I am a 30-06 veteran that shot my first deer with a .243 this evening. Handload with Sierra Gameking 85 grain BTHP.
Blood and lung all over the place, waist high.....No deer??
I know the .243 kills deer, but do they normally run farther when hit with a .243 vs. a larger caliber? Just wanted to know some other experiences with this, thanks.

Lung with no deer? Hmmph. He's there somewhere!

No, they don't; especially with a lung hit. That deer is dead somewhere very close by.

It is cutover, really thick and grown up, shot about 20 min. before dark, will go back early in the am and look some more.
May have almost stepped on the deer with it being dark. Thanks.

Any opinions on whether to use 85 gr, 100 gr, 105 gr.??

85 grain TSX.

Waist high lung and blood? Now that's a really tall deer. You have a dead deer within 50 yards.

One of the most necessary activities in hunting is tracking. I'm not much of an expert on the .243. I have only shot 9 deer with one. All 100gr. Sierra and all one shot kills. If I were hunting with it today I would use the Barns 80gr TTSX, or Barns 85gr TSX.

They didn't run any farther then they run when I put a 12 gauge shotgun slug through them and that is a larger caliber.

My friend, if you have blown lung tissue out of that deer you have a dead deer. I hope you find it. There should be an adequate blood trail unless it made only one or two jumps.
Best to you.

Jim

That's my experience, yours may differ.

I'm sure that I'll catch grief on this, but yes in my experience deer taken by heart/lung shot with the 6mms run further. I'm sure others will have different experience & opinions but that is my experience.

I started deer hunting in central Louisiana with a 243 and found after stepping up in caliber to 270 Win/280 Rem that the distances on the death runs on the heart/lung shot dropped noticeably. In heavy cover such as the area I started deer hunting and hunt now the additional distance deer run does make finding them more difficult.

These days I use a 7mm-08 and am very satisfied with it.

I'm also sure you've got a dead deer out there, but it's nice when there's little to no tracking involved.

The .243 was intended to be a varmint rifle, why people insist on hunting deer with it is beyond me. Use a cartridge that reliably produces quick humane kills and save the .243 for ground hogs, coyotes and such vermin. Deer deserve to be dispatched more humanely.

High lungs is were my 11 year old son hit his buck last year; at 70 yards, with a 243/ 80 TTSX, it went straight down, yours should be dead somewhere close.

Ive killed a pile of deer using a .243. If you hit lungs, go find your deer. A deer will not run any farther using a .243

You hit a kill zone, it's dead.

My first center fire rifle was a Rem. 660 in .243. I killed a LOT of deer with it in Texas between the ages of 7 and 15 years old.

We used exclusively 100 gr. bullets, mostly factory ammo. I know my Dad handloaded some as well, but they were always 100 grainers.

If hit correctly (heart/lungs), I don't remember deer going more than 50 yards, usually a LOT less.

If I were using a .243 now, I'd use the heavier bullet, unless I was shooting a monolithic bullet.

Funny [bleep], thanks for the laugh

If legal where you are, think about training up a dog for locating lost deer. Almost any breed will do, although some excel and are easier to train than others...

Agree. My ".243" is a 6mm Remington. Deer pretty much just drop when shot. Typically use a 95 gr Ballistic Tip, or a 100 gr Nosler solid base. Working great for me since 1974 and now my son is using it for the past few years. Couldn't ask for anything faster. Instant death is kind of tough to beat.

Judging from your post I;d wager that you have never ever used a 243 on Deer

Now .243's can't kill deer? JFC what would we do without the internet..

thats funny! HA!

I've only killed 30 deer or so, with everything from a stick with a razor to a 12 ga slug. the few I took with a .30 cal rifle went further than ANY I took with my .243 I never had one go more than 2 steps with the 243 that I can recall. that includes mule deer and antelope. shot a small buck antelope with a 30-30 at 50 yards, right through the heart/lungs he ran for 50-60 yards. every antelope with a 243 has been DRT.
never had to track an elk either, although those were shot with either 30-06, 30-30, 7mm rem, 25-06.

I'm a stickler for shot placement though.

Just where did you come by this pearl of "wisdom" ?

243 vs. 30-06 is much like asking what is the best 4x4 truck.

If you drive conservatively (or shoot conservatively) either works just fine.

If you push the envelope on penetration or distance things change.

Past 300 yards the 06 will do a much better job do to it's ability to carry energy - BUT most folks suck at shooting past 300 and have little if no business shooting that far.

Bad angles on a critter USED to mean you need a bigger bullet (lead bullets anyway) now with TSX out there this has changed.

- Focus on your shooting skills, and knowledge of how to find and get in the right shooting position and you'll kill alot more deer than you will by changing to an 06.. unless its a distance thing.

Spot

Some bullets provide a larger shock to the nervous system that can cause temporary paralysis. So if you have a bullet that provide a shock circle the size of a dessert plate and you shoot close enough to the back bone, the shock will drop the deer. The other thing to consider with a double lung shot is lung capacity. Did you shoot the deer on an inhale or exhale. Similar to holding your breath. If you only hit the lungs they will begin losing some blood, but you still have whatever oxygen was in their blood stream and all 4 legs and brain is still working so they can run a ways.

On a side note, I shot a nice doe with a 358g powerbelt bullet from a 50 cal muzzle loader this year. Good lung shot as you describe but had a poor blood trail. I looked for 45 minutes until it got dark. Then when it got dark the blood was actually easier to see with my headlamp since it was shiny and reflective. Drop by drop I tracked that dang doe for 75-100yds through thick woods and brush. She got a ride home in the back of the truck. High shot can also bleed less as the body cavity fills with blood instead of leaking from the hole.

Took my first .243 buck a couple weeks ago. Perfect shot, watched her run by with the exit hole side facing me as she ran past. quarter size hole with blood spraying everywhere as she tried to breath. She went about 50 yards. Good round I will not hesitate to use again.

Just my thoughts

He's a gun wizard......you best pay attention,Scott. Maybe you'll learn something! I gotta go call my Mom right now and stop her before she heads out to her stand with her .243. She's never had to shoot a buck twice, so there's gotta be a better cartridge for her to use.

