Yep the .243 still kills deer.

Panfisher · November 20, 2013, 08:51 PM

Thought I might get to try a cheap blood tracking light this evening, but the big doe was DRT. My wife shot her a little high but just under the spine, but took out about 4 inches of what my wife says was the decending aorta, I refer to it as "that big blood vessel thingy". Load: 100 grain Hornady BTSP, over 34.0 grains of IMR 4895, super mild load that continues to kill deer for her, since some of you are like me and want to know more, range roughly 85 yards, rifle Ruger 77 Stainless with the old skeleton stock and my old Leupold 2-7 VXII scope. Bullet is somewhere in the dirt behind where the deer was laying. All edible parts are chilling in two coolers right now, heck maybe I'll even go, eh maybe. She still has one more tag to use, maybe I'll save mine for MuzzleLoader (alternative season).

Cowboy_mo · November 20, 2013, 09:20 PM

Congrats to you and your wife!!! Never had any doubt about the lethality of .243 for deer.

Doug S · November 20, 2013, 09:56 PM

Congrats to your wife.

I hadn't hunted in 16yrs, when my son decided he wanted to go hunting. I had sold off all of my hunting rifles in years past, and was unsure about buying a new one until I found out how serious my son was about hunting. A friend loaned us his 243 for our hunt. I had always used 30-06, and looking at the little 243 cartridge wasn't exactly confidence inspiring. Nevertheless between the two of us, 3 shots were fired, and 3 deer put in the freezer. None traveled very far before dropping, and I no longer have any doubts about the 243 for Whitetail.

Brotherbadger · November 21, 2013, 01:23 AM

Very nice! Yes the .243 will still kill a deer, but many question it since it isn't a 30-30, 30-06 or a .270. But the old .243 has enough punch to get the job done. Got any pictures?

markm_04 · November 21, 2013, 02:37 AM

I too will vouch for the .243 killing deer. I laid out a doe and an old ten point buck with my Remington 700 .243 (Simmons 3-9x40 scope) using rounds that my grandfather handloaded back in the late 70's to early 80's. I have never had to buy any ammo from the store and the old soft points that were put together by my grandfather have worked just dandy killing deer every year for the last 15 years that I have been hunting.

Panfisher, what part of MO are you hunting? Opening weekend up here was WAY too windy. I got both my deer Monday after opening weekend when the weather was a bit more friendly.

Panfisher · November 21, 2013, 10:43 AM

Yep opening weekend was a bit windy here too on the northern edge of the ozarks. Seemed like I was gonna get blown out of the tree. I have a picture but am not smart enough to post it nothing spectacular just a nice fat doe.

Brian Pfleuger · November 21, 2013, 10:45 AM

You must have killed that deer in the mythical place called "The Real World". Everyone on the Internet knows the .243 isn't enough for deer.

hooligan1 · November 21, 2013, 11:17 AM

Now Peetz, thats not a moderator-like reply,,,

But the simple truth is that the .243 winchester round is an extremely popular round for deer, and with proper bullets it kills deer nicely.
My daughter killled her very first deer with the .243, using Winchester "gray box" 100 grn powerpoints.... We currently load 100 grn Sierra Gamekings for her Mark X, .243 and it loves them,, haven't taken any animals yet but very confident to use it...... cept she doesn't let anybody use it...

Brian Pfleuger · November 21, 2013, 11:32 AM

No rule against sarcasm, that I know of.

stolivar · November 21, 2013, 10:57 PM

Nuff said.

http://imageshack.com/a/img534/6900/9tr1.jpg

mxsailor803 · November 22, 2013, 02:54 PM

Many people doubt the .243 and many people swear by it. I swear by it. I do have other deer rifles in bigger calibers but I keep coming back to my .243 for some reason. Dropped many a deer, even more foxes/feral dogs, and a couple hogs with mine. It has earned its place in my safe for the rest of my life.

Wyoredman · November 22, 2013, 06:39 PM

The best part of this story...You have a wife educated in anatomy! Great for the both of you. Deer hunting with your Dear is great fun! Congratulations.

