243 rifle

[Kyle Posterick]

7mm/08 and 308 would be better rounds, but a 243 will do what you want.

[rdbalmer]

I have taken many whitetails with the .243 and had no issues. Good shot placement is everything as it is with any rifle. I have also taken many whitetails with my 30-06, most with no issues but in all honesty I have lost a couple while using it. I blame it on a poor hit resulting in a poor blood trail and a lost deer. Nothing to be proud of but none the less the truth. The arguement over what caliber is the best has been going on forever and probably always will. Most all of the centerfire cartridges are capable of taking a whitetail deer provide you use a decent bullet designed for hunting big game and you hit the animal where you should. I agree that some of the flat shooting magnums are a better long range gun and some day I intend to own one but the bottom line is that the average guy that only shoots a dozen rounds a year simply isn't capable of decent accuracy much beyond 200 yards under hunting conditions. Maybe off of sand bags.... maybe. After you get the crap kicked out of you by one after fireing 15 or 20 shots you are probably going to be even less able to consistantly hit any thing. Like another post said ... Use the most rifle you can accurately and comfortably shoot. I have never had a deer go more than 75 yards after being hit with the 243. Granted all but two were hit through the lungs, the other two unfortunately were hit in the guts, but all fell dead very quickly. The choice is ultmately yours of course. Rob

[38bill]

I dont usually get involved in gun discussions because everybody has their own ideas of the perfect gun but here's my experience.

A 243 can be a good gun but they can really vary. My hunting buddy has a long, bull barreled, 243 that shoots like a 30-06. The 243 I owned punched pencil sized holes right through and the deer hardly noticed while my buddies gun tipped them right over. We were using the same custom loaded ammo, go figure.

PS: I sold my 243 and switched to a 308 Rem Model 6 and I love it. Its small and light weight and has a short action like the 243. Its great in a tree stand and the ballistics are really good too. FYI:My son also dumped his 243 after he used my 308.

With info like that i can see why you would not enter into gun conversatoins. Really the only difference between a bull barell and a sporter is how fast it heats up. BBl length may make a few fps difference. Explain to me the really good ballistics on the .308. I am a .308 pimp but there are much better options if you are looking at ballistics only perspective. If some one cant kill a deer with a .243 they need to hang up the gun and call it quits. The main problem is people dont practice and shoot deer in the guts and blame the gun. It goes shot placement, bullet constucttion and head stamp as the least important

[rdbalmer]

Originally Posted by oh really

with info like that i can see why you would not enter into gun conversatoins. Really the only difference between a bull barell and a sporter is how fast it heats up. Bbl length may make a few fps difference. Explain to me the really good ballistics on the .308. I am a .308 pimp but there are much better options if you are looking at ballistics only perspective. If some one cant kill a deer with a .243 they need to hang up the gun and call it quits. The main problem is people dont practice and shoot deer in the guts and blame the gun. It goes shot placement, bullet constucttion and head stamp as the least important

amen brother!

[Orion]

This is a great campfire topic. I shoot the same calibres as the OP. I'm up in Alberta and this is what I use them for.

300 win mag - If I have an elk or moose tag this is my go to. I wouldn't use anything else even though I have others that would do the job nicely. ( 30-06 as an example )

30-30 win ..... It comes out when I feel like using a short range firearm in heavy cover for deer. This one is tough to explain. Sometimes I just like the challenge of a 30-30. It's a great cartridge if you accept the range limitations. I love my Marlin!

243 win...I use this for coyotes! With a 58gr Vmax, I like the job it does just a bit better than a 22-250. Have used the 243 for deer but would only shoot at broadside targets with it. I wouldn't even consider a shot "up the chute" on a deer with a 243.

For deer I use a 270 Win. When on a "deer only" hunt, the guys in my camp all use 270 or something of similar power like 280 rem, 7mm-08, 308 etc.

You might disagree, but it's what works for me.

Orion

Why would one consider a "shot up the chute" with any rifle? And if worse came to worse the 85grn tsx out of a .243 would smash through and exit the front. SHOT PLACMENT, bullet construction and last is head stamp each and every time

[rdbalmer]

Originally Posted by why

Why would one consider a "shot up the chute" with any rifle? And if worse came to worse the 85grn tsx out of a .243 would smash through and exit the front. SHOT PLACMENT, bullet construction and last is head stamp each and every time

I was wondering about the "up the chute" shot myself. I can't believe any one would deliberately do that.

[Buck Snort]

Originally Posted by Northland

Any advice out there

Get one.

What's not to like? Low recoil, ammo at every gas station/sporting goods store, LOTS of different bullets for reloading, easy to load for, knocks the snot out of deer, bear, coyotes, coons, rabbits, and whatever else you want to shoot.

[Buck Snort]

Originally Posted by stevefellegy

I agree---best all around Mn. deer caliber is the 30.06--180 grain. 1.5 inches high at 100 yds. at the range and you'll be good from 10 to 200 yds. without fail! That bullet will handle more brush than the .243 and will do a better job if you make a little off the mark shot. 30.06 all that way!

No bullet "handles the brush"

Hit the deer in the right spot and a .22lr will kill it quickly. Deer are easy to kill if you do your part.