To the OP. If you have lung, I suspect you have a deer, and not very far away. Hopefully the critters don't beat you to it.

Jeff

Amen Steelhead!

If given the opportunity (and I am, every fall) to use a .243 or a .30-06, it's completely a toss up in my book. The only reason that I use a .30-06 instead of a .243 is that the .243 is "Mom's gun" and I will inherit it someday, so I'm not buying a .243 of my own, I split the difference with a .260 Remington, which I used successfully on three does last weekend, one DRT (centered the spine on a running shot at 50 yds, she wasn't going another step, wish I'd been 6 inches lower...), one went 20 yds after a good running double lung shot, the other was discussed here https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread...Interesting_experience_today#Post4638574 and it wasn't bullet/gun failure, it was shooter error. The .243 is PLENTY of deer for gun, I've seen some amazing DRT kills with the 100 gr. Partition out of mom's .243, both with me behind the gun and her behind the gun.

Did you hear this from Douchebeer?

buckhorn: you do not say where you are. in az the whitetailes are 60 pounds. were you shooting in alberta where they are 300#?

I hear Bushnell is coming out with a scope with a built in range finder coupled with an image stabilizer and computer. It will have a selector switch that allows the computer to time a shot to hit the animal when the lungs are full or empty, or when the heart is full of air or empty.
Hearsay has it that they have had DRT kills on buffalo, rhino, and moose using full jacketed 22 magnum ammo...
Could be just a rumor, though...

Fred

I'm guessing not more than 100 yards from where you shot him. Get a crew together and go find him. Start from where you seen him go last and make some swings around the ares.

Was it raining or something? no other blood trail?

The 100gr Partition is not a bad option!

How many of you wait for the deer to exhale??????

I also wait for them to pee, poop, put near leg forward, drop right there & field dress themself.

Geez............

I need to tell my wife's 243 that her Dad didn't kill 50+ deer with it, it was all a dream!

I should tell gunweirdo how many deer my late grandfather killed with a .17 Remington. It would snap him

Better hide all 22-250's & 223's.

My opinion (for what it's worth) is that the .243 is deadly on the deer I have seen killed with it (mostly by my late father) but I have a bad back and if I don't want to do any dragging I use my .348 Model 71. Also, I still don't understand why the .250 Savage is ol' death and destruction while the .243 gets a bad rap. Thanks...Bill.

I used a 243 for the first time on deer last week. I was impressed to say the least. Was shooting factory 85gr TSXs. From now on, Ill always have a 243 in the safe and Im kind of wanting another one just for the hell of it. Damn good coyote rifle as well. The deer you shot is laying somewhere close.

I had a friend, who's uncle's sister, met a guy, who's step-father once claimed to know of a dude on a farm in Tenn. who once put the eye out of a 238# 14 pointer and dropped it dead where it stood...all with a Daisy Red Ryder!

Because it's a larger caliber and more effective on deer, obviously!

I can't help with a comparison, because a .243 is the only cartridge I've ever used to shoot deer, and my sample size may or may not need 2 hands to count. Though all were recovered, each of the deer ran further than I had wanted. As such, I determined that a .243 wasn't enough cartridge for deer hunting.

This, however, was > 25 years ago, back in my teens. I was shooting a Remington 788 carbine with the 18.5" barrel. I'm sure that it would have helped if I would have shot more than 8 or 9 rounds through it before the season. I would also wager that using hearing protection might have prevented me from becoming afraid of the copious muzzle blast, and developing the flinch I carried for years. Heck, shooting lots more rimfire than I did would likely have made me a much better shot. In short, I'm sure the fault was mine, and not the cartridge's.

To this day, though, I maintain a dislike for the .243. In fact, I don't care much for any of its -08 bretheren, either. It's totally illogical, and I'm well aware of that. I'm just thankful there are still many dozens of other cartridges out there for me to be smitten with.

This process probably has happened with all cartridges. I was the only fool in elk camp with enough gall to carry a .30-'06: everyone else knew that was far too impotent a cartridge for such tough, noble, & worthy creatures. But it sure worked like a charm on the elk that I shot. So now, with my sample size of 1, I shall henceforth go confidently into the field chasing elk with it, knowing that it worked for me.

The next time I do go deer hunting, I'll very likely be carrying my 7x57. I'm sure it won't kill the deer any deader, or any more quickly, than a solid shot from a .243, but I'll feel better about carrying it with me.

I hear folks talking about "finding their huckleberries". Though I'd never encountered the phrase before I came to this site, I'd surmise it applies pretty aptly to cartridge selection. And if your huckleberry differs from my own, that's OK.

FC

We discussed a similar issue with humans in my concealed carry class. Technically they are suppose to teach you to shoot center mass. The problem is that a human can live up to two minutes even with a proper kill shot in the chest. You guys think my response is funny but go ask the dead police officer who thought the bad guy was done for how funny it is. It was simply a statement that just because you hit a deer in a magic spot don't assume they should just fall over. Most will run if physicaly able. Duh!

what if the person was breathing out? will it work then?

I find asthmatic deer the toughest to time your shot on.

i can't believe some of the stuff people post. sometimes its better to not say anything...

.243 vs .30-06;

If you have lung tissue you should have a dead deer within 60 yards, More likely 40 yards.

I've killed a few deer with a .243 and seen several more .243 vs .30-06 killed by .243's and 6mm's. Around 20 deer total and 2 elk.

Part of the family that shoots 6mm's use 80 grain bullets. I and mine have always used 100 grain bullets. I have some Noslers but they are for a daughter's elk hunt. I load core lokts, Hornady's and Power Points depending on what is available. I like the Hornady's the best.

Barrel length has varied from 18.5 inches to 22 with the shorter length the most common.

I have only seen one deer shot with a .243 that got back up and it was hit high. The run distance is nearly the same.

Beyond that I don't see much difference between a .243 and an 06 on our deer.

I still shoot the '06 more than anything else at deer [using 180 grain bullets]. Every once in awile I get to see all four feet in the air with the '06. I haven't seen that with the .243 yet. Of course I have killed a whole bunch more deer with an '06.