SC4006 · November 22, 2013, 07:35 PM

Quote:

You must have killed that deer in the mythical place called "The Real World". Everyone on the Internet knows the .243 isn't enough for deer.

.50 BMG isn't enough for deer either. I'd suggest a bare minimum of 20x102mm Vulcan, but 40mm is much better suited.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · November 22, 2013, 08:00 PM

243 Great little cartridge for the start-outs and ladies. As we all read she is one (#1) up on you Panfisher. Wind rain or snow. No matter. Better get busy or your bound to hear about her deer all winter long. As of now she has those Bragging Rights in her pocket and can put away her rifle. You on the other-hand.~~~Well you know?_

My congratulations to your Mrs. tonight Sir. S/S

BTW: Nice deer there stolivar.

Panfisher · November 22, 2013, 10:34 PM

If I go back and count the number of deer each of us has taken since she started deer hunting she would be several up on me. She likes to hunt them, I like to make sure she has what she needs to hunt, and in the in it works out very well for me.

If mama ain't happy then ain't nobody happy. Besides she doesn't complain when I buy a new knife (obviously for field dressing her deer), or something that makes more noise!

Buzzcook · November 23, 2013, 02:21 PM

I don't know, the .243 is still pretty new fangled. It's not even 60 years old yet.

Better give it another 40 years till we pass judgment.

22-rimfire · November 24, 2013, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Many people doubt the .243 and many people swear by it. I swear by it. I do have other deer rifles in bigger calibers but I keep coming back to my .243 for some reason. Dropped many a deer, even more foxes/feral dogs, and a couple hogs with mine. It has earned its place in my safe for the rest of my life.

243's work if you make a good hit and have been working for a long time. Congratulations on the deer!

I prefer something a tad larger, but the 243 works.

BoogieMan · November 25, 2013, 12:50 PM

I was a little skeptical about the 243 seeing as I am a 30-06 fan. My son inherited a Model 70 from his Gpa and took a nice little doe with it opening day in MO. 100gr PPU soft points dropped her in her tracks at about 75yds. Funny thing is that I couldnt tell the difference from DRT with a 243 to DRT with a 30-06.

22-rimfire · November 25, 2013, 02:43 PM

The difference comes to play if the hit is not as good between the -06 and .243. With the .243, you're pretty much taking neck or broadside shots. The quartering shots are the ones to avoid but it is always a matter of degree.

steveNChunter · November 25, 2013, 07:41 PM

I'm not a bit scared to shoot a quartering shot on a deer with a .243/6mm. Any 95-100 gr bullet would do the job but a partition,TSX, or a good bonded bullet will pass through every time. Shoot through the vitals and the deer isn't going far.

Bullet construction and shot placement is everything whether you are shooting a .243 or a .30-06

WIN1886 · November 26, 2013, 06:17 PM

I've only got two deer so far with my .243 but both died quickly requiring one shot each ! I bought the rifle more for varmint hunting but it sure proved to work dandy on deer , as well ! I have no problem using this caliber on deer.....its a joy to shoot !

Pilot · November 26, 2013, 06:42 PM

I think the .243 is THE Whitetail Deer round.

Panfisher · November 26, 2013, 07:48 PM

I just happily let my wife take quartering shots, broadside shots, shoulder shots, so far the .243 has never let her down, she has "oopsied" a few times and gotten excited and missed the shot. Honestly I think that the 100 grain Hornady Interloks I load are at a mild enough velocity they don't have the tendency to come apart like bullets might at a higher velocity. I have to date recovered only one of her bullets and I believe it weighed somewhere in the mid 70 grains. I don't tell her that her rifle isn't enough for deer, or that it might be OK for kids and little girls, I just keep the tractor ready to start, the knives sharp, and camera batteries charged. On at least one occasion she was certain her rifle was "OFF", she had missed a buck and KNEW she was right on when she shot. (Never heard that before have you?), We went outside in the light rain and intermittent wind, laid the rifle down on a pile of dirt, and fired at an old target (metal tank with dots spray-painted on it at about 90 yards distance, two shots almost touched just a hair high maybe 1/2. Upon questioning she admitted to being excited when she shot, explanation simple she blew the shot, I've done it without the benefit of having been excited, it happens. After a short lecture/instructional moment about trigger control which she took well, meaning she didn't divorce me. She went out 2 mornings later (I being the kind who is secure in my manhood, went back to bed). Shortly I heard a KAPOW, pause KAPOW, "rutt row Shaggy" here we go again I thought, shortly I received a text, "That's more like it two shots two deer down". Obviously there was nothing wrong with the rifle, she had simply missed before, but the test firing had renewed her confidence and determination. We hunters are the first to blame our rifle, bow, boots, bullets, scope, color of underwear, whatever and not the most obvious that we simply blew the shot. Once we lose confidence in our equipment we are seldom happy until we replacement it with something else, instead of buckling down and minding the basics of trigger control and follow through. Today was the last day of our regular firearms season, our county doesn't have a bonus season, and she doesn't do muzzle loaders so I still have the December chance to hunt for my man-card with my old Knight .50.

