Real world experience: Deer with a .243?

[cphilip]

Been doing a lot of homework on this but wondered if anyone has any real world experience hunting deer with this caliber.

Reason I am considering this is I am being offered a sweet deal on a Browning A Bolt that happens to be in this caliber and also has the "BOSS" system on it for about $400 new in the box. Street price for these is about $625 and MSRP about $790. Otherwise I would have gone with a .270. Can't seem to find a deal like this as this one is at a dealer going out of the firearms business. Last one he has. This caliber certainly pops up in all the articles I have read so far on "best deer rifles" as the smallest recommended. SO it seems most "experts" belive it quite adequate. So I am considering it as it seems to be adequate from all those accounts. Seems the largest bullet size I find on the shelf is 100 grain. And I compared the velocities and ft pounds at various distances and it is about 200 below the similar size 130 grain from a 270 but still above 1000 at 300 yards. However most shots around here are within 200 yards at most. And this one would also give me the option of going down smaller grain bullet for varmint than the .270 would.

So anyone used one and taken deer with one? Experiences please...

[XspyX]

Well, I currently own a .250 Savage. That has a 100gr. lead also and travels at 3200fps. I hunt the whitetail up in Maine and I get mixed reactions. Some tell me to get a 30-06 or something while others say a 100gr. will work great.

Personally, I havn't taken a deer with it yet. Hate to say it but I havn't. Took a shot at one. The deer lost its balance and crashed to the ground. We couldn't find any blood OR HAIR! So, we don't know whats up with that.

Those are my expirences. How big are the average deer your hunting?

[-�on-]

.243? If you do end up buying this fine gun I praise you. My father's friend let me borrow his one hunting season and I can tell you that was a nice gun. I took a 65 yard shot at a firing range that is set up and marked becasue it is used for police training...Anyway I took 4 Shots with the .243, not only did I hit the target all 4 times I hit all shots with in inches of each other. It had the raised scope mount so you can have a scope and the option of open sights as well. Where I hunt (in Maine) the farthest shot Im going to get is in a 150 yard fresh clear cut. I would love to buy one but they are kinda out of my budget. The one I use was a Mossberg 74003 SSI-ONE 243 WIN


That is the Exact same one but with out the raised scope mount. I saw one of these used for $420, so I cant imagine what that go for new.

[Webmaster]

I think my dad has used a .243 before... he has used just about every caliber for deer. If you want, I can get you his email address - he may even have some recipes cooked up to give your rounds some extra UMPH.

[ronron2112]

The .243 is pretty addiquit (sp?) for the average deer, if your gonna go shoot the huge midwest bucks, than i wouldnt take it, but the .243 will deffiinlately take out a average deer. the .243 is also *FASTER* than some larger bullets too.

good luck

[Army]

Use the heaviest soft(not hollow)point bullet available, and keep your shots under 150yds. If you can keep 5 shots under 3" at 175yds, you'll do OK.

I had an A-bolt in .308 when they were first introduced back in the early 80's. Fine rifle, good price.

Good luck!

[pumpamatic]

I have no experience with .243 on deer, but like mentioned keep it under 200 if you plan on humanely taking a deer.

The only thing I personally would recommend against is the BOSS. It does provide good groupings, but everyone I've ever seen has a muzzle brake on it, although they do make the BOSS without one. I'd much rather keep my hearing and have a sore shoulder, unless I'm using an insanely hard-punching magnum. Don't forget, you can always take the BOSS off the rifle, so I would try this caliber out. It seems like an excellent choice for a young hunter, a varmint shooter, or a wise whitetail hunter who would have the tolerance to pass up the longer shots.

[cphilip]

OK sounding good so far...



X - about 190 pounds is a big 8 point here



Son - good to see you back around kid! Yes.. this is a real flat shooter at .243. It a .308 actually ...kinda...which is the choice now for competitive bench shooters



ronron2112 - no.. no long range mid westerns for this. I would go .308 for them at least.



webby -send me the email. Love to talk to your Dad about this. I could feel more warm and fuzzy if he could get me 100 more FPS and 100 more Ft. Pds out of this .243.



Army - as far as I can tell so far 100 gains is the biggest stock off the shelf bullet but that should do it. And my personal limitation would be to hold shots to within 150 yards. No more than 200 anyway but those are rare anyway. I thought you might like the varmint angle on this caliber as well!



I should say that this caliber is a .308 necked down to .243 basically. Its the same cartridge to give you some comparison. But the price and versatility of using it for varmint is what interests me the most.

[cphilip]

pumpamatic - yes the BOSS is loud from what I hear. Same as the normal but more of it comes back at you is all. I am concerned about it but its on there on this particular rifle and its a matter of putting the extra muzzle break cover on (as you point out) which for the price I am getting this one I am prepared to do.... if need be. I mean I would not go out and seek it but its usually extra money for one with it on there and its already on this one so....well you understand ?

Actually I am not sure what you mean about the kick part as the BOSS is realy intended to compensate for vibration of barrel in order to use different bullet sizes without re-siting in the rifle. Not kick back as a muzzle break is used. Although it does some of that too but more accidently. But a cover can be had to lessen the noise as you point out.

[Army]

cphilip, many varminters do use the .243 for rockchucks, fox, coyote, and prairie dogs, but that is with very light bullets at speeds nearing 3800+ fps.

I prefer the .308 for all my big game hunting as it can be handloaded for a vast number of bullet/powder combinations. It's also my back-up coyote rifle, when those song-dogs are too far for the .223 to reach humanely. (You ever see a 1lb ground squirrel get hit with about 1200lbs of energy? Eeeewwwwwwww!)

[kyle]

aw man u just dont know my dad shoots a 50 bmg at 2 miles turcky hunting that a 170 grain gun u can get much bu=igger i think but that the largest rifel there is

[animal]

I shoot a 243 and never had a problem taking down deer. Granted as long as you hit it in the right place. Make sure you don't get some gut shot while it's running like I did. It was a nice 2 hour hike to find the damn thing. Just make sure you use the 100 grain factory or load up some of your own. I've seen 105 gr bullets somewhere if I remember right.

[cphilip]

Good to hear Animal. Just the kind of thing I expected. Nothing is a good rifle if you don't hit the vitals right? Gotta check around for some of those bigger bullets. Let me know if you find out who makes them. I would give up some yardage to get a bigger slug. I should think I have a lot of room to give going down to 150 yards. If I remember correctly the 100 grain was still traveling at 1200 fps at 300 yards. And about 2000 fps at 200 yards. 1000 fps is minimum to kill Deer so I got some speed to give up realy
for bullet mass if I am shooting say 150 yards max. I should think I would still be around 2500 - 2800 fps with a 100 grain out at 100 to 150 yards.

Yes Army I was thinking 60 grain for coyote? Those are real fassst I think?

[animal]

Something tells me they were still going around 2400 at 200yds. But that's long term memory of a ballistics chart I viewed like 5 years ago If you're hunting in a place that allows more than 200yd shots, you might want to think about something a little bigger. I was thinking of getting a 300 win mag, but decided on the 680 E mag Besides, I've been using the 454 casull lately for deer. Too bad I didnt even see one this year, cept for the one we hit with the car

[banzaimf]

243 will be a great gun to hunt deer with. Where I hunt in southern Oregon, .243 is probably the single most common round. Heck... even my grandma uses it :-)

Banzaimf

note to self... make sure you say deer not dear