Any novice can time the shot on an asthmatic deer- Try a running buck with the Whooping cough

The 30 cal is probably a bit too much for you from a recoil perspective. Recommend you stick with a 6mm round.

You're joking, right? You're just messing with Ryan I assume.

You are correct..

lol, good one! considering the rifle I shoot just as much as the others for targets is a .300 win mag

I forgot my , but not sure what else would make one a better killer with a 243 over a 300 all things being equal.

My brother and I both use a .243, neither exclusively and have never had a problem. I load for both of us and found that the 100 gr. Hornady SP with H4350 shot well in both of our guns. With 22 in. barrels velocity averages 2850 fps. He has taken more deer with the .243 than I have because I use the 30-06 more. We have never recovered the Hornady bullet and have never lost a deer using the .243. Considering we have about 600 rounds of it loaded I'm glad we're happy with it. No deer taken with our .243s could have been recovered any quicker using an 06.

.243 and bullet combo do a nice job, have skinned many killed buy it...look further. you'll find the deer..Ignore hype and BS

Ditto that. Too funny.

it was a new rifle to you and you misplaced your shot. Nothing else could have happened, your just mistaken in where you hit it.

I enjoy your posts because they are mostly BS but fun reading anyway. In my few years on this planet I have killed a few animals, not as many as some here but a few and I have never, not even once had as much trouble recovering an animal as some on this forum seem to have. Unless I personally made a mistake with a shot and hit the wrong spot, twice this has happened in 40 years with a gun in my hand.

+1

Shoot through both front shoulder and you don't have to track them. Heart/lung shots are for bow hunters.

Rest my case.

I've used a .44 mag (handgun), .243, 25-06, 7mm-08, & 30-06 for deer. The 25-06 is the only one that trumped my .243. I've taken most with a 30-06. The .243 put them down quicker than my 30-06 or 7mm-08. I use 100gr Corelokts for my .243 load. I use 165gr bullets (cup & core) in my 30-06 and 140gr Corelokts in my 7mm-08. IMHO for me to get the same performance of my .243 in my 30-06 or 7mm-08 I would have to use a more fragile bullet.

in my case, possible familiarity? I bought that 243 when I was 16, it was my first rifle. I've shot a majority of my coyotes with it, antelope, whitetails, mulies you name it. I've used many .30 cals to kill things from antelope to prairie dogs. I don't think they work any better or worse. its like building something, do you use a 3lb hammer for the whole job simply because you can hit harder with it? or will a framing hammer do for 90% of what you need done. both will drive a nail, and how its done isn't really noticeably different.


also have you ever noticed that those of us who hint with "small" guns for deer. like the 22-250,223, 243, 6mm are never the ones to rag on the people who use .30 cals? how often have you heard someone out of the blue start ridiculing someone for using any caliber for an animal?

its not that we "don't know better" like some would think. perhaps we are enlightened to a point where we realize to each their own and some guys prefer this over that. shoot what you know and are good with and game will die

So did you recover the deer?

+1

My first centerfire rifle was a M660 in .243win.that I still have and still use. I managed to kill a few elk with it and a bunch of deer before moving on to better big game rounds.

I've used the 100gr core lokt a bunch and it's marginal at best on big game.I've had that bullet fall apart in a deer more then once and fail to exit and the remains of the bullet were nothing more then a few pieces of jacket.Other times I've seen the same remchesters pencil through and leave bullet diameter entrances and exits.All shots well under 200 yards.

The best thing to happen to the .243 is the Barnes x type bullets and partitions.It's easier to buy a real big game cartridge based off of the .308 case then it is to band aid the .243win.

I've killed at least a dozen bull elk with the 30/06 and at least 50 deer with the 30/06.Any halfassed cheap 180gr factory load has exited on deer and most of them exited on elk.It's never failed to put a nickel sized entrance hole and 50 cent piece size exit hole and plenty of blood loss

Sure the .243 works,I've used archery equipment and it works also.I'd much rather have a .308 or 7-08 though.
John Wooters wrote an article on this subject years ago where he stated "hunters have long had a fixation with shooting large animals with small caliber weapons,yet will use ocean tackle on brook trout".

give me a 6mm-08 or a 6.5mm-08 anyday as well. with partitions of course

Bauer...the older I get the more and more I think we use way too big of tackle on everything. Rifles are usually bigger than needed and fishing tackle is too....or at least bigger than what makes it fun...

I think this is especially true with the advent of so-called
"super- premium" bullets. Nowadays I wouldnt think twice about siccing the .243 loaded with TSXs on an elk....back in the day I wouldnt have dreamt of using an 85 grain anything on elk...

Deer found next morning but critters already got to it. It ran only 40-50 yards. I was within just a few feet of the deer, but dark and thick grown-up cutover prevented me from seeing it. the .243 did the job. Exit hole was huge!! I will hunt with the .243 again. This is in Georgia, 100 Lb. doe. I was using 85 grain Sierra Gameking BTHP with 44 grains of IMR 4831. Ruger 77. Thanks to all for your notes.

next time bring a flashlight

We hunted one down right after Thanksgiving. Guy shot the doe right through the boiler room with a 30/06 and 180gr Hornady bullets. She ran about 175 yards, but with good lights we got right on the blood trail and found her in about 10-15 minutes.


That said, I think a 62gr TSX from the 223AI would have greatly shortened the run, if she ran at all. Velocity is your friend with deer.

I agree with SH on that one. give me smaller and faster over bigger and slower for deer anyday.
for elk, slightly bigger but still fast. this year its a .260 with 140 partitions.

Are you and Steelhead telling me that my 7x57 with a 175gr at 2600 fps or a 154gr at 2700 fps would not have dropped that doe where she stood or shortened up her run?

Noticed the same thing when using my .223Rem on Roedeer as compared to my .308win...

The main down side to the .223Rem was the meat damage, but that may be more to do with the bullet contruction as opposed to the actual caliber..

I'm telling you that little slugs going fast impress them more. Assuming said slug is constructed well.


Pete, throw a TSX into one and see what happens.

