243 enough on deer at 300 yds?

[spruilldog]

I'm thinking about getting Rem 700 Varmit in 243. I will use it on coyotes and other things that I think deserve a bullet as well. I would also like to be able to use it on deer out to 300 yds. I live in NC were the deer are relatively small bodied. Does the 243 have enough energy at 300yds for clean kills on deer? Personal experiences requested. What grain bullet would you use? If not enough I may step up to the 308 but I already have a 30.06. Trouble is it isn't accurate enough for me to trust past 200 yds. Thanks for your insight.

[kraigwy]

yes its fine, use the 90 grn bullets and you're set to go.

[TATER]

Yes... I have and do. Like everything else, you have to pick your shots.

[One308]

Well,with a 100 grain bullet(on average)your getting over 1100 ft.lbs of knock downand still have plenty of velocity.However,in my oppinion,that is to small a caliber for a body shot.It will kill it,but without great shot placement,you could be in for another hunt after the shot.I know hunters who have made a neck shot inside 125 yards and never found the deer.I preferr a .30 cal,mainly because a 7mm is too much destruction.Others will say it's fine,but to my knowlege from other hunters,I would not risk wounding,or not finding the deer.

[Kaizer]

it worked for me at one time, the only time i tried it...but it worked good.. like the rest of the guys said and i qoute "shot placement" end quote

[Swampghost]

I have almost 20 acres in Catawba Co. and have dropped quite a few deer with the .243 at or beyond that range. I use 100gr. factory loads (Win.).

[Hemicuda]

Sure... just use some good bullet placement and some decent 100 grain bullets... no problems...

[mikejonestkd]

It'll work fine on a lung/heart shot broadside. I like the 95 GR win supreme ballistic tips and the 95 GR remington accutip.

[nate45]

Why is 'shot placement' stressed so heavily when talking about the .243, 6 mm, .22-250, etc when discussing using them on deer, do you people own some magic rifle caliber that does not require good shot placement?

I've shot deer at night with a spotlight and a .22 lr and .22 Mag(years and years ago when I was young ), I've shot them legally with everything from a .222 Rem to a .375 H&H and I'm 100% certain that no rifle will work well on deer without proper shot placement.

300 yards is along ways away for the average person to be shooting at a game animal with any caliber, but if you are a good shot the .243 Win has plenty of power to do the job. Realistically 325-350 yards is about the limit for a .243, in the hands of a good shot, although I'm fairly certain that some people have killed deer further with one, or at least will claim they did.

[Loader9]

The 243 will work just fine at 300 yds if you are capable of hitting the animal with a killing shot. Per P O Ackley, the optimum bullet weight for the .243 bore is 87 grs. I shoot the 90 gr Speers and they will drop deer like a big gun at yardage. If you handload, give them a try. And yeah, I'm among those that have killed deer, one shot, and the animal falls in its tracks at distances far, far, farther out there than 300 yds, with witnesses who still shake their heads. And I've done it a lot more than once. It's a dandy round but you need to practice long yardage shooting if you intend to shoot that far. I have access to a 500 yd range and practice weekly.

[Tuckahoe]

.243 is a very popular caliber for deer in North Carolina. Good for coyotes too.

[jdscholer]

Speer 100 gr. boat tails with a stiff load of 4895 (work up your own weight), has dropped many bucks for me - usually where they stood. Damage to meat is horrible if ya make a bad shot, but they don't run off. I think most folks will shoot a 243 better than a heavier recoiling rifle, and you often get the pleasure of seeing your quarry getting hit through your rifle scope. Not so with bigger guns. jd

[scoobydoo6906]

this is my opinion it would be highly marginal at least out here on the west coast. a 270 or 7mm-08 or a .308 would be a better choice if you are recoil shy. put it this way I myself would not hunt deer with a .243 and shoot at it at 300 yards just to much can go wrong at that range with a .243. I am not fond of trying to find a wounded animal or a animal that ran a few hundred yards just because I shot it with a marginal round for the distance. may I suggest a Remington 700 sps tactical in .308, I have seen more that shoot sub moa from the factory than I can count, and not to uncommon to see one punch a .5 inch groups with hand loads. they run in the $600 to $700 range.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=114752022

[sureshots]

If you have A good clear shot and you are A good enough shot to make it. The 243Cal. with the proper bullet will do it very well. Just ask the thousands of mule deer that have been dropped by 243's at long ranges.

