Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Anyone ever found the 243 lacking?

I suggest trying the 95 grain Ballistic Tip. The 4350's work very well under it, as does 4064. The latter tops out about five or six grains lower in charge weight, lessening muzzle blast while still giving good velocity and accuracy. I've found new shooters do better with less blast, even when recoil isn't an issue.

My point is that the bullets wizzed through the animal with no discernible effect and if he had been in an area where we couldn't keep an eye on him, we might have assumed that he had been missed. I have seen LOTS of deer shot and IME a larger frontal area at moderate velocity is much more likely to have a more dramatic impact on an animal. The deer that I have seen shot that didn't know they were ever hit were with the smaller faster calibers. Inside of 100 yards a 30-30 or similar is much more forgiving of bullet placement. I'm just saying IMHO there are better choices for a novice hunter. I started my wife on a 308 Kimber and she has no reason to look for anything else.

Blacktailer
I appreciate the input. Was your wife's Kimber a Montana? Did you load the 308 down for her? The 308 loaded way down has been a consideration for me as well.

I started my wife on a 7mm-08 Remington and I shouldve started myself on one too. Ego kept me with the 30-06 way too long. The 7mm-08 is everything I could need in a cartridge and its pleasant enough that I wouldn't need anything with less recoil.

Lets see. You have 223, , 270, 7 mag.

What's missing in between? 243. It's great for coyotes to 400 yards, deer, antelope, fun to shoot for women, kids, and old men.

As time goes on it more often becomes my go to gun. I would not hesitate to use it on elk with the right bullet unless I planned on possibly shooting a long way or was after big bulls in heavy timber.

I wont hunt deer with nothin less than a 338 win mag

I actually have a 243, just never killed anything with it. I only hunt it on sunny days. It's one reason 243 makes sense for me. Any ammo or components would serve double duty.

She has a Super America. I stated her off with 110 and 130gr HP at minimum loads. After she got used to those I worked the charges and bullet weights up until she was shooting mid power 165's which she used to take a zebra. We just got back from Argentina where she took a blackbuck with 150TTSX's running at about 2800fps.
The gun fits her and has a good pad which I feel is at least as important as the amount of recoil.

I've never found it lacking and generally those that do have little experience with it and base their views on misplaced shots or incorrect bullets used. Load up a 95 gr BT or 85 TSX and shoot stuff in the right spot. You'll end up with lots of dead stuff with little fuss. IMHO

You could sell me that and have cash toward a new one.

I think it would be a sin to not kill stuff with that gun.

I have never shot a deer that a .243 would not have been just peaches for. It's a great deer caliber. Personally, I would shoot a bullet that opened up generously ... like a Berger

Had a number of 243s over the years, I have found them to be excellent rifles for everything from ground hogs to deer. Granted my sample of 3 deer with a 243 is pretty small but I can tell you that all three got dead pretty damn quick. Shots ranged from 15 to 200 yards using 100 gr. c&c bullets.

Kinda wanting to plug something with my new old Savage. It's bear season right now too...

A great cartridge with less recoil than an 08. I know a couple folks that use them on elk, but they are careful with shot placement. A 243 slug will break down a deer with ease.

I bought my daughter a youth Winchester ranger in .243 for deer reason a few years ago.
We grunt called a young buck in and she shot it at 65 yards max.
The deer bounded away unfazed, I was shocked. Her rest and shot looked perfect. We looked for that deer for a full day and only did find him after the coyotes gave his downed location away after he was too late to salvage. He had gone quite aways into high grass.

I'd never endorse the .243 for deer after that experience. An '06 or .270 would have done him in with ease. That .243 was quickly sold in favor or a larger more sufficient caliber. And she's lost no more deer.

I do think the 243 is a tad small, that's why I hunt with a 250 Savage. That was a joke. My hunting buddy has a 243 that he used to swear by. I used it one year and made a neck shot on a little 85 pound spike buck at 187 paces. I was impressed, but until that shot, most of my kills were under 100 yards with a 35 Rem 336. Then I got my 250, it's a 1950 99R. Low and behold, the 99 could do anything his bolt gun could. It is a very accurate rifle. One of my buddy's old sayings is "small target, small pattern". I've taken that to heart. I shot my 220 pound wild boar behind the ear. The next year I shot a 150 pounder in the left eye. A while back someone on the Savage forum posted a pic of a really nice buck with a little hole behind the eye. If you shoot them behind the ear or in the eye you don't waist any meat. I'm not saying all shots can be in the ear or eye. Both deer I shot this year were behind the shoulder. But, I think a lot of folks would find that if they are patient and aim at a distinct small point, they would find they are better shots than they think they are. I've only lost one deer to my 250. The bullet went though a small maple tree and hit him on the base of his right antler, knocking it of. Maybe a bigger bullet would have knocked him down? Or, would have deflected differently and missed all together. I don't feel any need for more firepower. I have 3 06's, but intend on using my 250 for all of my pig and deer hunting. As I get older, I get less excited. I find the challenge to make a good shot as much a part of the hunt as spotting and taking the game, Joe.

It always boils down to placement, bullet design, and impact speed. After shooting deer with various .22, .24, and .25 caliber rifles, I find that I want a sturdy bullet. It makes all the difference in those scenarios when a smaller caliber might otherwise be "not enough gun", such as a hard-angling shot. The mono bullets seem to be great when you catch a shoulder, but the Partition is also a great game bullet in the .24-.25cal guns. It's tough on lungs also. Has never let me down.

243 all the way.

I have a Montana in 243 and recoil is almost non-existent. The rifle is also obviously light and easy to handle, your wife and kids should love it.

Little snort when it goes off but I imagine earplugs are a given for the kids.


Sample of one deer so far, mature mule deer buck, 90 grain 'target' bullet, 190 yards.

Buck dropped at the shot, no exit but one very dead deer.



I would just load up a little tougher 'hunting' bullet and not worry about anything.

what bullet did you use?

by far the best post on this thread.

I hunt almost exclusively with my .243 and 95 grain NBT's over RL-22. If I ever have a moose tag, I would probably go with something bigger like my .280 AI.