Way back many years ago... say 1984 or so I was preparing for my first rifle hunt for deer. Didnt have a gun and wanted a 270... Well my Dad went and bought me a new Remmy 700 adl in 243 win flavor... Being the spoiled brat at 14 yrs old I was... I convinced myself that it wasnt big enough since Id had my heart set on a 270. Dad just laughed it off and said whatever and told me I had a lot to learn... I carried it a few times... didnt have much luck with it and made a bad shot or two which basically confirmed in my all knowing teenage brain that it wasnt a deer gun at all. Even said it on message boards a few times over the years..

Fast forward to 2011 I decided to get it out and maybe hunt it a day or two. Didnt have any luck but it sure did shoot the 95 gr nbt's and 80 gr ttsx's awful well. Finally got a chance to shoot something while I was carrying it in 2013 doe season. Squeezed the trigger the deer dropped like a rock... I thought it musta been a fluke... So next day i take it out and shoot another with the exact same results. 2 bangflops with the 95 gr nbt's got my attention so I carried it again doe season of 2014 and hammered 2 more does.. 80 gr ttsx and a 90 gr Prvi partizan sp of all loads. Neither took a step. So come this buck season i carried it out and decided to try 90 gr ballistic tips. Killed a 155 lb dressed 12 point that ran about 4 steps... next day shot a very nice 7 point who face planted immediately after a double shoulder shot just to see how tough the 90's were. Apparently they must share the 95's beefed up jacket.

Suffice to say Im now solidly in the 243 fan camp.... and somewhere up there my Dad who died in 2003 is still laughing his azz off at me. Ive killed deer with a ton of chamberings and this one kills as good or better than any of them... but of course with the number of 243 fans on here... a lot of folks already knew this. Some of us are slow learners I suppose. Just what I need... another featherweight stainless build coming soon!

The 95gr nbt are a good bullet. For your new build twist it 8 twist and try the 105vld! Bang flop kills!

Before owning one I too thought they were too light. After hunting with a 6mm Rem and watching what my daughter has done with the .243, I too am a fan. I still prefer the .30/06 for nostalgia, but I wouldn't feel handicapped with a .243 or 6mm for deer.

The older I get, come deer season, the more the old 06s just seem to sit in the safe and the 243s seem to get carried a lot if'n I'm not toting a 260.... there is a weak spot for light loads in the 7 x 57 Featherweight tho...

The 6mm and 260 in my rack are my two favorite hunting rifles.

That 95 grain ballistic tip out of the 6mm is Deer cyanide.

About the same story here. I had always viewed it is a larger varmint/predator gun, of which I don't use much. Not even sure what initially got me to get one, probably just the fact that I wanted something bigger than the hot 22 cartridges.

I also shoot the 80 TTSX for hunting. Deer, coyotes, turkeys, etc. have met that bullet with impressive results.

I was a little concerned the first time I used it for deer, after seeing how little and long the blood trail can be from good bullets on deer in .22 caliber cartridges. I shot two nice bucks on the first day of a deer season with it. One was double lung, which went about 15 yards, and the other was a quartering shot, which folded it. Bloodtrails, when needed, are fantastic. I wouldn't hesitate to start a young shooter out with that cartridge.

Tried all kinds of stuff over the years and now that Im older and don't hunt anything larger than deer, my .243 is my "big" gun....

I had about the same opinion of the .243 until my 8 year old punched a deer with a 85 grain partition this year at 149 yards.

Now I want a Sako in 243.

Dink

The 243 and 85 partitions have always worked well for me. I have Barnes 85 TSXs loaded, but haven't used one...yet. Both give me sub moa groups.

The first deer I killed when I was just 6 was with a 30 carbine at 75 yards. 2nd deer was with a 222. Dad figured I was ready so at Christmas that year a Savage 99 in 243 showed up from Santa. A few years later, Santa brought me a 600 in 243. My 'love affair' with the 243 has proceeded from there. I used those two rifles to take more than 150 whitetails in just 10 years (doe culling operation on the ranch I hunted on). At 14, I took 13 doe in one morning with that rifle. As I recall, all were DRT.
Took my first buck with the Savage at about 60 yards.

Fast-forward about 45 years and I still have the Savage. It comes out when I'm going to just walk around hunting. The 600 is with my 5 year old grandson (he took his first buck with it this year! :D). The 600 was replaced with a Weatherby Vanguard S2 that prints some beautiful groups out to 500 yards.
Though I have other calibers, the 243 is what gets taken out to the field/range more times than not. I have NO hesitation on using it for any of the game animals I'm likely to be able to take where I hunt.