Hope all of you have a Wonderful Thanksgiving, while you are enjoying family and food, take a moment and give a thought and prayer to those who are unable to be with their families due to circumstances whether it me military deployment, work, or other.

Jack O'Conner · November 28, 2013, 08:11 AM

In 1969, my Dad (1922-2004) bought a new 760 Remington in .243 for my brother and me to use. We saved up our chore money to buy a second hand Redfield 2X-7X scope and mounted it ourselves. This outfit toppled stacks of deer for us without any problems at all.

Years later, I replaced the plain stocks with upgraded ones in 1976 for a more deluxe look.

.243 is a keeper!
Jack

btmj · November 29, 2013, 01:12 AM

shooting a 200 lb hoofed animal with a 100 grain .243 caliber bullet is really no different than shooting a 700 lb hoofed animal with a 130 grain .277 caliber bullet. But no one thinks it is crazy to hunt elk with a 270.

243, 6mm, 257 Roberts, 25-06, 260, 6.5x55... All of these are so close in ballistics and energy, no deer would ever know the difference... all are nearly perfect deer cartridges.

November 20, 2013, 09:56 PM	#3
Doug S Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2000 Posts: 745	Congrats to your wife. I hadn't hunted in 16yrs, when my son decided he wanted to go hunting. I had sold off all of my hunting rifles in years past, and was unsure about buying a new one until I found out how serious my son was about hunting. A friend loaned us his 243 for our hunt. I had always used 30-06, and looking at the little 243 cartridge wasn't exactly confidence inspiring. Nevertheless between the two of us, 3 shots were fired, and 3 deer put in the freezer. None traveled very far before dropping, and I no longer have any doubts about the 243 for Whitetail. __________________ "The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." Col. Jeff Cooper, from The Art of the Rifle

November 21, 2013, 01:23 AM	#4
Brotherbadger Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2010 Posts: 1,149	Very nice! Yes the .243 will still kill a deer, but many question it since it isn't a 30-30, 30-06 or a .270. But the old .243 has enough punch to get the job done. Got any pictures? __________________ Once Fired Brass, Top quality, Fast shipping, Best prices. http://300AacBrass.com/ -10% Coupon use code " badger "

November 21, 2013, 10:45 AM	#7
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	You must have killed that deer in the mythical place called "The Real World". Everyone on the Internet knows the .243 isn't enough for deer. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

November 21, 2013, 11:17 AM	#8
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Now Peetz, thats not a moderator-like reply,,, But the simple truth is that the .243 winchester round is an extremely popular round for deer, and with proper bullets it kills deer nicely. My daughter killled her very first deer with the .243, using Winchester "gray box" 100 grn powerpoints.... We currently load 100 grn Sierra Gamekings for her Mark X, .243 and it loves them,, haven't taken any animals yet but very confident to use it...... cept she doesn't let anybody use it... __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

November 21, 2013, 11:32 AM	#9
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	No rule against sarcasm, that I know of. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

November 20, 2013, 08:51 PM	#1
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	Yep the .243 still kills deer. Thought I might get to try a cheap blood tracking light this evening, but the big doe was DRT. My wife shot her a little high but just under the spine, but took out about 4 inches of what my wife says was the decending aorta, I refer to it as "that big blood vessel thingy". Load: 100 grain Hornady BTSP, over 34.0 grains of IMR 4895, super mild load that continues to kill deer for her, since some of you are like me and want to know more, range roughly 85 yards, rifle Ruger 77 Stainless with the old skeleton stock and my old Leupold 2-7 VXII scope. Bullet is somewhere in the dirt behind where the deer was laying. All edible parts are chilling in two coolers right now, heck maybe I'll even go, eh maybe. She still has one more tag to use, maybe I'll save mine for MuzzleLoader (alternative season).

