Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .243 Win. and whitetail deer ???

We shoot 85gr TSX over 44.5gr of IMR4831. 0-200 yards, woods and fields. My daughters rifle and she has killed a couple truckloads of deer with it and that load. I borrowed it once and shot my biggest buck through both shoulders at 200 yards. Made me a believer.

I have a nearly shot out 1-8” twist Rock 243win that I’ve used as my primary hunting rifle since 2012. I load 105 bthp hornadys with 41 grains of RL17. Despite the bullets “match” billing it has proven to be a excellent bullet in terms of terminal performance but also in flight.

We hunt as a gang and put on large scale deers drives. In that capacity, shots are typically inside 100 yards. Pretty much focusing on matching antlers with their bodies when 30-40 deer run by. High shoulder shot for me unless a doe is posing pretty and then I knock the brains out of her.

When the gang disbands for the day I’ll watch a field. When they come out to feed we shoot them like ground hogs. Glass them to identify the mature does, range em, dial and squeeze. Longest kill so far is just shy of 600. Again, high shoulder shot, like they’re turned off.

Though I’ve heard that 243s are for women and small children...

Woodson, do you mainly get pass-throughs with the 105hpbt? I've shot a handful of hogs and deer with it and it worked well, but they were all broadside. The bullet certainly shoots well in my factory 700 over RL26.

My wife and I both have 243 for deer, Tikka T3 and a T3 Superlite for her. 95gr Nosler BTH over 4831. Do your part and deer won't go far, or anywhere. Typically hunting the woods with them with shots up to 150 yards and usually 100 or less. Easy to carry, easy to shoot and great results...what's not to like.

I got a little moist thinking about what velocities I could achieve with RL26. To your question I would say that even on squarely shot shoulders most come out the far side. If it doesn’t then the projectile(s) are resting inside the far side shoulder. The longer range kills have all been pass throughs.

Full disclosure though I did kill a nice 10 point this year that I had to shoot running and landed a behind the shoulder shot. Upon inspection it looks to have grenaded on a rib and literally turned the entire thorasic cavity into a soup kitchen. Dead all the same with in a few strides.

I like the bullet so much that I load them in batches of 500. Shoot the hell out of em as if it was a 223.

Is Hammonds still doing gun work ?

Clarence has done all my work I’ve had done but I hadn’t started any new projects in a while. Clarence is getting pretty old. Honestly don’t know how he is doing or if he is still smithing. He was threatening to hang it up in 2012.

https://www.facebook.com/people/Clarence-Hammonds/100008867049634

Current?

That’s him.

I have only used a 22/250, 243 or 6mm here since 2007. Nothing bigger that I can recall.

Treestand hunting in hardwoods most of the time anymore and hunt a few small fields bordered by timber. 50 yard shots would be a long shot for me over the last 15 years or so.

Have used 80 grain Sierra btsp with great results. Lung shot deer are either DRT or travel 25'.

85 grain Sierra Varminter, not the BTHP. Shoots through most deer. Ranges 15 yards or so to 300. A lot of DRT with a few making it 20-30 yards.

85 grain Sierra Gameking BTHP. A little tough for my tastes, no DRT in about a half dozen deer but did leave blood trails. 25-50 yard death runs. All shot under 100 yards.

95 grain Nosler Partitions. Only 2 deer, 1 was 15 yards and DRT and the other about and made a 50 yard death run pouring blood the whole way. This is my main bullet in my 6mm right now.

100 grain Sierra Prohunter or Gameking. 50 yards to 350 or so. Too many deer to list. Most were DRT, runners would go 20 yards or less while plowing the ground with their nose the whole way.

100 grain Hornady BTSP. About the same as Sierra 100 grain bullets.

Powder ranges from IMR-4064, IMR-4350 or IMR-4831.

This year I used my .243ai and killed two does....dropped them right there
My daughter also uses a .243 as does my son.
My wife uses a 6x45
My son and wife uses the same bullet 80 grain ttsx
My daughter uses a 70 nbt
I use the 105 Amax.....gonna be changing though as I’m running out of them.
Not one deer got away from us, they usually die within sight.

Is that a BDL SS or stainless SPS?

Good info. My 243 is primarily my truck gun, as it's just an SS700, cut back to 21.5". The 105hpbt seems like a good all-rounder, as the rifle is just as likely to get pulled out for a crow, or a hog, or for practice on steel. It tracks well with the long range duplex in the Leupold on top.

700 SS SA
#2 rock 1-8” 22”
McMillan Edge Mountain Rifle
PTG BDL bottom metal
Trigger tech primary
Sightron Big Sky 4-16x42

105 HPBT or 80gr TTSX.

I use a 243 quite a bit, and use the 100 grain Sierra Pro Hunter or GameKings. I've been fiddling with 100 grain Nosler Partitions, but so far no luck in my rifle with H 4350.

Most of my shots are in woods, with some open hayfields/pastures thrown in, anywhere from eyeball range to 200-250 yards.

I've not been disappointed in the Sierras, but like the idea of a better guarantee of an exit.

This is where I am too.


Model 7 Predator gets the 80 ttsx and 4350.


24” adl gets the 105 hpbt with h1000.

May have to come close to copying that build!!

Maybe a different scope and chambering, something like another 6mm Remington!!

Took advantage of a Black Friday deal that Rock Creek was putting on. For $285 I have a #2 6.5 1-8” ordered. They claim it’ll ship before Christmas. It’ll live it’s life as a CM next.

Now if I could only secure some damn RL26....

105s work sufficiently on critters as well.

Didn’t have to track him too far...