Damn trick shooters.......laffin!

You should see me trick [bleep], well maybe you shouldn't.........grin

Scott,

Have been using the TSX in the 9.3x62 with good results, so I do want to try it in other calibers..

My other negative comment about the .223Rem and other small but high velocity rounds is their performance can be a bit erratic, but that it is with cup&core traditional lead bullets though..

The centefire .22's are illegal over here for anything bigger than Roe, but in years past the .222Rem was a favorite with many of the professional stalkers when doing the Red hind cull during the winter months..

Personally, I prefer the .260Rem, but when it comes to the centerfire .22's, in the hands of a competent shooter, its hard to argue with real world results..

Regards,

Peter

STEELHEAD (Scott) GaaaaaaadDammmmmm, and here I was thinking you are a hard ass and you up and changed your Avitar! Very Nice I might add too!

I will. With what I've experienced the 100gr loads I use will drop them faster on the average. My son has the same experiences with his .243. Want something more impressive than a .243/6mm Rem? Use a 25-06 with a 100gr or heavier bullet. It's a deer killing machine!

He usually uses it around the holidays. I like it too. He's really not a hard ass, he just likes to be flippant and glib sometimes

The 243 will kill a deer but it sure isn't much of a deer rifle. I suggest going with a real deer caliber like I use...

The 223 does a great job...

You think - that means you are guessing.

I means I didn't shoot that deer with the 223AI, but I've had deer go a much shorter distance with it and it's ilk than say a 30/06.

Shot several deer with my .243 and never had one run. Dropped on the spot. I use 100grain powerpoint.

I thinks the guy behind the gun needs more practice.

Did you really say "ilk?" The mind boggles...

Amazing ain't I.....

I had one of those friends as well, cept his Red Ryder had been AI'd, he said that fire forming was a witch though..grin

Dober

sounds like a reliable source, I believe it

Everyone knows you can only AI Sheridan air rifles, duhhhhh....

Deer with a .243 vs. .30-06


Ummm, I prefer a .257 Roberts or a .270 Win or .308 Win.

223's and 22-250 wound a few up here. Partly because it's kids or some dumbass making a bad shot and mostly because there's a bunch of 'em around.

Great rounds for kids(given good guidance) and by guys who know how to shoot and when not to shoot.
I know for a fact that a deer hit poorly with a 22-250 might run off. Haven't seen one yet that runs off when whacked by a 300 mag and a good 180 grain bullet. Overkill 90% of the time but every once in awhile it's nice to have the extra smack.

That said a 223-243 will kill deer way out and the hell out there provided the bullet hits the right spot.

Next rifle I get will either be a 243 or 308. Probably a 243, I wanna zing some TTSX's through something like that!

Dunno about how your 7x57 compares to .243 or .223, but I do know that I ran a 7-08 at around 2600-2650 fps with 150-gn bullets and found it to be effective at shooting a hole through deer, but not always at dropping them quickly nor leaving a big blood trail.

My .358's proved to be MUCH better at poleaxing deer, and on the one "runner" I have had, the blood trail was a red carpet.

At woods ranges I believe the .358 to be the highest and best use of the .308 parent case, with everything factored in. Meat damage being one factor.

That's just my thinkin from my little corner of the world and my relatively small sample of 20-odd deer.

243 and deer.....whats next, 22-250's and 223's?!?!

THese were 243'd and none of them liked it. Top 2 were with 90gr scirocco's, next was a 75gr Vmax, bottom was a bergerVLD

Ouch... my eyes..... lol...

I know what you mean. (grin)

I get the warm fuzzies when I see that rifle... grin...

DAMN you guys grow big-bodied deer in Michigan!

Brad is only 4 foot tall, makes everything else look big......

Ok, looking at the pics with that in mind, they make sense... normal deer, tiny little feller, got it <g>.....

Caliber choice isn't so critical. Bullet choice can be. Choosing a VMAX is flirting with disaster.

killing deer isn't that difficult. Here's the entrance and exit from that 75Vmax. Now there was some distance between the deer and the muzzle, impact velocity was around 2650'ish and it surely didn't bounce off.

hell, everyone praises the 85 HPBT sierra and i had one not make it to the off side of the rib cage on a 100lb doe... deer die easily...

This is worth quoting. Trama to soft tissue as a result from high velocities is staggering.

Glad you recovered your deer and the 243 did its job. Not every shot is perfect and sometimes those deer run farther than you expect and it becomes a question of faith in your choice.
I've been tempted to get a 243, but it's hard to leave the 30 caliber family when I've had good luck with it, similar to the origional poster. My fastest drop was a lung hit with a 300 savage and thats not a big or speedy round so it falls in the void where most people worship here.
Winter fat northern MN deer are easier to track with two holes so I fall into the camp of "theres no replacement for displacement" and have more faith in a bigger bullet leaving a bigger hole that won't plug up with fat.

Like most peoples responses, it's just opinion and everyones experience is different and its what you build faith in.

Just for the sake of argument, I'm going to offer a different view. I've taken about a half-dozen deer with a .35 Rem at close range (small sample size, I know). All were with 200 gr. Remington Core-Lokt handloads probably moving along at just over 2000 fps.

The farthest I have had to "track" any of these deer was probably +/- 10 yards. The .35 Rem seems to be one of those cartridges that performs better in real-life than it does on paper.

I totally agree with you on the .35. It's superb and usually a one shot killer. Thanks...Bill.

I've heard the 35 rem is almost night & day difference over the speedier 3030 so that leans towards the bigger bullet may be the ticket and I was excited when I inherited my dad 35 last fall.

Brad,

Very nice photos. The gun is bright but I do like the combo with stainless.

I myself own a 243 but have not taken a deer with it. It shoots the 95 gr BT's and 100 gr Partitions very well so will have to change that. The rifle was picked up right before the season and eventhough it was shootin well, had more confidence in the 7-08 for thiss year. Gun season is over tomorrow than ML season starts. I may have to go shoot some yotes after that to get more familiar with the gun before next season.

nice deer and that is a nice looking 243 Brad! You really should be using a .25 cal....just an enormous step up in power....

