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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,478
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,478 |
My boy shot a really nice 25" mule deer the other day with his 243. We messed with him for a couple hours over 2 ridges in burned standing timber. Finally got a decent shot at 306 yds. Shot was prone. Entered at the base of the neck , through the off side shoulder. Buck never took a step. Fell over with his legs in the air. 95 grain nosler ballistic tips. Excellent deer bullets. My 2 boys and I have killed 8 or 9 big mule deer with a 243, at ranges from 50 yds to 410 yds . Very lethal, low drama.
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,779 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,779 Likes: 1 |
Why would you use seconds for hunting? Practice, yes, hunting no! Bullets are the cheapest component of a hunt and just about the most important!
It isn't what happens to you that defines you, it's what you DO about what happens to you that defines you!
NRA life member
Illinois State Rifle Association member
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,575
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,575 |
Sounds like an enviable track record to me ๐
If searching for deader faster, double lung them with a Berger.
I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world itself is vexing enough. -- Col. Stonehill
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,621
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,621 |
Heck with the 80gr TTSX itโs at least as good as the common garden variety 6.5x55
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3 |
%&*$#*@! .243!!!!! This sombitch ALMOST took one step!!!! Well, actually he flipped and was DRT! Been trying to help wife get a deer since getting my lil' 8 two weeks back. She has [much] higher standards than I. Been hunting a farm with her off and on since getting mine, I've only been carrying my CCP .380[as always] letting her take choice of which rifle.
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,013 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,013 Likes: 5 |
Nice !!!
But why'd you crop out the pretty Lady ?????
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,199
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,199 |
R19 with the 85s using a cci 250 or Fed 215 primer is doing 3300 or better....lung shot deer more than often run, even with a 7 mag. You can not break a deer's shoulders and them run off.
95g Hornady SST is one heck of a deer hunting bullet, hangs right with the 95g ballistic tips.
Last edited by keith; 12/05/22.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3 |
Nice !!!
But why'd you crop out the pretty Lady ????? Uploaded the wrong pic.....don't tell!
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 7,471
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 7,471 |
Raeford,
What bullet? Distance? And what did the bullet hit/break to cause drt?
Thanks
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,021 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,021 Likes: 2 |
Heck with the 80gr TTSX itโs at least as good as the common garden variety 6.5x55 Absolutely! That bullet acts like a 7mm at least. Impressive penetration and blood trails
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3 |
Raeford,
What bullet? Distance? And what did the bullet hit/break to cause drt?
Thanks 50ish yards Factory Federal Fusion Heart shot
Last edited by Raeford; 12/06/22. Reason: distance
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745 |
Raeford,
What bullet? Distance? And what did the bullet hit/break to cause drt?
Thanks Shot one last week with Federal blue box 100gr. Deer never took a step. Shot facing me, exited behind left shoulder. Heart was in chunks, lungs were jelly. By the time I made the 50 yard walk there was blood on the ground on the exit and coming from the nose.
Last edited by tzone; 12/06/22.
Camp is where you make it.
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,918
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,918 |
Friends have killed 3 deer in the past week with the 243 and factory ammo.
Big doe - 50-60yd shot, entered right side mid-rib, broke left shoulder, no exit - 100gr Hornady btsp. She made it maybe 20yds
11pt buck - 90yd shot, rear lung/liver, deer hunched up and walked 3-4 steps, hit again 3" higher with the 2nd shot and the buck collapsed. Federal blue box 100gr
Big doe - 30yd shot, lungs were mush, clipped the heart. She made 2 hops, stumbled and fell, so maybe 10-15yds? Federal Blue Box 100gr
When I die I hope I don't start voting democrat.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,790 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,790 Likes: 1 |
And we have antelope buck I shot about 150 yards or so that took an 85 gr. hpbt from Sierra through both lungs. He was standing and I had a dead rest. He looked my direction and walked up the ridge for a couple hundred yards and stood around. Finally his head dropped. I walked across to the spot he went up the hill cut his track in the light snow. Blood trail easily spotted, the bullet exited but he walked of and remained on his feet several minutes. Years later a 100 grain corelock through both lungs of a doe antelope that was drinking at a pond. She ran over 200 yards before going end over end. little blood for the first 75 yards.. Since I could watch her not a big deal. There have been other incidents like this over the years.
Molon Labe
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3 |
Dammit!!! %&*@^*! .243 done let me down again!! Was wanting to go track this one but the sombitch was DRT!
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,244 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,244 Likes: 3 |
Dammit!!! %&*@^*! .243 done let me down again!! Was wanting to go track this one but the sombitch was DRT! Nice rack Raeford Congrats ! Any idea what that deer weighed ? Just curious. Looks kinda skinny.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,529 Likes: 3 |
He wasn't huge but our initial rut is winding down so he's been going hard for a month+ now. Didn't weigh but would guess #175 before gutting. Wifes deer from last Sunday dwarfs him size wise, but my spread beat hers by almost 1" @ 19-1/4". Would guess hers @ #215+ Both had near empty intestines. Hers: Mine has a 3rd peticule[?] dead center.
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,244 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,244 Likes: 3 |
Our bucks are all rutted out up here of course. I killed an 8 this past Friday that dressed 155 lbs. Looks pretty similar to your wifes buck. Huge neck, big shoulders and haunches. Not a bit of fat on him.
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,018
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,018 |
Except in Iowa where we have 35 cal. and up regs. Years ago my dad and I were hunting coyotes and we called in 5 in one particular stand. I got two, my dad got one, and they all dropped at the shots. Then the first one I hit stood up so I shot him again. Down he went. Then the second one I hit out at longer range stood up, so I shot that one again, and back down it went. I was using my Dad's. 243 with whatever ammo he had and in disbelief I asked Dad if he's had this trouble with a .243. He said Yea he's seen it happen with deer and coyotes and preferred to stay with round nosed bullets which helped apply more smack. I handed the gun back to him and said I'll stick with my 30-06 thankyou. I believe that was the last time I carried a .243 win in the field. My dad is still available for a conversation if you doubt any part of this story. This happened 10 miles North West of Mission, Texas where I grew up. We were frequent coyote hunters out in the mesquite brush country where the coyotes were abundant and came in fast. I was in high school at the time and wasn't paying attention to finer details like bullet construction. Dad had the 243 ammo so I used it, and what I used will forever remain a mystery. With 243 Winchester bullet construction is very important for quickly dropping game. If the bullets are a little hard the game can really run.
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Campfire Tracker
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