Real world experience: Deer with a .243?

[ronron2112]

i just got off the phone with my grandfather, and asked him about his childhood. now remember that he is a WWII vet, so all his comparisons will return back to the .30-.06

He said when he used the .243 that it always brougt hthe deer down. He had a 3x9 scope on it, and he can remember hitting deer at 150+ yards, but he said he had to look for it for around 30-45min. (mentioned also about the flat trajectory)

He then switched up to a .270 because he wanted a lil flatter trajectory (sp?) and umph. He still uses the .270 today. He was said how the .270 was the best deer cartridge in his day next to the ".30-.06" he loved the .270.. it had everything he wanted.

And then later he gave me his speech on the .30-.06... oh boy.. According to him, The 150gr. bullet is the best for deer because it had the most energy. The 180gr. he said was almost overkill with some of the modern lead they have today. I use a 150gr. now, but have not taken a deer with it yet.

if that made sense... and i know most of my posts dont.. but o well.. have fun translating my jumbled text.

[cphilip]

Gramps always knows best. The old "ought six" is a sure fire favorite. And the .270 is surely my first choice for a Deer rifle. But the great price deal is on this .243 so I am trying to make a decision if its big enough. Most guys use the 130 grain around here in their 270's and they seem to work fine.

I offered the guy at the store $500 (I might go up $25 or so but no more)for the Browning A bolt with Boss in the .243 with a Swift 3 X 9 - 40 mm scope fully mounted onto it and bore sited. I will see if he bites. At that price I could not pass it up. And I will probably never see over a 150 yard shot around here.

If not... I am going to pass and go to the .270 like I planned. Although I might consider a .308. Or even a .280 or 7MM.

Animal - 2400 at 200 would be kick *edit*= Oh ,Phil.... enough! As much as a .270 has for sure.

[cphilip]

Update: Yes! I did buy the Rifle for $505.

But the newest news so far is I just changed the Swift Scope over to a Leupold!

It seems Leupold is changing models and the older models are being liquidated. So after much searching I found a Vari-X IIc for $200 in the matching Matte Black finish. There seem to still be plenty of this discontinued models in Gloss Black still out there but Matte Black is rare. But I found one off a dealer in Oregon. I Changed the rings to Matte Black also and since the Mount was already Matte and it was Leupold already it worked out real nice. So she now sports a Matte Black Leupold Scope set up with all Leupold accessories on the Matte Black finish A-Bolt Browning with Boss. Sweeeeeeet!

Also I bought the "CR" (non ported tip) adapter for the BOSS and took the ported one off to minimize noise. Not enough kickback to realy need to port a .243 anyway.

Due to the Scope change I will be fine tuning this weekend. Hoping for the magical one inch groups! I ahve been told that is readily achievable with the .243 with BOSS. Lets see!

[shartley]

Sounds SWEET! You GOTS to get some pictures for us.

[cphilip]

Ooooooh the sleek black beeeeeeaautie.....Yum!

[ronron2112]

sounds like you're gonna have a blast with it! it should get tight groupings when you find that perfect .243 .

have fun.. oh yea. and get some pics!

[sajohnston]

More than enough

.243 is more than adequate for the game/ranges you are talking about. $400 is fair for a A-Bolt hunter grade with boss. I have a 7mm Mag A bolt/boss, my wife has a .308 w/boss. The .308 is the most powerfull all around cartridge browing offers for the a-bolt IN A SHORT ACTION. The .270 is a LONG ACTION and increases the size weight of the rifle.

The boss is a great thing to have. You don't need the recoil reduction it provides with a .243 but tuning it to your specific ammo increases accuracy. I suggest you reveiw the Boss cartridge guide that comes with the rife and see what factory cartridges they have found "the sweet spot" for already. I am partial to Federal Premium as far as off-the-shelf brands go.

My wife still prefers to hunt with her Sako .243 with iron sights over her Browning A-Bolt/Boss .308. It is a little heavy for her since I mounted the 50mm Burris scope on it

[udtseal]

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I WANT TO GO HUNTING IN THIS!!!!!!

[cphilip]

Thanks SA. I did find the Winchester 100 grain at 5 setting on the BOSS seemed fine but I have not taken the thing to the range for the fine tuning due to waiting on the scope change over. But I do want to try some of that Federal "Light Mag" stuff in it. Everbody says Federal is fine stuff.

One question though: Did you find the settings real close for the bullet weights you tried in comparison to the BOSS sweet spot charts?

Yes that 308 is sure a fine size and a short throw too. Basically a "necked up" .243. Good choice.

[sajohnston]

I found the factory chart very accuate. I picked up the exact federal premium ammo they had a setting for and it drove tacks. I adjusted the boss both ways from the zero and the factory reccomendation was indeed the sweetest spot. The very first 5 rounds I fired only made two holes that I could spot at 150 yards with my binos (forgot my 19x spotting scope). I thought I/the rife boned up the group but when I went down range the five rounds was actually two elongated holes. First five rounds, 1 1/8" group!

The only downside I can think of is the trigger. Browning is using stamped trigger components and even an expert gunsmith will tell you that they are hard to get "a good" trigger on (sub 2# pull). Aftermarket trigger groups are available from Timney (sp?), etc..

You got one nice setup. The CR is a great investment. I bought one for my 7mm after I ruptured my wife's eardrum with my 30'06 M1 Garand while hunting side-by-side in a blind. I gave her first shot, she missed, I followed up with a shot, got the deer and my wife doubled over cluthching her ear. She had it LANCED twice that night and was on antibiotics for two weeks. Her hearing is now terrible in that ear. I alway used hearing protection except for hunting (wanted to hear the game as much as possible) but now we both now use electronic protection for hunting as well.

[cphilip]

Good to know. The problem I have is the Sweet Spot chart for the .243 only lists two bullets tested: .243 Winchester 100 grain at setting of 5 and .243 Federal 80 grain at setting of 3.

So I was hoping the Federal at 100 grain was close to the same as Winchester 100 grain and I could use setting 5. Just have to see I guess. Most have told me it should be.

Are you using the "Game Ear" thing? Hows that working. Sorry to hear about what happened. Look on the bright side. You can now use it to your advantage.

Example: "No honey...I told you I was going to go to that strip club and stay out all night but you must not have heard me with your bad ear and all..."

See?

[justin_j]

i have used a .243 hunting deer before

it is a great gun with really good accuracy but it lacks the "punch" to knock down a deer
basically goes in one side and out the other. in my experience i have had to follow a blood trail(some pretty long ones too) on all but one deer i have killed with it.

[cphilip]

Yes indeed that is all about the bullet though and taking shorter range shots with bullets that explode better. Nossler partitions is what I am looking for here to make up for some of that. Or some of the other styles that do that.

[sajohnston]

electric ear muffs

What I am using is the same thing as game ear and it is decent. It does amplify sound and cancel out high decibel spikes. Just have to get used to the sound of it. .243 will do fine under 200 yards for deer. A .22LR will do the job under 100 yards if you aim for the soft spot behind the jaw and under the ear (brain stem). This is obviously not legal since it is not humane if you don't place your shot right, etc.

Yes I do take full advantage of her "gimp" right ear. That night was the night before I left for flight school and I was up all night with her at the hospital. The rupture and infection she had to fight off did serious damage that she reminds me of all the time!

[Lakin_054]

TAKE IT

Dude, that is a unheard of price for that rifle. Take the deal while you still have it, .243 is a perfect whitetail caliber. Tell ya the truth, BOSS is over-rated.