This may or may not be the case in general terms. SH in this particular case concluded that the outcome of shooting that doe with a 62gr TSX would have been more favorable. This is a subjective prediction.

I could advocate the same thing. Putting a bullet into the boiler room of this doe with a 154gr Hornady from my 7x57 would have dropped her in her tracks or shortened up her run.

I agree, however, I still favor velocity with proper bullet construction over slow moving offerings. But in the end it is a preference.

The fact is...sometimes deer run. If you shoot enough deer, occasionaly you will have a deer run. Whither it be velocity or a large whole, the idea that any bullet/caliber choice will result in "drop dead it it's tracks" EVERY time is fantacy. If you shoot enough game, you will find that animals seemingly hit in the same place with the same projectile on the same day will react differentlt to the hit. It happens...that's hunting.

My two quickest kills came from my .243 with 100grain Hornady Spire Points. Neither bullet left the chest cavity and both hand grenaded inside, shedding the jacket which peeled back and raised h*** with the lungs. I now hunt with bigger calibers because for no good reason I felt undergunned with the .243. I think that I read too many hunting magazines about how the latest wizz bang magnum was the ticket to DRT success. In reality the .243 is a fine deer cartridge but I would use stronger constructed bullets if I were to hunt with it today. I have killed deer with many different rifle cartridges, shotgun slugs, and arrows and as people have said again, and again, and again......If you hit them in the right spot, they die.

Funny you should mention that . I have an SS PacNor Mtn Rifle contoured barrel blank sitting here that I bought from Paul, along with a Long Action TI stock....I need to scrounge an action and then I'm going to build a 25-06AI to play with. I should have had it finished up long ago but this past spring and summer was so damn busy that I almost forgot I even had them in the safe.

That was why Winchester made the rifling to stabilize 100 plus grain bullets, right?

Ever used one? I have and have seen many deer taken with them. It works as well as any other caliber. And like any other caliber, it is shot placement that kills deer whether it is a 500 NE or a .223. Hit the boiler room with a good bullet the deer dies, period.

Hate to ask what you think about .22 centerfires for deer then ?!

FYI they work too.

Buckhorn, glad you found your deer, sorry the critters got to it before you.

Best of luck on your next hunt!

Guy

I expect my deer to run off all the time and the occasional DRT is a nice thing. My shots are through the rib cage and not busting shoulders and destroying what little meat there is. Maybe smaller deer in southern states fold easier like prarie dogs being hit with high velocity slugs, but my pride is not so big that I can track a deer a few yards if it saves a roast or two.

The .243 is plenty of gun for deer. My first 8-9 seasons of hunting my brother and I shared a .243 and the deer had instantly fatal reactions to it. I still take the rifle out from time to time just for nostalgia. Good thing the deer didn't know that a .243 is insufficient.

To all you 243 bashers-------op didn't need anything else to kill his deer.....only went 40-50 yards......



He needed a BIGGER DAMMM FLASHLITE!!!!!!!!laffin......


George

+1

and/or a good dog!

I lung'ed a chipmunk one time with a .505 Gibbs. Baaaaastid ran a good 50 yards be for it flopped over dead...2 holes was critical for tracking this monsta!

Good thing it wasn't a 243. You might have found it in several different places---50 yards apart.

GeorgiaBoy, I sure wished you would p/u that .243 again and re-join the 6mm brotherhood. Ordered some Barnes 85 gr TSX today.
Can't wait to try them out, after I am done with my 85 gr Gamekings.

First the bait...now the hook. You're bad!

Just wait GeorgiaBoy, once we get that .243 squared away, then we will take the old .280 path, it just keeps gettin' better....I love it!!

We??? My water is being cut off after this one...of that I'm sure.

[img:center][/img] 243 and deer lungs?

I've seen both good and bad with 243 pills. I used to hunt with one myself as a kid and never had a problem taking game. They sometimes ran a good ways with sparse trails. I have seen a few deer lost to them, but whose to know where the placement was.

I've guided for a mulie and lope that were taken with the .243 100grn NPT the past few years and the results were only soso. The mulie was hit through the lungs and fell like a sack of rocks. He laid there for a few seconds, got up, ran into one of the nastiest canyons I've ever been in, and I finished him off 45 mins later with a 7RM. The lope ran about 75yds and tipped over(lung hit as well).

Good cartridge to start young hunters with for medium game, but nowhere near as effective as larger cals IMO. Shot placement is very critical with small cals, something young hunters can struggle with when the fever sets in.

loder

I've killed a bunch of game when I was a kid with a 243. never lost a one with it either. shot placement is important regardless the caliber.

I have a Winchester Model 70 coyote topped with a Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-14x40 BDC scope. My family has been using this .243 for 7-8 years along with Winchester 100 gr. Power Point bullets. A conservative harvest estimate with this combination would be 24 deer between my son and wife using it. The longest shot was 327 yards last year by my son utilizing the BDC reticle. Every deer was a one stop shot except one. The problem there was not a bad shot but to close of a shot. A doe walked up on my wife, about 10 yards from her, she said all she could see was fur in the scope, she shot it in the chest and off it went. Now this was a Kansas whitetail, not like our little Texas deer, this deer was probably 150 pounds. Anyway, a great blood trail that we followed for about an hour then it suddenly stopped. No deer, We finally found it thanks to a little snow on the ground and the occasional hoof print but no more blood. The deer ended up being about 200 yards from where she shot it after running/walking maybe 600 yards. To the best of our knowledge with a double lung shot the only issue was that the deer was to close to allow for bullet expansion and with a thru and thru shot not hitting rib the wound channel never expanded. The thought of a .243 being to small for deer, I beg to differ. Obviously like any hunting situation it comes down to shot placement, being comfortable with your rifle/scope, quality ammo and getting some range time.
Happy hunting.

Rest assured, whatever did or didn't happen, that wasn't the reason for it.

A 243 twisted for 115s kills stuff wayyy out there.

Classic!!!

Killed and my son's killed a few w/243s, and myself also w/6BR.

70 TNT, 85 BTHP, 95 BT, 100 PT, 85 TSX

The 95 BT and 80/85 Barnes are my fav and 90gr SSII next.

