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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 728
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 728 |
My interests are leaning toward the .243 Winchester lately, as I have never owned one before. Seems that I read and hear a lot about it being great for "beginners," "youth," and "lady hunters"
I'm sure this is a formidable cartridge for "seasoned adult men" as well, I just know very little about this round.
I would love to hear more about this chambering from hunters who use this round on big game, particularly, whitetail. Tell me about the advantages/disadvantages of using it for whitetail hunting. Any favorite bullets that work better than others? , etc...
School me please, and thank you.
I won't drink the swirled Kool-Aid .....well, maybe, if it looks like wood
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,741
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,741 |
The 243 is my go to deer cartridge. Anyone who thinks its for trick shots or just for children needs to stop allowing themselves to be brainwashed and stop watching reality tv because it's making them dumber. A deer shot in the front half from a 243 isn't long for this world. Deer ain't hard to kill and a 95 nosler BT will kill in short order with excellent penetration.
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,352
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,352 |
i love the 243. just bought one actually. a remington 700. when i first started hunting i used my dads old browning blr 243 and took a pile of deer using the 80gr winchester powerpoints. i have 2 boxes of hornady interlocks 100gr ima try out this season
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,512
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,512 |
The 243 ONLY kills deer when fired by boys and women. It bounces off game when used by grown men.......
If you use a good bullet, thru vitals, you will dull your knife.
Otherwise, it's on you, not the round.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 728
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 728 |
Any favorite bullet recommendations?
I won't drink the swirled Kool-Aid .....well, maybe, if it looks like wood
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,741
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2004
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H4350 and 95 NBT does the body good.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22,884
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22,884 |
95 Nosler BTip 85 Hornady Interbond 95 Nosler Partition 100 Hornady BTSP
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,214
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,214 |
Shot 4 deer with my 243...,they were all 1 shot kills, all whitetails, all seemed to be as dead as other whitetails I shot w/ a 30-30, 35Rem, 308 & 30-06
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,619
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2013
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If you don't load, the fed fusions have done VERY well on deer for me, out past 250, and up close.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 39,036
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 39,036 |
Was never interested until the runt's grandpa bought him one.
Last year he took a decent 8pt with it. Hornady Whitetail ammo. 100 gr Inter-something.
I'm reloading for it now - worked up a decent load of H4350 under a 105 Amax. Peach to shoot off the bench and pretty danged accurate. Enough that I'm giving serious thought to getting one myself.
Me
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,219
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,219 |
I started hunting Whitetails with a .243 some 40 years ago, and still do from time to time. But mine mostly gets used by my nieces & nephews nowadays here on the Ranch.
I've litterally killed a truck load of does, bucks, and feral hogs with mine over the years. And with just about ever .243 bullet available. And no telling how many coyotes, too. For factory ammo, it's really hard to beat the cheap Factory Reminton Corelock load with their 100 grain bullet. Or the Hornaday Whitetail Load with their 95gr SST.
It's still one of my favorite all around Calibers, and won't ever be without one. Great Antelope and varmit cartridge, also.
Last edited by chlinstructor; 09/22/14.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,832
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,832 |
The 243 is my go to deer cartridge. Anyone who thinks its for trick shots or just for children needs to stop allowing themselves to be brainwashed and stop watching reality tv because it's making them dumber. A deer shot in the front half from a 243 isn't long for this world. Deer ain't hard to kill and a 95 nosler BT will kill in short order with excellent penetration.
H4350 and 95 NBT does the body good. This is the straight stuff right here.
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,214
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
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Chl, isn't the Hornady Whitetail the 100g BTSP Interlock?
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,219
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,219 |
Chl, isn't the Hornady Whitetail the 100g BTSP Interlock? Sorry, your right. I was thinking of their SuperPerformance loading I shoot in my 6mm. It is loaded with the 95 grain SST bullet. Thanks for correcting me.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 401
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 401 |
I've killed quite a few deer with one and seen even more taken with one. I love the cartridge. Never the first complaint. I might get another one just because....
If you're disappointed it won't be the cartridges fault.
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,032
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2007
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now we need someone to say that they prefer cartridges with more "knockdown power."
Uber Demanding Rifle Aficionado
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,576
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2001
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105gr Speer Hot Core works very well as does the 100gr Nosler SB-if you can find any, that is. Kids rifle? I don't think so. Good for old pharts too, who don't like to deal with much recoil.
'Tis far better to walk alone than to follow a crowd going the wrong way.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,832
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,832 |
I'm way past the kid stage. My beard has more salt than pepper, and a day's growth could probably knock slag off welds, but I like my 243.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745 |
Funny, I was just looking at a Montana on GB in.... Yep, .243. I'm going to loose my 7x57 here in a year to my boy, so I'm going to need to replace it with something. I'm thinking it will be a .243.
Camp is where you make it.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,784
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,784 |
now we need someone to say that they prefer cartridges with more "knockdown power." Well OKAY... I prefer something with more Knock Down Power.... such as the 6mm/08 Winchester.... or the 6mm Remington...
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