Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting The @#$&* 243 Winchester

Run a sierra 85gr hpbt out of a 26" barrel going at 3917fps nothing lives

Never tried pushing them on you, just stating what has worked well for me, my dad and several buds that shoot the 24 calibers.

Which 170 from the 30-30?

I understand where BH is coming from about deer in heavy cover. Smaller bullets deflect very easy when hitting an unseen twig, but its the patiently waiting ( as those old pharts and their 6mm Rem/Mod 742) did for the good shot, and they liked the easy recoil/fast follow up shots if he ran. Its not a bad method, not one I cherish, as I too have seen even a 175gr Clkt from my 7mm Rem Mag "turn into a puff of smoke" when it hit an unseen small twig that was between me and the close range crow I shot at! In fact, right after that, on a whim, I traded that heavy Browning BAR. I stopped at Oshman's in Beaumont, after a NG Drill in '75, and i swapped "even" for a Model 870 with vent rib, Modified choke in 3" 12ga. PLUS. a little Marlin 1894 44 Magnum. I know, I got out of there fast! That little Marlin was one of the very fastest Timber rifles I have ever had. It made big exit holes in deer and hogs both, big blood trails. Sometimes they dropped/kicked around, sometime they ran, but not far. Blood everywhere. I'm a believer of heavy calibers in the woods, but even they can deflect, sure, but usually a big chunk will hit, leaving blood to follow.
The "biggest, most effective help for me" was later, in Fall of 1976 I started Bow Hunting for real. I would shoot one deer in Archery Season and one in Rifle/Shotgun Season, but I used my old 30-30 or my dad's jammomatic Mod 742 30-06 (both with irons) and used Bow Hunting Techniques. IOW I "learned how to hunt the Timber". I had sold the Marlin to a friend who couldnt live without it) I did that 5 yrs running. But my heart took me back to rifles...and I got an oddball rifle/caliber/3x9 scope that all the old pharts told me "would not work" in those woods! A "bolt action" Ruger 77 in .280 Remington. I had put 1" mounts on my .22 the summer before to get used to a scope in the woods. I was 24, my first scope, Montgomery Wards (made by Tasco) I guess the Old Pharts forgot us youngsters shot each others military surplus bolt guns a ton! ha B ut that Archery season (October) I still Bowhunted and shot squirrels, with the scoped .22, Then put the scope on the Ruger in (November-January 3 )rifle season. A 150gr Clkt at 15yds,scope on 3x, made a 12 pt run exactly another 15 steps and fell, 2 " exit hole blood everywhere! I was a happy boy. When I killed a 11 pt at 10 steps with my bow, I was accused of "sticking an arrow into the bullet hole", why? Those Old Pharts said you cant get that close to wild deer! yeah. So there is alot of Life that can either help a young person, stearing them right, or hurt them, stearing them away from the Sport. "We "Old Pharts should help anyone who will let us. Some don't want our advice, that's cool, I deal with that most every Altar Call I give, ha.
Happy Thanksgiving Guys! (wrote while sitting here recovering "yet" from another surgery, whoopee!

Years ago a prominent outdoor writer constructed a baffle box filled with wooden dowels to shoot various bullets through at a target set a distance behind the obstruction of the box. The manner in which he built and set up the box allowed him to shoot through the box at the target and then measure how far off the bullet impact was from the center of the target. The damaged dowels could be replaced and a new shot fired with the same consistency as the previous shots. In that testing the .243 Winchester 100 gr. spitzer did very well and was deflected less than some other rounds that were thought of as "brush cartridges."

Years ago a prominent outdoor writer constructed a baffle box filled with wooden dowels to shoot various bullets through at a target set a distance behind the obstruction of the box. The manner in which he built and set up the box allowed him to shoot through the box at the target and then measure how far off the bullet impact was from the center of the target. The damaged dowels could be replaced and a new shot fired with the same consistency as the previous shots. In that testing the .243 Winchester 100 gr. spitzer did very well and was deflected less than some other rounds that were thought of as "brush cartridges."

Years ago a prominent outdoor writer constructed a baffle box filled with wooden dowels to shoot various bullets through at a target set a distance behind the obstruction of the box. The manner in which he built and set up the box allowed him to shoot through the box at the target and then measure how far off the bullet impact was from the center of the target. The damaged dowels could be replaced and a new shot fired with the same consistency as the previous shots. In that testing the .243 Winchester 100 gr. spitzer did very well and was deflected less than some other rounds that were thought of as "brush cartridges."

From a .243 Steve? I shot a 240Wby a few years, I got that speed with the 75gr Barnes.

My boys have probably killed 20 to 25 whitetail deer with 243 Winchester and 85 grain partition over the last ten or so years. When they first started killing deer with 243 I was amazed at how well it kill and even posted about how impressed I was with the little bullet. The more they use it the less impressed I am with it (deer always run even when one or both shoulders broke, skimpy to nonexistent blood trails, etc).

The only load they’ve ever used on game is Nosler 85 grain partition loaded to right at 3,000 FPS in a Remington model 7 with 18 1/2 inch barrel.

Several years ago I bought 1,000 of partition 2nds cheap.


I realize my issues started when I started using the new lot of the partitions 2nds. Anyone think it’s possible that this lot of partitions aren’t expanding? Or maybe after they don’t have enough base left to leave good blood trails after the front blows off? Or is it simply bad luck?

Thanks

I don't drink or smoke. Your comprehension appears to be lacking. I've killed deer with centerfire .22's too, .222, .223 and .22-250. I don't care for them in heavy cover either but they're fine for hunting fields or open woods.

In all cases you could eat right up to the hole. Extremely limited bloodshot, including the shoulder shot doe. I got a lot of confidence in that round at reasonable ranges.

We used the 150 Clkt in our 30-30s on those small SE Tx deer. I've owned several Mod 336s in 30-30, and they just seem to like the 170 and even 190 (Hawks) even better. I actually like the Ackley version better, just looks neat to me. A 30-30 is an awesome hunting rifle! Many elk are still killed with them in the Youth hunt. I have a Pristine 1974 (yr my twin girls were born) Safe Queen being tweaked right now, reamed to the Ackley. Its a meat getting tool, aint it?

Well that's it then, you make a good argument for cigars and whiskey.

You've always been kind of a dick. Does it just come natural to you or is it something you have to practice ?

So noted, comes natural. That said I agree that the 243 is not the end all to deer rifles and bigger guns more likely to leave a good blood trail in thick brush. However it is hard to trust a guy who says whiskey is of no value to him.

Alcohol of any kind is incompatible with my medication.