1916, look down this post below to see my hog and Barnes 85

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

I can't figure out how much time a bullet needs to expand?
My son hit a doe at 10 yds. this year with a 165 gr. Hornady boat tail Interlock and it had plenty of time to expand!
He hit a buck at 20 yds. the next day and he said the buck hit the deck so hard it was the funniest thing he has ever seen.
I hit my nubbin buck with a 225 gr Accubond out of the Whelen and I don't see how a .223 or .243 could have killed it any better? I like a three inch exit hole when I shoot a deer.
Tracking is for people with a lot of time on their hands,
(and big flashlights)
whelennut

.243 100grn power point never fails. Shot one at 250yrds today and dropped on the spot. I love this gun.

Light Fast has always been my choice over Heavy Slower when hunting Deer and Lope!

I shot a doe on opening day with 243win (1909 Pervuan Mauser action). Over 260 yards, broad side. 85 gr HPGK is the only bullet i load for 243win (45.5gr IMR4350). Hot load. The doe literally made one step before dropping dead. Below is the link to the picture of entry wound (graphic image warning, presuming not every reader of the forum is a hunter

http://i55.tinypic.com/2a8lq2h.jpg

Folks,
my hunting buddy and I have killed numerous deer with 223, 243, 270 and 30-06. All deer were recoved, the furthest one went 50 yards into a pine forest.
The only deer I have seen shot and not recovered (after a lot of looking by three of us for quite a while) was from a 300 Win Mag. Not being detrimental to the calibre in any way - just stating a fact. Heck - it may have been a clean miss - contrary to what the guy shooting told me!!

CK

wonder what the gun whizzards would think of my .218bee and 55gr spitzers on deer??
I havd put 4 down within 50 yards using it...

2 head shots and lung shots..

head shots were obvious....DRT

2 lung shots expired in less than 50 yards...
One ran headlong into a 3ft diameter red oak and snapped an antler off..

but in the case of the .243
my grandfather and dad have had more than 30 kills with 85gr sierra spitzer boatatils...

Location, location, location... if you miss with 300 win mag, it will be just as harmless to deer as if you miss .243win.

Gunswizard is obviously a gunwriter... Where did I see that quote that only gunwriters have trouble killing deer with a .243!
My wife killed her whitetail buck this year and a couple nice mulie bucks in the past couple years and I don't know how many deer I have shot with the .243, all recovered, most DRT.

I hunted with both 30-06 and .243 for several seasons back to back. Didn't notice a meaningful difference in on game performance out to ~200 yards. The 30-06 would usually deliver an exit hole if that is important to you. As always, good shot placement trumps all.

6mm/.243" 85g TSX (moly), 3450fps MV ...








trust me, it works just fine ... (grin)

Picked this SS ADL up at Dicks last week.



Had I known it won't work on deer I would have left it there. I may use the stock and trigger guard for a new build

Do people still really believe this??

I have more confidence in the existence of worlocks and pixie dust......

Can I borrow some pixie dust?

Bob,

The way you quoted makes it look like I wrote that stuff. Did I wrong you somehow?

m

RAS: Sure...I have some!

I feel your pain...My 14 yr old daughter shot her first deer (a doe) with my 7x57 loaded with 120 gr ballistic tips. MV was 2880 fps and very accurate. I missed the animal's reaction to the shot when I looked at her for a split second. No blood and no lung at the scene. I went back in the morning and found the deer 40 yds from where it was hit in thick brush, half eaten...The bullet didn't exit. I rolled the deer over and found the enterance wound . I discovered that my daughter had made a perfect shot at 250 yds. That's the first deer in 30 yrs that I have ever lost or not found. Being it was my daughter's first deer made it worse. I felt absolutely sick.
I was able to at least salvage the front legs so she'll get a gun rack out of it.
I'm still pissed at myself.

Dan

Dan,
its a shame you couldnt locate the deer after you shot it. The split second you looked at your daughter was enough to distract you - on seeing which direction the deer went.

I recall a hunt with a friend. We had a few fallow holed up in a small thicket - my friend went around the right hand flank whilst I stayed at the left most edge. I caight a glimpse of two spikers trying to make a quick escape after being flushed. Raising my 30-06 and a quick running shot at around 150 metres. I thought I had missed. Then I noticed a white "clump" on the green hill slope -upon further examination, was one of the spikers - taken cleanly.
The recoil of the larger calibres will make it hard to judge what happened when the bullet hit - unless you have someone with you. But with less recoiling calibres like the 243 and even 223, you can see the bullet strike through your scope.

CK

I guess my opinion has always been, being a man, if I had one 3incher and one 8incher down there, I would rarely get the 3incher out, haha.. Shot over 30 deer with the 06, never lost one I cut a hair on... Shoot the .300 and 30-378 alot as well, never cut a hair on any of them and lost them either... Have shot about 10 deer with a .257 roberts an have only found 3, I know my shooting can't just be off by chance on the ones shot with the smaller gun

Blue,
I hear what you are saying. I can tell you, one day I will be caught out with my 243 and will stumble across Mr Big...and wish I had my 270Win, 7 X 57 or 30-06!!!!

For small to medium size beast, my 243 does the job indeed (as does a friends). But come this autumn in the rut, I will be taking my 270 and 7 x 57 - and leave the 243 at home!!.

CK

Guys, Pixie Dust only comes in the latest Magnums.

CK, ye of Lil Faith....how many deer have you hit w/an 80 or 85 Barnes? Seriously? You might change your mind when you see what happens to game hit with one.


http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads...as_#Post3091822

Scroll there and see what I found out.

CBB, I'd say that's cool, you KNOW what you are doing and doing it well, don't change. As long as I don't see you in a video shooting at elk at 1/2 mile you will be just fine! Local game warden that I learned recently unfortunately passed away in a car accident right after retirement was a 308 crank. Later on in his career, he used a 22 Savage Hi-Power, and what other than a 221 Fireball, in an XP-100.

