Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game usefullness of the .243

I am looking at a winchester model 70 in .243,stainless,b&c stock,heavy barrell.my question is how far can I take whitetail deer with this?I personaly dont like shots over 300 yards on deer but might feel more comfortable after more practice..I want the rifle for varmint hunting,but it would be great if I could use it for deer also.I like the winchester but have never owned one.What do you guys think about the model 70

I think the Win 70 is top of the line for department store rifles and the 243 Win is great for varmints,(far as you can see them), for deer the 100gr bullet is great for deer out to 200 yards for a rifleman. For varmints the heavy barrel is great, for walking hunting, lighter rifles are better. You will never regret your choice in maker or caliber. -- no [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]

I have a pushfeed Mod 70 .243 and have yet to take a deer with it, but I have witnessed the results of several deer taken by two former hunting partners using .243's and the results were rather boring. they shot the deer and they stumbled, fell over, and died! [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img] <p>I would feel comfortable taking deer at 300-400yds with a solid rest and 95 or 100 gr partitions. <p>Saying that the farthest I've shot a deer is 70yds!!<p>Mike<p>P.S. ought to be awesome on varmints too, I have vaporized a few prairie dogs with 70 gr bullets in mine. That was why I originallybought the rifle. I had a PD hunt in WY and wanted something I could use in GA as well.

My second moose was taken at around 30 yards with a 243, smallish bull took two or three steps and died. I don't recomend this round for large game but shot placement makes up a lot for lack of bullet weight when done right. Took my first Mule deer at just over 200 yards with a 243. Both shots were using factory Remington core lock.
this was 1968 and 69 respectivly.<p>Bullwnkl.

I bought a Dakota Light hunter in 243 about 4 years ago and find that I use that rifle quite often when I'm not liable to meet up with a big bear. The Hornady light Magnum 100gr shoots so well that I haven't bothered loading. This is both a varmint and game load for this area. <p> A half dozen deer, two caribou and a young moose have dropped to this combination.

The M70 was and is a great rifle. As far as .243 goes- it will most certainly do double duty on varmints and deer-size, or larger, game. However, take a look at ballistics tables, particularly downrange energy. If you want a truly long-range deer cartridge, then I would look hard at the .25-06. It will not only do a good job on varmints with the lighter bullet weights, but is an honest 300 to 400 yd. deer and antelope killer with the 115, 117 gr., and 120 gr. bullets. This from personal experience. If, however, you are sold on the .243, I would limit shots on deer-size game to 200 yd. or so, unless you are confident you can place bullets with precision. You often hear that the .243 'is an adequate deer rifle in the hands of a skilled marksman'. A little overstated, perhaps, but there is some element of truth to it. I have used the .243 to take several deer and antelope, and it is a quick killer. I never had occasion to use it at ranges over 150 yards, however.

This past season Old Mabel, (that's my beloved bride), used her .243 #1 Ruger RSI to get her antelope. She was using 100 grain Sierra's in handloads.<p>She made the best shot I've ever seen on a goat. Bang, smack, thump! I don't think he even quivered.<p>She's got these little girly legs and while she took off in the direction of the goat I walked back to get the pickup. When I got to her she'd taken 285 paces and was only about 2/3 of the way to the critter. We didn't bother to measure it but my bet is that it was 300 at least.<p>My son did the same thing on a 5x4 whitetail with his Model 7 in .243 and I've come close to that distance with my 1B in .243 on an antelope. Mine wasn't a one shot kill though.<p>We've got a M70 XTR FWT in .308 that I'm working up loads for so I can re-retire my old Sako. I really like the gun but I'm still tweaking loads for it. I'd guess if it was a .243 I'd already have it tuned and running. I do like that caliber.

The .243 has been around for a long time, and is rightfully popular. Many have doubted it's abilities over the years. They cite lack of bullet weight, and energy, etc.
The logic of the .25-06 being fully adequate as a 400 yd. deer round, but the .243 is only trust worthy to 200 yds. escapes me. We are talking about adding .01 in diameter, and 20% in weight.
I, too, have seen the .243 do very well at 300 yds. The real trick when using the .243, is using good bullets. The Nosler Partition has been an excellent performer for me. I have no reason to think the Barnes X would be anything but better. The factory Remington Cor-Loks-in this round only-work beautifully.
In factory ammo, the Hornaday Lt. Magnum, the Remington Cor-Lok, and the Speer ammo with their GS bullets all have good reputations.
I remember reading an article years ago in Guns&Ammo by Les Bowman. He stated that his clients had done much better with the .243 on elk, than his clients shooting the .338 Win. Magnum. You can imagine what kind of comments that caused. E

I always thought it odd that the 257 roberts was considered a long range thumper by the "experts" but the 243 was a "150-200yd deer cartridge" at most and then only with laser precision shot placement. The 243 is actually more powerful with factory ammo than the 257bob. <p>With a Barnes 85grXBT or a 95gr Partition,I wouldn't be afraid to pop a whitetail at 400yds if I could get a steady hold with no wind.<p>If the price was right on the M-70 and it looks well taken care of,I'd buy it and practice long range shooting with it at varmints. It would be a great round to get your feet wet at doping the wind,mirage and trajectory. Good luck...

E,<p>I remember reading of Bob Milek and his sons shooting Big Bull Elk at 400yds with the lowly 243win. He was one of my favorite writers of my youth. Unless Elk have gotten much tougher,it would still work today. No wait, todays "experts" say it doesn't have enough mojo to kill a whitetail at 250 yds...it must be true [img]images/icons/wink.gif" border="0[/img]

I've taken a couple Dall sheep and caribou each with my .243, and a black bear. Wife took her first moose (2 year old) with it - Never touched a rib in or out, but jellied his lungs (about 80 yards). Shot placement is everything, tho I wouldn't recommend it for anything much bigger than deer. We still carry it on occaision on alpine hunts here in Alaska, though only with something heavier along as well.
Years ago, I read an article by an "expert" in Rifle magazine who used charts and graphs and such to show how the .25-06 was "adequate" for mule deer, but not "enough gun" for caribou. I just s******ed, having killed 23 caribou in one year two years befoe with one shot each with a Ruger 77V, and flatten'em right now kills on 22 of them. including one at about 500 yards. The first one of the 'bou, took a bullet at the base of the neck, which stopped at the opposite hip, turning him sideways, with the second round through the lungs flattening him (at about 150 yards). Always carried a salt shaker around "experts" after that.
Incidently, the 25-06 carries a lot more energy with it, so IMHO is a better long range caliber for lare deer or bigger. It definately flattens caribou better than the .243, if you are looking for immediate knock down and stay down kills.