[sureshots]

Someone stated that someone made A neck shot within 125 yards with A 243cal. and never found the deer. My question is, if they never found the deer why do they think they made the neck shot?

[ryalred]

I love my .243 and have killed a number of deer under 200 yds with it. It does have the energy at 300 yds to do the job, but I feel it is just a little weak at that distance. However, for a good marksman, who has practiced shooting to 300 yds, and with a good broadside opportunity, it will do it.

But as nate45 implied. Without good shot placement a lot more gun wouldn't even be enough.

[j.chappell]

243 is plenty. Really everyone is stating that you would need a broadside shot, at 300 yards, why are you taking anything but!

I have been using the Federal Power-Shok 80gr Speer HotCor load and have been more than pleased, it is truely an amazing load. I have shot deer between 40 and roughly 275 with this load and never had to trail any more than 20 yards. I only take broadside vital shots. I do not like to waste meat by taking neck, or shoulder shots.

However if a monster buck were to walk out and I only had a shoulder I'd take that and be comfortable to around 200 yards with the mentioned load.

I do have a 100gr Partition load that I use and would not hesitate to take a 400 yard shot with the partttion as it is still moving along at 2200+fps and has over 1000fpe left at 400 yards.

J.

[attila787]

.243 is a fine round. I was skeptical about it until I got my first doe of the season with my dpms 243LR. At 100 yards it went right through the heart and out the other side (nice 1 1/2 exit wound).

This is when I became a believer of the .243 and three hundred yards with a 100 grain round I really don't see a problem.

[nate45]

I was skeptical about it until I got my first doe of the season with my dpms 243LR. At 100 yards it went right through the heart and out the other side (nice 1 1/2 exit wound).

Something tells me this is the primary reason for most all of the skeptics who doubt the .243s ability and advocate 'something bigger' for deer. They have never shot a deer with one or seen the wound channel it produces. If they had they would not doubt or question it's killing power.

[j.chappell]

Well said nate45.

[attila787]

If your still a skeptic you can get those Hornady .243 magnum rounds.

[Yellowfin]

Best thing about it is that it doesn't kick so you can get a lot more accuracy out of it.

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. In Australia to take some breeds of deer there is a minimum caliber of .270, so the .243 gets knocked out of the equation on that basis.
With the .243 at 300 yards hitting the vital organs, does the projectile finish on the far side of the animal or is all the energy used up before it gets there?
How does this compare to a similar shot from say a 30-06?

[hogdogs]

I don't think any "MAGIC" round exists but with a bunch of different rounds your "room to deviate" from a PERFECT placement! A .300 win mag is going to have a larger wound channel dynamic devastation given the proper bullet choice and it is just a tiny bit larger in diameter. And a 12 gauge slug is another that leaves some room for error. Heck the sumbuck ain't gotta penetrate and would lay one on 'er side long enuff for shot #2...
Given' i am not super hot shot with aging vision I tend to lean towards wallop! There was a time in my childhood that we were dirt dang poor! I had at my disposal a 12 gauge single shot, a .410 bolt 3 round capacity and a .22 single lr shot. I never used the 12! I took down several species of MEAT with the .410 and .22 If i got lucky enuff to come up on a summer deer 25 yards away I wouldn't hesitate to place a 36 grain 'tween 'er eyes! Never had a walk off with them shots.
So yes I agree placement is key but a bit of leeway is given with a few different rounds... And lets not forget that .45-70... I bet that thing would knock down a chimney!
Brent

[j.chappell]

It is hard to compare calibers unless you are using the same bullet and shooting at the same medium (game) at the same distance.

On the 243, depending on bullet, and shot placement you will have a through and through shot, it may make it to the off side and stop short of exiting, or it may barely make it into the vitals. I have had 100gr Partitions pass through on a braodside shot at just over 285 yards. This was on a whitetail doe of about 125lbs.

Also I have used Berger VLD's. WOW, these things enter and devistate everything inside but do not usually make it to the off side. I have never had a deer shot with a Berger VLD move a foot. They drop as if God himself struck them down. They create massive internal damage and deliver every single ounce of energy into the vitals of your game.

J.

P.S. I happen to love the 45-70 GOV! Knocks em all down! My uncle swears that I scare most of my deer to death with that "big ole thing" before the bullet even gets there.