That's the bullet that got me on board with the 243.

Guys here got me started using that 95NBT and Im pretty well sold on it!

The 243 is 1 cartridge among many that has benefited from the advances/improvements in bullet technology and production, better today than the day that it was introduced.

I agree, mostly, but prefer to shoot Partitions in rifles with bores smaller than .277". I like through and through penetration and have gotten that outcome more often with Partitions than with BTs, but BTs have been more accurate.

I had about the same experience, maybe a couple years earlier than you. 'Twas a 788 at Christmas, and I dropped a thick-beamed 10 pointer the next fall with it. However, that killing was a rodeo, and I never had confidence in the gun. I'm sure it was 100% the fault of the cartridge, and not that the rifle as a 3-4 MOA shooter, or that I wasn't made to use hearing protection when firing it (ever!), or that I didn't spend enough range time with the gun.

After it sat in the gun cabinet for nearly 25 years, I brought it out & tried to make it behave, but no such luck. Hoping to make something useful out of my very first rifle, I called Mickey Coleman, who suggested a new barrel. It ended up being a 7-08, and it's now amazingly accurate.

But I haven't bothered to put another .243 in the safe, and I don't see it happening anytime soon. For the hogs & deer that the boys & I are likely to hunt, a 7-08 with 120's over a reasonable charge are plenty effective, and I can't discern any difference in recoil. Heck, with my loads, the 7-08 has less muzzle blast, too.

I suppose it just goes to show that I've not yet matured enough to abandon a childhood prejudice against a cartridge.

FC

.3-.4 MOA is typical of many 788s....JS.

Now Dink - I kick myself for selling:

1885 Low Wall

but perhaps more so, a pre-Garcia Forester and A2 Deluxe. Both wonderfully accurate, and you cannot beat the quality.

That said, had others, will likely have more again. Currently running a T3, and like ALL 243s, it shoots TIGHT.

Had a 1A Ruger, single shot, 3/8" on first 3-round group with a 2.5-8x and 85 BTHP Sierra handloads....

The 95 is my GO to deer/hog bullet, but the 80/85 barnes and 85 Sierra product DRTs, and yes, the 105 Amax - as I've dumped them to 400 yds from a 6BR

Scroll down to see a Hog I dumped about 3 seconds after it popped out of the brush at 240 yds - #1 RSI, 6x36 Swaro -
85 XBT

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...ger_1_International_Who_has_#Post3091822

Getting old:

Step one, sold all the .300 mag and larger

Step two, bought several .30-30s.

Step three, dug the .308 and .243 out of the back of the safe. ,

Step four, sold the last magnum, a 7 RM.

Step five, started using .243 and .30-30 more and more. 95 & 100 NP puts a .243 on steroids. Life is good. These will kill any predator or game that I am likely to encounter.

Step six, tagged the three .30-06 rifles for two S-I-Ls and a grandson to inherit. Nice rifles, but I am finished with them. The .308 goes to a daughte

Jack

My son uses my Browning Micro Hunter in .243 with Hornady 100 grain interlocks and every deer that has come in contact with that little rifle has ended up in the freezer.

Finally used one of the three raffle won .243s this year on a nice doe. Rem 700 CDL, 80 grain TTSX, base of neck with great expansion and damage resulting in the expected bang, flop. Never really bashed them, but never really took 'em very seriously, either, for too dang long.

I used my .243 on a fine little blackbuck antelope in Texas several years ago.. With the much loved 95 gr. Nosler BTBT. At the shot, which hit perfectly behind the shoulder, the buck took off and ran several hundreds yards up hill.. Watching a $1000. trophy fee beat it into the brush was not fun.. We followed the little guy up, he was still alive.. My partner said don't get close, he will jab you with those horns... After a minute the little guy gave up the ghost..
Sold my last .243 a couple mths ago..

Tell me how one wins three rifles in raffle drawings? You need to go to the casino......

I know.. 2012, 2013 & 2014 in the same Lions Club 130/150 gun yearly drawing. Streak ended this year after the Hat Trick.

Personally I am a 6mm Remington fan. I use 85 grain HPBT Game Kings, and they are pure poison on critters large and small.

My daughter took her first deer last year with my 6mm Tikka T3 and it was a bang-flop, at 197 yards. Very fun to watch!

I. Used to favor the 6mm over the ..243. Now I see it the other way around. If you are into .244 Remington or 6mm, you'd better be a reloader, I got rid of all my reloading tools, too much hassle! No benefits I could see!

I kept all my reloading tools and I'm keeping my 6mm.