November 20, 2013, 09:20 PM	#2
Cowboy_mo Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,039	Congrats to you and your wife!!! Never had any doubt about the lethality of .243 for deer.

November 21, 2013, 02:37 AM	#5
markm_04 Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2013 Location: Maysville, MO Posts: 111	I too will vouch for the .243 killing deer. I laid out a doe and an old ten point buck with my Remington 700 .243 (Simmons 3-9x40 scope) using rounds that my grandfather handloaded back in the late 70's to early 80's. I have never had to buy any ammo from the store and the old soft points that were put together by my grandfather have worked just dandy killing deer every year for the last 15 years that I have been hunting. Panfisher, what part of MO are you hunting? Opening weekend up here was WAY too windy. I got both my deer Monday after opening weekend when the weather was a bit more friendly.

November 21, 2013, 10:43 AM	#6
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	Yep opening weekend was a bit windy here too on the northern edge of the ozarks. Seemed like I was gonna get blown out of the tree. I have a picture but am not smart enough to post it nothing spectacular just a nice fat doe.

November 21, 2013, 10:57 PM	#10
stolivar Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2004 Posts: 394	Shot a nice 13 pointer at 300 yards with my 243 Nuff said. http://imageshack.com/a/img534/6900/9tr1.jpg

November 22, 2013, 02:54 PM	#11
mxsailor803 Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 1,344	Many people doubt the .243 and many people swear by it. I swear by it. I do have other deer rifles in bigger calibers but I keep coming back to my .243 for some reason. Dropped many a deer, even more foxes/feral dogs, and a couple hogs with mine. It has earned its place in my safe for the rest of my life.

November 22, 2013, 06:39 PM	#12
Wyoredman Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,350	The best part of this story...You have a wife educated in anatomy! Great for the both of you. Deer hunting with your Dear is great fun! Congratulations. __________________ Go Pokes! Go Rams!

November 22, 2013, 08:00 PM	#14
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	243 Great little cartridge for the start-outs and ladies. As we all read she is one (#1) up on you Panfisher. Wind rain or snow. No matter. Better get busy or your bound to hear about her deer all winter long. As of now she has those Bragging Rights in her pocket and can put away her rifle. You on the other-hand.~~~Well you know?_ My congratulations to your Mrs. tonight Sir. S/S BTW: Nice deer there stolivar.

November 22, 2013, 10:34 PM	#15
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	If I go back and count the number of deer each of us has taken since she started deer hunting she would be several up on me. She likes to hunt them, I like to make sure she has what she needs to hunt, and in the in it works out very well for me. If mama ain't happy then ain't nobody happy. Besides she doesn't complain when I buy a new knife (obviously for field dressing her deer), or something that makes more noise!

November 23, 2013, 02:21 PM	#16
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	I don't know, the .243 is still pretty new fangled. It's not even 60 years old yet. Better give it another 40 years till we pass judgment.

November 25, 2013, 12:50 PM	#18
BoogieMan Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2012 Location: South Jersey Posts: 2,217	I was a little skeptical about the 243 seeing as I am a 30-06 fan. My son inherited a Model 70 from his Gpa and took a nice little doe with it opening day in MO. 100gr PPU soft points dropped her in her tracks at about 75yds. Funny thing is that I couldnt tell the difference from DRT with a 243 to DRT with a 30-06. __________________ Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it. Milton Freidman "If you find yourself in a fair fight,,, Your tactics suck"- Unknown

November 25, 2013, 02:43 PM	#19
22-rimfire Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 5,323	The difference comes to play if the hit is not as good between the -06 and .243. With the .243, you're pretty much taking neck or broadside shots. The quartering shots are the ones to avoid but it is always a matter of degree.

