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.243 for whitetail

Stylishxone767Stylishxone767 Member Posts: 513 ✭✭✭
edited October 2006 in Ask the Experts
Somone offered me a good deal for a Remington bolt action .243. The gun is in excellent condition and comes with a scope. My question is, how effective is that caliber for whitetail? I assume like anything, shot placement is key. I dont know anyone personally who uses such a caliber. Is it considerably more effective than .223? Im trying to gage where on the spectrum it falls. Pay in mind where I hunt I rountinly take deer over 100 yards.
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Comments

  • DaBowMan18DaBowMan18 Member Posts: 2,962
    edited November -1
    With good shot placement is it an ok caliber for whitetail.
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  • hadjiihadjii Member Posts: 976 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If I were you, and shots were routinely over 100 yards, I would stay away from the 243. The 243 is an excellent cartridge, don't misunderstand me, but at past 100 yards, there would be too many "maybe"s" and "what if's" for me. There are a ton of good deals out there on guns that would be much better suited for whitetails at ranges beyond 100 yards. There are so many, you'd have to write a book to explain all of them, their merits and downfalls, but if you would go with a 25-06, a 270, a 308, or a 30-06, you wouldn't ever go wrong.
    There's several more cartridges out there that are just as good, but these are probably the most popular, with the most readily available ammo, and the best overall versatility.
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  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,161 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 243 is lots better than the 223 on deer. I have to say that the 243 is a real world minimum for that size game. I've probably seen as many deer killed with the 223 as anyone in the midwest but I still say it's too light. I used a 243 for years and killed a bunch of deer but there's not much allowance for bad shots. In a bullet test a few years back, the penetration of factory loads was lacking on anything except broadside shots. Premium bullets as loaded in some factory loads now improve this situation. My kids now use the 243 with Speer 100 grain Grand Slams and they give good performance. I'd still recommend broadside or only slightly quartering shots especially on heavier bucks. Limit shots to about 300 yards. Just my opinion.
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  • ZinderblocZinderbloc Member Posts: 925 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The only real advantage to using the .243 is its light recoil, and with the 100 gr. bullet recoil isn't all that light. That being said, thousands of deer are taken each season with the .243 It can get the job done.

    Not my first choice, but adequate.
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  • DonldDonld Member Posts: 741 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Wonderful caliber for anything up to whitetail size, provided of course you don't just aim where he's biggest.
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  • nards444nards444 Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    like others have said, it's the smallest caliber thats recommended for deer. Great gun for women, children, or people new to hunting or guns. And if you want something that you want more than 100 yds I would stay away. But if you want an all around good gun get a 30.06 A 270 another good rifle.
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  • MossbergboogieMossbergboogie Member Posts: 12,211
    edited November -1
    Great deer cal. works good as a varmit rifle as well. Nothing bigger than medium sized game though.
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  • XLpitmanXLpitman Member Posts: 1,029 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you don't buy it, I will. Provided it's in descent shape and the price is right. What kind of scope does it have? I love the .243
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  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    XLpitman,

    Offers to buy or sell are not allowed on these forums as it is in conflict with the Auction side. Use the e-mail feature if you want to contact a poster.

    Thank you.


    The .243 Win. is a perfectly good cartridge for deer hunting. Proper bullet construction, proper bullet placement and lots of practice and range estimation or use a good range finder. Know your load and your capability and don't exceed either one. Use common sense and select a well balanced shooting position for any shot.

    Enjoy!
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  • NwcidNwcid Member Posts: 10,674 ✭
    edited November -1
    I have many different Cals and .243 is what I hunt with in my area. I have taken many white tail with it. If I planed on hunting bigger game I would go with a bigger gun. A nice thing about he .243 is that it is very flat shooting so you can use it in the off season for varmints. If you are good shooting the little guy with it you should have no problem on deer. I always get a kick out of "how big" do I need storys. I know a lot of the old boys around my area took more medium game with .22lr when they were young then we will with our "big" guns. What did people do before there were mags, win mags, stw, now sm and ssm and all the other big things we throw at game.
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  • reddnekreddnek Member Posts: 1,552 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you're not hunting in heavy brush,and place your shots well the .243 should do you well. I prefer the .257 bob myself.
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