.243

[Midas]

Originally Posted by nathangdad

Sorry to hear your experience with the .243 has not been the same as mine. About six deer and four antelope without the problems you describe.
I do not have any way to further discuss or debate the point as, obviously, we cannot relive our experiences and compare results. Historically, the .243 was originally called the .243 Western in Winchester marketing introductions with emphasis on the antelope and deer living on the plains as a specialization of the round. Perhaps distance is a factor in our different results. Mine were at distance which may account for the energy imparted to the game.

Again, the .243 was never called the .243 Western, but Winchester did make a Model 70 called the Westerner, it had a 26" barrel, and came in .300 Win Mag or .264 Win Mag

[irish murphy]

What size deer or species are you hunting with a 243?Its

Over here these are the minimums for each species.

Large calibre, high powered centre-fire rifles fitted with a telescopic sight should be used. Hollow-point or soft-nosed ammunition is preferred. The calibre of rifle used will depend on the size and species of deer:

Small deer (e.g. hog and fallow deer)

The minimum calibre is .243 with 100 grain projectile. Case length must be at least 51mm

Large deer (e.g. sambar, chital, red and rusa deer)

The minimum calibre is .270 with 130 grain projectile. Case length must be at least 51mm

[rasterman77]

Odd, over here in Canada the minimum to hunt big game of any kind is a centerfire rifle except bison which requires a 175 gr. round.
Youth hunters and ladies most commonly use the .243 here and hunt mostly Whitetail deer (upper limit 250lbs) and Mule deer (upper limit 350lbs).
My friends 12yr. old daughter shot a 200lb. 3x3 mulie last season @ 80 yds. with her .243, it went about 1 meter..... down.
P.S. She found (made?)mossy oak clothes for her Barbie.

[okole]

, the cartridge does not destroy meat as to larger cartridges, and it will seldom shoot through a deer thereby imparting all its energy to the task (many people are overgunned and their bullets go through a deer without any really desired effect)[/quote]

I don't know what bullets you were using but I killed several deer in the early sixties and (1) there was significant damage in all cases (2) every bullet passed through the animal.
I was using 100gr. Sierras as I recall.

[Lepa4013]

.243's are great for deer hunting, I've been using a Browning BLR81 leveraction .243 for about 6 years and have dropped lots of bucks, it was also used for ~10 years on deer by my dad before I started with it. Here in nebraska the bullet just needs 900 pounds of force at 100 yards to be a legal weapon or 20ga+.

[rdale501]

My brother and his son both have 243s. They have taken several animals with them, but let me tell you, you gotta pay attention to your shot placement. They have both let animals get away after being shot. Sure in the exact right spot it will drop them. But if you are off the light weight bullets don't have the knockdown power to stop them. I'm talking about mule deer here, but I think you could apply it to other big game as well. Most people here consider the 243 marginal for deer and opt for something in the 270 range up to the magnums.

[webs]

I think the .243 is a good heavy varmit cailber and a decent light deer rifle.I prefer a bigger rifle caliber, but the deer kills I have made with the .243 have been quick and humane.Like has been said,shot placement is important.

[rasterman77]

Don't want to be a smart a*s, but one should pay attention to your shot placement with a 500 nitro express or .416 rigby just as much as any other caliber. The vitals on deer are approx. 10", that's a large area to miss. Just pretend you are hunting ground hogs and they are hiding behind the deers' front shoulder. LOL
In our hunting group the one guy that loses his deer at least once every second season, hunts with a .300 ultra mag "M700 XCR" and a 2.5-10x56 "Swarovski ph" scope, he can't blame his equipment. He doesn't like to practice with his cannon so he sucks, I wish he would use his .243.

[irish murphy]

Originally Posted by Midas

Again, the .243 was never called the .243 Western, but Winchester did make a Model 70 called the Westerner, it had a 26" barrel, and came in .300 Win Mag or .264 Win Mag

You are right midas.It is the rifle that is called the westerner mate,here is a link.

The Winchester Collector Model 70 Bolt Action Rifle

I actually found a cartridge that was made by winchester that was called the westener,it was the 264 winchester magnum.I have thought about getting a 6.5mm cal rifle next year.but cant decide between making a 6.5mm284 or 6.5x55.I realise the 6.5x55 is going to be a much easier optin regarding brass dies and the like but i like things that are different.Maybe a 264wm would be a better option.Im not making it for any specific purpose,just want something different.

[wv2000]

I am going to get a 243 for my wife. Suggestions on make and model?

[rasterman77]

Originally Posted by wv2000

I am going to get a 243 for my wife. Suggestions on make and model?

That's a matter of opinion, best bang for the buck in my opinion is the Remington m700 SPS with or without the detachable mag. There is alot of variables; shooting? Hunting? What animals? Long range?
Some smaller rifles like the Remington model 7 or Browning A-bolt micro hunter are great if you hike a long way but may not be ideal for reducing recoil.. mind you it's a .243.
Tell us a little more about the application.
I'm sure you will get a plethora of assistance in this matter.

[texnmidwest]

243 for deer hunting? I have one thing to say...5 shots 5 one shot kills. One actually ran 20 yards. Pick your shots as a good hunter would do with any round and you will have a great hunt. Soft recoil equals well placed shots. Even a 458 win mag will not do the job if the shot is wrong.

[Magnumsrule]

The 243. treated me well with my first big game experience. Dont know i would go back to it though now i have had more experience with other larger calibers such as the 7mm mag.