Deer at Woods ranges don't need alot of horsepower. Just a little Bee Sting! Placed well Good job, proves it's WHERE you hit em, and getting a good little bullet in there where it counts, that drops 'em.

Howa, really, good hunting, but never bet against a Barnes in 80 or 85gr if the shooter does their part. The house will be favored to win!

but what happend if you don't get good shot placement??? and what happend if you don't with a bigger gun?

I guess everybody but me must hunt wide open fields and only shoot grazing does...

Have you been paying attention when folks who've actually tried it report about the 85 gr. TSX launched from a 243?

If you're not killing deer very thoroughly dead, over and over again with a .257 {or .243} it's your fault not the rifle/cartridge.

+1..7 out of 10 deer lost and you're blaming the cartridge. A 257 Bob, will kill deer when hit where it is suppose to go, just outta of curiosity what was the bullet used on these 10 lost deer????

TSX's are not neccesary for deer. I've got a long string of one shot kills with my .243 and have never used a "premium bullet" of any kind. I have used 100 grain Rem. core-lokt, 100 grain Hornady interlock, 85 grain Sierra BTHP and 95 grain Hornady SST. All have killed numerous deer very quickly dead with nary a problem.

Folks,
I do have a stash of Barnes 80 g TTSX which I will start running through my howa 243 once i use up the remaining box of Federal 100 grainers.

Will make interesting hunting!!!

CK

If/when I'm using a TSX, of any caliber at any speed, I make it a point to either go for a CNS shot or to break bone. Reason being, the TSX does not shrapnel like other bullets do, thus a shot thru the lungs (boiler room) doesn't have quite the same "quick effect" that some lesser constructed bullets do, resulting in (a lot of times) a little slower death... at least that's been my experience.

However, I agree that with 'typical' boiler room shots on a deer, a well constructed cup/core bullet (like a bonded one for instance) will do the job very well, even on large deer.

That said, I still always prefer the TSX because I know that it will do the job at any angle that I can get it there, and they shoot as accurately or better than any other bullets I have tried.

run them as fast as you can ... you'll likely get your best accuracy there, as well as the most devastating kills. The Barnes bullets like to be run hot ... not unsafely hot speeds ... just don't leave any velocity on the table within the safe realm.

and report back w/ your findings ... I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you'll dig them quite a bit ... (grin)

At the moment, I dont reload for any of my centrefires. I have only purchased the factory Barnes 243 W - 80 grainers - after they were released Down Under - and with all the good reviews.
They are a bit more expensive than the "normal" factory loads - but well worth it when hunting deer IMHO.

CK

Their necessity wasn't my point.

Different strokes for different folks. I prefer to stay out of the shoulders in the interest of meat preservation.

to each his own ... I'd rather lose a little meat rather than have to worry about tracking a deer at night thru really dense pine thickets ...

then again, I can basically shoot as many doe as I like, so losing a few pounds of meat here and there doesn't bother me at all ... but if I had only a few tags per year, I might consider only taking head shots on doe ... (grin)

I have 90 grain GK BTHP Sierras going about 3150 from my 250 Savage, well below MOA. Think that would empty a brain pan?

I would expect so. I run the 85 gr. BTHP GK's @ 3150 out of my .243 and they'll clean a brain pan slick as a whistle.

Yep, you preserved lots of meat on those 7 deer you lost...

WTF are you talking about ?

WHOOPS!!! Too much liquor. Post should have been directed at Blueridgejohn. Sorry...

That was an amazing post there, goofball.

Laffin my arse off here buddy ! Been afflicted by the PUI {posting under the influence} malady myself from time to time. Merry Christmas to ya !

So how was my shot placement on the 40 some I have killed with .30 calibers and lost none???

BlueRidge, you asked what if you don't get good shot placement? More power is not any guarantee nor necessarily 'buffer' or offset YOUR miss.

Things happen, but if you know your rifle and have practiced, you should not fire until sure your first will find it's mark. MOST often it will, assuming you have discovered thru trial and error, what YOUR limitations are - and work w/in that.

If you hunt where game is moving fast or whatever conditions hamper precise placement, do the best you can whether you launch an 80 Barnes in 243 or a 225 from a 358, you STILL have to be in the 'vitals' ballpark, to win IMHO. A poorly hit animal even w/large caliber can go a long ways or survive.

I say GOOD bullet + GOOD shooting = Success

I Prioritize HITTING VITALS first, and usually all else works out.

The collective body of evidence shared by many other hunters have shown that a 257 Roberts is not inadequate as a deer cartridge. So, you're 70% lost deer percentage is due to your [bleep] ups and could be attributed to lots of things. Wrong bullets for the shot taken. You suck at finding deer. You didn't hit them where you should have. Or a combination of those and others. It's still on you and not a fault of the cartridge.

I read this last night before I went to sleep and it made me think very hard.

So I went to a pickup truck forum and I was looking for the post that 350 and 5.7 GM engines really dont work in pickup trucks.

My world has been turned upside down.

Hank

Nah, it's only for people who can shoot well. Those who can't must use something bigger.

I have killed over 20 bucks with a bow, and a few pope and youngs, I seriously doubt my deer tracking skills are bellow average... And I still ask the question, how come I have lost none with the .30's and several with the groundhog guns??? Oh and the ones lost were with the 117 remington core lokts...Don't give me no BS about that being a bad bullet, it gets it done in the 30-06 and has probably killed more deer than any other bullet made... If a gun requires a better bullet, the gun is't the best out there...

And why not just hunt deer with a .22 mag conclusive poaching evidence shows it does a fine job?

Did you go to school stupid or did you come out that way?

Glad you chimed in Scott...I was restraining myself, now that Ive found where the Rocket Surgeons hang out....

The 243 sucks..the 30/06 is great.

The 30/06 sucks.....the 243 is great.

The 280 is Almighty and better than both...cause it is in between.

There.......!

Merry Christmas!

Excessive verbiage Bob...

7x57 trumps all...

.270 might as well not even exist....

Ingwe: It grieves me to do so, but I am compelled to agree...

My last two 270 bucks were only "merely dead"....they were NOT "most sincerely dead"........

But all "Hail" the Mighty 338 Win

Just gimme my .243AI and 85g TSX's and let me go kill schitt ...