I used to be a fan of the 6mm over the .243 and still am to some extent. That being said, I would purchase a .243 over a 6mm today just based on brass/ammo availability.

If you cant kill'em with a .243win, your'e doing something wrong. 3 kills this year with my .243win

nice!! what bullet do u use in your 243?

95gr VLD

When I was young I was walking up a mountain to my deer hunting spot. I passed a older gentleman sitting on a stump with a Savage 99 which he told me was a .243. Near dark he fired several times. . When my dad and I left the older man had some friends and they were bloodtrailing the buck. Next afternoon he was back on the same stump? He told me they couldn't find the buck. Before dark he fired a couple shots. Once again my dad and I ran into him on our way out and he had friends bloodtrailing this second buck. Next afternoon he was back on the same stump. He didn't find that buck either . Between that episode and my friend having to shoot a spike buck five times to put it down with his BLR .243 I was a .243 hater and bashed it at every turn. But live and learn. I love the cartridge now. It's one of my favorites.

Started off with a 6mm Rem which I see as a near equal to the 243 with the 6MM having a very slight edge in the field. Understand the love of the 243 especialy if you are not the reloading type.

Over the years iIhave used 6mm rem, 22-250, 270 winchester and 30-06. This year opted to give a bolt action 24" barrel 6.5 Grendel a try. 6 MM Rem and the Grendel have been my favorite. Always worth repeating in my book that bullet selection and bullet placement will go further in a sure kill than being over gunned.

The less expensive your ammo and the more recoil friendly your hunting rifle is; The more likely you are going to put in more time practicing before the hunt. This will go a long ways to experiencing proper bullet placement.

A .243 was my first bolt action, scoped deer rifle. Used it for a few years then thought I had to have something bigger.

Came back to the .243, did the same thing 3 or 4 times.

Sold my 7mm WSM last year and came back to the .243 as my main hunting rig. Doubt I'll leave this time.

The cartridge has always done anything I've wanted it to.

If I were shooting smallish deer, yotes, etc. I would use a faster expanding bullet. The 95 BT is TOUGH, it expands, but I would not hesitate to drive one into a Bull Elk, inc. the shoulder. Blew right thru a Buck's front shoulderS at 100 yds via a M7 XCR 20" carbine. Death run about 40-60 yds max. No problem. A 260 130 AB did about the same thing. Same placement, exact same crossing, same size deer.

Point is, I would use a bullet like a 70-85 hunting bullet, even a TNT varmint threaded thru the lungs. I can assure you a 70 TNT or a 85/85 Sierra/Hornady would make Soup of the lungs and it would be down fast.

SLG888 has some fine bucks above, and before he used the VLDS, he was using the 95 BT and shot MANY animals.

It's not perfect, but its a close to perfect in a 6mm that will punch thru bone, etc. on close shots, yet retain and expand for longer shots. Yes, a Barnes is tougher, and an Amax Softer, but the 95 is nothing to sneeze at. Sorry your experience was not typical.

punched a deer with a 85 grain partition this year at 149 yards.

Now I want a Sako in 243.

Dink [/quote] i started with a .243 sako in 1968. accurate . deadly. now i have some .243 sakos. hbs , mannlichers, sporters.

A couple of years ago a group of us went deer hunting in South Carolina. One of the group was recovering from rotater cuff surgery earlier in the year. We issued him a borrowed 243 which was met with some doubt as he had always been a confirmed big rifle shooter and thought a 30-06 was minimum to kill a whitetail. I told him I thought he would be surprised. He hit a doe right in the boiler room . I asked him what did she do and he said it looked like someone jerked a rug out from under her. Long story short he became a believer that day, and I became a instant rifle sage.
we then began to look for him a 243. The funny thing is I found a bargain on a 250-3000 savage and told him to buy it and if he didn't like it I'd buy it from him. Now he thinks there are two super deer rounds out there.

One hesitation I have on 243 is you guys mention premium bullets to make it perform well. I can buy any cheap round in my 30 calibers and have pass through performance. The basic bullets keep getting better.

Would you reconsider if you had to shoot cheap federal or Remington loads?

They kill sheep too.

I used cheap bullets, and cheap factory ammo for years in my .243s and never had any problems.

Still have a bunch of Interlocks and BTs loaded up, and use them on deer every year. Wouldn't consider them premium or costly.

.243's are for the retards that never heard of a 22-250 or .223.




Travis

We have a whole state full of mandated retards.....

.23 caliber minimum. That's silly, no one makes a .23. And they just started allowing Sunday hunting.

At least we are allowed Aviators. For now.

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.