"If you got it, you got it!" In memory of Pops, gone but never forgotten
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Yes, you may have problems if you need an obvious trail through heavy cover. Put it through the shoulder blades or neckbone so you don't have to worry about blood trails.
To put it another way, think more .223 than .25/06 when you consider .243 in terms of effect on game.
Living in a world of G17s and 700s, wishing for P7s and 202s
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Joined: Dec 2015
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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.243 works well for me culling Whitetails, 100 gr. SGK Or 105 gr. Scenar, 1 serving per customer. Rio7 Pretty good testimonial there.
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 193
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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.243 is a good round for white tail. Have filled the freezer a few time with my ruger M77 and federal 100 grain soft point.
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I've shot 4 deer with a 243...
3 were drt.. 2 head shots, 1 high shoulder shot and the last one went about 40 yards and watched it drop.
Yes you will get a blood trail. Sometimes not a great one.
Take a good shot and shoot to drop them where they stand. No worries.
Last edited by CBB; 10/29/21.
Hunt...
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 58
Campfire Greenhorn
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OP
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 58 |
Thank you all for your input. I'll use my new 243 with 95grain nosler ballistic tips and 100 grain federals.i may switch to 80gr ttsx bullets depending in the performance of the noslers.i have a feeling the noslers ballistic tips are gonna do fine.
Thanks!!
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 144
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 144 |
In my opinion try the 100 gr Nosler partition and you won't have any trouble. Just my 2 cents. Thanks & good luck. That's the exact bullet I use and of the 14-15 deer I have shot with it, none ran more than 50 yards, if they didn't drop there. No fancy shots, just boiler room hits and dead deer!
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