John: Fixed it for ya!

Nice comeback, love it when it comes down to that being the best one can find...

So what are you arguing? that a .22 mag won't kill deer?

Can't shoot that on deer, to big , and you still have to hit them in the middle of the heart, so what is the point??? Everyone knows a .338 put 3 inches behind the lungs will never kill a whitetail, it hardly has any kenetic energy at all, haha

If Elmer Keith would have had the Barnes X bullet he would have used a K-Hornet........

If Elmer would have had the "Original X Bullits" he would have changed to a Partition!!

+1 again. I have no idea why you lost them, but if nothing else, it wasn't the cartridges fault.

Actually I've killed several with a .22 mag... And a few with a .22 LR too. Both work if you put the bullets where they need to go.

Shot placement seems to be the key factor we don't talk about all that much in these discussions.

For the great majority of shooters, bullets just go where they are supposed to much more consistently with less recoil and muzzle blast.

Have a buddy whose son has killed several truckloads of deer and hogs with a 243. He puts the bullet in the right place, and they die - and this with 100 CL's and 100 Power Shoks, along with some Speers of cup and core construction...

I've got a son whose killed a truckload or two himself with plain old 100 Grain Federal Power Shoks - the faux Ti 243 dotes on them...Here he is after he busted a couple with his Granddad...



When he was a little younger, he was with me when we shot this Axis with an 85 TSX out of a 243...We busted shoulders - shattered near one and exited far one, and he hobbled 50 or 60 yards on three legs and fell over dead - with an easy blood trail.



I doubt many whitetails or mule deer will be much bigger than this toad...



We stalked him as he came to water, and I shot him as he was leaving the little tank in the background...



Today's bullets make the 243 lethal on even the biggest deer, IMHO...and give enough margin to allow for even raking shots if necessary.

Hope to have a few more with animals taken with the 80 TTSX, which I will use with utmost confidence in the next few weeks, Lord willing.

Have a pard who can show what an 85 TSX out of a 243 does on a raking shot on a pig of mature Texas whitetail when he gets around to it...

DJ

That does it, looks like we need canons to kil deer.

Therefore I'm buying a WW2 surplus Tiger next week. 88mm that ought to do it.

In Alaska a lot of big game (including Caribou, Moose, and even large Yogi's) are taken each year with cartridges much less powerful than the .243.

When hunting deer proper bullet construction and shot placement will get the job done, no matter if you are using the .243, .30-06, or just about any other cartridge.

I just killed a big doe with a 60 gr. HP out of a 22-250, she is in the freezer as we speak but maybe I better take another look. Personally I feel that the 95 gr. BT out of my 6MM Remington is a darn hard to beat deer rifle. I also feel that in a lot of cases the damage done by said Ballistic Tip is greater than that done by your average 180 gr. 30-06 load.

I think everyone needs to get a 270-08 and shut the hell up.

I'm building one, standby.

You're just trying to get one before 65BR does.

Holler at me when you come thru AR. I'll get the boy to teach you how to use the .243

Jeezus. Every pic I see of that kid cracks me up.

Yep, he stated in another thread that the lad strikes the same pose in school pictures and it drives his mom nuts. I like that!

Mom must be proud...............laffin

He is a first grader with a wrap sheet. He changes the passwords on his teachers stuff.

The kinda kid that will cut the back out of your couch to see whats in there...lol

longtime lurker and reader; I have used the 06 and the 243 for close to 40 years, I
like the 243 on deer using the right bullets such as partitions and the like. I have
never lost or had to trail one, shots have been between 50 and 300 yards. I had a co-worker who said the 243 was worthless because he had to track every deer he shot with one and had lost several. Upon questioning him about what bullet he used he said the Sierra 85 grain HPBT, I think that said it all.

recon3117, Your co-worker must be a hell of a shot ?????

recon3117, Let me clarify my last statement, I don't want to start an argument and take up to much time and space on this forum. I've been shooting a 243 since 1965 and most of that time have been using the 85 grain Sierra HPBT as my go to bullet for both varmints and deer. I can honestly say between between a couple of buddies and I, we have probably taken close to a couple of hundred deer using 85 grain HPBT. So when I read that someone has used it and it has failed completely, I can only conclude that there is more to the story then just bullet failure. If it's not your bullet of choice, by all means don't use it. But no one is ever going to convince this old fella that it's not a good bullet to use for deer hunting. Good hunting and have a Happy New Year, Ben

100gr coreloc has laid many a whitetail low.

I guess if you place the shot well it doesn't matter but eventually almost everyone gets buck fever and has a bad shot. The last time I used a .243 for deer was in Wyoming. I wounded a deer and while trying to finish it off I hit it in the hind quarter. I eventually caught up to the deer and finished the job but when I was dressing it out I discovered the bullet had only penetrated about six inches. I was using 100 gr. winchester factory ammo.

I don't know. With some of the wackos I see in the woods during deer season, I don't know if I would encourage him to place his hands by his head like that while he was in the woods.

Sorry dude, guess these 2 Canadian deer, shot by my wife & son, expired within 15 - 20 yrds, just from the mighty muzzle blast !!

Savage model 11 - .243, using 100gr Federal (blue box). Shot distances approx 100yrds. Broadside double lung. BOTH DEAD !!

Paul.

I put more importance on bullet placement than what caliber the bullet is. Even the 30-06 won't make up for sorry shooting!
(Based on what I have seen over the past 30 deer seasons.)
whelennut

A .243 is to deer as a 30-06 is to elk. Is a 30-06 enough gun for elk? Same answer!

Never used more than one shot on most deer. Usually one is enough. I have had one deer run after being shot with a 243 and it was running to begin with. Shot placement is important though.

Finally talking some sense around here.

My admittedly somewhat limited experience is that animals of any variety are not long for this world if they have holes of any size in their lungs. If the bullet passed through the vitals, then the deer is there somewhere. I hope you're able to find him.

I'm going deer hunting all next week and I'll be using a .243 that has already dropped one good sized buck. I'm using 95 gr. Fusion factory ammo this year.