November 25, 2013, 07:41 PM	#20
steveNChunter Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2012 Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns Posts: 1,520	I'm not a bit scared to shoot a quartering shot on a deer with a .243/6mm. Any 95-100 gr bullet would do the job but a partition,TSX, or a good bonded bullet will pass through every time. Shoot through the vitals and the deer isn't going far. Bullet construction and shot placement is everything whether you are shooting a .243 or a .30-06 __________________ DEO VINDICE

November 26, 2013, 06:17 PM	#21
WIN1886 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 604	I've only got two deer so far with my .243 but both died quickly requiring one shot each ! I bought the rifle more for varmint hunting but it sure proved to work dandy on deer , as well ! I have no problem using this caliber on deer.....its a joy to shoot !

November 26, 2013, 06:42 PM	#22
Pilot Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2000 Posts: 4,193	I think the .243 is THE Whitetail Deer round. __________________ Pilot

November 26, 2013, 07:48 PM	#23
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	I just happily let my wife take quartering shots, broadside shots, shoulder shots, so far the .243 has never let her down, she has "oopsied" a few times and gotten excited and missed the shot. Honestly I think that the 100 grain Hornady Interloks I load are at a mild enough velocity they don't have the tendency to come apart like bullets might at a higher velocity. I have to date recovered only one of her bullets and I believe it weighed somewhere in the mid 70 grains. I don't tell her that her rifle isn't enough for deer, or that it might be OK for kids and little girls, I just keep the tractor ready to start, the knives sharp, and camera batteries charged. On at least one occasion she was certain her rifle was "OFF", she had missed a buck and KNEW she was right on when she shot. (Never heard that before have you?), We went outside in the light rain and intermittent wind, laid the rifle down on a pile of dirt, and fired at an old target (metal tank with dots spray-painted on it at about 90 yards distance, two shots almost touched just a hair high maybe 1/2. Upon questioning she admitted to being excited when she shot, explanation simple she blew the shot, I've done it without the benefit of having been excited, it happens. After a short lecture/instructional moment about trigger control which she took well, meaning she didn't divorce me. She went out 2 mornings later (I being the kind who is secure in my manhood, went back to bed). Shortly I heard a KAPOW, pause KAPOW, "rutt row Shaggy" here we go again I thought, shortly I received a text, "That's more like it two shots two deer down". Obviously there was nothing wrong with the rifle, she had simply missed before, but the test firing had renewed her confidence and determination. We hunters are the first to blame our rifle, bow, boots, bullets, scope, color of underwear, whatever and not the most obvious that we simply blew the shot. Once we lose confidence in our equipment we are seldom happy until we replacement it with something else, instead of buckling down and minding the basics of trigger control and follow through. Today was the last day of our regular firearms season, our county doesn't have a bonus season, and she doesn't do muzzle loaders so I still have the December chance to hunt for my man-card with my old Knight .50. Hope all of you have a Wonderful Thanksgiving, while you are enjoying family and food, take a moment and give a thought and prayer to those who are unable to be with their families due to circumstances whether it me military deployment, work, or other.

November 28, 2013, 08:11 AM	#24
Jack O'Conner Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2005 Location: Manatee County, Florida Posts: 1,976	In 1969, my Dad (1922-2004) bought a new 760 Remington in .243 for my brother and me to use. We saved up our chore money to buy a second hand Redfield 2X-7X scope and mounted it ourselves. This outfit toppled stacks of deer for us without any problems at all. Years later, I replaced the plain stocks with upgraded ones in 1976 for a more deluxe look. .243 is a keeper! Jack __________________ Fire up the grill! Deer hunting IS NOT catch and release.

November 29, 2013, 01:12 AM	#25
btmj Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2011 Location: Near St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 864	shooting a 200 lb hoofed animal with a 100 grain .243 caliber bullet is really no different than shooting a 700 lb hoofed animal with a 130 grain .277 caliber bullet. But no one thinks it is crazy to hunt elk with a 270. 243, 6mm, 257 Roberts, 25-06, 260, 6.5x55... All of these are so close in ballistics and energy, no deer would ever know the difference... all are nearly perfect deer cartridges.